The Clarsach Society

20/10/2026

Congratulations Alice we can’t wait to hear your composition at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival 🎉

🎉 Congratulations to Alice Guse, winner of the Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award 2026!

We are delighted to announce that Glasgow harpist Alice Guse has been named the 2026 winner of the Iain Macleòid Young Composer Award, presented by The Clarsach Society in partnership with the Edinburgh International Harp Festival.

Alice holds both a BMus with Honours in Pedal Harp and an MMus in Traditional Music on Scottish harp from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Her compositions aim to share her love and passion for music, using music to tell stories about history, the natural world and everyday life experiences.

Alice’s winning composition will receive its premiere at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in April 2027. We’ll share more information about the piece and its premiere closer to the festival.

Many congratulations to Alice on this wonderful achievement! 👏👏👏

04/10/2026

🎵 2026 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 2026.

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

26/09/2026

Well done to all involved in the joint Dingwall 800 and 95 years of the Society celebration last night. The society was formed in Dingwall, 95 years to the day following the Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail / The Royal National Mòd in 1931!

What a great night last night at Harps Galore in Dingwall! 27 harps! 95 years of the Clarsach Society! Thanks so much to Fèis Rois for all their coordinating, and Patsy Seddon and Neil Wood for travelling up for the pre-concert talk. Thanks also to our soloists Cheyenne, Fraya, Emma, Jennifer and Bill.

19/09/2026

🔈 Calling all harp fans! We’re thrilled that Dingwall 800 is hosting this wonderful harp concert marking 95 years since The Clarsach Society was formed at the 1931 Royal National Mod.

There’s a host of amazing players performing including Jennifer Port, Cheyenne Brown, Bill Taylor, Fraya Thomsen, Emma Wright AND members of the Highland Branch of the Clarsach Society.

There will also be a pre-concert discussion about past, present and future of our Society. This is a great chance to learn about what we have done, do and plan to do - we’d love to you to come along! Information in the below post.

A week tonight we’ll be celebrating the harp! 🪉🪉

With a fantastic concert featuring Cheyenne Brown, Jennifer Port - harpist & singer, Bill Taylor, Fraya Thomsen, Emma Wright plus members of the Highland Branch of the Clarsach Society, this evening will mark the 95th anniversary since The Clarsach Society was formed in Dingwall at the 1931 Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail / The Royal National Mòd!

📆 Friday 25th September
🕘 7:30pm
📍Dingwall Academy
🎟 Start from £11.55 and free for school pupils.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/harps-galore-tickets-1991454887176

There will also be a pre-concert discussion about the past, present & future of the Clarsach Society from 6.15-7.15pm. If you would like to attend this, you can secure a free place via the link above.

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: