Harpist Sarah Marie Mullen has been delighting audiences for years as a touring and recording artist. Her masterful playing and innovative arrangements have made her a favorite all over the country. Combining a personal, playful style of performance that often blends music with storytelling, she has been called “a master at her craft who brings a bit of whimsy to the typically serious instrument”.
Sarah first fell in love with the harp at the age of five when a harpist visited her kindergarten class. It took six years, and the organization of a neighborhood wide garage sale, for her to raise the money to buy her first nineteen-string lap harp. Beginning her studies on the Celtic harp, and later expanding her interests to include the concert harp, she continued her training at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with renowned harpist Yolanda Kondonassis. Also, while at Oberlin College she pursued majors in both Biology and Anthropology. Since her graduation in 2002 Sarah has been touring nationwide, appearing as a soloist at a wide range of festivals and events.
In 2003 Sarah’s debut recording “Luna’s Fancy” was released by independent label Blind Dog Entertainment. Following the success of her first album, she has recorded two more albums with Blind Dog which have received critical praise. Her 2005 release, “The Wild Woods,” which focused on Celtic and Renaissance music was called “transformative and uplifting” by Celtic Music Magazine and “an irresistible journey that combines Mullen's virtuoso technique with a delightful sense of musical storytelling" in Renaissance Magazine. In 2007 Sarah took her music in a new direction with “Harper's Bizarre.” It draws tunes from a wide variety of nations and time periods, puts less emphasis on traditional Celtic music and instead focuses more on original pieces. Renaissance Magazine said, “It is encouraging to hear this gifted artist develop her own material, and the impressive results will touch your heart and bring a smile to your face." Sarah returned to the studio in 2010 and released “We Brought the Summer With Us,” an exploration of the traditional music of Ireland from the 16th through the18th centuries.
Sarah has several programs available at this time. Her show “The Harp of Ireland” focuses on the legends and history of the Irish bards and features both the ancient wire-strung clarsach and the more modern Celtic harp. “Fairytales of the Isles” is an interactive children's program, using storytelling and music to explore legends from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Her more general show, “Music of the Celtic Harp” includes some of the history of Irish music as well as tunes from all over Europe, storytelling, and original compositions. For less formal shows, Sarah also excels at dynamic and interactive performance in a festival environment.
Voted one of the most popular solo musicians in the country several times in the Renaissance Festival Awards, Sarah's passion for her music and her infectious energy have made her an audience favorite. As a review in Celtic Music Magazine said, “see what the harp is capable of in the hands of an expert player who isn't afraid to have a little fun with it.”
Sarah first fell in love with the harp at the age of five when a harpist visited her kindergarten class. It took six years, and the organization of a neighborhood wide garage sale, for her to raise the money to buy her first nineteen-string lap harp. Beginning her studies on the Celtic harp, and later expanding her interests to include the concert harp, she continued her training at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with renowned harpist Yolanda Kondonassis. Also, while at Oberlin College she pursued majors in both Biology and Anthropology. Since her graduation in 2002 Sarah has been touring nationwide, appearing as a soloist at a wide range of festivals and events.
In 2003 Sarah’s debut recording “Luna’s Fancy” was released by independent label Blind Dog Entertainment. Following the success of her first album, she has recorded two more albums with Blind Dog which have received critical praise. Her 2005 release, “The Wild Woods,” which focused on Celtic and Renaissance music was called “transformative and uplifting” by Celtic Music Magazine and “an irresistible journey that combines Mullen's virtuoso technique with a delightful sense of musical storytelling" in Renaissance Magazine. In 2007 Sarah took her music in a new direction with “Harper's Bizarre.” It draws tunes from a wide variety of nations and time periods, puts less emphasis on traditional Celtic music and instead focuses more on original pieces. Renaissance Magazine said, “It is encouraging to hear this gifted artist develop her own material, and the impressive results will touch your heart and bring a smile to your face." Sarah returned to the studio in 2010 and released “We Brought the Summer With Us,” an exploration of the traditional music of Ireland from the 16th through the18th centuries.
Sarah has several programs available at this time. Her show “The Harp of Ireland” focuses on the legends and history of the Irish bards and features both the ancient wire-strung clarsach and the more modern Celtic harp. “Fairytales of the Isles” is an interactive children's program, using storytelling and music to explore legends from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Her more general show, “Music of the Celtic Harp” includes some of the history of Irish music as well as tunes from all over Europe, storytelling, and original compositions. For less formal shows, Sarah also excels at dynamic and interactive performance in a festival environment.
Voted one of the most popular solo musicians in the country several times in the Renaissance Festival Awards, Sarah's passion for her music and her infectious energy have made her an audience favorite. As a review in Celtic Music Magazine said, “see what the harp is capable of in the hands of an expert player who isn't afraid to have a little fun with it.”
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