Toad Lane Concerts: Alice Roberts harp

Alice Roberts

Serene and enchanting sounds flowed around the acoustic of St Mary in the Baum on Wednesday 22 February in a welcome return by Alice Roberts. Now a professional freelance harpist and musician, she graduated first class from the highly competitive and prestigious Manchester ‘Joint Course’. This involves simultaneous study at the University of Manchester and the RNCM. At the university, Alice was awarded the Procter-Gregg prize in both 2016 and 2018 for the highest mark for performance. In 2020, she became the first ever harpist to win the RNCM Gold Medal.

Alice is passionate about folk music and also exploring alternative styles on the harp, such as jazz, popular and contemporary, performing regularly across the UK and internationally at venues and festivals.

She engages well with her audience with relaxed, fluent and informative introductions.

As one might expect there Celtic and Gaelic flavours dominate her repertoire, with such luminaries as Scottish harpists Catriona McKay and Rachel Hair and arrangements of traditional Welsh folk songs. Contemporary music featured too, such as works by Mared Emlyn, and The Sunken Forest Suite – by another distinguished Welsh harpist Eira Lynn Jones (who taught Alice for 14 years), five atmospheric pieces telling a folk tale.

These all contributed to a celebration of the harp community and styles. This was summed in her final set. The Seal Lullaby by Eric Whitacre arranged by Alice had shades of Disney about it. Song Of the Welsh Hills by Monika Stadler epitomised Alice’s secret – she plays the instrument like a singer.

Finally, the contemporary hypnotic Time Spinner by Esther Swift that left the audience in a trance.

To see details of forthcoming Toad Lane Concerts, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson