Harpists will converge for the Burgess Hill Festival

A breathtaking ensemble of harpists will be performing repertoire in styles ranging from the energetic to the ethereal for the Burgess Hill Festival.
Fiona HosfordFiona Hosford
Fiona Hosford

Fiona Hosford will be performing an evening concert alongside five other harpists at St John’s Church, Burgess Hill on June 6.

“We’ll be performing a wide range of pieces for harp, as well as explaining about harps and the pieces we’re playing too, which always makes for an interesting listen... and as are all professional working harpists, getting us altogether performing has been quite a feat!”

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They will take to the stage under the name Glissando, an exciting harp ensemble involving some of the top harpists across Sussex. Their repertoire is stylistically diverse – well known folk tunes and popular classics alongside pieces by prominent composers for harp.

The ensemble features harpists from all walks of life, each with their own style, coming together to perform music which is both aurally and visually spectacular, they promise.

“Glissando, which is a harp ensemble, formed four years ago and currently consists of six members, all professional players, and between us we have 11 concert harps!

“Despite each of us having busy playing and teaching schedules, we manage to get together to rehearse new ideas, pieces and to have a general catch-up with each other, as we do seem to be like passing musical ships in the night at times!

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“The concert on June 6 at St John’s Church will include music from composers such as Debussy, Albeniz and Grandjany but also includes folk tunes and contemporary harp composers, for example Bernard Andrès, whose music includes exciting dynamic rhythms and interesting effects played on the harp.

“Our aim is to introduce not just the romanticism of the harp, which is usually portrayed but to introduce new pieces to the listener and in between each piece, there will be a short explanation and sometimes a demonstration of the varying techniques included in the programme.”

Tickets for adults are £10. Children under 16 free accompanied by paying adult.

Tickets available from The Spire Café, the Help Point in Burgess Hill or www.TicketSource.co.uk and are also available on the door.

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Based in East Sussex, Fiona primarily covers Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Essex, Hampshire and London.

She also performs throughout other counties in the UK and engages in playing in functions abroad.

Fiona is also offering From Paris With Love, a harp duet concert at Field Place, Worthing on June 23 from 3-4pm with her colleague and good friend Alexander Rider to showcase their antique Erard Gothic Harps.