Harp Showcase
Patrice Haan, Celtic harper, singer/songwriter and jazz singer. Since arriving in the San Francisco Bay-area in 1998 she has
- served as the president of the local Celtic-harp association (the Bay Area Folk Harp Society),
- performed with such diverse artists as Sylvia Herold, Park Stickney, and the Black Brothers as well as Tony Marcus in Leftover Dreams, a sophisticated and elegant jazz standards duet (see links), in coffeehouses and concerts in two Canadian provinces and 4 states in settings as varied as the main stage at the Strawberry Music Festival, a cruise to Alaska, and First Night Monterey,
- played for weddings, funerals and, recently, joined the non-profit organization, Healing Muses which provides music for healing in local hospitals,
- taught harmony vocal classes at B.C. Swing Camp,
- hosted the Wakefield Songwriters.. Circle (a child of the California Coast Music Camp),
- recorded a newly-released album of original music, and two albums of jazz standards with Leftover Dreams, and
- garnered rave reviews for her droll humour and stage presence as emcee the MCMF Festival of Harps, the Hoolie at The Woods, and the ISFHC main stage at HarpCon 2000.
All in all a busy seven years.
Harps have been played through human musical history for almost as long as drums. A true harper can evoke tears, sleep or bloodlust. Anita Farley and songwriter/traditionalist Patrice Haan show some of the varied styles the Celtic harp is used to make music. While the only blood spilt will be in ballad form, it's not unheard of for attendees to drift into altered realities or become emotionally moved.
Anita Farley first performed at the San Francisco Free Folk Festival in 1994. Although her first folk instrument was the guitar, Anita took up the neo-celtic harp in 1991. In addition to her performances here, Anita has:
- Performed regularly at Renaissance Festivals in Blackpoint & Stafford Lake (Novato), Casa de Fruta, and San Luis Obispo . as well as The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, and Christmas at Patterson House (Ardenwood Historic Farm).
- Performed at various Celtic Festivals with the DeLacey Irish Dancers.
- Taught workshops in historic folk music, storytelling, and historic costume at various schools (K-12) through The Living History Centre and Presenters of the Past.
- Released an album (Kind Friends and Companions) of traditional English and Celtic ballads with harp accompaniment.
