معرفی
Rachel Clemente is a New England-based Scottish lever and pedal harpist, composer, and educator currently pursuing her MFA in Music at Bennington College while serving as an MFA Fellow and instructor for Fall 2025 courses including Composing for the Lever Harp and Tune-smithing: Creating Melody.
Her educational background includes:
- Graduate of Michigan’s Interlochen Arts Academy
- Bachelor of Music in Traditional Scottish Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Clemente specializes in traditional Scottish and Gaelic repertoire with expertise in lever/pedal harp performance and composition. She actively contributes to the New England folk scene through solo performances and her collaborative work in the duo "If You Must Know" with bagpiper Dan Houghton, focusing on authentic Celtic musical traditions.
Her professional recognition includes:
- U.S. National Scottish Harp Champion (2016)
- Winner of the U.S. Princess Margaret of the Isles Clàrsach Competition (2021)
No information is available regarding graduate student advising or research grant funding. She maintains an active performance career with festival appearances at Celtic Connections (Glasgow), Boston Celtic Music Festival, and Yachats Celtic Music Festival.
Clemente performs as one-half of the traditional Celtic music duo "If You Must Know", which explores Scottish and Gaelic musical heritage through innovative arrangements.
