Cornelius Lyons Inaugural Harp Summer School - Harp Masterclasses

Welcome to the Cornelius Lyons Inaugural Harp Summer School - Harp Masterclasses! Join us for a weekend filled with music, learning, and fun. The event will take place at Teach Siamsa in V92WE22 starting on Fri, Jun 20 2025 at 6:00 PM and finishing on Sun, Jun 22 2025 at 4:00 PM. Come and improve your harp skills and connect with fellow harp enthusiasts. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, there's something for everyone at this summer school. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to enhance your harp playing abilities. See you there!

For more see information on our tutor Janet Harbison below and check out Miss Hamilton, a piece composed by Cornelius Lyons and arranged by Janet Harbison for this event.

Janet Harbison Bio

Janet, one of the most influential figures in Irish harping, has been a driving force in the revival and development of the Irish harp for over four decades. Born in Dublin into a musically rich family, she began her classical training at age four and was immersed in traditional Irish music from an early age—learning tin whistle, Irish dancing, and singing in both Irish and English.

She began studying the harp at 13 under Máirín Ferriter of the renowned Ní Sheaghdha sisters and later studied music at Trinity College Dublin and Cork University, focusing on piano, flute, composition, and conducting. From 1979 to 1981, she won every national harp competition in Ireland, as well as several international festivals. In 1980, she became the first harper to tour the world with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

A dedicated scholar and peacebuilder, Janet worked in Germany with The Peace People during the Troubles and later took up a Research Fellowship at the Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University Belfast. From 1986–1994, she served as Curator of Music at the Ulster Folk Museum, where she spearheaded numerous cross-community projects. Most notably, she founded the Belfast Harp Orchestra (1992–2002), comprising over 20 young harpers. The orchestra toured internationally, recorded four albums with The Chieftains, and earned a Grammy Award in 1993. Janet also established the Harp Foundation Ireland and served as its CEO until 2002.

In 2002, she relocated to Castleconnell, Co. Limerick, where she founded the Irish Harp Centre, a residential college for harpers, which she directed until 2016. Her stage productions include the Colmcille Suite (1997, revived in 2022), The Christmas Cantata, and Brian Boru – Lion of Ireland.

Janet returned north in 2016 as Visiting Professor of Music at Ulster University, Magee College, and is currently pursuing a PhD on the Belfast Harp Orchestra at the Dublin Conservatoire of Music (TUD) as an Irish Research Council Scholar. She continues to teach, research, perform, and direct annual summer schools through her Traditional Harp School in Dungloe, Co. Donegal.