Zeena Parkins

Zeena Parkins (born 1956) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist active in experimental, free improvised, contemporary classical, and avant-jazz music; she is known for having "reinvented the harp".

Parkins performs on standard harps, several custom electric harps, piano, and accordion.

Born in 1956 in Detroit, Michigan, Parkins studied at Bard College and moved to New York City in 1984.

Her work ranges from solo performance to large ensembles.

Besides standard and electric harps, her work also incorporates Foley, field recordings, analog synthesizers, samplers, oscillators and homemade instruments.

She has recorded six solo harp records and recorded and performed with Björk, Matmos, Ikue Mori, Fred Frith, Tom Cora, Christian Marclay, Yoko Ono, John Zorn (including in Cobra performances), Chris Cutler, Pauline Oliveros, Nels Cline, Elliott Sharp, Lee Ranaldo, Butch Morris, Tin Hat Trio, William Winant, Anthony Braxton, Bobby Previte, Courtney Love's band Hole, and others.

She has also been a member of a number of experimental rock bands, including No Safety, News from Babel, and Skeleton Crew.

Parkins worked with dance companies and choreographers, including the John Jasperse Company, Jennifer Monson, Neil Greenberg, and Emmanuelle Vo-Dinh, and has won three Bessie Awards for her achievement in composition for dance.

She provided scores for filmmakers including Abigail Child, Isabella Rossellini, and Cynthia Madansky.

Parkins received a 1997 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award.

With Björk

With Alex Cline

With Nels Cline

With Fred Frith

With Maybe Monday

With Yoko Ono

With Marc Ribot

With John Zorn

With Tin Hat Trio

With Bobby Previte

She is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow and professor in the Music Department at Mills College.