Karen Parker – Harpist

About The Act

Karen Parker – Harpist

Karen Parker was born in 1975 in Hertfordshire. She began to study the harp at the age of thirteen and attended the Royal College of Music Junior Department where she won the Gordan Turner Prize for Harp and several prizes at other London music festivals.

Karen moved to Manchester in 1993 to study at the Royal Northern College of music where she was awarded an Exhibition Scholarship and the David Dunn (Yorke Trust) Prize. During her time as a student, Karen was fortunate enough to perform frequent recitals for private music clubs and concertos including Mozart`s Flute and Harp concerto, Ravel`s Introduction & Allegro and Debussy`s Danses.

Since graduating with Honours, Karen has been working as a freelance player with orchestras such as the Liverpool Philharmonic, Halle, Northern Chamber, Northern Sinfonia and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. On a different note, Karen has taken part in backing orchestras for Barry Manilow on Tour, Stars in Their Eyes Live Final, and an episode of Channel 4`s Hollyoaks. She has been Harpist-in-Residence at the Manchester Airport Hilton Hotel for six years and has previously held similar posts at the Midland and Victoria & Albert Hotels in the City.

Karen Parker – Harpist – Photo Gallery

Karen Parker – Harpist – Audio Gallery