Louise Thomson is a versatile and accomplished harpist, with an innovative and virtuosic approach that enables her to explore the instrument’s capabilities to the full.
Her exceptional talent has taken her to some of the UK’s most prestigious concert venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Cardiff’s St David’s Hall, and the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. She has performed with many of the country’s leading ensembles, including the Hallé, Manchester Camerata, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra and Manchester Concert Orchestra. Louise has appeared live on BBC Radio 3 and made her television debut on BBC 1’s ‘Heaven and Earth’ show, performing alongside soprano Katherine Jenkins.
She performs on a Salvi Diva, a one-of-a-kind, personalised pedal harp renowned for its powerful depth of sound and cutting-edge design. Louise’s current virtuosic recital programme reflects the contemporary and forward-thinking nature of her Salvi Diva, an instrument that conveys both her technical brilliance and artistic expression.
Recent highlights of Louise’s career include performances at the Buxton, Ryedale and Ripon Festivals, as well as a residency at the 2023 Whiddon Autumn Festival. In addition to her solo work Louise regularly collaborates with the Corvus Consort, a talented young vocal ensemble. Together, they have performed at many UK festivals and at venues such as King’s Place, London. Their recording ‘Welcome Joy’, a celebration of women’s voices, will be released by Chandos Records in September.
Beyond her performing career, Louise is a dedicated and passionate teacher, nurturing a vibrant harp community in the North of England. She teaches at Chetham’s School of Music, Withington Girls’ School and The Manchester Grammar School. She also serves as the harp tutor at Huddersfield University and is a visiting tutor at both the Royal Northern College of Music and its Junior Department. In 2024, Louise curated and served as the musical director of the inaugural Manchester Harp Festival, an event which solidified Manchester’s place on the global harp scene and showcased Louise’s leadership and vision within the harp community.
Louise gained significant recognition early in her career by winning the Harp Finals at the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2003 and reaching the finals of the London International Harp Competition in 2005. In 2007 she was shortlisted to audition for the then Prince of Wales for the prestigious position of Royal Harpist and had the honour of performing for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at The Royal Variety Performance. In 2022, Louise was selected to perform at the World Harp Congress in collaboration with presenter Polly Ives. Together, they frequently present in schools and theatres as part of ‘Concerteenies’, an award-winning producer of musical events for young children and their families.
Louise’s musical journey began at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, where she studied under Eira Lynn Jones. During her time there she won the Ida Carroll String Prize for outstanding musical achievement and earned an entrance scholarship to the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). She was awarded a First Class BMus (Hons) degree, a postgraduate diploma (PGDip) with Distinction in Performance in 2006, and a master’s degree (MMus) in 2007, again with Distinction in Performance, in addition to winning the prestigious Concerto Competition. After completing her formal education, Louise was immediately invited to join the “Live Music Now Scheme”, founded by Yehudi Menuhin, where she toured extensively giving solo recitals and educational workshops to diverse audiences across the UK.
Craig Ogden, the renowned guitarist, aptly describes Louise as “a consummate performer: fluid technique combined with beautiful artistry, compelling programmes, excellent and clear spoken introductions and a personality that audiences love”
Main image by Sara Porter