I would really love to play the harp, but I’m 24. Is that too late?

[bella-bella]

Thank you!

Do you think the Pilgrim Clarsachs is a good harp then?

[tony-morosco]

The Pilgrim Clarsach is a great harp. It was originally designed for Derek Bell, the late harpist from the Chieftains. He was a classically trained harpist who wanted a harp with Celtic character but strung with the concert spacing and tension he was used to. The Pilgrim Clarsach was the result.

If you want to know what it sounds like you can listen to almost any Chieftains album past the very first few and that is the harp you will hear.

They are much harder to come by in the US than in Europe, but if I had the chance to pick one up at a halfway decent price I wouldn’t hesitate.

[Tacye]

Pilgrim make great harps- but so do many other makers.

[bella-bella]

Thank you, again.

Towards the end of July is a harp festival, in London, so I’ll try to make that.

How would you know what’s a good make though? I tried searching on Google, but no website mentioned this.

[daniele-di]

Excuse me Bella, where is this Festival in London? is there a website with more info? I would really like to go at another UK festival after the Edinburgh one

thank you

Daniele

[shelby-m]

Lever harps aren’t just for Celtic music!

[bella-bella]

I saw the event mentioned on the Pilgrim Harps homepage:

http://www.pilgrimharps.co.uk/

“27th – 29th Jul
London & South East Clarsach Society Harp Festival”

But ‘Harp Festival’ was on a second line, so I read it as a separate event, but now I think it’s part of the Clarsach Society festival. I guess the only harps would be Clarsach…

I was in London today and had a look in a harp shop. They’re so pretty!

If I do have lessons and still want a pedal harp, I think I will just save for one while studying music. Some people save for cars, but I want to save up for a pedal harp 😀

[tony-morosco]

Not necessarily. Although the focus on the Clarsach society are Clarsach’s (and they use this in the general term, simply the Gaelic word for “harp” and referring to any Celtic style non-pedal

[Tim Kelly]

I just wanted to say that I just started and I’m 24 as well. : ) Being passionate about learning is great at ANY age!!

[david-crabtree]

I am 65 and am just starting.

[HBrock25]

Hi Bella, I was 62 when I started on harp! I must add though, that I’d learnt piano as a boy, later classical guitar, then folk/country guitar, which I’ve played for over 40 years.
As others have said, it all depends on how you approach it, & how strong is your commitment.
I might add that I play with an easy folk technique by ear, which has some advantages over playing by reading the music, though it’s good to learn to read music.
Before you invest in a harp, may I suggest that you also check out cross strung and Paraguayan harps, as these are often overlooked for some reason.
Blessings,
Harper Rod

[Katheryn]

I know of at least 6 people that have started playing the harp after the age of 38, you are not too old!!

[bella-bella]

Thank you so much everyone for your further replies!

I’m glad I’m not the only one who will start late. It seems that most people do start when they’re older. Probably because of the cost.

Well, I’ve been practising the keyboard to get used to reading music, but I’m now focusing on learning the notes. For example, learn what each note is on the music score, and be able to press the corresponding key. I have a music theory book for grade 1-5, but have stopped reading it for a bit while I learn the notes.

Would this help with learning to play the harp much?

I’m starting to prefer the idea of a lever harp now, because I think ‘harpy’ music sounds better than classical music on the harp. The pedal harp is nice, but I think classical music sounds better on the piano than on the pedal harp, so I might just learn to play both. What do you think? I have no experience, so I may be wrong.

[tony-morosco]

I think it’s not the style of music that matters, but the way it is arranged. Also lever and pedal harps can each have a variety of sounds, so it’s not like all lever harps aren’t good for classical music sound wise. I have a lever harp that, if you weren’t looking and just listening would fool most people into thinking it was a pedal harp.

Classical music arranged for piano doesn’t typically sound good on harp (with some exceptions. Debussy seemed to arrange for piano in a way that works good on harp, for instance). So if someone is just going to take a classical piece arranged for piano and play it on the harp it most likely isn’t going to sound good. But that same piece transcribed specifically for the harp by someone who knows how to arrange for harp is going to sound infinitely better.

Of course the lever harp will limit what you can play, but there are still lots of classical music you can play on lever harp. Just check out Barbara Brundage’s classical arrangements for lever harp.

Just a quick listen to folks like Yolanda Kondonassis or Nancy Allen will demonstrate that classical music can sound fantastic on the harp.

[rod-c]

Bella..

Your question brings a smile to my lips! Ah…to be 24 again! I think you’re thinking of the “tradition route,” in which you start an instrument in grade school and stick with it through high school.

I’ve really enjoyed reading the many answers to your question. I was 50 when I started…and I’ve been at it now for 5.5 years and love it. It will always be a hobby to me (no professional aspirations) and it has given me great joy. And I didn’t even read music when I started!

As I understand it, there has been quite a surge in adults

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