Hi, Meg.

I am not a teacher, in fact, I am a beginner (adult) student. I don’t read music ‘fluently’, learned that million years ago when I was in elementary school, and forgot (almost) all about it. But I play some keyboard and guitar by ear. So, that is what my harp teacher has been teaching me, play by ear. She said I choose whatever song I like. So, I started with Enya song “Only Time”, my favorite song. In a couple week after my first lesson, I could play “Only Time” with broken chord. I still need to improve my technique (since I only been taking lesson 3 times), but at least I’d already know the concept of placing, plucking the strings, chords, etc. So, I assume your student would know the basic of harp playing a lot more than I do. Since she used to read written mucic, so she maybe used to not looking at the strings (and/or hands) too much. She can concentrate more on memorizing the tunes.

I also bought Kim Robertson “Beginning Folk Harp” and Laurie Riley

I forgot this book/CD set.

ALso if you can find a harp instructor who specializes in the Suzuki method it would be great.

i myself am an example of a visually impaired harp student

i have low vision in my left eye & only light perception in the right eye though i don’t have much sight i can still play both my harps i just have to play by ear & memory it’s a little harder to do because i don’t read sheet music & my harp teacher has to teach me a slightly bit differently than she teaches the rest of her other harp students

i also have CP but it’s very slight

i have to have more light so i can find my strings

i give my harp teacher a good challenge

If the student really wants to stay in music, she should learn music