One of the outstanding Celtic performing artists in the U.S. today is Ms Christine Fraser Ramsey of Columbus, Ohio. Trained in Scotland, Chris plays the Scottish harp as few other Americans can. Her superb Celtic-style playing and singing has won her acclaim on two continents.
Chris was born into a richly Scottish household in Connecticut. Her grandparents were from Glencraig in Fife, on the eastern, North Sea, side of Scotland. Celtic music had always been part of her life. Her grandfather was a champion banjo player and her uncle was an excellent fiddle player. Chris began her singing early in life and was involved in folk singing groups in high school. Surprisingly, her current love, the Scottish harp, or clarsach, emerged only within the last decade.
Chris and her husband lived in the Scottish west coast fishing village of Mallaig from 1983 to 1987. The Ramseys were licensed grocers, enjoying the small village life and expanding the gastronomic horizons of the locals by introducing kiwi and zucchini among other ‘foreign’ foods. They also provisioned fishing ships and served bed and breakfast to travelers.
During their stay in Scotland, Chris studied the Scottish harp with Savourna Stevenson. She subsequently won first place for solo playing and composition in three Gaelic National Mod harp competitions. She has also competed in the U.S. In 1992 she won first place in the National Clarsach Championship, Amateur Division, at Alexandria, VA.
In addition to competing, Chris plays in Scottish-American popular music groups. Before returning to the U.S. in 1987, she played with a group in Mallaig called the Sound of Sleat (Sleat being the coast of Skye opposite Mallaig). More recently, she plays regularly with a group called Innisheer from Columbus. Innisheer plays contemporary Irish and Scottish music and has released an album, “Sounds from the Atlantic.”
Chris frequently plays for Scottish-theme groups, including the Mid-Ohio Scottish Heritage Association. In addition to playing solo, she particularly enjoys playing duet with Ms Peg O’Callan, who just recently won second place in Scottish fiddle competition at the Ohio Scottish Games.
She has recently become a trustee of the Scottish-American Culture Society of Ohio and closely associated with the Ohio Scottish Arts School at Oberlin. In 1993 she served as the judge for the Scottish harp competition at the Ohio Scottish Games.
Despite her regular job as a State auditor based in Columbus and her many playing engagements, Chris makes time to teach the clarsach to students, both adults and children.
Ms Chris Ramsey is a national treasure in her outstanding Scottish harp playing and Gaelic singing. We expect fame to come her way in the very near future. U.S Scots is most pleased to have her as a close friend.