Harp Hub in West Sussex
Celebrating 10 years of spreading harpy goodness!

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Online Tutorials

Learn the Harp​ face to face

Harp Competitions

Weddings and Events

Sheet music

Composers Project

About PoppyHarp

PoppyHarp began as a final year project at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire by Fran Barsby.
It was a way to publish tuition books without the crazy costs and palaver of a publishing company.
It quickly grew and became a shop in the beautiful gardens of the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick.
In just a few months PoppyHarp outgrew this space and moved to a large town centre location in Warwick, UK. 
​In 2022 Fran moved to West Sussex and now runs PoppyHarp from her Harp Studio (appointment only). 

April News:

PILGRIM ALDEBURGH WAVE​
It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to sell my beautiful Aldeburgh Wave. This stunning 47-string electro-acoustic maple harp finished with gold mechanics. It has an incredible sound—perfect for both budding and professional harpists.
New, these harps start at £21,630 (plus £999 for covers), but I am offering mine in fantastic condition for £18,500, including covers.
If you’d like more information, please email me at [email protected].

Harp Tuition

Face-to-Face at the Harp Studio in West Sussex or Online
​PoppyHarp Online Harp School
​Southern Music Project: Havant Harps, Hampshire Harp Ensemble

Weddings, Concerts and Events

Competitive Harp Festival

A friendly online harp competition.
Deadline 31st January 2025
Announcements 8th March 2025
Adjudicator 2025 - Shelley Fairplay
Click here to find out more

PoppyHarp
​Composers Project

(formally the Future Blend Project)
Click here to find out more about the project and the 2024 composers

Sheet music inspiration

Looking for new music to learn but not sure where to start? Check out our all new Sheet Music Inspiration Library. Ever growing this collection of videos will help guide you to choose which music you would like to learn next and where to find the sheet music.
Visit the Youtube Play List
View the full list on the webpage

Pop Music and arrangements

Visit the Youtube Play List
View the full list on the webpage

Inspire Podcasts

These podcasts began as "Inspire days" where a harpist would come to the harp shop and give a masterclass or lecture followed by a concert. After the pandemic PoppyHarp moved online and I have now launched the PoppyHarp Inspire Podcast. Each month I invite a guest to chat to and share their projects, journeys and stories. I am lucky to have met some truly incredible musicians and professionals over the years and I am so proud to showcase their journeys to help inspire more music enjoyment, support and careers! 
​Thank you to all of the incredible and kind harpists, musicians and professionals that have taken the time to chat to me and inspire PoppyHarpers!

Fran Barsby Harpist
Professional Harpist based in West Sussex

Fran holds an Honours Degree from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire of Music and a Masters Degree in Research in Education form the University of Bath. During her studies Fran enjoyed learning with teachers including Catherine White, Eleanor Turner, Gabriella Dall'Olio, Louisa Maria Cordell, Charlotte Seale, Anne Hughes Chamberlain to name a few. 
Fran is incredibly passionate about encouraging students to push harp horizons and to enable as many people as possible to access and study the instrument. With over a decade of teaching experience, both in schools and privately, she now teaches face-to-face in person in the PoppyHarp Harp Studio, online to students around the world. Fran has also launched The PoppyHarp Online Harp School which contains tutorials and courses on playing, performing, music theory, aural, music history and more. Fran enjoys conducting masterclasses and workshops at events such as the Harp On Wight International Harp Festival, Edinburgh International Harp Festival, Pilgrim Harp Events. She previously spent 6 years teaching Harp at Kings High Independent School for Girls and Harp at Warwick Preparatory School, The Blue Coat School Birmingham and Music GCSE at Kimichi Independent Secondary School and Perry Beaches Academy. Fran has also lectured on harp and composition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, with the Young Composers Project Birmingham and in numerous schools around the UK. Fran is also webmaster and committee Member of the UK Harp Association.

Fran is a busy performer enjoying playing for weddings and events. As the Resident Harpist for Pilgrim Harps she also enjoys performing and working at events such as Edinburgh Harp Festival, Pilgrim Harps Open Days and Come and Try the Harp Events around the UK. Fran has enjoyed performing in venues such as St John Smith Square, Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham Town Hall, Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester Minerva Theatre and many more. Her solo and ensemble career with groups such as the International Harp Ensemble, and various chamber groups and orchestras has taken her around Europe. 
Fran enjoys performing an eclectic range of music but is especially passionate about pop music and bringing the harp into the 21st century. She is especially proud of her project, The PoppyHarp Composers Project, (formerly the Future Blend Project), which brings composers and harpists together to work on new music that compliments the harp but that does not compromise the character of each individual composers ideas.

Staff Training

​CPD's: Data Protection and GDPR awareness: 2024,
Cyber Security: 2024,
Autism Awareness: 2024, 
Child Mental Health Awareness: 2024, 
​Child Online Safety Awareness: 2024.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (Adults), 2024.
​Designated Safeguarding Lead (Children),2024.

"Fran is a shining light and the most colourful harpist"
Anna 2022 - Harp On Wight

"Incredibly happy with my beautiful new Pilgrim Harps Skylark in Walnut bought from the brilliant and incredibly helpful Poppy Harp! Can't wait to start playing on it and recording with it! "
"Thank you so much for being so helpful and patient whilst I decided which harp I liked most! I'm really really happy with my new harp! Definitely lots of practicing! Diolch!!"
Gareth 2018

"Love PoppyHarp. Very kind, helpful and very patient. Came away with a wonderful harp.
​Thank you Fran for making this a wonderful buying experience. Love the Pilgrim Skylark!!"
Helen 2018

"Amazing! Really is such a great book to match a wonderful person!"
Erin 2014

"Many congrats! Hope PoppyHarp is a big success!"
Richard T 2014

"Congrats on all of the awesomeness! You are one hell of a driven woman and it'll be interesting where the clouds take you"
Ben 2014

"Never met a superstar before, many congrats" 
Kate 2014

"Fran, So lovely to meet you, your books are wonderful and I wish you all the success for the future, which you so deserve. Thank you."
​Donna from Pilgrim Harps 2015

"Fran is a passionate young musician. Her playing and enthusiasm are truly catching!" 
Gabriella Dall'OIio 2015

"Fran, I'm so pleased we met in Birmingham. Your passion for the harp and Pilgrim is amazing. You should be so proud of yourself! If you ever need Pilgrim for anything just give me a call."
​Penny from Pilgrim Harps 2015

"What a fantastic Book collection! We'll be wishing you much success (well deserved)"
Kirsty and Dom 2014

"Congratulations on your amazing book collection. Your amazing and deserve the success coming your way!"
Georgie 2014

"Congratulations on a FANTASTIC launch, you deserve it after all your dedication and hard work. Your an inspiration to me and a valued friend."
Jamie 2014

"Lovely to seen you again after way too long! Congratulations - I'm so happy you are doing so well!" 
Yrja 2015

"Wow Fran! What an amazing thing you have done! Wishing you every success in the future."
Cathy White 2015

"Congratulations on all you've achieved so far! I can't wait to see what you do next!"
Amy Turk 2015