I'm Deborah Henson-Conant, Grammy-nominated harpist, singer, songwriter and composer. I make my living as a performing musician and a composer, but I also love to write and draw - and every since I was a kid, I've loved music-theater of all genres. Music, for me, is a way to tell a story and no story, in my mind, is complete without music.
I fell in love with the harp, in part, through exploring its jazz capabilities, released a half-dozen jazz recordings in the 80s and 90's then began experimenting with a more expanded genre that mixes Latin Jazz, Celtic, Blues, Flamenco, Folk-Pop, Music-theater and Spoken Word. My shows seem to balance between one-woman shows and concerts -- I usually perform alone, but I also love arranging my music for orchestra and small ensembles, so I also work as a soloist with orchestras, which is a spectacular experience.
I have a kind of love-hate relationship with the harp. I never expected to spend my life playing it. The part I don't like is the stereotype that many people have about what the instrument can and can't do. The part I love is exploring an instrument that's hidden in backrooms for years. Part of that exploration has been my collaborating with the CAMAC harp company to build the first commercial-available carbon-fibre 'body-harp' or 'harness-harp,' and instrument that combines the power of an electric guitar with the intricacy of a harp. I personally think it's 'the' crossover instrument of the 21st century -- but I'm biased.
Visit my website for videos, tour schedule and the usual suspects -- and most importantly, please join my mailing list. You can do it easily right on my home page: http://www.HipHarp.com
