Because Only Together We Can

Banrigh -

Who We Are

BANRÌGH (pronounced Bahn-ree) is an ensemble of Celtic harpers, who hail from various locales in the south and eastern United States. The name, Banrìgh is Scots Gaelic for “Queen”. Indeed, the beautiful music of Banrìgh is a royal tribute to traditional Celtic music and culture. Sharing a love for this music and the Celtic harp, the members have performed and traveled throughout Scandinavia, the British Isles, and the USA together for the past decade as part of the ensemble, “Harpa”. In April, 2023 six members of Banrìgh performed by invitation at the prestigious Edinburgh International Harp Festival, where they were received with high acclaim. The individual harpers of Banrìgh come from diverse musical backgrounds, but their combined talents delight audiences everywhere they perform

We are:

Sue Richards

Sue Richards is a traditional Celtic harper; she studied classical harp as a teen at Oberlin College and then Ohio State University. When she discovered Celtic harps, she immediately ignored the pedal harp and turned to the Irish and Scottish music of her heritage, winning the American National Scottish Harp Championship four times. She developed and taught the harp program at the Ohio Scottish Arts School. Sue performs and composes with Ensemble Galilei in multi-media concerts sponsored by the National Geographic Society and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has three solo recordings, three books of arrangements of Celtic music for harp, and has published a book of her own compositions, “Morning to Midnight.” Recently Sue has teamed with guitarist Robin Bullock, and they have released their CD, ” Highland Ramble.” Currently Sue teaches in Asheville, NC.

Kelly Stewart

Kelly Stewart is a harpist who continues to find herself in new and unusual musical endeavors. She is an avid and enthusiastic educator in the fields of classical and traditional music and has performed throughout Europe and the United States. Fortunate enough to be raised between traditions, she has a lifetime of experience in both celtic and classical music.

Kelly performs regularly in chamber ensembles on the renaissance harp, triple harp, lever harp, and modern pedal harp, with repertoire ranging from medieval to 21st century compositions. She maintains a large teaching studio in her home in Atlanta, GA, and coaches students for competitions throughout the country. Kelly tours regularly with the celtic/appalachian duo, The Reel Sisters, and has performed in venues from New Mexico to New York. She received a Masters Diploma from the University of North Wales in performance and traditional musicology.

Martha Geouge Hill

A native of the North Carolina Mountains and multi-instrumentalist, Martha grew up in a very musical family, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in music and education. Martha is passionate about her Celtic heritage and composes and arranges for the Celtic harp and for the Celtic trio, Stone’s Throw, with whom she performs. Stone’s Throw has released two CDs of their music. Martha won the Princess Margaret of the Isles award from the Clan Donald Trust in 2017, and has won awards at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games both as a soloist and in ensemble with Stone’s Throw.

Donna Bowers Bennett

Donna Bennett is a Clinical Social Worker in private practice. In addition, she holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in the Application of the Expressive Arts. She incorporates music and the expressive arts into mental health therapy with children and adults. Donna is a multi-instrumentalist and a Certified Music Practitioner (CMP). As a CMP, she plays prescriptive music for patients who are ill or dying. This music is designed to support the patient’s medical condition and aid in healing and transition. Donna has recently released a book of original and predominately therapeutic music for the lever harp. Donna is a board member for the All-American Alumni Band and the Scottish Harp Society of America.

Jen McGovern Narkevicius

Jen Narkevicius shares her love of airs and songs, teaching, and performing in the Washington, DC metro area. Her teaching approach is an innovative mix of styles geared toward assuring that her students enjoy making music. With a passion for Scottish music and culture, she also enjoys sharing these skills and knowledge. She is Co-Director of Harp Quest, and an instructor at the Ohio Scottish Arts School. Jen is a a Certified Music Practitioner and an Artist in Residence, part of the Inova Schar Cancer Center, bringing live music to the bedside and to others in the healthcare setting. She is also a practicing Certified Music Ergonomist. She blogs weekly on topics that range from touring Scotland with a harp to helping harpers fulfill their promise as musicians

What We Do

01.

— We Make Music

02.

— We Build Networks

03.

— We Strengthen

04.

— We Educate

05.

— We Perform

06.

— We Consult

Impact Stories

Jane’s Been A Migrant Worker Since She Was Just 12

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