Deborah Henson-Conant
Sat. Feb. 10, 2024 ~ 8pm
The Center for Arts in Natick, MA (TCAN)
A stunning, intimate SOLO SHOW with Electric Harp, Voice, Stories & Humor
“Dazzling harp playing, gorgeous jazz/pop singing, comic timing and impressive songwriting.”(Austin American-Statesman)
She strides on stage like a rock-star, strapped into a futuristic electric harp, with 32 multi-color strings.
You’re watching the woman who changed the way the world sees the harp: Deborah Henson-Conant – known as “DHC” — and this is the instrument she invented: the “DHC Electric Harp” – now played by harpists throughout the world.
On-stage she plays music from Blues to Flamenco, she sings and she talks to the audience. And she’s coming to The Center for Arts in Natick, one of New England’s greatest intimate listening rooms – for a single solo show Sat. Feb. 10, 2024, at 8 pm. Don’t miss this.
She sings like a gospel singer with a hint of an Irish lilt. She writes quirky songs such as “Belinda,” a Spanish-flavored love song about a willow tree. … She acts in character and costume, tells stories and cracks up an audience with insightful observations about aging, record sales and lugging around a harp…Oh, and she certainly does play a wicked harp.” Grand Rapids Press
PRESS RELEASE for this SHOW (click to open)
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DEBORAH HENSON-CONANT: Sat. Feb. 10th at TCAN in Natick!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Run through Feb. 10, 2024
MEDIA Contact: Joy Monteverdi / info (at) hipharp.com
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She strides on stage like a rock-star, strapped into a futuristic electric harp, with 32 multi-color strings.
She’s the woman who changed the way the world sees the harp.
She’s Grammy-nominated electric harp legend and innovator, Deborah Henson-Conant – known as “DHC” — with the instrument she invented: the “DHC Electric Harp.” She’s coming to TCAN, The Center for Arts in Natick, one of New England’s greatest intimate listening rooms – for a single SOLO show Sat. Feb. 10, 2024 at 8pm with special guest, cabaret star, Ute Gfrerer.
On stage Henson-Conant combines movement, humor and stories with music inspired by Blues, Latin, Flamenco, Jazz and Musical Theater. Her voice has been compared to Carly Simon and Joan Baez; her playing to Chuck Berry and Jimi Hendrix; and her humor to musical comedian Victor Borge and Eddie Izzard — all spoken and sung ‘from the harp’ – in stories and music about romance, failure, food and how to navigate life.
WHO – WHAT – WHEN – WHERE:
- WHO: Deborah Henson-Conant (electric harp, voice, movement & story)
- WHAT: LIVE Performance
- WHEN: Sat. Feb. 10, 2024 at 8:00pm
- WHERE: TCAN (The Center for Arts in Natick), 14 Summer St. Natick, MA 01760
- TIX: Public $28 – Box Office: 508-647-0097 – Online: https://tcan.org/events/deborah-henson-conant
“She plays stuff you just wouldn’t think could possibly come from the instrument that St. Peter hands out to new arrivals at the pearly gates.” (Grand Rapids Press)
If you’re thinking ‘’Celtic Woman” or “New Age Background music,” you’ve got it wrong. DHC was the primary female instrumentalist on the GRP jazz label in the 90’s. Her original Latin/Blues music is enhanced by her use of a looper pedal to create spontaneous soundscapes, layer upon layer, building them in front of the audience in real time – and then using them as a bed for virtuosic improvisation.
As a technical innovator, DHC has collaborated for more than two decades with the world’s cutting-edge harp company, CAMAC harps in France, to develop what’s become the most popular electric harp in the world, a 32-string carbon-fibre wearable electric harp named after her, the “DHC.” In her TEDx talk “From the Harp” she tells the story: https://youtu.be/EOtEkRtk5IA
She’s toured – internationally with her one-woman shows, in collaboration with symphony orchestras like the Boston Pops and Baltimore Symphony, and with legendary musicians like guitarists Steve Vai and Mason Williams. She opened for Ray Charles at Tanglewood, jammed onstage with Bobby McFerrin and offstage with Steven Tyler. She been featured in major media from NPR’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon to NBC Today Show — and her original music special, “Invention & Alchemy” appeared on PBS stations throughout the US. She’s performed throughout the world from the theaters of New Caledonia, France and Hong Kong, to the Edinburgh Fringe, Wolftrap, Tanglewood, Boston Symphony Hall and so many more.
DHC is a 2-time winner of the prestigious Massachusetts Artist Fellowship award – an artist who continues to reinvent her style, her music and even her instrument.
Since her last performance at TCAN in 2020 she’s completed a new musical, created an international online improvisation school for harpists (Hip Harp Academy). She’s also developed a slew of new material she’ll be sharing Feb. 10th, along with beloved audience favorites like her Grammy-Nominated “The Nightingale.”
“Virtuoso out-of-the box harpist…known as the rockin’ bad girl of the harp world. She took the ancient instrument off its pedestal, cocked it on her hip, and made it play everything…” (NPR: On Point)
“Her gorgeous storytelling is as theatrical as it is musical.” (Boston Globe)
The Center for Arts in Natick “TCAN” is the the official go-to place for music, theater, visual arts and movies in the Boston suburbs. The renovated historic firehouse is located in the heart of Natick Center, just outside Boston.
MORE ARTIST INFO:
- ARTIST’S WEBSITE: https://www.hipharp.com/
- ARTIST’S PRESS PHOTOS: https://www.hipharp.com/press-photos
- ARIST’S MEDIA ROOM & VIDEOS: https://www.hipharp.com/video
- INFO SHOW INFO BLOGPOSTS on Artist’s Blog: https://www.hipharp.com/blog/53033
- TEDX “Reinventing Freedom with Electric Harp”: https://youtu.be/EOtEkRtk5IA
TICKET LINK FOR THIS SHOW: https://tcan.org/events/deborah-henson-conant/
ARTIST SOCIAL MEDIA:
- Facebook Artist’s Page: https://www.facebook.com/HipHarp/
- Artist’s Blog: https://www.hipharp.com/blog
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HipHarpist
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hipharpist
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hipharp
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hipharpist/
Listen to “The Essential DHC” Collection Double-Album Set
LISTEN: VOCAL Collection (click to open)
LISTEN: INSTRUMENTAL Collection (click to open)
Who IS Deborah Henson-Conant (DHC)?
Grammy-nominated electric harp legend, singer & composer, Deborah Henson-Conant (“DHC”), is an extraordinary musician and storyteller who’s changed the face of what a harp can be. Forget the 6-foot tall instrument at the back of the orchestra, DHC has shrunk it down, strapped it on and plugged it in: a one-woman tour-de-force – in a solo show at TCAN. Check out her TEDx talk
“Deborah Henson-Conant is a one-woman dynamo, a visionary harp virtuoso with a sense of humor, a flair for showmanship, a gorgeous voice, and a jazz artist’s love of adventure.” (The Toledo Blade)
A world-class artist, she’s toured internationally with her one-woman shows, and in collaborations with symphony orchestras like the Boston Pops and Baltimore Symphony – and with legendary musicians like guitarists Steve Vai and Mason Williams. She’s opened for Ray Charles at Tanglewood, jammed onstage with Bobby McFerrin and offstage with Steven Tyler. She been featured in major media from NPR’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon to NBC Today Show — and her original music special, “Invention & Alchemy” appeared on PBS stations throughout the US.
“A combination of Leonard Bernstein, Steven Tyler and Xena, the Warrior Princess.” Ed Siegel
If you’re thinking ‘’Celtic Woman” or “New Age Background music,” you’ve got it wrong. DHC was the primary female instrumentalist on the GRP jazz label in the 90’s. Her original music combines Flamenco, Jazz, Blues, Latin and World music, using a looper pedal to create soundscapes that support virtuosic improvisation.
Her voice has been compared to Carly Simon and Joan Baez, the impact of her revolutionary playing style has been compared to Chuck Berry and Elvis.
Her signature instrument, the 32-string “DHC Electric Harp” she invented, is now played by harpists around the world. In her hands, it becomes the underpinning for stories of romance, food, failure, life – spoken and sung from the harp.
“She plays stuff you just wouldn’t think could possibly come from the instrument that St. Peter hands out to new arrivals at the pearly gates.” (Grand Rapids Press)
What does the audience say?
What does the press say?
“Dazzling harp playing, gorgeous jazz/pop singing, comic timing and impressive songwriting…” Austin-American Statesman
“It’s her dazzling range and depth of technique, combined with a warmly engaging energetic stage manner, that ultimately makes this such a memorable show …” (SW Metro – Edinburgh, Scotland)
“Virtuoso out-of-the box harpist…known as the rockin’ bad girl of the harp world. She took the ancient instrument off its pedestal, cocked it on her hip, and made it play everything…” –NPR: On Point
See her once and you’ll never look at a harp the same way again.
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