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Artist Bio

A passionate harpist, chamber musician, educator and facilitator, Kate Ham enjoys a varied career performing in the UK and abroad with the Austen Trio, the Aurora Duo and orchestras such as the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra in Norway and the Ulster Orchestra. 2018 saw Kate perform in the USA with The Austen Trio at Harvard University, and the trio will be releasing their debut CD in early 2019. Kate was selected as a recommended artist as the Aurora Duo for the Making Music "Young Concert Artist Award" in 2005, leading to two tours of the UK and performances on Fred Olsen cruise lines. The duo received great critical acclaim as the first ever ‘non-bowed string’ finalists of the 'Gaetano Zinetti' International Chamber Music Competition, Verona 2006.

Kate is a passionate teacher and community music facilitator and the founder of TWANG! Kate is an experienced workshop leader having performed with Lost Chord for over 10 years, a Yorkshire based scheme supporting work with dementia patients in music workshops. TWANG! is a classroom and home educational music making project with harps for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 children. With a PGCE from the University of Chichester and numerous years experience teaching, Kate is Harp Professor at the University of Southampton and at the Portsmouth Grammar School as well as running a thriving private teaching practice for children and adults in Portsmouth.

Originally from Glasgow, Kate was the youngest junior scholar (age 9) at the Junior Department of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She later graduated from Trinity College of Music in 2001 studying under the renowned harpist Sioned Williams. Whilst studying at Trinity College of Music, Kate won the United Kingdom Harp Association Prize and the Croydon Concerto Music Prize performing Mozart’s Flute & Harp concerto at Fairfield Halls, Croydon.

As a versatile performer, Kate performed on McFly’s Wonderland DVD having toured every UK arena with the band in 2005. She has also performed with McFly for ‘Record of the Year’, 'Strictly Come Dancing' with Katherine Jenkins and Andrea Bocelli and recorded with a number of bands, from indie pop to jazz fusion. 2019 sees Kate receiving her new electro-acoustic Skylark lever harp and will be working in collaboration with her jazz vocalist husband, Will Ham for private events.