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Jumping in, as a lever harp teacher…Most of my students (all lever harp) fall into two broad categories, those who have some music in their background and those who don’t. If they are already proficient at reading music, I love to use Kathy Moore’s Thumbs Up! Levers Up! It’s really an etude book, but one that those who are already musicians really enjoy.
More commonly, students fall in the second category and are starting from scratch with music. I used Pamela Bruner’s books for years, but have recently switched back to Sylvia Woods Teach Yourself book. That’s because it gets 4 fingers on right from the start and lets students play “real” tunes, no matter how simple. Neither is perfect, of course, so I regard them as jumping off places. I sometimes add in Friou, but usually not right at the beginning.
I also supplement like crazy in all the following areas:
Improvisation, right from day one (technique without reading, very crucial I find, plus they get to play way more notes than they could read)
Playing simple tunes by ear
Note and rhythm drills (written, electronic, etc).
Exercises pulled from the pieces they’re learning
Simple lead sheet pieces and elementary instruction about chords
Practice techniques, including one I learned from Alfredo Ortiz
Sometimes I have a singer, so we learn simple accompaniment patterns from chords early on (no melody required).And of course, music theory, taught in chunks and some of my own materials. I’m going to start using Kathy Moore’s series Music Theory at the Harp, as I’ve found I can supplement it for lever players and I like the order and pacing. Many of my students won’t be ready for book one for awhile, though, as they are starting with the rudiments of music reading.
I love to follow the student’s lead. If s/he wants to play a favorite song, I’ll either find or create it in a playable form. For some students, I teach a lot more by ear and offer recordings. It’s so important to adult beginners to feel that they are making progress and getting to play music.
That doesn’t mean I’m not a stickler for technique (my teacher, Rachel Ellins, was trained in both classical traditions on pedal harp). We spend lots and lots of time on hand position for each thing they play. I just try to keep them learning on every front, and there is no one book that offers everything. This kind of creativity is what I find most fun as a harp teacher–working out how to help the person in front of me (even on Skype). I would have loved your teacher, Biagio.
Sorry to be long-winded. Just thought I’d give one lever harp teacher’s perspective.
Hi,
I love Lewis Creek harps. I own two Nightingales, and my floor harp is also by Lewis Creek (the Sequoia Creek). The Nightingales tend to have a mellower or richer sound than the brighter Christina, which is also lovely (I have played one or two). The kind of wood also makes a big difference in the sound. I always recommend renting a harp if you can while you are learning to play. It is hard to know what you will like until you have some experience with the harp, and it is of course a big investment.All the best,
Susan
http://www.myharpsdelight.com
