Equipment

Dear Friends,

I was blessed with a wonderful Christmas present this year - a fantastic new Shruti Box! As much as I loved my old, second hand Shruti box, it was a little unpredictable at times and quite hard to operate! I've already had two great opportunities to play my new shruti - firstly when visiting my friend Mo while she was in hospital to cheer her up - and the rest of the ward it seems! Secondly, when accompanying 250 friends sing 'Auld Lang Syne' (see picture above) at Hogmanay in the Universal Hall! I love it and can't wait to play it for you all some time soon! You can find out more about this wonderful instrument at: www.shrutibox.co.uk. Happy New Year Everyone! : )

x Iona

25/03/09 - Dear Friends, I just found out yesterday that Mo has passed over to the other side. May heaven be filled with magical music for you dear friend x

Dear Friends,

When I took my Ian Firth Clarsach to be restored by the Pilgrim Harp Makers in Surrey last year, I was greeted by a friendly team of dedicated, humble and inspiring artists that work there. They took me on a tour of their workshop and I immediately fell in love with their harps and was struck by the incredible craftsmanship that goes into making of these beautiful  instruments. During the tour, I had the chance to play the large pedal concert harps, which was a first for me  - and VERY exciting. I can tell you that 'Ocean' sounded fabulous on a 47 string Salisbury Pedal Harp! Anyway, I actually fell in love with the Ashdown Lever Folk Harp, which I have spent the last year manifesting ... I returned to the Pilgrim Harp workshop last month to place my order for an Ashdown, and I'm really pleased to announce my connection with Pilgrim Harps. I will be collecting my new harp in mid August, but in the meantime, here are some photos from my tour of the Pilgrim Harps workshop.

x Iona

Dear Friends,

I'm so pleased to announce my fabuous new sponsorship deal with Selkie Clarsachs in Orkney! My mother commissioned Selkie Clarsachs to make me an electric lap harp for my 21st birthday - and I've been in love with its sound, size and sweet selkie nature ever since! I'm very pleased to become an ambassador for Selkie Clarsachs and would like to tell you a little more about them ... The founder of Selkie Harps, Mark Shiner, began learning the craft of Clarsach making in the early 1990's, and has been playing and selling harps ever since! He runs a small harp makers and instrument repairs workshop in Stromness, a pictueresque and ancient port in the Orkney Islands. Mark states: "In this beautiful and historical setting, we are trying to get past the idea that harps are unattainable treasures ... We believe passionately that harps should be affordable but of high quality and easy to own". For more information about these beautiful, unique and custom made harps, you can visit the Selkie Clarsachs website. Lastly, people often ask me how I get my electric lap harp on and off the London tube, and the answer is - by wearing it on my back in a  comfy custom made harp case by Blue Herron Cases.

Blessings,

x Iona