Fran Barsby

Fran Barsby is a British harpist known for her passion and innovation. Fran made her professional debut in 2008 at St John’s Smith Square, London. Since then she has enjoyed performing in venues such as Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham Town Hall, Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Minerva Theatre and many more. Fran has competed in and won many competitions including West Sussex Musician of the Year in 2011. Her solo and ensemble career with groups such as the International Harp Ensemble, and various chamber groups and orchestras has taken her around Europe. In 2015 Fran graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire of Music. During this time Fran enjoyed studying with teachers including Catherine White, Gabriella Dall'Olio, David Watkins, Skaila Kanga, Louisa Maria Cordell, Charlotte Seale, and Anne Hughes Chamberlain. Since 2015, Fran has enjoyed a flourishing career as a harpist. As Pilgrim Harps Online Marketing Coordinator and Resident Harpist, Fran enjoys performing and conducting masterclasses on behalf of the company. Fran particularly enjoys organising "Come and Try the Harp" events which offer the opportunity for anyone of any age and ability can try a harp and learn more about the instrument. Fran has been teaching the harp for 7 years. She currently teaches privately and in three schools in the Midlands; Kings High School for Girls, Warwick Preparatory School and The Blue Coat School Birmingham. Fran ensures all her students have regular opportunities to perform and runs termly student concerts. Fran teaches privately from her harp studio in Warwick. The Harp Studio is the home of PoppyHarp. PoppyHarp is a lever harp showroom for Pilgrim Harps and a publishing company for young professional composers. Fran is Company Director of PoppyHarp Publishing. April 2015 brought the release of a new set of Harp tuition books for students of all ages, parental help guides and advice for teachers. As Company Director of PoppyHarp Publishing, Fran helps young professional musicians and composers publish their first compositions. From PoppyHarp Fran has launched the Future Blend Project. The project is now internationally renowned; it is a year long composition competition that pairs harpists and composers together in order to create some incredible new music. The project is now in its third year and has had two sell out concerts, published 18 new works and recorded 2 CD’s of brand new harp music. As Founder and Director of the Future Blend Project, Fran has enjoyed working with a wide variety of musicians such as Eleanor Turner, Kirsty Devaney, Dominic Sewell, Paul Lewis, Edmund Joillfe, Shelley FairPlay, Amy Turk and more. Fran also enjoys working with various charities and projects such as the Harp On Wight Festival as a web-designer. Fran enjoys her diverse career, performing in concerts, at weddings and events, as a music and health musicians at hospitals and hospices, teaching and running her companies.