BIO
Bríd Harper is regarded as one of the leading Irish traditional fiddle players of the last forty years.
She grew up close to the east Donegal village of Castlefinn and started playing the fiddle at the age of nine. There is music on both sides of her family. Her grandfather Stephen Harper was a fiddler and came from a musical family. On her mother’s side her uncle Frank Kelly is a well known fiddler.
In the mid 1970’s Bríd began taking music lessons with Pat McCabe at her local branch of Comhaltas. She was also heavily encouraged by her parents who brought her to sessions and fleadhanna. There was a lot of Irish music in the house in the form of LPs and Cassettes.
She won all the underage competitions at the annual All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil both in the Slow Air and Dance Music categories. In 1988 she won three prestigious titles - Senior All Ireland, Fiddler of Dooney and Oireachtas na Gaeilge.
She is an MA graduate of the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance at University of Limerick. She has toured extensively and performed with many great musicians including Dermot Byrne, Steve Cooney, Arty McGlynn, Nollaig Casey, Maeve Donnelly, Harry Bradley, John Doyle, Sylvain Barou Nicolas Quemener and more.
Bríd is highly respected and much sought after as a teacher. She has tutored at Summer Schools and workshops throughout Ireland, The UK, The USA, Canada, many parts of mainland Europe, New Zealand and Australia.
She has appeared on every major broadcast channel on the island of Ireland as well as BBC Alba Scotland. She has featured on local radio stations in France, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Her much anticipated solo recording “Bríd Harper” released in 2015 was described by Tradconnect.com as “solo fiddle of the most exquisite kind” and “ one of this year’s best traditional albums”.
Bríd is also a member of the SíFiddlers formed in 2018 which is made up of 13 female Donegal fiddlers. They released a recording in 2020 showcasing some of the most popular and better known Donegal repertoire.
Bríd who resides near Dungannon Co Tyrone teaches fiddle on a one-on-one basis from her home and in recent times has begun composing tunes in her spare time. She is a visiting tutor and performer at The Irish World Academy in Limerick University.
UPCOMING GIGS
2024
April 2-4th Fiddle Workshop Dún Uladh
April 5-7 Roots in Music Roundwood Co Wicklow
May 3rd: Féile Oriel Monaghan with Ryan Molloy
May 4th: Fiddle workshop Omagh CCE
June 14: Doolin Folk Festival with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney
June 22: Fiddle Workshop Dún Uladh
June 30th: Tory Island with Dermot Byrne
July 17th: The Attic Sessions Doolin with Ryan Molloy
July 18: The Cobblestone Dublin with Ryan Molloy
Aug 7-11 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann Wexford
Aug 24-Sept 7: Brittany
Sept 27: Johnny Doherty Festival Ardara with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney
OCT 4-6: Joyce Brother’s Festival Kilfinane with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney
Oct 12: The Cottage Concert Series Dungarvan with Darren Breslin
Oct 18-20: Foxford Traditional Weekend with Dermot Byrne & Steve Cooney
Oct 24: Matt Molloy’s Bar with Sylvain Barou & Libby McCrohan
Oct 25: Cooley/Collins Festival Gort with Sylvain Barou & Libby McCrohan
Nov 3: Music Club ‘t Ey Belsele Belgium with Brendan Mulholland
Nov 5: House concert @ Geert Lejeune with Brendan Mulholland
Nov 7: Huisduinen Den Helder Netherlands with Brendan Mulholland
Nov 8-10: Texel
Nov 11: Bow & Blow Fest Boeschepe France with Brendan Mulholland
Nov 22: Oriel Centre Dundalk with Ryan Molloy
Nov 23: Fiddle Workshop for BelfastTrad at Stranmillis College 10am-1pm
Nov 23: An Droichead Belfast with Ryan Molloy
Nov 24: Dún Uladh Omagh with Ryan Molloy