"After reading it, I decided to get in touch with him... I also visited Ananda several times, the beautiful village Kriyananda himself founded in 1968... I offered to record some of Kriyananda's music." His first album, Mystic Harp, with Kriyananda was positively reviewed by the New York Times, "This is a lovely, light album full of charm and innocence [...] The Mystic Harp will take you to places that stretch from the innocence of childhood to the mystery and otherworldliness of the spiritual." His final album was also with Kriyananda, Mystic Harp vol II, a collection of compositions in a new age style for solo harp quite different from the traditional and classical compositions for which he was otherwise known. In August 2002, only weeks before his death, Bell visited Kriyananda. Although he was raised as a Protestant, he became a Buddhist later in life. Death Bell died of cardiac arrest in Phoenix, Arizona on 17 October 2002, just four days shy of his 67th birthday. He is remembered at Cambridge House Grammar School, Ballymena, as House Patron of Bell House. Solo discography Carolan's Receipt (1975) Carolan's Favourite (1980) Derek Bell Plays With Himself (1981) Musical Ireland (1982) From Sinding To Swing (1983) Ancient Music for the Irish Harp (1989) Mystic Harp (1996) A Celtic Evening with Derek Bell (1997) Mystic Harp (Volume II) (1999) References External links Biography from the Amoris International publishing house 1935 births 2002 deaths Musicians from Belfast 20th-century classical composers Alumni of the Royal College of Music Cor anglais players Members of the Order of the British Empire Composers from Northern Ireland Harpists from Northern Ireland Oboists from Northern Ireland Male oboists People educated at Campbell College Ulster Scots people Male classical composers from Northern Ireland The Chieftains members 20th-century male musicians Claddagh Records artists