Harpist-Miriam Shilling

My repertoire includes a wide variety of music types. Given enough advance notice, I am also willing to learn new music for your event.

Once you book me, we will be in touch via messaging, email, or phone. While you may trust my experience to choose the music which will work nicely for your event, it is important to me that I am playing the music you wish to hear. Your event is so special to you; I want you to feel comfortable with the service I provide.

The day of your event, I will arrive early, giving myself at least 30 minutes to find parking and set up my harp. If I am playing harp for your ceremony, included in my fee are a few minutes of music immediately prior, while your guests arrive and seat. If you would like me to play longer, please ask. Some venues offer a hospitality hour before the ceremony begins, to accommodate early arrivals.

As always, I am open to discussion and suggestions, so never be afraid to ask questions or address concerns. Thank you for your interest!

I began private lessons with Jeanne Goldstein in 1978. I played harp with my high school orchestra, as well as with the Long Island Youth Orchestra, spending two summers with the group touring Scandinavia and Southeast Asia. Also while in high school, I played harp for two years with the All-State orchestra in northern New York, and for one year with the All-Eastern orchestra in Baltimore, Maryland. I continued on to college, attending the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam as a Performance major, studying harp with Arlene Wangler.

In October of 2015 I made the move New Mexico, making this beautiful state my home. I currently live in Abiquiu, NM.

I continue to play harp - both Celtic and pedal (orchestral) - for weddings and parties, church services, restaurants, theatre, and recitals throughout central/northern New Mexico, southern Colorado, and surrounding areas.

I arrive early, always allowing at least 30 minutes to set up and tune.

I require an area roughly 4 feet by 6 feet for my harp, music stand, and bench. For most situations, you need provide no equipment for me. I usually bring my own music stand, bench, and light for my stand. But, if you have hired me to play my Celtic harp for your event, you will need to provide an armless chair for me. For either harp, I will need to set up near a power outlet if indoors, or if I will be playing outdoors near the end of the day.

IF YOUR EVENT IS OUTDOORS: (1) the area where I set up needs to be flat, dry, and level, (2) if the harp is to be set up on a lawn, the grass must be dry, (3) I should not have to set up in direct sunlight, especially during the summer. It is not beneficial to the health of my harp, and (4) I will move my harp indoors at the first drop of rain. The harp is an expensive instrument which can stand no precipitation of any sort.

You need not feed me. I generally do not eat while playing, and usually bring my own beverage.

BEACH/LAKESIDE/RIVERSIDE weddings must be pre-approved by me before booking and so stated on your contract. No last-minute changes to a beach or sand venue will be allowed. I retain the right to refuse to set up my harp, with no refund of deposit, and balance still due in full. If a beach wedding has been agreed upon before booking, the harp cannot rest directly on sand, gravel, or other such uneven surfaces. Unless your venue provides a level, stable platform, you, as the client, must provide on a level part of the beach a clean, dry board – measuring at least one inch thick, six feet wide, and six feet long – for the harp, my music stand, and my bench, for the entire time I am hired to play. Otherwise, I will refuse to set up my harp. Your balance will still be due in full, with no refund of your deposit.

Please be considerate of the environment where you wish the harp to set up and play. A harp is a delicate instrument which does best in a dry, shaded area on a level, stable surface. Extreme cold, heat, and wind can be detrimental to the harp and the harpist. Think about whether or not YOU would like to sit in a particular condition for an hour or more. I, certainly, will agree to play when conditions are not ideal - there are many things you can do to turn a less-than-ideal setting into a better one (I know how beautiful any outdoor wedding can be!) - but awareness of these limitations will go a long way towards making this the best experience for us both. Please ask if you've any concerns regarding a particular location.

I have yet to miss a booked event for any reason in all my years of playing. But, should some serious illness or accident occur which prevents me from fulfilling the terms of my contract, I will do my very best to find another harpist or instrumentalist who will fill in for me at the last minute. You will then pay this musician the balance due, and I will give her the deposit you sent with your contract. If no other musician is available, I will return your deposit to you. I offer no other recourse. You may wish to discuss emergency situations with your DJ or band, who would most likely be able to provide last-minute music.

Please feel free to ask if you've any questions or concerns regarding the above information.