Harpist

Maria McNamee Harpist

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About Maria

Maria is an Irish harpist who specialises in both classical and folk harp, available to play at weddings and events in the UK.
Harpist
London
Public liability insurance of £10 million

Maria is an Irish harpist who began playing the harp at the age of 9, embracing both traditional Irish and classical music. She holds a Masters Degree from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Silver Medal for her BMus (Hons) in Music Performance. Prior to this, Maria spent 6 years at Chetham’s School of Music aged 12-18. Maria plays the harp as a soloist and in many different group combinations, for concerts and events. Recent clients include Meta, Fortnum & Mason, the Irish Embassy in London and Marylebone Music Festival. As an orchestral musician Maria has played under the baton of many world-renowned conductors. These performances have brought her to top concert halls such as the Royal Festival Hall, Symphony Hall, Cadogan Hall, Ulster Hall, SSE arena Belfast, Slovak Radio Hall, Stoller Hall and Bridgewater Hall. I can offer music for your event on the concert harp or the celtic harp. I also have the option to add cello, fiddle, guitar, whistles, voice or flute. Please get in touch if you would like to know more about these options! If you’re interested in hiring a traditional Irish group, please see my encore page ‘Green Time Folk’ I look forward to hearing from you!

Maria
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5 out of 5
7 verified reviews
Satisfaction
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5.0
Professionalism
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5.0
Communication
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5.0
Punctuality
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5.0

Maria's Reviews

From Encore customers:

OM
Orla M
5 months ago
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5 out of 5

Maria is a joy! We hired Maria to play at our wedding and she was absolutely perfect. I requested a mix of contemporary music and Irish traditional and she nailed it. She was super communicative and offered really helpful advice when I had questions about what music to choose. On top of this she was incredibly warm and friendly on the day. I would definitely recommend Maria for any of your events!

AJ
Amelia J
1 year ago
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5 out of 5

Maria was wonderful, communication was great and she accommodated all of our requests. Thank you Maria for playing at our wedding and making it so magical! xx

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Ruth G
1 year ago
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5 out of 5

What a delight! Maria (harp) and Gregory (violin) performed 2 x 30-minute sets for a birthday party. Punctual, friendly, organised. The music was fantastic, playing requests as well as pieces they'd chosen to fit around a specific theme. Communication was excellent, prompt responses and accurate planning. I'd definitely book them again. I can't recommend them highly enough. Thank you both!

Reply from Maria
1 year ago

Hi Ruth, What a lovely review, thank you! It was a pleasure to play for you and we’re very grateful for your kind words. All the very best, Maria

DD
David D
1 year ago
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5 out of 5

Maria was fantastic . Very gifted harpist and a pleasure to deal with !! Will book again for sure

Read all 5 reviews

From other customers:

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Leslie M
4 years ago, for a Christmas party in London
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5 out of 5

Maria McNamee is everything that you want in a harpist - charming, personable and plays like an angel. Maria has been engaged by me for a number of events including corporate functions, private dinners and musical evenings. Maria's repertoire is varied and was adapted to fit the mood of the evening. Every guest asked when Maria would be back. It was like musical gold dust both for me and everyone who heard Maria and she will certainly be invited back to Carlisle Place.

GD
Gabriella D
4 years ago, for a Concert in Greenwich
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5 out of 5

Maria is a bright, talented, curious, enthusiastic and stylish young musician. Her solo recitals, chamber music concerts and concertos are always exciting and profound.

Encore badges
5 gigs
Experienced: 5 bookings through Encore
Saved the day!
Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice
7th Anniversary
This act has been working with Encore for over 7 years
Member of the Encore community forum

Maria's Song list

Folk and traditional music:
Around the Fairy Fort
Auld Lang Syne
Auldyn River
Catrionas Jig - Maeve Gilchrist
Danny Boy
Dooraght - Katie Lawrence
Down by the Sally Gardens
Eleanor Plunket
Flying to the Fleadh (Slip Jig)
Greensleeves
Haste to the Wedding
Inis Oirr
Loch Lomond
Scarborough Fair
Siuil a Run
Skye Boat Song
Sunday Morning - Traditional Air
Swan LK243 - Catriona McKay
Swerving for Bunnies - Ailie Robertson
The Butterfly Jig
The Kesh Jig
The Morning Mist - Joe Burk
The Musical priest
Si Beag Si Mhor
The Star of County Down
Apples in Winter
Streets of Dublin
Fanny Power
Believe me if all these endearing young charms
Molly Malone
John Eagan’s polka
Lisnagun jig
Lads of Duns
Planxty Irwin
The South wind
Wild Mountain Thyme
The Parting glass
The Rakes of Mallow
She moved through the fair
Waves of rush by Aiden O’Rourke
Calm by Maeve Gilchrist
Catharsis
Tam lin
Amazing grace
Kronos Reel by Catriona McKay
The Roscommon Reel
Popular:
All of me - John Legend
All the Things You Are
A thousand years - Christina Perri & David hodges
Autumn Leaves
Blackbird - Beatles
Dream a Little Dream of Me
Everybody Loves Somebody - Ken Lane
Fields of Gold - Sting
Fireflies - Owl City
Fly me to the Moon - Bart Howard
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
Here Comes the Sun - Beatles
I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You
I see fire - Ed Sheeran
Isn’t She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
I Want to be Happy - Vincent Youmans
Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
L.O.V.E - Nat King Cole by Bert Kaempfert and Milt Gabler
Let Her Go - Passenger
Let it be - Beatles
Love of my Life - Queen
Make you Feel my Love - Bob Dylan
Marry you - Bruno Mars
Moon River
My Funny Valentine
Once I was Seven Years Old - Lukas Graham
Perfect - Ed sheeran
Photograph - Ed Sheeran
Pure Imagination
River Flows in You Yiruma
Set Fire to the Rain - Adele and Fraser Smith
She’s Always a Woman - Billy Joel
Smile - Charlie Chaplin
Somewhere only we know
Summertime
Thinking out loud - Ed Sheeran
Time After Five - Julie Styne
Viva la vida -Coldplay
What a Wonderful World - George David
You’ve got the love - Florence and the machine
You are the Reason - Calum Scott
Your Song - Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Film and Disney and Musicals:
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes from ‘Cinderella’
All I Ask of You, Andrew Lloyd Webber from ‘Phantom of the Opera’
A Million Dreams from ‘The Greatest Showman’
A Whole New World from ‘Aladdin’
Beauty and the Beast
Can You Feel the Love Tonight from ‘The Lion King’
City of Stars from ‘La la Land’
Do You Want to Build a Snowman? From ‘Frozen’
Do Re Mi from the Sound of Music
For the First Time in Forever from ‘Frozen’
How Far I’ll Go from ‘Moana’
I see the light from ‘Tangled’
Let it Go from ‘Frozen’
Married Life from ‘Up’
Mia and Sebastian’s Theme from ‘ La la Land’
My Favourite Things from ‘The Sound of Music’
My Heart Will Go On from ‘Titanic’
Once Upon a Dream from ‘Cinderella’
Over the Rainbow from ‘The Wizard of Oz’
Pure Imagination from ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’
Reflection from ‘Mulan’
Shallow from ‘A star is born’
Somewhere from ‘West Side Story’
The Audition from ‘La la Land’
Think of Me, Andrew Lloyd Webber from ‘Phantom of the Opera’
When She Loved Me from ‘Toy Story’
When You Wish Upon a Star
Classical:
Adagio from Sonata no.5, no 10 by Arcangelo Corelli
Air from ‘Water Music’ by G.F Handel
Andantino - Ed H. Lemare
Aria from Sonata for Flute - Leonardo Vinci
Aria - Johann Kuhnau
Au Bord du Ruisseau - Renie
Au Matin - Marcel Tournier
Claire de lune - Debussy
Caro Mio Ben - Giuseppe Giordano
Cradle song, Wigenslied - Shubert
Cradle song/Wiengenslied - Mozart
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Tchaikovsky
Dedication - Robert Franz
Deo Gratias - English A.D 1415
Etude de Concert - Felix Godefroid
Fantaise - Louis Spohr
Feerie, Prelude et Danse - Marcel Tournier
Finlandia (Theme) - Jan Sibelius
Gavotte - Christoph W. von Gluck
Gymnopedies - Eric Satie
Handel’s Harp Concerto in B flat
I Giorni - Einaudi
Intermezzo from ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ - Pietro Mascagni
La Donna e Mobile - Giuseppe Verdi
Larghetto - G.F Handel
Largo - G.F Handel
Largo - G.F Handel
La Source - Albert Zabel
Love Unspoken/The Merry Widow Waltz - Franz Lehar
Lullaby, Wigenslied - Brahms
Meditation from ‘Thais’ Jules Massanet
Moonlight Sonata
On Wings of Song - Felix Mendelssohn
Pargi, o Cara - Giuseppe Verdi
Pour Raphaele - Serge Lancen
Prelude no.1 in C major - J.S Bach
Quatre Préludes - Marcel Tournier
Reverie - Debussy
Rhapsodie for harp - Marcel Grandjany
Sonata in G - C.P.E Bach
Sonatine op.30 - Marcel Tournier
The Blue Danube Waltz - Johann Strauss
The Minstrel's Farewell to his Native Land - John Thomas
To a Wild Rose - Edward Mac Dowell
Trois Petites Pieces - Alphonse Hasselmans
Una Furtiva Lagrima from Donizetti’s ‘L’Elisir D’Amore’ - arr. John Thomas
Va Pensiero - Giuseppe Verdi
Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky
Wedding Favourites:
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba - Handel
Ave Maria - J.S Bach/Charles Gounod
Ave Maria - Shubert
Because - Guy D’Hardelot
Bist du Bei Mir - J.S Bach
Bridal Chorus from ‘Lohengrin’ - Richard Wagner
Flower duet from Lakme by Leo Delibes
Haste to the Wedding
I Love You Truly - Carrie Jacobs Bond
Intermezzo from ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ - Pietro Mascagni
Jesu, joy of a man’s desiring - Bach
March from ‘Occasional Oratorio’ Handel
Ode to Joy - Ludwig Van Beethoven
O Perfect Love - Joseph Barnby
Pachelbel's Canon in D
Pastorale from ‘Christmas Concerto’ - Arcangelo Corelli
Prelude in C - J.S Bach
Rigaudon (Theme) - Andre Campra
Träumerei - Roert Schumann
Trumpet Tune - Henry Purcell
Trumpet Tune ‘The Prince of Denmark’s March’ - Jeremiah Clarke
Trumpet Voluntary - Jeremiah Clarke
Wedding March from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ by Mendelssohn
Christmas
Away in A Manger
Frosty the Snowman
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
In the Bleak MidWinter
Jingle Bells
Joy to the World
Let it Snow!
O Come All Ye Faithful
O Holy Night
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Silent Night
Sleigh Ride
The Christmas Song
The First Noel
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Walking in the Air
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland

Maria's Prices

Last updated: 2024

Note: prices may vary based on travel distance. For an exact quote, click “Check availability”.

Standard Prices
Performance durationPrice
Short performance (up to 15 min)£325
Up to 1 hour£425
Up to 2 hours£500
Up to 3 hours£625
Packages
Drinks Reception Celtic Harp
Reception music on the Celtic/lever harp. Includes up to 2 x 45 minute sets
£425
Wedding Ceremony Celtic Harp
Music for your ceremony on the Celtic/lever harp.
£425
Drinks reception Concert Harp
Includes up to 2 x 45 min sets during your drinks reception
£525
Wedding Breakfast Concert Harp
Includes up to 2 x 45 minutes sets during the wedding breakfast
£525
Wedding Ceremony Concert Harp
Music for your wedding ceremony
£525
Ceremony + reception celtic harp
- Music for your wedding ceremony - up to 2 x 45 min performances at the drinks reception.
£625
Wedding ceremony + reception, Concert Harp
- Music for your wedding ceremony - up to 2 x 45 min performances at the drinks reception.
£700
Full day package, Wedding Ceremony + Reception + Dinner, Celtic Harp
-Music for your Ceremony. -Up to 2 x 30 minute sets for your reception. -Up to 2 x 40 minute sets as dinner is being served, between speeches.
£825
Full day package Wedding ceremony + Drinks reception + Dinner, Concert Harp
- Music for your ceremony - up to 2 x 30min performances at the drinks reception. - up to 2 x 40 min performances as dinner is being served, between speeches.
£925
Customer questions

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

I always try to be flexible so if the times change then the best thing to do is get in touch so that we can sort something out.

How much time do you need to set up?

I usually arrive 1 hour in advance but it takes under 30 minutes to set up.

Is the transport of your harp included in your quote?

Yes!

Do you need any equipment provided to play outdoors?

I am happy to play outdoors, under full shelter to protect my instrument from rain and sun.

Can I pick the pieces you play from the set list?

If there are particular pieces you would like me to include in my set lists then don’t hesitate to let me know!

Can you learn specific pieces before the event?

If you're looking for a specific song or piece that isn't already on my repertoire list then don't hesitate to ask if I can play it - I'm always happy to add new music to my repertoire, or maybe I've already played it!
Musicianship
Genres:
Classical, Folk, Christmas, Contemporary classical, Musical theatre, Baroque, 1980s era music, 1990s era music, 1960s era music, Traditional Irish folk, Jazz, Light music, Easy listening, Avant garde, Pop, Acoustic, Ambient pop, Covers, Soul, Top 40, Traditional Scottish folk, Classical crossover, Film / TV music
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Instruments:
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Event types:
Wedding, Virtual event, Wedding proposal, Funeral / Memorial service, Church service, Hotel / Restaurant event, Recording session, Concert, Charity event, Corporate event, Private event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Theatre / Show, Cruise, Burns night, Birthday party, Christmas party, New Year's Eve
See all event types
Other skills:
Transcription
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