Helen WebbyShort biography:

Born in Whangarei, Helen Webby’s passion for the harp began at the age of twelve when her brother Kim, then sixteen, built her an instrument. She studied Concert Harp in Auckland, Holland and Germany, and 1996 completed her Masters degree from the Hochschule for Music in Hamburg. Since 2000 Helen has been Principal Harp with the Christchurch Symphony, and also plays with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras. She tours for Chamber Music NZ, Arts On Tour NZ, and recently premiered Rautavaara’s Harp Concerto with the Christchurch Symphony. ODE Records has just released her solo CD, Pluck, of new music for harp by NZ composers. The production of Pluck inspired the documentary film Harps Make Fine Companions (Otago University).

Long biography:

Born in Whangarei, Helen Webby’s passion for the harp began at the age of twelve when her brother Kim, then sixteen, built her an instrument. She studied Concert Harp with Dorothea Franchi (Auckland), Rebecca Harris (Auckland), Edward Witsenburg (Holland) and Maria Graf (Germany).

Helen graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance from the University of Auckland, undertook postgraduate studies at The Royal Conservatory of The Hague (The Netherlands) and then in 1996 completed a Masters degree in Harp and Music Teaching from the Hochschule for Music in Hamburg Germany). She won numerous scholarships from The Netherlands Government (NUFFIC), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Creative New Zealand and NZSO Alex Lindsay Trust.

While based in Germany Helen led a busy career as a chamber and orchestral musician, and recorded her first CD with her chamber group Ensemble Obligat. In 1996 Helen appeared as Acting Principal Harp with the NZSO, and in 2000 returned to New Zealand as Principal Harp with the Christchurch Symphony. Her subsequent concerto appearances, solo recitals and chamber recitals have been warmly acclaimed by critics. Helen toured for Chamber Music NZ and Arts on Tour NZ, premiered New Zealand works at the 2006 American Harp Society Convention, and performed concerts for the Brunei Music Society. In 2010 she performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra on their tour to Vienna and Germany. In 2012 Helen performed the Australasian premier of the Harp Concerto by Rautavaara with the Christchurch Symphony, and has just released on ODE Records the first anthology of NZ harp music, her solo CD Pluck. The production of Pluck is the subject of the documentary film Harps Make Fine Companions, produced by Otago University’s Dr Erika Pearson and John Egenes. www.harpsmakefinecompanions.com

Along the way Helen has maintained a keen interest in the Celtic harp, winning a prize at the 1990 International Carolan Harp Competition (Ireland), and collaborating with Scottish guitarist Davy Stuart to record the CD The Golden Strand - Celtic music for harp and guitar. In 2008 the duo collaborated with New Zealand composers Gareth Farr and Chris Cree-Brown to tour new works with traditional music for Chamber Music NZ. 2011 Helen and Davy performed as international guests at the Australian National Folk Festival in Canberra, and in 2012 they toured the length and breadth of New Zealand for Arts On Tour NZ.

Helen is an enthusiastic teacher and facilitator in community education, and taught at Canterbury University’s Continuing Education programme. In 2010 she founded the Christchurch Harp Orchestra, a group of twenty harpists of all ages who spread the magic of the harp far and wide.

Helen performs on a concert harp built of NZ Red Beech by her brother Kim Webby. www.harp.co.nz

Helen Webby wishes to acknowledge the generous support of the Alan Traill group of McDonalds’ Restaurants, Christchurch.

Discography:1998 Konzert auf Schloss Annettenhohe Ensemble Obligat (fl, vln, vla, vlc, hp).2001 The Peacock’s Dance – Celtic music for harp & guitar Davy Stuart guitar and Helen Webby Celtic harp.2007 Reverie Anthony Ferner flute and Helen Webby harp (released on ODE).2009 The Golden Strand – Celtic music for harp & guitar Davy Stuart guitar and Helen Webby Celtic harp2010 Under the Surface Peter Maunder trombone and Helen Webby harp (released on ATOLL).2011 Love’s Nature Pepe Becker soprano and Helen Webby harp (released on ODE).2012 Pluck Helen Webby harps: concert harp, neo-Irish lever harp, lap harp, and medieval harp (released on ODE).2013 Documentary film Harps Make Fine Companions, produced by University of Otago’s John Egenes and Dr Erika Pearson. www.harpsmakefinecompanions.com