Elizabeth Bass is an international award-winning harpist based in the U.K, with a reputation spanning the breadth of London’s various musical scenes. Since January 2024 Elizabeth has held the position of Principal Harp with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and prior to this was joint Principal Harp with the the BBC Concert Orchestra. When she isn’t working at the BBC Elizabeth enjoys playing and touring with various other chamber and symphony orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. She also works regularly as a session harpist at all the major London studios. Elizabeth is a keen performer of contemporary music, and has played with specialist groups such as the London Sinfonietta, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Lontano. Equally at home and in her element at the BBC Proms, in Radio 2’s Piano room or in a booth at Abbey Road, Elizabeth is incredibly grateful for the rich variety of experiences that the U.K. music scene has provided in her career thus far.

Elizabeth has always been a dedicated solo and chamber musician, competing in her first international competition at the age of 17 in Israel. She then went on to win an International Lyon&Healy (the maker of harp she performs on today) Award in 2013, 1st Prize in the Camac Harp Competition in 2014 and 2nd Prize/Silver Medal in the prestigious USA International Harp Competition in 2016. Elizabeth was an Artist on the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme as well as a 2020 winner of Making Music’s Philip and Dorothy Green Award, leading to numerous solo and chamber recitals at various festivals and venues across the country. She bas been invited to perform concerti with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Orchestra of the Swan and others. Elizabeth has always enjoyed playing the extensive repertoire for harp and choir, and has had the privilege of performing and recording with some of the country’s finest choirs such as the BBC Singers and St Martin’s Voices.

A committed educator, Elizabeth is a professor at the Royal College of Music and also teaches privately. She enjoys sharing her passion for the immense versatility and potential of the harp, and is equally at home teaching solo repertoire, coaching orchestral projects or preparing contemporary music parts. Elizabeth has also coached for various youth orchestras and enjoys nurturing aspiring orchestral players through the BBCSO’s fantastic side-by-side pathway scheme.

Elizabeth was born in 1994 and began learning the harp aged 7 with her mother, Rowena Bass. Growing up in Northamptonshire, Elizabeth was fortunate to benefit from the incredible county music service (NMPAT) which provided her with invaluable orchestral training and chamber music opportunities. To this day she is a passionate believer in the value of local music education for all. From the age of 12 Elizabeth studied privately with Eleanor Turner - an artist whose passion, dedication and charisma left an indelible mark on Elizabeth. She then studied at the Royal Academy of Music and in 2017 graduated with a First Class Honours Degree. Upon leaving RAM Elizabeth began building her varied freelance career in London whilst also studying privately with the internationally renowned harpist, Sivan Magen. She later studied for a year at the ConservatoirenNationale Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris in the world famous harp class of Isabelle Moretti. Elizabeth was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in 2022.