FitkinWall: Harpland

About

Internationally renowned harp and electronica duo FitkinWall follow threads of migration, loss and longing in their new show. Ruth Wall's explorations into Gaelic song, fiddle and pipe tunes and the history of the Scottish Highlands where she grew up have a particular focus on migration and the Highland Clearances. Graham Fitkin has created enigmatic and mesmerising new versions of these tunes for Ruth's three harps – the sitar-like Renaissance bray harp, the beautiful medieval Gaelic wire harp (clàrsach) and the Scottish lever harp. Ruth's passion for the highly ornamented Scottish pibroch piping technique informs her playing style and inspires the sound world of this concert. In this show FitkinWall combine ancient aural sources with modern technology, conjuring up captivating and intricate patterns on these unique instruments.

"The harp is luminous, pastoral and urban at the same time under Wall's fingers, she pushes the instrument to its limits and Fitkin's music allows for a certain steeliness and discordance. The sound is immaculate." London Jazz News

"…a series of musical equations that work their way through the ears into the mind, their rhythmic and melodic themes interweaving, rising and falling. It feels by turn widescreen and microscopic. It's subtle, uncluttered, minimal and extremely focusing… a thoroughly absorbing world of tension, suspension and release." Songlines

Ruth Wall was brought up in Sutherland, in the far north of Scotland, immersed in the songs and tunes of the Highlands. She has performed on stages around the world – the Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Berlin Philharmonic, Gucci 75th celebrations in Rome and Florence, Radio City New York, and the London Olympic Celebrations. Ruth has featured as a soloist with the London Chamber Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra and toured extensively with Goldfrapp, The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, Kathryn Tickell, Ockham's Razor and her partner, composer Graham Fitkin.

Composer Graham Fitkin has worked with Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, New York City Ballet. He has won three BASCA composer awards and the Royal Philharmonic Society Composer Award 2015.

FitkinWall have performed around the world – from the Royal Albert Hall, BBC Proms, Aldeburgh and Glastonbury Festivals to Spiral Hall Tokyo, Aula Magna Rome and tours in Iceland, Sweden and Italy.