Harp lessons from a violin teacher?

[Lacey Jensen]

Hi everyone!

The university I go to offers private harp lessons through the music department. I did a little research on the instructor and found out she is a professional violinist who teaches all the private lessons for the string instruments. I understand her teaching other string instruments that are played similarly to the violin (with bows) but the harp is obviously played very differently. Do you think whatever experiance she’s had on the harp will be enough to teach good technique?

[Lacey Jensen]

Oh, I forgot to add that that I am a beginner. Which is why I’m so worried about starting out right away learning correct technique. I took

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Yikes!! Unless she is a harpist as well, I can’t see any way at all that this could possibly be a good thing.

[tony-morosco]

The question is not possible to answer without knowing what her harp background is. It is quite possible she is accomplished on the harp as well as violin. I would want to know where she studied the harp and how long she has been playing first.

Remember, many harpists started on other instruments. Derek Bell, most famous as the Irish harp player for The Chieftains, was principle harpist for the Northern Irish BBC Orchestra. But before that he was a principle Oboist. He taught both instruments

[rod-anderson]

Ask the faculty for her CV (resume) as a harpist. They are selling you a service: you want to understand what they are offering.

[patricia-jaeger]

Lacey,

I am both a professional violinist and harpist. I teach any level violin (Bachelor and Master degrees from Eastman and two European solo recitals) and up to lower advanced level pedal harp (no formal degree, but 9 years private lessons with former Symphony harpist who was also harp Professor at large University here.) If one of my harp students exceeds my own ability I refer

[Lacey Jensen]

Thank you everyone for responding! I agree with you all that the best thing to do is to find out how much training she has had in Harp. How would I find this out without offending her? I don’t want her to think I am assuming she is unqualified.

[elinor-niemisto]

Just say, “Can you tell me about your background and teaching style?”

[tony-morosco]

Well, you can simply ask what technique she teaches, which is a legitimate question, and from there use that as a springboard to ask other questions; “Oh, you teach the French method? Who did you study with?”

That way it comes off more as inquisitiveness rather than a third degree.

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