HARPERS UNITED

About HARPERS UNITED

A fascinating round robin presentation with a selection of Victoria’s most innovative and versatile exponents of the harp (including the kora, known as the harp of Africa). This is your only chance (outside of an orchestra) to hear an incredible 140 strings ringing together.

Andy Rigby (main image) started playing Celtic music in 1981 before discovering the harp styles of Paraguay and Ecuador a few years later. Since 1990 Andy has been a full-time musician and instrument maker specialising in medieval Gaelic brass-strung harps, Spanish Baroque chromatic harps and other Celtic and Latin harps. He's now one of Australia’s leading makers, teachers and players of the harp in both its Celtic and Latin American forms. And while players in the classical tradition refer to themselves as harpists, Andy prefers the old folk harp label of harper.

Classically trained, Mary Doumany is fluent across multiple genres including jazz, contemporary, folk and experimental and is known also for creating ground-breaking works for harp and other instruments/combinations. One of her great passions is to help others find their unique voice on the harp. Mary is featured on major motion picture soundtracks, including 'Shine' and 'The Truman Show' both as singer and harpist. She has played with the Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras. "To hear Mary perform is to be taken into the essence of the music. A musician of integrity and depth, she is one of Australia’s most versatile creative treasures." (Alice Giles AM).

Jali Buba Kuyateh was born in Casamance, the southern region of Senegal, and grew up living between The Gambia and Senegal. Jali Buba has played kora since the age of five. He had composed three tracks by the age of 10. Jali comes from the famous Kuyateh family of Medina Wandifa. All his brothers and sister play kora, sing and dance. His father and mother are highly regarded musicians known throughout Senegambia and Guinea. His older brother, Jali Lamin Kuyateh, is also a master kora player who performs internationally with his band Silaba. Now based in Malmsbury, Jali Buba has captivated audiences across Australia.

*Plus booking fee