Melissa  Adriana Parmar

Unique Sound. Exceptional Performance.

Melissa has performed solo harp recitals at Buckingham Palace, for the Queen’s Coronation Festival, Victoria & Albert Museum, The National Gallery, Winchester Cathedral, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the Royal College of Music (RCM), Salvi Harps Showroom London, St. Peter’s Church, Kensington and the Kammermusiksaal Köln, Germany. Other performing highlights include being selected to provide music for HRH Prince of Wales at the Royal College of Music President’s Visit. 

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Also an active orchestral musician, Melissa has performed with numerous orchestras, including Orchestra Vitae, London Firebird Orchestra, Aldwych Sinfonia, the RCM Symphony Orchestra, RCM Philharmonic, King’s College London Symphony Orchestra, Havant Symphony Orchestra, the Hertfordshire Chamber Orchestra and the Köln Hochschulorchester, in prestigious venues such as the Duke’s Hall, the Royal Academy of Music and St. John’s Smith Square and the Konzertmusiksaal Köln. She has also been involved in contemporary chamber operas at the RCM and as part of the Grimeborn Opera Festival 2011.

Melissa completed the Master of Music in Performance under the tutelage of harp Professor Daphne Boden at the Royal College of Music. Prior to this, she read Music at King’s College London, where she graduated with Honours, and received the LRAM teaching diploma with Distinction. She was also successful in spending part of her studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln with Professor Han-An Liu. She has participated in masterclasses with world-renowned harpists such as Marisa Robles, Isabelle Perrin, Karen Vaughan, Imogen Barford, Thelma Owen, and Eleanor Turner.She has also taken part in summer courses, such as the Académie Internationale de Courcheval (France), and the International Harp Summer School (Benslow Music), where she won the John Sebastian Morley Prize. Melissa was awarded a Distinction in the Premier Challenge Cup for Strings in the North London Music Festival 2012. Her outreach work includes her involvement in learning and participation programmes at the Royal College of Music, and in delivering a bespoke instrumental and vocal teaching programme for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. She regularly provides music for care homes and charity events.

Melissa currently has a very busy career as a freelance orchestral harpist and performer at events and weddings. She has performed at an extensive variety and number of occassions, including fashion shows for Dolce & Gabbana and for the British designer Matthew Williamson at his launch of the Horticultural Oasis at Blakes Hotel. For booking enquiries, please visit the 'Booking Page'.

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