Gareth Wilkins is a Cumbrian multi-instrumentalist, educator and composer whose work bridges classical training, jazz improvisation and contemplative acoustic music. Performing on harp, piano and concertina, he has spent more than three decades exploring the relationship between sound, atmosphere and human experience.

Raised in the countryside of northern England, Gareth’s early life was shaped by landscape, imagination and freedom. Long days exploring forests, hills and flooded quarries instilled an early connection to space, quiet and the natural world — influences that continue to inform his musical approach today.

Music became serious at the age of ten when a perceptive teacher recognised his aptitude and began guiding him rapidly through formal piano studies. Alongside piano he explored church organ, saxophone and early jazz influences, laying the foundations for a musical life that would eventually combine structure, improvisation and deep listening.

Gareth later studied music and jazz at Leeds College of Music and Middlesex University, developing strong foundations in improvisation, composition and ensemble performance. His interest in music education led him to further training in Orff-Schulwerk pedagogy, studying at both the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the San Francisco International Orff Course, internationally recognised centres for creative music education.

Over the past thirty years Gareth has performed across a wide range of musical settings, appearing at festivals including Sidmouth, Warwick and Chippenham Folk Festivals, and performing in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall through collaborative arts projects including The Cabinet of Living Cinema, supported by Arts Council England.

Alongside performance he has contributed to numerous recording projects spanning spiritual jazz, folk, reggae and contemplative music. These include recordings with the ensemble Money Work Death (ATA Records), collaborative community arts projects, and a substantial body of independently released harp recordings exploring restorative listening practices.

Teaching has been a central part of Gareth’s work throughout his career. Over nearly three decades he has taught both privately and in schools — particularly across North London and now Cumbria — working with hundreds of students and leading workshops and community music initiatives. His teaching draws strongly on the Orff-Schulwerk philosophy, encouraging musical understanding through play, rhythm, movement and improvisation.

The harp entered Gareth’s life unexpectedly during a period when he had grown disillusioned with the music industry and was preparing to retrain in medicine. What began as a quiet study instrument soon became transformative. Discovering the instrument’s unique resonance rekindled his relationship with music entirely, leading him to commit himself fully to mastering the harp.

Today Gareth’s work increasingly centres on restorative harp music — an immersive listening experience designed to support deep rest and reflection. Drawing on classical technique, jazz improvisation and long engagement with contemplative traditions, these sessions are less about performance and more about creating a carefully held sonic environment where listeners can slow down, release tension and reconnect with stillness.

Now based in the Lake District, Gareth continues to develop projects exploring the meeting point of music, landscape and inner experience. His work spans collaborations with wellness practitioners, cultural projects and retreat spaces, alongside partnerships with organisations including Seed Sistas, Atlantis Spiritual Centre, and emerging collaborations within the hospitality and spa sector.

Across more than 30 years of professional work, Gareth has performed at over a thousand events, taught thousands of students, and contributed to dozens of recording and creative projects.

At the heart of it all remains a simple intention: to create music that allows people — even briefly — to slow down, breathe, and experience a deeper sense of presence.