Rachel Hair

Rachel Hair is a folk harpist from Scotland. She plays the Celtic harp, also known by the Scottish Gaelic word clarsach.

For the hairstyle, see Rachel haircut.

Rachel Hair
Hair in 2010
Background information
OriginUllapool, Scotland
GenresFolk
Occupation(s)Recording artist, performer, music teacher
Instrument(s)Harp
Years active2007-present
Websitewww.rachelhair.com

Early life and education

Of mixed Scots-Irish parentage, Hair was born and brought up in the village of Ullapool. At ten years old, she was exposed to the harp through the Scottish organization Fèis Rois, which organizes schools and festivals to teach traditional music and Gaelic.[1] She studied music at the University of Strathclyde, where she gained a first class honors degree.[2]

Career

In 2007, Hair released her debut harp album, "Hubcaps and Potholes", and has since performed at many festivals including Celtic Connections, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, and the Edinburgh Fringe.[2] She has traveled throughout Europe, the United States, and New Zealand performing and teaching.[3] According to music reviewer David Pratt, Hair "is recognised as the world’s leading expert in Manx Harp music."[4] She travels monthly to the Isle of Man, where she teaches for several days. She also teaches lessons in people's homes and teaches regularly in The Netherlands.[5]

Hair also helps coordinate the annual Edinburgh International Harp Festival. In 2020, the festival's 39th year, the festival was forced to cancel its in-person activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading Hair to coordinate the Virtual Edinburgh International Harp Festival. Over five days, 18 different harpists performed and led workshops online.[6]

Also in 2020, Hair began offering free harp lessons via YouTube through her "Harp at Home" series, in which she teaches Scottish songs and sells the corresponding sheet music.[5] And she was nominated for "Music tutor of the year" in the annual Scots Trad Music Awards.[7]

In March 2021, Hair and Manx Gaelic singer Ruth Keggin launched a joint crowdfunding campaign to produce a debut duo album. They reached their target goal of £5,000 within 12 hours of launching the campaign and achieved a stretch goal of £10,000 after 48 hours. Some matching funds were provided by Creative Scotland.[8]

Additionally, Hair has published several books of music that she has arranged for the harp.[3]

Discography
  • Hubcaps and Potholes - 2007
  • The Lucky Smile - 2009
  • No More Wings (as the Rachel Hair Trio) - 2012
  • Tri (as the Rachel Hair Trio) - 2015
  • Sparks (as Rachel Hair & Ron Jappy) - 2019

References
  1. "What We do". Feis Rois. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  2. "Ullapool showtime for rising star Rachel". Ross-shire Journal. 13 June 2008. Archived from the original on 30 September 2010.
  3. "Manx Music and Dance: Going global during the lockdown". Isle of Man Courier. 24 May 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  4. Pratt, David (4 June 2019). "RACHEL HAIR & RON JAPPY: SPARK". folk radio. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  5. "Home Is Where the Harp Is". Harp Column. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  6. Rudden, Liam (31 March 2020). "Edinburgh's International Harp Festival goes global as it reinvents itself as a virtual online event". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  7. "Nominees Announced for 2020 Scottish Traditional Music Awards". Journal of Music. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  8. "Rachel and Ruth - a debut duo album!". Crowdfunder. Retrieved 25 March 2021.


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