Iliana Yare - Harpist

I'm a harpist located in the Washington, DC area specializing in proposals, weddings, rehearsal dinners, and ceremonies in DC, Maryland and Virginia. I play R&B, afrobeats, and pop/classical music for events.

My passion is bringing the harp to public spaces, especially Black and POC events. This year, I recently played on stage at the Sound Scene Festival at The Hirshhorn and for the Preakness Festival at the Maryland Governor’s Mansion. In 2024, I was featured in The Real Housewives of Potomac for Wendy’s 40 Birthday episode. I also performed on stage for the D.C. Black Doctors Awards , the Georgetown Fall Festival, Flash Club’s “Sunday Love” rave series, Whitlow’s jazz jam, and play for community salons at Rhizome DC.

After studying at the Longy School of Music and George Washington University, I started developing my own musicality by bringing East African rhythms and spirituality into my musicality and practice.

I also have performed on stage with internationally recognized artists such as DC’s Ethiopian Jazz Band “Feedel Band”, Ravyn Lenae, Annahstasia and Hugo de La Lune.

BOOKINGS

  • I play for restaurants, hotels, and special events of all kinds. You can choose from a repertoire of magical, soft melodies or pop and jazz classics for the occasion.

  • I play weddings and cocktail hours, both indoors and outdoors. I work with brides and grooms to find the perfect balance of music for each moment of their big day.

  • I perform as a solo musician for venues nationally. I’m available for bookings. Take a look at my dates to see when I play next!

  • I love collaborating with musicians for ambient, improvisational, jazz, and even hip-hop performances and recordings! Nothing excites me more than showing the harp in a new way.

VIDEOS

Event Song List

Testimonials

  • Wow

    Wow, I had the pleasure of listening to Iliana play the harp at our home and it was truly magical! Her skills and artistry on the harp left all of us completely captivated. The music she created added a beautiful, enchanting atmosphere to the event. I was thoroughly impressed with her professionalism and the way she interacted with the audience. I would highly recommend her for any special occasion. Thank you for making our event unforgettable!

    Samar Merriman

  • Proposal

    Iliana was very professional and played the harp beautifully at my proposal. She learnt a new song for the proposal upon my request and executed it perfectly. We will definitely be recommending her services to all our friends and family and will be booking her again for the wedding! Thank you Iliana!

    Mazin Rasmi

  • Wedding

    Iliana Hagenah, our wedding harpist, deserves the highest praise for her exceptional talent and professionalism. Her harp performances added an atmosphere of elegance and classic beauty to our special day that was simply enchanting.

    Not only is Iliana a virtuoso on the harp, but she is also incredibly easy to communicate with and exceptionally accommodating. Her warm and friendly nature put us at ease, and she was more than willing to accommodate our preferences and requests.

    Iliana's prompt communication throughout the planning process was impressive and greatly appreciated. She was always just a message away, making the entire experience smooth and stress-free.

    Iliana's harpistry was a highlight of our wedding, and it garnered numerous compliments from our guests. We can't thank her enough for her amazing work, which added a magical touch to our celebration. Thank you, Iliana, for your extraordinary talent and for making our day truly special. Your music was the perfect soundtrack to our love story!

    Ledia Samwil

  • Garden Wedding

    Iliana was the perfect choice for our garden wedding. We knew we wanted a harpist to complete the elegant atmosphere, but Iliana's professionalism and performance was everything we could have hoped for and more!

    She communicated extremely well and her utilized her knowledge and experience to help plan the perfect repertoire for our ceremony and cocktail hour. She offered song suggestions we wouldn't have thought of, ordered the songs for the best effect, and even offered to learn new songs if we had special requests.

    She is extremely knowledgeable about the logistics of her craft, and ensured the day would run smoothly. We highly recommend Iliana for your wedding, or any event that would benefit from her beautiful music!

    Julie Servidio

Recording

Want a harp part on your album?

I’m currently recording for projects through consultations and fiverr.

Follow me on Instagram

Started from the orchestra pit, now we’re at the Hirshhorn stage. Grateful for the chance to share our sonic landscape with guests for the volunteer-run @soundscenefest these past two days. I love introducing the harp in different ways and
Mother’s Day brunch at the Omni Shorem 🌹 #harp #harpist #dcmusician #dcwedding #mothersday