Emily Sanzaro
Contemporary harpist, vocalist, violinist & loop artist (TAS)
Emily is an innovative contemporary harpist, vocalist, violinist & electronic loop artist based in Launceston, Tasmania.
Emily performs across a wide range of musical genres, embracing the harp’s full versatility and combining it with her other instruments. She delights in subverting expectations—venturing well beyond the traditional harp repertoire while still weaving in touches of the familiar. Her work spans original compositions, contemporary arrangements with a twist, and experimental improvisations. Unconfined by genre, Emily moves fluidly between jazz, Celtic traditional, classical and contemporary influences, inviting audiences to arrive with an open mind and leave their assumptions at the door.
Emily is a versatile performer with experience in numerous solo and collaborative performance contexts within Tasmania and beyond. Emily has completed durational solo creative residencies at MONA over three consecutive years and will complete another in 2026; a performance art project involving Emily sleeping alone in the museum gallery, then composing and performing new original works each day inspired by her behavioural sleep disorder. Emily has performed by invitation at TedXHobart and released her debut album of original music in 2021, with 5 sold-out shows at MONA FOMA festival in 2022. Emily is a regular on the Tasmanian music festival scene and is a regular collaborator with Tasdance. She is a long-term member of MONA’s music cluster ensemble and embarked on her first solo tour in 2025 with the support of Carter Harps Australia and Arts Tasmania. During 2026, Emily will perform and present at the World Harp Congress in Toronto.
Emily is also a visual artist and registered Occupational Therapist in her spare time.
