Kim Robertson Harpist and Composer.
Kim Robertson's
name has become synonymous with the gentle but powerfully evocative
Celtic harp, an instrument which for a thousand years held within
its strings and wood the spiritual heartbeat and poetic breath
of the Celtic race. Kim Robertson's remarkable ability to reach
into its strings and pull from it hidden treasures has made her
one of the most popular harpists performing today.
Combining the authentic traditions of the
Celtic Harp with a dynamic flair for world rhythms and on-the-edge
improvisation, Kim Robertson has stretched the boundaries of
the harp. This daring redefinition of harp music is at its most
vibrant in her concert appearances. Remarking on her greatest
love, live performance, she says, "That's where the magic
is...between the audience and the performer...that's when I truly
express myself. Without that experience, I don't think I could
make meaningful recordings. Not only can I see how people are
responding, but I take more chances playing live."
Kim Robertson's repertoire includes timeless
Celtic melodies, classical, Renaissance and medieval works, and
original compositions which, since the release of her 1991 album,
Angels in Disguise, also feature her beautiful lyrics
and vocals.
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Kim Robertson
began studying piano at age eight, continuing on into college
as a piano major. I was in Kim Robertson's senior year of high
school that Kim first began to learn the pedal or orchestral
harp. "I was never a very good pedal harp student since
I was not interested in a symphonic career. I found it fascinating
only as a sideline."
Kim Robersons introduction to improvisation
early on by a jazz pianist enlarged her musical vision, freeing
her from the need for written music. This freedom influenced
both her piano and classical harp training, building trust in
her own creative instincts and allowing many future innovations
in her style.
In the mid-70's, Kim Robertson discovered
the Celtic harp. This quickly evolved into a profound love for
the instrument and set her upon the original path of exploration
for which she is renowned. In 1979, she moved to the California
coast where she was approached by Invincible Music.
The first recording session turned into
her debut recording Wind Shadows with producer Liv Singh
Khalsa, a rich blend of old Irish melodies and original
compositions whose success projected Kim Robertson onto the vanguard
of the new acoustic scene.
Kim Robertson's love affair with Celtic
music has blossomed into a highly visible performing, recording,
and teaching career. Her work encompasses 18 recording projects
including Tender Shepherd, Love Song to a Planet, and
her 1993 appearance on the Sugo harp anthology Harvest
Moon. Kim Robertson has published nine volumes of harp arrangements
and two instructional videos and pursues an international itinerary
of concerts, workshops, and retreats. Through the prism of the
Celtic harp, one of the world's oldest and most loved instruments,
Kim Robertson has found and focused her artistic vision to create
an intimate and universal chamber music of the heart.
