Lily Neill

Lily Neill has captivated audiences around the world with the dynamism and breadth of her performances, and her infectious passion for the harp.  Her versatility and command as a solo performer has seen her amass an impressive number of awards, and recognition from everyone from presidents and world leaders, to legendary Irish band, “The Chieftains”. 

Neill’s maverick approach has earned her praise, with Irish Music Magazine calling her, “…part of the new Harp revolution extolling aspects of harp music never previously heard”.  The Washington Times hailed Lily’s collaborative work a "tour-de-force" and fRoots has written glowingly of her "superb" playing. 

“Without Words”, Neill’s debut album, was given a pre-nomination nod by the U.S. GRAMMY committee and was followed by “The Habit of a Foreign Sky”. Her latest album, “Tales and Golden Histories”, with Vesa Norilo, was hailed, “…a glittering, riveting and epic symphony” by At the Barrier and was included in their Best of 2023 list.

With a signature repertoire of original compositions, alongside an eclectic mix of ragtime, traditional music, tangos, and early music, Lily Neill’s innovative flair is thrilling. 

Lily Neill holds a 1st Class Honours degree in Irish Music and Dance from the University of Limerick, Ireland, and a Master of Music degree from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, with additional studies in Vilnius at The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.  She has given master-classes for schools such as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Royal Danish Academy of Music, London's City University, Sibelius Academy, and for organizations such as the Clarsach Society and the Finnish kantele association ‘Kanteleliitto’. In 2014, she launched "The Harp Quarterly" as a way to work with harp students, building their repertoire and developing their technique.