Music That Moves Between Worlds: Tales from the Harp
Currently performing worldwide and recording both as a solo artist and collaborator, harpist Diana Rowan’s playing has been described as having "unusual power and beauty." Her latest album "As Above, So Below" reflects recent travels in Asia and research into the unusual harps of Ethiopia and Persia, the wellsprings of harp creation. Born in Ireland, she lived, performed and studied on the East Coast, in Europe and the Middle East before choosing Berkeley, California, where she received her Master of Music degree. Each country left a strong impression on Diana's music, which interweaves Celtic, Eastern European, Near Eastern and classical arts and mythology. Besides performing everywhere from the Australian Harp Festival to Washington DC's Smithsonian to Eastern European cathedrals, Diana teaches to advanced level and can be heard on many CDs and soundtracks for film and TV, including her three solo albums Panta Rhei, The Bright Knowledge, and upcoming As Above, So Below. She splits her time between the San Francisco Bay Area and Eastern Europe, pursuing a PhD in harp composition at the National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria. Diana believes strongly in the healing power of music and plays often in hospitals and healing centers in Northern California and beyond with Healing Muses. www.dianarowan.com
"I was born into a Belfast family who for many generations has placed arts as the highest calling. My parents were university students, so I grew amongst questioning minds, literature, singing, storytelling. Just a few years later we would start to travel the world with my father's job, opening my eyes to the similarities and differences in life. My music is a direct result of this - searching for core truths about what it means to be human and exploring the variations. I grew up hearing many different languages; music was the one that cut through everything and was understandable whether in sedate Brussels or ancient Baghdad.
Myth is the other path I travel, where huge libraries of knowledge are distilled, voices from the past speak again. They echo similar stories, even from wildly divergent locations - much like music. Poetry in particular is a deep well of wisdom - an intersection of words and music. Essentially, I'm trying to look for what's real through the unseen yet ever present - music and myth."
"Which is first - breadth of repertoire or musicianship? No matter. The sum total will titillate even the most jaded audience. Diana is an astounding harpist - playing pieces that range from inspired traditional-based tunes to improvisational skin-prickling scats. Consider it a blessed time, to have this music seep into your being." Anne Emerick, Wisteria Ways concert series, Oakland CA