The Royal Academy of Music in London has named Stephen Fitzpatrick as head of harp, beginning in the 2026–27 academic year. Catrin Finch will step down from her current role as head of harp at the end of this academic year, but she will continue with the harp department as Osian Ellis Visiting Professor of Harp.
“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the Royal Academy of Music as head of harp and building on the exceptional work of Catrin Finch and her predecessors,” Fitzpatrick says. “After three decades working in Europe, it is particularly exciting for me to be returning to the UK in this role. I look forward to working with colleagues and students as we continue to develop one of the world’s leading harp departments.”
“I am delighted that Stephen Fitzpatrick will be leading the Academy’s harp department from September,” says Deputy Principal of the Academy Timothy Jones. “Stephen brings a wealth of experience as a distinguished performer and teacher in Europe, and I look forward to working closely with him as he builds on the outstanding achievements of Catrin Finch and the entire department.”
Fitzpatrick is currently professor of harp at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, visiting professor of harp at the Royal College of Music, and a teacher of orchestral studies at the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler. Previously, he has taught as professor of harp at the Barenboim-Said Academy.
Fitzpatrick is principal harp of the Staatskapelle Berlin, since being appointed by Daniel Barenboim in 2000. He has previously held positions as co-principal harp of the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra, principal harp of the English Symphony Orchestra, and guest principal harp of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bayreuther Festpiele, and NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra.
Fitzpatrick is also a founding member of the Boulez Ensemble and performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. He has appeared as an orchestral player with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Filarmonica della Scala. He has served on the juries of many music competitions, including the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb, the International Harp Competition in Szeged, and the ARD Music Competition.
