15/01/2026
Laughter. Tears. Rest.
In old Celtic tradition, a bardic harper was expected to be able to call forth three fundamental states in those who listened.
One tune for laughter — to lift the spirit, loosen the body, and remind people of their shared humanity.
One for tears — not sadness for its own sake, but release; the softening that comes when something long held is finally allowed to move.
And one for rest — music that settles the nervous system, quietens the mind, and lets the listener drift towards sleep, dreaming, or simple presence.
In the images here, these three states are shown as masks — not because they are false, but because they are roles we all move through in life.
Above them sits a fourth, quieter face: awareness itself.
Not an emotion, but the space in which emotion arises and passes.
The flowing lines between harp, hands, body, and masks are intentional. For me, music is not performance layered on top of life, but a circuit — breath, posture, rhythm, attention, sound, listener — all influencing one another.
As a bardic harper, my work is not to impress, fix, or manipulate mood, but to listen deeply enough that the right music can emerge:
sometimes light,
sometimes tender,
sometimes calming,
and sometimes simply spacious.
Songs for laughter, tears, and rest. 🎶
