The Clarsach Society

10/03/2026

🎵 Young Composer Award 2026🎵
The Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award is an annual competition named in memory of John Macleod.

Composers between 16 & 30 years of age, including non-harp players, are invited to submit an original piece of music (single movement or suite), 8-10 minutes in length, for either solo clarsach (lever harp) including wire strung harp, or clarsach and up to 3 other instruments and/or voices.

The award is £1000 plus a premiere performance at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival April 2027! 🎶

The deadline for entries is 1st July 2026

01/02/2026

A huge congratulations to Rachel Groves on being crowned BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2026 - after an outstanding performance! 🎶 🎉

During her interview, Rachel mentioned being inspired by watching performances at Edinburgh International Harp Festival as a youngster!

30/01/2026

The Edinburgh International Harp Festival Programme is available to see now! 🥳

AVAILABLE TO VIEW ONLINE at www.harpfestival.co.uk

❗️THE WAIT IS OVER 😍 THE 2026 Edinburgh International Harp Festival BROCHURE IS NOW AVAILABLE TO VIEW ONLINE at www.harpfestival.co.uk

WHAT'S INSIDE?
👉Full details of all concerts, courses, workshops and our ever popular family ceilidh.
👉Information about our venue, George Watson's College.
👉Details on our free-to-attend events including the Harp Makers' Exhibition, Harp Tasting, Sessions and more.

📖Paper copies will be available from our Edinburgh office, branches of The Clarsach Society and at the festival.

🚨IMPORTANT
Our online box office will open on Tuesday 3rd February at 10.00am
(Please do not attempt to book any events before then as it will not be possible)

We hope this early glimpse of the 2026 festival, a few days before the box office opens, will help you plan your visit and your purchases accordingly.

21/01/2026

The Edinburgh Branch of the Clarsach Society has a Burns workshop coming up this weekend! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

See below for more details:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 BURNS BASH 24th January 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Our first meeting of 2026 is a Burns Bash on Saturday 24th January at our normal venue, Craiglockhart Parish Church hall, Craiglockhart Avenue, EH14 1HS.

We are delighted to have Wendy Stewart as our guest tutor. The music session will run 11am - 1pm, with the hall open from 10am to ensure everyone can be set up ready to start playing at 11am.

Lunch will follow at 1.15pm.

21/01/2026

The Glasgow Branch of the Clarsach Society has a workshop coming up! 🎉

See below for more details:

Join us Sunday 8th February for this special workshop and concert day with renowned Scottish Harper Wendy Stewart, and emerging Glasgow artist Alice Guse.

Combined workshop & concert tickets include soup and sandwiches in-between! A limited number of concert only tickets are also available.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wendy-stewart-alice-guse-tickets-1981003032397?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

21/01/2026

The Highland Branch of the Clarsach Society has a workshop coming up! 🥳

see more details below:

20/01/2026

The Edinburgh International Harp Festival programme is almost ready….see their page for more details 🥳

Harpy New Year!

We are *so* close to sharing the full programme of events for the 45th Edinburgh International Harp Festival 😆

Next week we’ll be sharing our 2026 artwork AND on Friday the 30th you’ll be able to view a PDF copy of our brochure (the real deal is at the printers now!) online before the EIHF box office opens on Tuesday 3rd February 🥳

We can’t wait to share it all with you!

27/10/2025

🎵 2025 Bursaries 🎵
Deadline 1st November

Each year, The Clarsach Society offers Bursaries to encourage promising players at any level who have limited resources, financial or otherwise! 🎵

Bursaries up to five hundred pounds (£500) are awarded for use towards the cost of tuition and accommodation at an approved course with a Scottish content, (e.g. Edinburgh International Harp Festival), or alternatively the use of a harp provided free for one year.

Any member of The Clarsach Society, with the exception of trustees, may apply. The closing date for receipt of applications is 1st November 2025.

For more information:
https://www.clarsachsociety.co.uk/the-society/awards/

20/10/2025

Workshop coming up with the Highland Branch of the Clarsach Society see below for more details 🎉🎉

18/10/2025

🎶 It’s Harp Day / Lá na Cruite! 🎶

This is a global annual celebration of Ireland’s national instrument organised by our friends at Harp Ireland with online and in-person events and performances.

We would like wish all of our members, and the wider harping community a very happy harp day!

The Clarsach Society was founded in Scotland in 1931 and now, through its members and the annual Edinburgh International Harp Festival celebrates harpers across the world.

24/09/2025

🎵 2025 Bursaries 🎵

Each year, The Clarsach Society offers Bursaries to encourage promising players at any level who have limited resources, financial or otherwise! 🎵

Bursaries up to five hundred pounds (£500) are awarded for use towards the cost of tuition and accommodation at an approved course with a Scottish content, (e.g. Edinburgh International Harp Festival), or alternatively the use of a harp provided free for one year.

Any member of The Clarsach Society, with the exception of trustees, may apply. The closing date for receipt of applications is 1st November 2025.

For more information:
https://www.clarsachsociety.co.uk/the-society/awards/