Julia Cunningham - Songs from the Harp (2019)

Julia Cunningham is a harpist/composer/singer navigating an ever-evolving creative journey. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Julia began playing the piano as soon as she could reach it. By the time she started playing the harp, she had already fueled her passion for music and had won numerous music competitions in her native Saskatchewan.

Julia received a Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Victoria, a Master of Music Degree from Yale University and a Performance Diploma from the National Conservatory of Nice, France. Recipient of a Grant from the Canada Council of the Arts, Julia moved to France in 1998 to study harp with her mentor: Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche at the National Conservatory of Nice. While in France she won several competitions for the Celtic harp including “Premier Prix” at the 1998 UFAM Competition in Paris and Prix du SACEM at the International Celtic Harp Festival Competition in Dinan.

Julia’s orchestral collaborations include: The Los Angeles Symphony, The Vancouver & Victoria Symphony Orchestras, Orchestra Sinfonica Italiana, The Cannes Philharmonic, Opera de Nice, The Chinese Broadcasting Orchestra and The Kuala Lumpur Philharmonic.

High profile engagements have included performing for Oprah Winfrey’s “Legends” celebration at her home in Montecito, CA, concerts for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in Rome and performances with Luciano Pavarotti (Pavarotti and Friends) in Modena, Italy.
From 2002-2005 Julia toured the world as “Soul Harpist” to the late great King of Rock & Soul: Solomon Burke. Memorable performances with Solomon included opening for the Rolling Stones at the Wiltern Theatre in LA and the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas, opening for Van Morrison at the Royal Albert Hall in London, playing at the Blue Note in NYC, the Nice Jazz Festival, Pink Pop Festival in the Netherlands and Byron Bay Bluesfest in Australia.
Julia has appeared on a variety of TV shows including: Top of the Pops UK, The Jools Holland Hootenanny show (BBC), Late Night with Conan O’Brian and The King of Queens sitcom.

Special events have included performing at private events for The Prince of Monaco, The Prince of Wales, Chopard Jewellers in Monte Carlo, British Fashion Week in Los Angeles, The BMW 5 Series Launch in Malaysia, The Grand Prix in Monte-Carlo, The Cannes Film Festival and for countless other private functions world-wide.

Julia has held regular engagements as harpist for The Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, The Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, The Hotel Bel Air in Los Angeles, California and at Eddé Sands
Hotel and Wellness Resort in Byblos, Lebanon.

Julia’s music combines the harmonic resources from her formal classical training, the open approach of a Celtic Harper and her years of touring in a blues band with her sensibility to a vast array of influences from the diverse cultures in which she has lived. As a result, her music spans the breadth of many genres, and yet remains distinctively her own. Her CD recordings: “Ribbons of Love” (2018), “Harp Spa” -Music for Meditation, Wellness & Peace” (2015), “Julia’s Memories of Christmas” (2010), “Mariposa” (2009) and “Peaceful Night” (2006) have received rave reviews from around the globe.

Stay tuned for her new Jazz recording: “Songs from the Harp” to be released in 2019.