"Tunes in the Morning" out now!

“Tunes in The Morning” is Mary-Kate Spring Lee’s first solo Irish harp album, and is essentially a capstone for her year of study with internationally acclaimed Irish harpist Grainne Hambly. 

In 2022 Lee was awarded a Master/Apprenticeship Grant from PA Council on the Arts to study with Grainne Hambly, a long-time musical role model of Lees. While Lee is not a newcomer to Irish music, and performs both as a soloist and with her Celtic Folk band Seasons, “Tunes in the Morning” marks a new milestone in her arranging and performing capabilities.

The tunes featured on the album are ones learned from Grainne and many were also her competition pieces in the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Fleadh, where Lee won first place in both Senior Harp Dance Tunes and Senior Harp Slow Airs. 

The title, “Tunes in the Morning” is a playful nod to Lee's current stage in life-mother of three children under four. Lee was at first hesitant to apply for the grant since she wasn’t sure when she would be able to find the time to practice. That time ended up falling between 6:30-7:30a.m. in the morning, when Lee would strive to sit at the harp whenever possible. Although the year of study proved more intense and challenging than Lee anticipated (including the challenges of recording an EP!) she is proud of the journey she has made as a musician. 

From the flowing “Caves of Kiltanon” jig to the joyous “Trip to Durrow” reel set, “Tunes in the Morning” grants glimpses of the beautiful treasury of Irish tunes, and the magic and range of emotions captured on the Irish harp. 

available at https://mary-katespring.bandcamp.com/