Stephen Fitzpatrick
Stephen Fitzpatrick started playing the piano at the age of four, and three years later commenced with harp studies. After initial lessons in his native North Wales, he was accepted as a student at the Royal College of Music in London with Marisa Robles. Further studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Edward Witsenburg and privately with Sarah Bullen in Chigago culminated with a performance diploma in addition to the degree and teaching diploma already attained in London.
As an orchestral musician, Stephen has been principal harpist with the English Symphony Orchestra, co-principal harpist at the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, guest principal at the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm and in 2000 he was chosen by Daniel Barenboim to be Principal Harpist at the Deutsche Staatskapelle in Berlin. From 2007 to 2014, he was harpist at the Bayreuther Festspielorchester. He has freelanced with many world class orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and La Scala, Milan, and was regularly invited by Christoph von Dohnyáni to be Guest Principal Harpist at the NDR Symphony Orchestra in Hamburg.
Stephen has been active as a chamber musician and soloist throughout Europe. He has given solo recitals in England, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and as member of various chamber music ensembles has given numerous tours throughout France and Spain. He is committed to contemporary music and has given critically acclaimed performances of works by living composers.
He has been invitied to be a jury member with many important competitions such as the ARD Music Competition, Deutsche Musikwettbewerb and the International Harp Competition in Szeged and is also regularly invited to be jury member for auditions with internationally renowned orchestras.
Stephen was invited by Daniel Barenboim to be a founder member of the newly created Boulez Ensemble, which gave its debut performance for the inauguration of the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin in 2016.
Stephen was member of the harp faculty at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin from 2008-2011 and Professor for Harp at the Barenboim-Said Academy in Seville from 2004-2011. In 2010, he was appointed Professor of Harp at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and from 2018 he will be a teaching regularly at the Royal College of Music in London.