Màiri Chaimbeul is a JUNO-nominated harp player and composer from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. A native Gaelic speaker, Màiri is known for her versatile sound, rooted in language and tradition, combined with a distinctive improvising voice and expressive rhythmic approach.
Currently based in rural Nova Scotia, after almost a decade in BOston MA, Màiri tours regularly throughout North America, the UK, and Europe. Màiri can currently be heard regularly in duo with leading US/Scottish fiddler Jenna Moynihan, CFMA-winning prog-trad group Aerialists, and the new improvised-music group Quilting.
She is featured in Series 2 of Julie Fowlis and Muireann NicAmhlaoibh’s BBC Alba/TG4 television show, Port. She has collaborated, recorded and performed with a wide-range of artists including Darol Anger, Eleanor Buckland (Lula Wiles), Liz Carroll, Rose Cousins, and Bruce Molsky. Recent highlights include performances at major festivals and events including the Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, Celtic Colours International Festival (Canada), WGBH’s St Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn, Glasgow’s Celtic Connections, and Encuentro Internacional Maestros Del Arpa, Bogota.
màiri was berklee college of music’s lever harp and celtic music professor from 2018-2021, and maintains a small online private teaching studio as well as regularly teaching short courses and camps internationally.
Màiri is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, where she was awarded the American Roots Award, before joining the college's faculty in 2018.
teaching:
weekly private instruction and ensemble classes at berklee college of music
courses and classes including somerset folk harp festival, nj; edinburgh international harp festival, scotland; Goderich Celtic College, ON, Canada; acadia trad school, bar harbor, me; wells international harp school, bc, canada; The Gaelic College, cape breton; encuentro internacional maestros del arpa, bogota, colombia; passim school of music, boston, ma
awards:
Canadian Folk Music Award 2021 - Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries award
Western Canadian Music Awards 2021 - Roots Artist of the Year
Canadian JUNO - Instrumental Album Of The Year 2019 nomination
Canadian Folk Music Awards 2018 - best emerging artist nomination
Club Passim Iguana Award 2018 & 2020
Berklee College of Music American Roots Music Award 2015
BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Finalist 2011 & 2012
BBC Radio Scotland Young Jazz Musician Finalist 2011 & 2013
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award nominee 2010 & 2011
Celtic Connections Danny Kyle winner 2010
supported by:
Passim Iguana award, Donald Dewar Arts Awards, The Robertson Scholarship Trust, The Cross Trust, The Waddell Trust
