Fiona Harrison

A musician of fiery energy and lyrical expressiveness, Fiona Harrison has a versatile approach to performance, enabling her to adapt to a wide range of performance situations: concerto work, music festival appearances, international guitar festivals and community based projects. She performs as a soloist and ensemble musician, leads masterclasses and workshops, and is highly regarded by those with whom she works.

Fiona Harrison gained her degree at the Royal College of Music and continued her studies at Yale University, USA, graduating as a Master of Music in 1992. Having previously won the major guitar prizes of the RCM, she entered Yale as the Leon Brooks Walker Scholar and recipient of an Award from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust. She has appeared on television, broadcast live on BBC Radio and worked with international cruise lines as a solo recitalist. In the USA she has performed in New York, New Haven and Boston; her European appearances include performances of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez in the UK and Spain.

A superb choice of repertoire is available for concert planning. Works range from the lute fantasies of Dowland and cello suites of Bach, to the passionate melodies of Spain, the haunting chansons of France and the fresh, relatively unexplored music of Australian composers such as Richard Charlton, Richard Vella and Philip Houghton. Programmes will be tailored to suit the varying requirements of different audiences.

“An extremely persuasive artist with immaculate tone and perfectly balanced technique, she clearly gives a great deal of attention to the shape and position of every note, resulting in a performance that is always carried along by definite and informed ideas.” Classical Guitar

“An elegant, vibrant and extremely talented young musician…Her full, almost Segovian tone gave body to the polish and finesse which could only have come from a musical background such as hers.” Classical Guitar

“We had the great pleasure of hearing the classical guitar expertly played by Fiona Harrison…Throughout the work [Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez] the soloist gave a relaxed and assured performance, producing a beautiful harp-like quality of tone at times.” Wiltshire Times and News

“An accomplished young musician of great sensitivity both to her instrument and the mood of the music…gifted with a superbly confident technique.” Hampshire Chronicle