Rachel Clemente

harp

New England based pedal and traditional Scottish harpist, Rachel Clemente, has had a passion for music from the early age of five. She began her harp training as a student of the Suzuki method and is now a certified teacher and avid supporter of the methodology of nurturing the whole child/student. She is a graduate of renowned arts boarding high school Interlochen Arts Academy and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow where she obtained a bachelors degree in traditional Scottish music. Her accolades include winner of U.S National Scottish Harp Championship in 2016 and winner of Princess Margaret of the Isles Clàrsach Competition (USA) in 2021. Since moving to Vermont in 2019, Rachel has focused on establishing herself in the New England folk scene as a soloist as well as performing in her duo, If You Must Know, with bagpiper Dan Houghton. She is an advocate for both the lever harp and traditional/ contemporary Scottish music and works to spread awareness and access to the lever harp through her harp building program, Hands on Harps. Currently, Rachel is recording her debut solo album which features unique instrumentation and much of her compositional work.  In addition to teaching at the BMC, Rachel aslo teaches at the Upper Valley Music Center.