Diana Rowan
Diana Rowan (born January 26, 1971 in Dublin, Ireland) is a harpist and pianist. She specializes in lever harp, concertizing, lecturing, teaching and recording worldwide. She currently splits her time between San Francisco, California and Eastern Europe, pursuing a PhD in Harp Composition at the National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Rowan was born to Belfast-bred parents while they were students at Trinity College, Dublin. Upon graduation, her father John Rowan joined the Irish Foreign Service as a diplomat.
Musical mentors
Her mother Phyllis (McCrory) Rowan is a pianist and childhood music educator, and arranged piano lessons for her daughter. Rowan was noticed by Robert Redaelli, the head of the music conservatory she attended in Brussels, Belgium, and he would occasionally teach Rowan himself in addition to her regular teacher Greek-born Mina Papamanolis. Later, Tchaikovsky prizewinner Roy Bogas would be her piano teacher at Holy Names University in Oakland, California, where she gained an MM in Piano Performance; Israeli Harp Competition winner Alice Giles of Australia would become her harp mentor; andalkan singing maestra Bon (Brown) Singer of Kitka would become her Eastern European and Sephardic music mentor, as well as the instigator of the concert where Rowan discovered the potential of the harp.
Influences
Rowan's work is influenced primarily by Bach, Debussy, Poulenc, Bartók, and Celtic, Balkan, Middle Eastern and Hindustani styles. Her compositions are inspired by Irish poet Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Greek poet Odysseas Elytis, and English/US poet W.H. Auden, among others, as well as Celtic and Greek myths. Recent travels in Southeast Asia have made an impact on her latest compositions.
Collaborations
- San Francisco Renaissance Voices, vocal ensemble
- Daniel Berkman, kora
- Deepak Ram, Hindustani bansuri
- The Black Brothers, Celtic music
- Trillium, harp trio
- Quniteto del Bailongo, Astor Piazzolla specialists (piano)
- Lily Storm, pan-European vocals
- Wilde Irish Theater Company, acting and Celtic music
- California Revels, acting and music
- Ya Elah, Eastern European and Sephardic vocal ensemble
- Healing Muses, harp ensemble
- Dan Cantrell, film scores
Healing music
Rowan is involved in healing music as a member of Healing Muses, which sends four harpists to hospitals throughout Northern California multiple times per week. She is active in taking this program to other countries, including Cyprus and Bulgaria.
Teaching
Rowan has taught private and group lessons in harp, piano, Kodály musicianship and Kindermusik since 1993. In addition, she offers Skype harp lessons. Many of her students have become professional musicians, and several are teachers themselves. She is currently co-authoring a beginning piano method for both adults and children with Rebecca Trujillo, which focuses on her approach to teaching and includes much improvisation, composition, and technique.
Solo discography
- Panta Rhei (2004)
- The Bright Knowledge (2008)
- As Above, So Below (expected 2012)
Quotes about Rowan
- "This is a disc that finally takes the harp to a serious space, something rarely done. Thus, if you're serious about harp, one way or another, you're going to end up listening to Diana Rowan." - Mark S. Tucker[1]
- "Diana's shining soul and sparkling personality are conducted through her fingers through her harp to the very heart of any listener. She could take Happy Birthday and interpret in such a way that you'd laugh, cry and change your life." - Bon (Brown) Singer, Balkan choral music director
References
- ↑ Tucker, Mark S. The Bright Knowledge, Acoustic Music.com (Jul 1, 2009)