The Somerset Folk Harp Festival in Parsippany, N.J., has announced the presenters and workshops for its 2023 edition. The festival will take place in person and online July 20–23, with an additional weekend of online workshops July 29–30. Add-on events, available in addition to festival registration, include events with the Historic Harp Society, Shelley Fairplay, a Sunday with Deborah Henson-Conant, and the Harpers’ Escape with Debbie Brewin-Wilson, William Jackson, and Gráinne Hambly. Another add-on option is a selection of past workshops curated from the festival’s archive.
Highlights of this year’s festival include the presentation of the Somerset Lifetime Achievement Award, which will honor Deborah Henson-Conant. The Ensemble Sangineto, in its debut at Somerset, will lead an evening of traditional Italian dance. Scottish harper Rachel Hair will also lead attendees in Scottish Highland dancing.
This summer, the Somerset Folk Harp Festival will be directed by the first time by Maureen Buscareno, after the retirement of Kathy DeAngelo from the festival. Buscareno describes the festival as a place to discover more of the folk harp world. “Whether you are new to the harp, want to focus on one style or type of music, solidify some specific skills, or try out something new, Somerset’s workshop offerings are sure to expand your musical horizon,” she says. Besides the concerts and workshops, attendees can join after-hours sessions, a talent show, and dances. Trying out hundreds of harps at the exhibit hall and talking to luthiers is also part of the experience. Buscareno encourages participants, “Explore everything from the Blues to Scandinavian music on all kinds of harps: single row harps, double-strung harps, cross-strung harps, historic harps, small harps and more.”
For more information, visit the festival’s website.
