Suzuki Method (and others) – Lever vs. Pedal Harps

[jill-fichialos]

My 8 year old daughter is interested in learning how to play the harp. I am a parent full of questions (and interested in learning as well) 🙂

If she learns via the Suzuki method, what book/level will she have to switch from a lever to a pedal harp?

What is the average amount of time it takes for younger students (who practice consistently) to reach this level? I know there is A LOT of variables! But give me your best guess 🙂

Considering the repertoire found in the beginning (pre-pedal) Suzuki books, is there any advantage to having a 40 string lever harp (L&H Prelude 40) vs. a 34 string lever harp (L&H Ogden)? Or would a 34 lever serve the purpose before it was time to switch to a pedal harp?

What about students who learn using more traditional methods….. if the long term plan is to play the pedal harp (classical music), how long do most younger students stay on the lever before switching over to the pedal?

Please forgive my lack of harp knowledge, I hope these questions make sense! After reading the answers found in the forums I have hope that you will be helpful and understanding – it seems like there are a lot of very kind people in this group!

Thanks!
Jill

[caterina-bergo-marzolla]

Dear Jill, I’m a Suzuki Harp Teacher in Italy…you are a great mother and your questons are correct! I suggest to contact a Suzuki Teacher in your city and she’ll help you. There are a lot of books for beginners, for example Suzuki Harp Book, but in Europe we use mainly “Method for the Harp” by Gabriella Bosio, the Suzuki Teacher Trainer in our continet..at the beginning there’re no differences between a 40 and a 34 string lever harp, the student works on the technique..the time before switching over the pedal harp..it dipends only from the student! greetings from Italy,
Caterina

[Philippa mcauliffe]

Hi, I am a suzuki student but as I had a non Suzuki background in piano I was not entirely typical. My teacher says that she usually mentions pedal harp when someone is past book 2 and if they seem very keen and committed. Some are interested, others not. There are plenty of pieces you can play on lever harp at all levels and as suzuki havent published book 4 yet and have various “suggestions” for book 5 its not like violin or oiano with their vast no. of books. She has had occasional students get to pedal in under two years and others take much longerand some never. Most of her students start quite young and therefore have a smaller 34 string lever harp. She also says Its not really a matter of how long you practice for but how efficiently you practice. She reckons it varies between about 20 mins for the littlies and much, much longer for her book 4 and 5 people like me.

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