Cara Dawson is an acclaimed harpist known for her versatility. A graduate of prestigious institutions, including the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, and Chetham's School of Music, Cara holds a First Class Honours Degree in Harp Performance and is currently pursuing a Master’s at the Universität der Künste Berlin with a specialisation in contemporary performance practice. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards, including the Ida Carroll Award for Strings, the Henry Wood Trust Scholarship, and the John Marson Harp Award for Outstanding Musicianship.
An experienced orchestral harpist, Cara has performed in many of the leading concert halls across the UK and Germany, such as the Barbican Concert Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and most regularly at Berlin Philharmonie. She has worked with distinguished conductors, including Susanna Mälkki, Ilan Volkov, and François-Xavier Roth, and with orchestras including Kammerakademie Potsdam and Deutsches Sinfonie Orchester. In 2023, she was selected as the harp Academist in both the London Sinfonietta and the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, solidifying her reputation as skilled performer of contemporary orchestral/ensemble music.
Cara's keen interest in new music began during her time with the Ubu Ensemble at Guildhall, where she performed a wide range of 20th and 21st-century works. This passion continues to shape her career, and in 2022, she was a semi-finalist in the World Harp Competition, where she debuted her original program shadows of solitude, featuring newly commissioned works for harp and electronics, and an innovative adaptation of John Cage's Postcard from Heaven.
Cara is passionate about expanding the harp repertoire and works closely with composers to commission new works for solo harp as well as ensemble settings. As a founding member of the composer-performer collective red panel, she is committed to creating immersive, genre-defying performances that blur the boundaries between contemporary classical, ambient, and experimental music. In 2022, red panel was a finalist in NonClassical's ‘Battle of the Bands’, gaining recognition for their innovative approach. The collective has recorded and released work with labels such as NonClassical, State51 Conspiracy, and Sawyer Editions.
In addition to her solo and orchestral career, Cara is a founding member of Ensemble Utak, a flute, harp, and viola trio dedicated to exploring both classical and contemporary works for their unique ensemble. With flautist Mutlu Isdar and violist Anna Jurriaanse, the group has developed a signature concert format that weaves solos and trios, providing listeners with a rich and diverse listening experience. In 2024, they were invited to Ensemble Modern's prestigious Young Ensemble Academy, further affirming their role as innovative interpreters of contemporary chamber music.
Alongside her concert career, Cara is dedicated to teaching and nurturing the next generation of harpists. She is also available to be booked for select luxury events.