Star began her musical journey at the age of thirteen playing guitar. She would play her guitar at the foot of the Bath Club in Redington Beach.....the hot spot of the beach in the Florida strip where she grew up. Her idol at the time was Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. Attracted to that fiery protest music and rich heritage of ballads, eventually led to exposure to Irish and Scottish music which totally captured her imagination. Star and the 60's...what a perfect fit! Polka dot bellbottoms and guitar in hand. Look out world!

She discovered Appalachian dulcimer from Connie North. Connie and Bonnie Carol were crazy about dulcimers. Star took lessons from Connie and thereafter attended many Dulcimer Kindred Gatherings held in Boulder and the Rocky Mountains. She also took workshops from Neal Hellman at Winfield (Kansas festival) and continued to meet "kindred' folk.

A chance to attend the Renaissance festival in Larkspur brought her and the harp together. Star was smitten by the sound of the harp. Although Star was a vendor at the earliest Renaissance Festival in Skunk Hollow selling art work, she never thought of taking up the harp until struming the strings. It was some time before Star found Kolancys Music, the local Denver harp center. She eventually took a few lessons from Diana Carney, Laurie Riley and Therese Schroeder Scheker. After attending a Sylvia Woods harp workshop, she went on to organize a Celtic harp society. Star ran the Colorado Folk Harp Society for fourteen years.

She began teaching after a fellow Irish songster had asked her to show him a few things on his new harp. Then students started showing up at her door. There were many students wanting to play together and after viewing the "Belfast Harp Orchestra" on a short tv show, she formed the Colorado Celtic Harp Orchestra.

Star auditioned for the Perry Mason Series and got a small part playing music in the episode, The Case of the Skin Deep Scandal, starring Morgan Fairchild. Another audition came for the movie, The Princess and the Dwarf, which was shot at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. The big names were Warwick Davis, John Rhyes-Davies, and Richard Kiel. Star's memorable musical highlight was an invitation to be a guest with the Chieftains as they toured through Denver and Colorado Springs n 2003. In loving memory of their harper, Derek Bell, she was to play his favorite pieces with the Chieftains.

Her involvement in International folk dance for 18 years planted very deep roots. Her dance teacher, Schukr Basanow, has retired and what's left of international dance music has taken on a new form in Star's project of a trio with harp, percussion and guitar. Celtic harp stands next to percussion as being the oldest instrument on the earth. Adding the rhythm of the guitar creates a contemporary dynamic sound. Soon to come to Star's trio will be her exploration of the Japanese harp, the koto. The bare essence of sound that defines us as a human race is locked in that basic thread of ethnic music. The harp enjoys its seat in every culture on the planet. The harp is as comfortable in Central America as it is in Africa, Japan and Ireland! It is truly a multi-cultural instrument, the heart strings of many nations. Star's latest adventure of forming this acoustic/electric trio propels her in a direction that will put this familiar music in a new context of contemporary expression......music without borders. What a fascinating journey still to come!

Books and recordings by Star Edwards:

Learn to Play the Celtic Harp - Method book (Enoch Productions)
Play Celtic Harp by Ear - Easy Beginners Guide to Harp Tablature (Enoch Productions)
Celtic Wedding Music (Enoch Productions)
Two's Company - Celtic Harp Duets (Enoch Productions)
Easy Celtic Harp Solos(Mel Bay)
A Tribute to Robert Burns (Enoch Productions)
Medieval Music for Celtic Harp (Mel Bay)

The Emerald Crossing CD (Enoch Productions)
Arc of Promise CD (Enoch Productions)
Time Out CD (Enoch Productions)