The Harper and The Minstrel

The Harper and The Minstrel are Jay and Abby Michaels

Passionate performances of Music from the past sung and played on a variety of Traditional Plucked, Bowed, Hammered and Woodwind Instruments including:

Cláirseach (Irish wire-strung Harp)
Celtic Folk Harp
Hammered Dulcimer
Viola da Gamba
Irish Wooden Flute
The Greek Aulos (also called the Double Flute or Divergent Flute)
Alto, Soprano & Tenor Recorders
Penny Whistles
Silver Flute
Bowed Psaltery
Mountain Dulcimer
Rebec
Baroque and Classical Guitar

The Harper and The Minstrel specialize in beautiful Ayres and Ballads, but are quite adept at Jigs, Reels & Dances. Their vast repertoire includes unique arrangements of Music ranging from Medieval Spain's 13th Century Cantgas de Santa Maria to the music of Elizabethan era English Lutenist John Dowland to 17th Century Irish Harper Turlough O'Carolan to the Music of Sting, The Beatles and much more;

Medieval & Renaissance Love songs sung in many languages including Ladino, Galician, French, Italian, Catalan and Gaelic.

Traditional & Popular Music from The Celtic Lands.

Secular and Sacred Music.

Their own Enchanting Compositions.

A Concert with The Harper and The Minstrel features an array of instruments expertly played, and Music that spans many centuries.
Concerts can be themed:

-Celtic Music
-Early Music (Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque)
-Renaissance Love Songs
-Early Music Wynter (Winter & Holiday Music Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque)
-General (A mixture of the above genres with more contemporary Music as well)

ALSO AVAILABLE:
Educational Library & School Assembly programs on Celtic & Early Music.

The Harper and Minstrel can appear in Medieval/Renaissance costuming or modern Formal Attire.

The Harper and The Minstrel are featured Entertainers at Florida's Annual Florida Renaissance Festival, The Hoggetowne Medieval Faire and The Ohio Renaissance Festival.

They have performed at The ICONS Irish Festival, The Boston Green Fest, The Dundee NY Scottish Festival, The Sterling Renaissance Festival, The Great Lakes Medieval Faire, The Soule Homestead Folk Festival, The Taunton River Folk Festival, The Connecticut Renaissance Faire, King Richard's Faire, The Beal House at The South Shore Folk Music Club, The Phoenix Faerie Festival, The Southern California Pleasure Faire, The Boston Spring Flower Show and at many other events.

Since 2002 The Harper and The Minstrel have brought their music to many venues in America including Folk, Renaissance, Medieval, and Celtic Festivals, Coffee Houses, Libraries, Schools and Concert Halls.

"You can best judge a musician’s acumen by the way they interpret music, whether that music is familiar to you or obscure...Jay and Abby Michaels’ deft adaptations of songs from Sting to Robert Burns are thrilling, and they reveal the pair to be artists of some skill."
-Motif Magazine

"Sheer uniqueness" -Dirty Linen Magazine

"Gentle, lovely music...Stunning Voices" -Renaissance Magazine

The Music of The Harper and The Minstrel and Jay's Harp playing have enhanced several Television programs including ABC's Nashville & Secrets and Lies, NBC's Parenthood & Parks and Recreation, Fox's Lie To Me, & Rosewood, the HBO Series Hung and the Marvel/Netflix series Daredevil.

Jay's Harp Music also appears in the Independent Films How To Be A Latin Lover and Baby Baby Baby

Jay and Abby Michaels are members of
Early Music America

Jay Michaels is a member of
The Viola da Gamba Society of America and
The Historical Harp Society

Jay Michaels has spent his entire life studying and performing Music.

He started on the Trombone in 5th grade and moved to Guitar, Piano and Voice studies in his teen years.

Jay earned a BA in Music from Anna Maria College where he studied Classical Guitar.

He taught Music for many years while performing at various venues in Massachusetts and eventually taught himself to play the Harp.

Jay Michaels plays many instruments including wire-strung Harp, Celtic Folk Harp, Viola da Gamba, Baroque and Classical Guitar, Rebec, Mountain Dulcimer and he sings. He has been a full time musician for most of his life

In addition to his duties with The Harper and The Minstrel, He maintains a solo Harp career, and produces music for film and TV productions.

Abby Michaels has been involved in Music since she was old enough to reach the keys on the family Piano.

She began singing at an early age and became very involved in the school Music programs.

Abby earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Westfield State College where she studied Opera.

For several years Abby taught music in the public and private school systems, and has also taught recorder and voice privately. She was also a popular soloist for Church services.

She now pursues a full time Musical Career performing hundreds of Concert every year at a variety of venues.

In addition to being an accomplished vocalist, Abby plays Hammered Dulcimer, Irish Wooden Flute, Double Flute, Bamboo Flute, Recorders, Penny Whistles, Guitar, Harp and Bowed Psaltery.

This depends on the venue and the type of gig. We generally require a stage area at least 8 feet wide (10 - 12 is better) and 8 feet deep. If the venue is providing sound, we require 2 vocal mics, 2 instrument mics 4 boom stands and (depending on the type of show) a quarter inch DI with a 10 foot chord.