How Much Does A Funeral Harpist Cost?

A very difficult question to answer. There is no average and no hourly rate. Each harpist sets their own fees and this also varies greatly depending on length of time required, time of the year, day of the week, where in the UK the funeral is being held, which harpists are available for that date and time. etc, etc. For example if you wanted a funeral harpist for a standard crematorium service (depending on the above information) this can range from £175 - £360+ for exactly the same service. It can be cheaper to book a harpist for 3 hours in one part of the country than it would for just an hour in another part. The best priced harpists do tend to get booked up first, so it is best to book your harpist as soon as possible. However, you may be lucky and be able to book a well priced harpist at short notice. Everything depends on which harpists are available.
This is where we make things simple for you. When you complete our online enquiry form with the details of the funeral, the event details are automatically sent to all harpists that perform in that region. If they are available, they reply confirming their charges. All the replies are collated and emailed to you, with confirmed prices and links back to this website, so you can view the details of each of the harpists you are interested in.

Generally the answer is yes, they can play outside, though there are a small minority who will not.
Those that will perform outside, will need to be protected from the weather, including direct sunlight. They will need the shade of a building, gazebo or something similar to protect them and more importantly their harp from the sun or moisture. If there is the possibility of rain (even a few drops) they must be fully protected.
They will also need some sort of matting so that the harp does not come in to contact with the ground. Most harps cost more than a decent family car and are very sensitive to heat and moisture, so must be protected.
The vast majority of the harpists featured here have played at funerals, at a church service, crematorium service, at the graveside and / or at the drinks reception / wake after the funeral service.

Yes, This is quite normal and they are quite used to doing this.

In most cases the answer is yes, providing the stair area is large enough for the harp to fit. It is unlikely the harpist will be able to do this on their own. At some venues the staff will help the harpist, but sometimes your family or friends will need to help. If the staircase is exceptionally narrow at your venue, you should consider booking a funeral harpist who also has a Celtic Harp.

A harpist will need approximately 1m x 2m floor space, which is about the size of an average office desk. Obviously, most of the space a harp and a harpist take up is vertical and the amount of space mentioned allows for a little space around the musician.

You need to provide a comfortable, armless, backed chair for the harpist.
The majority of harpists play acoustically so they do not require a power supply. It is best to discuss this with the harpist prior to the event, just in case amplifier is required. Some harpists charge a small nominal extra fee if an amplifier is required.
If the harpist is hired for longer than an hour please supply them with a non-alcoholic drink.
If the harpist is hired for longer than 3 hours please supply them with non-alcoholic drinks & a sandwich.
If the harpist is hired for up to 4 hours or longer, please supply them with a hot meal and non-alcoholic drinks.
A harpist will need to take breaks especially if they are booked for long lengths of time, which are usually 10 minutes in each hour. There are often natural breaks in the proceedings where they can fit these in.

You must allow up to 1 hour for a standard crematorium service. This allows for the harpist to be in the chapel before your family and friends arrive. They will then play while they are entering the room, play the entrance of the coffin. Please note; The order of family & friends entering and the coffin entering can vary, so be sure to check this out. If required they will play at suitable points during the service as requested. The funeral harpist will then play the family and friends out of the chapel. This also leaves you 5 to 10 minutes to play with, just in case your are running late.
SPECIAL NOTES;
You will probably be told that the service will only last 20 to 30 minutes. This is because they are not allowing the time for guests arriving, until the time they leave the chapel. You must allow 1 hour.

The length of a Church funeral service will vary depending on the specific relgion of the church. Your best bet, would be to get guidance from the church, then add 25 minutes to allow people to arrive and leave. Then add another 10 minutes just in case there are any delays. Remember, the harpist may well have another engagement after yours and may have to leave promptly, so you should always allow for unforeseen delays.

Allow for the harpist to be in the church before your family and friends arrive. They will then play while your guests are entering the church, play the entry of the coffin into church, play during the service as required, play the coffin out of the church and continue to play while everybody leaves the church. Some harpists may accompany the hymns as well.

This would normally be a minimum of 1 hour, but this could be 2 or 3 hours. The length of this part of the proceedings is down to you.