Oona Linnett (Harpist)

Special Offers!
*Oona Linnett offers off-peak prices for private and corporate events taking place Monday to Thursday or in the months January to April and November. Please see booking options or speak to an Alive Network booking co-ordinator for more details.

Originally from Ireland Oona graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree from Edinburgh University in 1984 specialising in the piano and flute. Thereafter she trained and worked as a music teacher in a secondary school. Her love of the harp began in 1989 when her brother turned up on her doorstep with a present of a Celtic harp requesting that she play it at his wedding ceremony! Relishing a challenge (the wedding was only three months away) Oona applied all the musical skills at her disposal to give a warmly appreciated performance on the day.



Since this initial success she decided to give some serious attention to the harp and began studying with the eminent Manchester-based harpist Eira-Lynn Jones. This was the start of a long and close association with this beautiful instrument and it wasn’t long before Oona herself received regular requests to perform at weddings and functions. Eventually she decided to stop teaching to pursue a career playing the harp.

In 2001 Oona achieved a Performers’ Diploma on the harp with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. After this she studied for a Masters Degree at Bangor University specialising jointly in the study of Music of the Celtic Countries and in Performance on the Harp under the tuition of the renowned harpist Elinor Bennett. Having also written a thesis on the Irish Harp as part of the qualification means that she is now somewhat of an authority on the subject! Oona was awarded a High Merit for this Degree which she will formally receive in July 2004.

Oona is now a harpist with many years’ experience having played in numerous reputable hotels and venues throughout North West England and North Wales at weddings and other private functions. She offers a wide repertoire of music in different styles ranging from classical to Celtic to modern on both the full-sized concert harp and smaller Celtic harp tailored to create the perfect ambience for the particular special occasion.

Although weddings and restaurant work provide most of Oona’s business she is an extremely versatile harpist. For example she recently played during a cocktail party for the Duke of Westminster at the Chester Grosvenor Hotel has performed for ‘Chester in Concert’ given a recital of Celtic music to a group of alternative therapy practitioners at ‘Tower’ stately home in North Wales and has even provided background music during a ‘Singles Shopping Evening’ at Safeway supermarket!

Weddings:
For both religious and civil weddings music can be played at the following points of the ceremony: the processional the signing of the register the recessional and also to accompany the arrival and departure of guests.

Furthermore a perfect atmosphere can be created during the champagne reception and/or the wedding breakfast with up to two hours of beautiful background music.

* Performance time information
At corporate events and private parties Oona will play in an hour's time frame for up to 4 hours. Please ask your agent for details.

Some testimonials:

"Thank you so much we had a wonderful day. Oona played beautifully which added the magic and made the day extra special. We had so many nice compliments I would certainly recommend her." - October 2004

‘Many thanks for providing the music for our daughter’s wedding last Saturday. My husband and I were delighted by your playing and by your choice of music during the ceremony and afterwards. I cannot think of another instrument which would be better suited to the occasion of a wedding.’

‘Thank you for coming to our daughter’s wedding at such short notice. Your music is beautiful and was very much enjoyed by all. It gave that extra special touch to the wedding.’

‘We would like to thank you for your music during our wedding reception on August 3rd. We thoroughly enjoyed it it made a lovely contribution to our day. Many of our guests commented on how nice it was.’

‘Just a little note to thank you for making Tracey and John’s wedding day on Saturday such a memorable occasion. The music you played was really beautiful and made a great atmosphere’.

‘Just a short note to thank you very warmly for entertaining us so well on Thursday evening. I’m sure you found your audience most appreciative of both your playing and your commentary’ (Chester in Concert).

‘I would like to express how beautiful your harp playing sounded when we heard you play in Chester city centre."