Erika The Harpist

Erika has worked as a musician and composer for over twenty years. Her experience as a solo harpist, a member of various ensembles and folk bands, and her graduate studies in Film Scoring and Music Technology at New York University give her a diverse and rich musical background. Erika has worked as a music director for various theatre companies and festivals in NY and NJ, and is a seasoned renaissance faire and folk festival performer. She also performs at weddings and private events.

 

Erika can play in a variety of musical styles, but specializes in Celtic folk music, Renaissance/early music, and film and video game scores. Erika's original compositions pull from all those styles, along with her own unique touch that has been described as "otherworldly. Erika strives to portray the human experience through music in a way that is authentic, raw, and emotive. She infuses her music with her love of storytelling, and has an extensive costume wardrobe for an array of periods and styles, including medieval, renaissance, fantasy, faerie, sci-fi, Victorian and more. Some past and present clients include: The New York Renaissance Faire, Robin Hood's Springtime Medieval Faire (CT), The CT Renaissance Faire, The Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire (CT), the Maine Renaissance Faire (ME), the Sparta Renaissance Faire (NJ), the Actor's Shakespeare Company (CT), A Night at Niblo's Garden (NY) by Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, the Annual Port Jefferson Dickens Festival (NY), Historic Hudson Valley (NY), New England Botanic Garden (MA) and Salem's Festival of the Dead (MA). 

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Erika's harps are: 

 

*Triplett Eclipse 38 string in bubinga wood. Big, bright, sparkling tone, and Erika's primary harp for weddings and outdoor festivals because of its surprisingly strong volume even without amplification. It's a giant for a folk harp, standing at 63" tall. It has a beautiful Celtic carving on the forepillar with an inlaid abalone trisckele design, and abalone binding on the soundboard. It's a gorgeous instrument both in sound and sight! 

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*Blevins Encore 34 in cherry wood. Lorelei has a warm, sweet tone, 34 strings. Erika calls this harp her "cozy sweater" harp because she's had it for so long and knows it so well, it's like a well-loved sweater. This harp has a gorgeous sound, but has taken quite a beating over the years being played in all sorts of outdoor weather, so you will see Erika with this harp at outdoor events when the weather isn't ideal. 

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*Stoney End Brittany lap harp in walnut wood. This harp has 22 wire strings and is fully levered. It has an ancient, mystical sound, perfect for medieval and traditional celtic events!  

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*Electro-acoustic "fullsicle" by William Rees harps. This harp is made from maple wood and stained a beautiful rich purple, is fully levered, and has a built in pickup for quick and easy amplification. She's lightweight and has 26 strings, and Erika loves to use her both onstage and for "strolling" gigs. Also perfect for playing with effect processors!