Tom Monger is a Harpist and Composer based in London. He has been playing harp for over twenty-five years, and is interested and involved in music of many different kinds. He plays the harp for the band Florence and the Machine
Background[]
Born in Ipswich in 1975, Tom Monger spent his very earliest years surrounded by traditional Celtic music, travelling to numerous festivals and folk events with his musician parents. He took up the harp at the age of six, playing a clarsach built for him by his grandfather, John Morgan. His first harp teacher was Margaret Crisp, whose own particular interest was Scottish song.
Tom became interested and involved in a wide variety of classical, popular and folk music. When he was nine he was invited to join the West Suffolk Youth Orchestra. He began playing an antique Erard Grecian harp, built in 1829.
During his time at Combs Middle School, Stowmarket, he twice appeared at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, in the finals of the Barclays Youth Music Theatre Awards, playing in musicals composed by the music/drama team Simon Clover and Ian Crissell; he played the Erard harp in Cold Comfort, and in a jazz style on the clarsach in the comedy Odysseus Waives the Rules.
His next harp teacher was Patsy Wise. At the age of ten he began studying with Hugh Webb, and was asked to join the Suffolk Youth Orchestra.
Between the ages of 12 and 18, Tom undertook a wide variety of engagements, taking part in ensemble work, appearing as a soloist and in a duo with harpsichord player Adrian Bush, and touring the UK and Europe with the Suffolk Youth Orchestra and as a member of the South Suffolk Sinfonia. His involvement in other genres was increasing; during this period he developed his skills at composition and improvisation, and played his harp with amplification and electronic effects in two original rock bands, The Apologies and Evil Genius.
Throughout this time he was helped and supported in his harp studies by a number of people, including a regular benefactor who retains his or her anonymity to this day, and the Society of Friends' Greenwood Trust.
With the demands of solo recitals and orchestral playing, Tom was greatly in need of a full-sized modern concert harp. With the help of his supporters, he was able to purchase an Amphion harp, built by Aoyama, from the showrooms of Clive Morley.
Tom played this harp for 17 years, and was devastated when it was destroyed in the fire which broke out in Florence and the Machine's equipment trailer as the band toured Europe in 2009.
He is greatly indebted to Morley Harps, who went out of their way to deliver a replacement harp to him as soon as he returned to London. The new harp is almost identical to his first Amphion, and he is very happy with it.
Career[]
In 1994 Tom moved to London, where he studied Harp and Composition at Trinity College of Music, his tutors including Sioned Williams and Darryl Runswick. He won prizes for Harp and Improvisation, including the United Kingdom Harp Association Award in 1996, and gained an honours degree in 1998.
During his time in London, Tom has continued to perform in many areas of music, his work including solo recitals, orchestral and ensemble work, session recording and street theatre. He has played and recorded with acclaimed London band Tearso, and is extending his research into electronic music and recording: he released the first CD of his original music, Mothmusic Volume One, in 2000, and his second album, Scar Diaries, in 2001.
Tom's electronics-based music, under the name of his collective, Lunamoth, has featured in releases on the Big Square Records label, the quirky Squirrels, Yeah! receiving a particularly good response. He has also composed and played harp music for the film Eidollen, directed by Michelle Cherfan, and for Glenn Mortimer's plays Heads, staged at the Young Vic, London, and Better, which was presented by the Spare Parts Theatre Company at The Rosemary Branch Theatre.
In 2005, Lunamoth's cover of Björk's song Army of Me, featuring vocals by Tamara Stein and Gary Martin, was chosen by Björk and her associates as one of the tracks to be released on her charity album Army of Me - Remixes & Covers, in aid of the tsunami relief work of UNICEF.
In addition to his classical harp recitals, Tom has regularly played with London-based singer/songwriter Paul Mosley, and with the Czech alternative electronic musician and singer/songwriter Eva Eden, and continues to front Lunamoth in composing, recording and live appearances.
Currently, Tom is touring and recording with the chart-topping, award-winning band Florence and the Machine.