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Camac introduces new model of harp for children

June 5, 2020

French harpmaker Camac has designed a new harp intended for young children, named the Telenn Small Hands. Inspired by violins and cellos that have adjusted proportions for small hands, the Telenn harp has a reduced spacing between the strings. This project was spearheaded by Isabelle Moretti, who was concerned that the standard string spacing could create bad hand technique and lead to a frustrating musical experience for young kids.

Ghislaine Petit–Volta, Delphine Benhamou, and Michelle Verheggen have used the prototypes in their studios and have been impressed by the results. Verheggen shares that the instrument is much more “ergonomic” and that the “sound quality is very high.” Petit-Volta says, “Because the spacing is narrower, children can reach large stretches more quickly. They start playing with all four fingers after a shorter length of time without having to force their hands.”

The 34–string harp has feet that can be removed and replaced with two different sets of legs, to adjust for height and weighs about 26 pounds. The body is made of maple and beech wood and the soundboard is spruce. It is offered in four finishes: cherry, mahogany, walnut, and natural wood.

For more information, visit camac-harps.com.

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