Hi, I’m Deirdre!

I write about jaw harps and the people who love them at harpnerds.com. My newsletter sits at the intersection of music, culture, history, ethnography, travel writing, and memoir. I'm planning to launch a podcast down the line.

The jaw harp is a ancient, mouth-resonated musical instrument found in many forms around the world. It produces overtones that are shaped inside the player's mouth cavity, making sounds that are embodied, intimate, and compellingly hypnotic. I'm an ethnomusicologist, musician, and educator who's been researching and playing jaw harps for 20 years, travelling the world to meet other players, makers, and enthusiasts. As someone with a Masters and PhD in my subject area, I started my newsletter to share my knowledge in more accessible formats and build community with like-minded music nerds. Jaw harps are my forever obsession, and I'm looking forward to connecting with other arts and culture nerds here!

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