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Sorry, I have the standard Pilgrim stool and so it will be too low. I’ll be travelling by car on Saturday but will be getting a lift from my husband and kids and I’m afraid we will not have any space.
The Dusty Strings harps that I’ve heard sound lovely, I’m just not as familiar with them as the Starfish and Norris harps.
I’ll be at the Festival on Saturday if you want to borrow a stool. I’ve a wooden Pilgrim stool you’d be welcome to borrow while trying out harps (it is one of the smaller ones with the legs that unscrew rather than their larger model). I’ll keep an eye out for you. I also want to try out Mark Norris’s new light bright 36 string harp. His website also indicates that he may have a harp with a new style of levers at the Festival. I’d also like to have a look at the Starfish harps and the Salvi Gaia. I don’t need to buy a new harp this year but will probably look at buying a new one in a few years so it is nice to see what is available.
Mark Norris makes beautiful harps. If my finances would stretch to it I would love to buy one of his harps. I’m looking forward to trying his light bright 36 string harp at the Festival.
Depending on where you are, you may be close to a branch of the Clarsach Society. The contact details for the branch secretaries are on the Clarsach Society website. Most of the branches meet fairly regularly and it can be a good opportunity to meet other people and try out harps. I belong to the Edinburgh branch and there is quite a variety of harps. Pilgrim make both harps with tighter and looser tension. Both are popular. Just let me know if you want to attend the Edinburgh branch meetings – the building does have wheelchair access but the doors are quite heavy. I’d be happy to give you a hand.
Hi Celticknot
I met a lady called Fiona who is blind and plays the harp last year. Here is her website
http://www.inspirationalharping.co.uk/
Fiona is very friendly and will no doubt be able to give you lots of practical advice re how to find your way around the harp.
Best wishes
Jennifer
I’ve played friends’ Norris harps and they are lovely. I like the Teifi Eos harp as well. The Norris harps tend to be a little lighter and more portable although the weight varies depending on the wood used. The Eos harp is gorgeous but I wouldn’t want to have to carry it too far. It has a lovely almost bell like tone though. I’ve not tried their other harps. The people I know who have Norris harps have all been happy with them. I would buy both if I could!
Both Mark Norris and Teifi tend to exhibit at the Edinburgh Harp Festival if you are free at Eastertime 2014.
If you type Savourna’s name into youtube there are lots of recordings.
I don’t have any experience with Dusty Strings but have had a Pilgrim clarsach for twenty years. My experience of the company has been positive and I have always found the staff helpful. I think they may do a rent to buy scheme, so that you could try out the clarsach before committing to buy it. Something similar may be available with Dusty Strings.. The Pilgrim clarsach is lighter than many harps of a similar size. I think the Dusty Strings ones may be even lighter though. Not something that is too much of an issue now when there will always be an adult to help her but it may be in a few years when your daughter may be moving the harp around herself at school.
If you are able to go to the Edinburgh Harp Festival next Easter you will be able to try out most, if not all, of the harps listed in the harpmakers exhibition.
