Janet Harbison Harp

I’m delighted to be performing this Saturday at in Belfast! 🎶 TG4 will broadcast live at 9:30pm with Doireann Ní Ghlacáin, Peadar Ó Goill & Gráinne McElwain, as the stages between Fountain & Castle Street come alive with incredible performances. I’ll be joining an amazing line‑up of talented musicians for this historic first Belfast Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann!

Discover the joy of the harp!

Join Janet Harbison at the Warwick Harp Studio for Beginners Harp Days, one‑day workshops designed for adult beginners. Enjoy hands‑on harping, a talk on the harp’s history, a recital from Janet, and a hearty Celtic lunch.

✨ Gift vouchers available, perfect for friends or family.
📅 Upcoming dates: 5 Sept & 10 Oct 2026
💷 £100 per person

🎶 Come and see how easy it is to make beautiful music!
www.janetharbisonharp.com/course/beginner-harp-days

‘The Belfast Harp Orchestra Legacy’
An illustrated lecture with Janet Harbison at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026

On Friday, 7 August 2026, from 12pm to 1pm at Belfast’s Linen Hall Library, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 features a presentation from Belfast Harp Orchestra director, Janet Harbison – who recalls the ten years of Belfast Harp Orchestra history in film clips, chat and live performances with former BHO members.

Marking the bicentenary of the Belfast Harpers’ Assembly in 1992, Dubliner Janet Harbison (with an Ulster background) trained over twenty harpers aged from 10 to 20 and launched as the Belfast Harp Orchestra. Mostly from Ulster’s 9 counties, from both religious traditions and trained as traditional musicians (by ear), Janet and her troupe performed the music of Ulster and Ireland across the Western world.

Emerging from the times of ‘The Troubles’ and featuring tribal tunes and lamentations, the Orchestra presented their Ulster story in music, song and dance. Hundreds of concerts, tours of Europe and America, six albums, many films, TV features and a lot of fun later, just short of 100 members shared the adventure and many harping careers were launched (e,g, Grainne Hambly, Michael Rooney, Pádraigín Caesar).

A highlight of the orchestra’s history was the collaboration with The Chieftains – from the World Harp Festival Belfast in 1992 in the Ulster Hall, to London’s Barbican and Royal Festival Hall, and across America including Washington DC’s Kennedy Centre and New York’s Carnegie Hall. Their recording entitled The Celtic Harp won a Grammy Award in 1993 and the Orchestra features on three more of their CD/DVD albums. Other collaborations include performing with James Galway, Alfie Bowe, Brian Kennedy, the Fieldmarshall Montgomery Pipe Band, Tommy Sands and Vedran Smylovitch.

For details and tickets:
12pm, 7 August 2026, £5
www.janetharbisonharp.com/course/linenhall

Janet Harbison Harp
Irish Music Magazine official

The Belfast Harp Orchestra Legacy with Janet Harbison - The Linen Hall, Belfast As part of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 lecture series, Janet Harbison the Belfast Harp Orchestra founder and director presents an illustrated lecture with live performances.

Janet Harbison, the Belfast Harp Orchestra founder and director, presents an illustrated lecture with film clips, chat and performance at The Linen Hall Library. As part of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 lecture series, this event explores how the Belfast Harp Orchestra brought young Ulster harpers to the world stage, graduating more than 100 musicians who went on to shape Irish harp music as performers, teachers and therapists. With archive footage, live music and personal reflections, this lecture celebrates a decade of creativity, collaboration and international achievement.

📅 12pm, 7 August 2026
🎟 £5
https://www.janetharbisonharp.com/course/linenhall

A reminder that this Thursday July the 16th Dr Janet Harbison will be hosting the last of her series of concerts in the church at 8pm.

The last two concerts have been an absolute blast with such talented performers such as Meenacross Comhaltas, Dr Janet’s students and herself, and this concert will definitely not disappoint. 🪉🎶

The proceeds from this concert are in aid of the Kincasslagh Parish graveyard development fund.