Brass Strung Celtic Harp

This harp was made for Jean by renowned harp maker Jay Witcher. It has 32 strings (range - C 2 octaves below middle C to F 2 ½ octaves above middle C). Jean used this harp to record the solo harp music for the film 'We need to talk about Kevin' composed by Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead.

Celtic Harp (lever harp)

Jean plays a celtic harp made for her by Larry Egar. This harp has 34 gut strings. It is tuned diatonically with a range of 4 ½ octaves (C 2 octaves below middle C to A 2 ½ octaves above middle C) and has a lever on top of each string to raise pitch by a semitone. Jean played this harp on the 'Lord of the Rings' soundtrack and for the soundtrack of The Waterhorse, recorded by the Chieftains.

Gothic Harp

Gothic Harp This harp has 24 gut strings, is tuned diatonically and its range is 3 ½ octaves (G 1 ½ octaves below middle C to B 2 octaves above middle C). It was made for Jean by George Stevens who writes;

"The Gothic harp was widely used across Europe through to the end of the 16th/beginning of the 17th century. Strung in gut it has a much more mellow tone than the Gaelic harp and was used solo, with voice or lute and voice.These harps were usually fitted with bray pins, these are small angled wooden pegs which protrude from the soundboard, and which lightly touch the strings creating a buzz when they are plucked."

Jean plays this harp with Joglaresa early music ensemble. She also plays medieval fidel (also known as vielle) with Joglaresa.

Concert Harp

Jean plays a classical pedal harp made by Lyon and Healy, Chicago


"We used this harpist called Jean Kelly, who plays harp strung with metal strings, so it sounds like nothing you have heard, wonderful." Jonny Greenwood.