Irish Harp Orchestra

Janet Harbison’s Irish Harp Orchestra is a thrilling new stage and concert production that is entertaining audiences worldwide! Evolved from the multi-award winning and world-travelled Belfast Harp Orchestra, and now based in Dublin and Limerick, the orchestra movement has expanded to a fully professional touring production.

The Irish Harp Orchestra is a company of 12 members comprising 9 harpers, a piper (both uilleann and bagpipe), a lead singer and a percussionist.  To this core group, we can also add teams of dancers, small or large scale choirs or more soloists or instrumentalists depending on the size and nature of the concerts and venues we perform.  The music of the IHO (which is always performed live!) is contemporary Irish with the sophistication of classical and the rhythms of rock from a strong traditional foundation, all composed, arranged and directed by orchestra leader, Janet Harbison. 

The IHO has been heralded as ‘Ireland’s ‘most exciting new creation since Riverdance’, ‘a totally fresh national sound’, ‘emancipated from the drawing room corner – at last!’ and – as you will hear from the 60,000 strong audience on the video from our recent (16.03.14) Trafalgar Square St Patrick’s Festival performance: ‘Harp rocks!’.