Erika The Harpist

"My body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running upon the wires."

— James Joyce (Araby)

General Info

Thank you for considering me for the honor of playing harp at your wedding! The Celtic Harp is an elegant and romantic addition to any wedding celebration and is sure to delight both you and your guests. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, or if you have any specific pieces in mind for your ceremony. Not all music is playable on the lever harp, but with my background in composition I'm pretty proficient at arranging music, so with some exceptions I can usually find a way to work around the limits of the instrument;  therefore, even if you have a strange request, lets talk! 

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Below is some information about my pricing and some general policies regarding outdoor weddings. Please read them carefully, and make sure they are acceptable to you before booking me if you are planning an outdoor wedding. 

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Repertoire

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I am primarily a Celtic harpist, not a classical harpist. My repertoire consists mostly of beautiful folk music from Western Europe. I do also play some classical and modern pieces, but since I only own lever harps, my ability to play complex classical pieces is limited. If you're looking for a classical harpist with the kind of harp you see in orchestras (a pedal harp) then please reach out to me for recommendations - it won't be me, but I know many talented pedal harpists in the area!

My repertoire list is always growing and changing, so please check with me if there's something you want played at your wedding. But for an example of what I play, click here: Repertoire List 

Pricing

Ceremony Only: $350

Includes:

Consultation (phone or video chat)

30 minute prelude
Bridal party & bridal processional
Ceremony music
Recessional
10 minutes postlude
20 mile radius travel from West Harrison, NY*

amplification 

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Cocktail Hour Only: $350

Includes:

1 hour live harp music for cocktail hour

20 mile radius travel from West Harrison, NY*

amplification 

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Ceremony and Cocktail Hour: $450

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Special Requests for arrangements of music: $50 per song

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$50 non-refundable deposit required to book.

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*ask me for a quote if additional travel is needed

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For Outdoor Weddings

Please provide a flat place for me to set up. I need 4 ft x 6 ft minimum; 4ft x 8ft is even better. A piece of plywood is ideal if there is grass and the ground is already flat. Some clients have covered the plywood in a table cloth or a sheet to make it prettier. A very (very!) tiny slope is okay if the slope is in the direction that I’ll be facing.

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Harps can fall over. Because I need to take multiple trips to set up, please have someone available to stand with my harp while I unload my music stand, chair, gig bag, and park my car. They’d need to be available for 10-15 minutes when I arrive, an hour before the ceremony is scheduled to begin. Please also designate someone to stand with the harp starting 10 minutes after the ceremony (or postlude) while I pull up the car to load my gear. This is especially necessary on uneven or sloped ground.

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 Please plan for me to sit in the shade on warm days. The harp can heat up even more than a person sitting in the sun and needs to be in place far longer than your guests. Overheating can cause the harp’s joints to pull apart, the soundboard to bulge, or the harp to explode. (Really!)

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Please have a bad-weather plan in place for the day of the wedding. What time will you decide whether the ceremony is indoors or outdoors? Who will call me? Make sure you let me know before I need to start packing my harp. This might be hours ahead of the ceremony start-time, depending on the location of the ceremony. Earlier is always better.

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Make sure the contact person you list in the contract will answer their phone!

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Weather Policy

Harpist will not perform outdoors without suitable protection against precipitation, wind, and/or extreme temperatures (including but not limited to temperatures below 55 degrees F and above 90 degrees F). In the event of a ceremony where temperatures are outside these limits, I am not able to play outside. If you do not have an indoor location, you are responsible for having your own backup plan such as a cd and a cd player.

Harpist has the right to refuse to perform in conditions which she deems potentially damaging to her health or to the harp and the client agrees to pay the full amount contracted once the harpist has arrived at the event location, even if harpist cannot perform due to inclement weather. Potentially damaging example 1: a tent has been set up but the wind is blowing rain onto the performance space in such a way that the harp would get wet. Potentially damaging example 2: the temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the only option is a tent with space heaters and no sides.

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Harpist reserves the right to substitute a different harp with different repertoire at any time without notice. In some conditions where I would not be able to bring my 38 string harp, I might still be able to play with my smaller harp which is less sensitive to humidity and extreme temperatures. I am not able to play all my repertoire on this smaller harp. As detailed above, in such conditions I am not obliged to play, but I will do my best to help you if possible.

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In the event of inclement weather, the client is responsible to provide an alternate indoor location or shelter deemed suitable by the harpist. Please notify me AT LEAST 2 hours ahead of time and much farther in advance if possible. If I do not hear from you or cannot reach you the day of the wedding, I will operate with the information available to me, which may dictate bringing a smaller harp.

If the client still wishes to hold the event outside in inclement weather, a tent must be set up at least 30 minutes before the event starts. Note that a tent is not sufficient if the temperatures are beyond the allowable limits.

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