Deborah Henson-Conant
Sat. Apr. 20, 2024
“Night of a 1000 Strings”
Dutch Harp Festival 2024 | Netherlands
A STUNNING SHOW with the ‘largest harp orchestra’ and a ‘Hands-on Harp Workshop’
“Dazzling harp playing, gorgeous jazz/pop singing, comic timing and impressive songwriting.”(Austin American-Statesman)
Night of a 1000 Strings Introducing
Deborah Henson-Conant
60-Second Trailer: Deborah Henson-Conant
PRESS RELEASE for this SHOW (click to open)
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DEBORAH HENSON-CONANT: Sat. Apr. 20th at TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Run through Apr. 20, 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 TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands – one of the unique contemporary music complex for all kinds of music and entertainment – for the celebration of Ducth Harp Festival on Sat. Apr. 20, 2024.
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: Dutch Harp Festival “Night of a 1000 Strings” LIVE Performance & Workshop
- WHEN: Sat. Apr. 20, 2024
- WHERE: TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
- TIX: FESTIVAL AND WORKSHOP TIX ARE SOLD OUT
Festival Tickets: https://harpfestival.nl/product/ticket-night-of-a-1-000-strings/
Workshop Tickets: https://harpfestival.nl/product/workshop-with-deborah-henson-conant-1300-1430-in-club9/
“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.
“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)
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/54636
- TEDX “Reinventing Freedom with Electric Harp”: https://youtu.be/EOtEkRtk5IA
TICKET LINK FOR FESTIVAL: SOLD OUT Festival Ticket
TICKET LINK FOR WORKSHOP: SOLD OUT Workshop with 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)?
“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?
“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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