Derek Bell

Derek Bell, the versatile harpist with the Chieftains, one of the most celebrated Irish traditional bands, died Oct. 15 in his hotel in Phoenix. He was 66 and lived in Belfast.

The cause was hypertensive cardiomyopathy, a heart disorder, his agent, Michelle Findlay, said.

The band announced that Mr. Bell had remained in the United States after the latest concert for a routine medical checkup and minor surgery before returning to Ireland.

The Chieftains, led by Paddy Moloney, have been acclaimed for their role in the revival of Celtic music. Mr. Bell, a virtuoso of the Celtic harp, played the piano and electric keyboard as well as the oboe, English horn and dulcimer. He was also a composer and a classical musician on several instruments.

The band, appearing as a quintet, was visiting the United States as part of its 40th anniversary tour.

Derek Bell was born in Belfast. A child prodigy who wrote his first piano concerto at 12, he studied at the Royal College of Music, learned to play the oboe and studied the piano further in the United States.

He appeared with symphony orchestras in Moscow, London, Budapest and Pittsburgh. At one time he was principal oboist and a horn player for the American Wind Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Bell did not add the harp to the instruments he played until the 1960s, when he was manager of the Belfast Symphony Orchestra and was recruited to tune its harp collection. He studied the instrument formally and went on to become principal harpist and second oboist of the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra in 1965.

He joined the Chieftains in 1972 and soon became an integral part of its quest to reclaim the tradition of Irish sounds. He also pursued a successful solo career while working with the band.

In 2000, he was named a member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to traditional Irish and classical music.

Mr. Bell is survived by his wife, Stephanie, his mother, and two sisters.