Deborah Henson-Conant loves to hear people say, “I had no idea the harp could do that!” As far as she’s concerned, there are no limits. She does all kinds of things with her electric harp, an instrument created and named for her - playing songs influenced by blues, jazz, and flamenco, adding electronic looping and even distortion. The Grammy-nominated musician is also a singer, storyteller, composer, and all around dynamic performer who draws her audience into a spell. Her performance at the 2017 Virginia Arts Festival’s Norfolk Fringe, in the intimate Robin Hixon Theater, was a moving and joyful reminder of the power of music to connect and unite people. Deborah got her audience to laugh, cry, sigh, and even sing along, emphasizing the uniqueness of a live performance: an experience shared by this group of people, in this time and place, which will never be repeated.

Before her show, Deborah stopped by the WHRO studio for an interview. Listen to a special extended version of our conversation about her musical path, making an instrument into your own voice, and why “dancing about architecture” (aka talking about music) can open your mind to new ways of seeing and hearing. 

Find out more about Deborah at her website: http://hipharp.com/

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