As well as the concert in St Andrews on Sunday 11th November, the 200th anniversary of the death of Denis O’Hampsey, the famous old Gaelic harper, will also be marked with an open workshop and presentation by historical harp specialist Simon Chadwick in Dundee on Saturday 10th November.

In the beautiful surroundings of Dundee Central Library’s Wighton Centre, which holds an internationally important collection of old Scottish music books, the event will explore the life and music of the most important of the old Scottish and Irish harp players.

Hosted by the Friends of Wighton, there are places for hands-on participants as well as audience seats. Participants will have the chance to play replica historic Irish and Scottish harps while the audience will be treated to an entertaining talk about O’Hampsey’s life and music as well as being able to watch the tuition.

Using a copy of Denis O’Hampsey’s ‘Downhill’ harp of 1802, the class will study one of the tunes that Denis himself learned when he was a young student in the 1710s. Simon will also demonstrate other early Gaelic music and will explain why Denis O’Hampsey is so important yet so neglected today.

This is the only event in Scotland marking the 200th anniversary of Denis O’Hampsey’s passing; there is another event in Limavady in Northern Ireland on Saturday 10th with early Irish harp specialist Siobhan Armstrong.

The Friends of Wighton holds instrument classes every Saturday in whistle, fiddle and clàrsach.

Saturday 10th November, 2pm
Open workshop & presentation
Wighton Heritage Centre, Central Library, Dundee, DD1 1DB
£4 / £2.50 concessions

Concert of old Scottish and Irish harp music
Sunday 11th November, 2pm
St Andrews Museum, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DP
Admission Free

For more information call 07792 336804
Friends of Wighton: https://friendsofwighton.com
Denis O’Hampsey: http://www.earlygaelicharp.info/hampsey