Catrin Finch

Catrin Finch is a preeminent Welsh harpist whose career is defined by both institutional prestige and a restless desire to expand the harp's vocabulary. Rising to global prominence as the Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, she initially established herself as a virtuoso of the classical canon.

However, her sound identity evolved significantly through her arrangements and cross-genre collaborations, most notably her work with kora player Seckou Keita. This partnership highlighted her ability to find common harmonic ground between disparate string traditions, emphasizing polyrhythmic complexity and shared resonance. Her solo work often leans into the 'Welsh harp' identity while incorporating elements of minimalism and impressionism. Critically, she is lauded for her 'liquid' technique and her ability to make a traditionally 'precious' instrument sound muscular and modern. She occupies a unique cultural position as a traditionalist who successfully pivoted into the 'Classical Without Borders' space, influencing a new generation of harpists to look beyond the orchestra pit.