Best Harp
Alice Coltrane (1937-2001) was a pioneering American jazz musician known for her distinctive approach to music. She blended classical jazz with spiritual and devotional traditions, particularly Indian ragas and mantras. Her unique instrumentation frequently featured the piano, harp, and electronic e...
A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28, is a choral cycle composed by Benjamin Britten in 1942, much of it during his return voyage from the United States to England. Written for treble voices and harp, it sets medieval and early modern English texts associated with Christmas, framed by processional and reces...
The Israel International Harp Competition is a triennial music competition held in Israel for classical harpists. Founded in 1959 by Aharon Zvi Propes, it is one of the most prominent international contests dedicated exclusively to the instrument. The competition requires participants to perform a d...
Alice Coltrane’s *Universal Consciousness* is a 1970 jazz album notable for its pioneering blend of orchestral music and spiritual themes. Featuring extensive harp work and improvisations, it represents a significant exploration of cosmic unity and divine connection. The album resonates with listene...
The USA International Harp Competition is an international solo harp competition held in Bloomington, Indiana. It is open to harpists from around the world and features multiple competition rounds assessed by a jury of established harpists. The competition awards prizes to winning competitors and ai...
Dorothy Ashby (1932–1981) was an American jazz harpist and composer from Detroit who helped establish the harp as a solo instrument in modern jazz. She recorded several albums for Cadet Records, including Afro-Harping (1968), which blended soul jazz with pop and R&B instrumentation. She was also kno...
The Milk-Eyed Mender is the debut studio album by American harpist and singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom, released in 2004. The album established Newsom's prominent role in the freak-folk movement, driven by her complex, fingerpicked harp arrangements and idiosyncratic vocal style. It is an indie-folk...
Brandee Younger is an American harpist and composer who has established herself as a leading voice in jazz and creative music. She is recognized for extending the lineage of jazz harp pioneered by Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane, frequently performing and recording works associated with both musici...
