Sarah Marie Mullen fell in love with the harp at the age of five when a harpist visited her kindergarten class. It took six years, and the organization of a neighborhood wide garage sale, for her to raise the money to buy her first nineteen string lap harp. She began her studies on the Celtic harp, and later expanded her interests to include the concert harp. She continued her training at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with renowned harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, along with majors in Biology and Anthropology from Oberlin College. Sarah graduated in 2002 with a BA in all three majors, and after a period working in the field of molecular genetics, Sarah returned to her first love, the Celtic harp.
Since 2003 Sarah has been touring the nation, delighting audiences at a wide range of festivals and events. Her masterful playing and innovative arrangements combined with her personal and playful style of performance that often blends music with storytelling, have made her a favorite all over the country. She has been called "a master at her craft (who) brings a bit of whimsy to the typically serious instrument."
In 2004 Sarah's debut recording "Luna's Fancy" was released by Blind Dog Entertainment. Following the success of her first album, she recorded two more albums with Blind Dog receiving critical praise. Her 2005 release, "The Wild Woods," which focused on Celtic and Renaissance music was called "transformative and uplifting." "Harper's Bizarre", released in 2006, takes Sarah's music in a new direction. It draws inspiration from a wide variety of nations and time periods, puts less emphasis on traditional Celtic music and instead focuses more on original pieces. Sarah has just finished work on her long awaited fourth album "We Brought the Summer With Us" , which explores the music of Ireland from the 16th through the 18th centuries, not just how it was performed at the time, but also how it has been constantly reinterpreted to the present day.
Sarah's passion for her music and her infectious energy have made her an audience favorite. As a recent review in Celtic Music Magazine said "see what the harp is capable of in the hands of an expert player who isn't afraid to have a little fun with it."