Elizabeth Bass

Elizabeth Bass is a harpist based in the U.K, embracing the variety of settings that playing the harp takes her to. Elizabeth graduated from her Bachelors degree at the at the Royal Academy of Music in 2017, where she studied with Skaila Kanga. Learning from someone who had made a mark on all areas of the profession from recording major film tracks at Abbey Road, playing regular Wigmore Hall concerts with the Nash ensemble and working with London’s major orchestras, further ignited Elizabeth’s love of London and its uniquely diverse music scene. Equally in love with playing classical, pop or film music, Elizabeth knew that working as a harpist in London would enable her to build on her musicianship in a variety of settings, with a variety of great artists.

 

Upon graduating from the Academy Elizabeth immediately began to embrace this eclectic U.K. music scene, quickly taking trials with major orchestras, working with contemporary music groups, recording at all the major London studios and performing for televised gigs with the likes of Quincy Jones and Barry Manilow, whilst still remaining dedicated to solo and chamber music. Elizabeth has been an artist on the countess of Munster recital scheme and was a 2020 winner of making music’s Philip and Dorothy green award, leading her to explore and share exciting programmes of solo harp music at festivals across the country.

 

Elizabeth’s deep commitment to showcasing the harp as a solo instrument and continuously expanding her virtuosity came from her inspirational teacher as a teenager: the passionate, international prize winning harpist, Eleanor Turner. Eleanor’s enthusiasm, charisma and fierce work ethic shaped Elizabeth’s approach to music-making during these formative years of her life. Elizabeth’s commitment to building repertoire and challenging herself lead to her participation in major competitions such as the Camac harp competition (1st Prize), the Lyon and Healy Awards (Winner) and the USA International Harp Competition (Silver Medal/2nd Prize).

 

After graduating from the Academy Elizabeth still wanted to refine her technique further and study with some of her favourite artists, with a particular interest in a specific school of French harp playing. Elizabeth therefore studied firstly with Sivan Magen, privately in Helsinki and then later at the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, in the world-renowned harp class of Isabelle Moretti.

 

Elizabeth has a deep interest in the social and cultural role of music, and believes strongly in the importance of music education and the transformational power of exposure to music. These interests have lead her to become an artist for Live Music Now (2018-22), taking the harp into hospitals, care homes and special needs schools; to give workshops for music students at secondary schools, sharing insights into the multifaceted working life of a UK musician, giving efficient practice tools and talking about the psychology of performing; to give workshops on writing for the harp to composition students at universities; to coach young harpists at the National Children’s Orchestra of GB.

 

Elizabeth is very proud to be a member of the recently formed, Her Ensemble, the U.K’s first female and non-binary orchestra. This dynamic ensemble showcases incredible yet underrepresented works by female composers spanning several centuries, as well as working with contemporary artists from various genres .