Mark Van Atta and Sarah Harkins
Sarah Harkins has long been shaped by melody – the melodic phrasing of lyric poetry, as both her parents were lyric poets, later as a folk-dance teacher in California, and now as half of a Highlands-based duo that brings traditional Scottish ballads to life.
Her newest venture, “Mostly Scottish,” is a collaboration with vocalist Mark Van Atta, born of serendipity, shared heritage, and a stray cat named Rufus.
The story began with a book – The Lyric Gems of Scotland – a collection of traditional Scottish songs for voice and piano that Sarah discovered while teaching folk dance years ago. Though destined for a storage closet, Sarah held on to it, waiting for the right voice to carry its stories. She found it not in Glasgow or Galilee, but in Highlands.
“I was grieving the loss of my cat,” she recalls, “when a neighbor shared a photo of Rufus. He came with two visitors. One turned out to be Mark – a ‘good singer,’ his companion noted.”
Music found its way into their living room conversation, and before long, Sarah was playing piano as Mark sang with clarity and warmth. The result was an artistic partnership built on heritage and heart, grounded in the mountain rhythms of Highlands and enriched by Scottish literary tradition.
As “Mostly Scottish,” Sarah and Mark weave timeless tales through music, drawing on folk and Celtic roots while embracing their shared Western North Carolina perspective. Their performances evoke misty glens and mountain trails alike, blending old-world lyricism with regional grace. Sarah’s expressive piano and storytelling instincts meet Mark’s resonant vocals in concerts that feel less like recitals and more like homecomings.
Their appearances offer an hour of reflective melodies, poignant lyrics, and subtle humor – the perfect soundtrack for the Highlands community that shaped them. With each song, Sarah and Mark remind listeners that stories and songs don’t just connect us to our ancestors – they connect us to one another.
“Mostly Scottish” is more than a musical label. It’s a Highlands conversation, performed in harmony and rooted in belonging.
For information on their performances, call (828) 526-3090.
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