Rowan was born to Belfast-bred parents while they were students at Trinity College, Dublin. Upon graduation, her father John Rowan joined the Irish Foreign Service as a diplomat. Her mother Phyllis (McCrory) Rowan is a pianist and childhood music educator, and arranged piano lessons for her daughter.
She currently splits her time between San Francisco, California and Eastern Europe, pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Harp Composition at the National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria. Rowan was noticed by Robert Redaelli, the head of the music conservatory she attended in Brussels, Belgium, and he would occasionally teach Rowan himself in addition to her regular teacher Greek-born Mina Papamanolis.
She specializes in lever harp, concertizing, lecturing, teaching and recording worldwide. Rowan"s work is influenced primarily by Bach, Debussy, Poulenc, Bartók, and Celtic, Balkan, Middle Eastern and Hindustani styles. Her compositions are inspired by Irish poet Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Greek poet Odysseas Elytis, and English/United States poet West.H. Auden, among others, as well as Celtic and Greek myths.
Recent travels in Southeast Asia have made an impact on her latest compositions.
San Francisco Renaissance Voices, vocal ensemble Daniel Berkman, kora Deepak Ram, Hindustani bansuri The Black Brothers, Celtic music Trillium, harp trio Quniteto del Bailongo, Astor Piazzolla specialists (piano) Lily Storm, pan-European vocals Wilde Irish Theater Company, acting and Celtic music California Revels, acting and music Ya Elah, Eastern European and Sephardic vocal ensemble Healing Muses, harp ensemble Dan Cantrell, film scores She is active in taking this program to other countries, including Cyprus and Bulgaria. Rowan has taught private and group lessons in harp, piano, Kodály musicianship and Kindermusik since 1993.
In addition, she offers Skype harp lessons. Many of her students have become professional musicians, and several are teachers themselves.
"This is a disc that finally takes the harp to a serious space, something rarely done.
Thus, if you"re serious about harp, one way or another, you"re going to end up listening to Diana Rowan." - Mark South. Tucker "Diana"s shining soul and sparkling personality are conducted through her fingers through her harp to the very heart of any listener.
Rowan is involved in healing music as a member of Healing Muses, which sends four harpists to hospitals throughout Northern California multiple times per week.
