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oopss…when I say getting “them” to buy harps, the them I mean is the school…so few kids and their parents can afford them these days.
Hi Jennifer,
There are so many challenges, but I’m trying to get harp out there more! I just think that there is so much untapped talent out there. Kids that will not encounter a harp any other way, but probably have oodles of talent and passion. I’m still formulating what I think of it all, and how I can best help out, and what approach to use to get them to buy harps!
So advice from gurls like you all, is much appreciated. Say thanks to Karen for me,
Ro.
Yes, I agree with all of you. It would be entirely her decision. I wasn’t to clear on that. If she decides not to do it, it would be fine with me. It may be years before she decides to do it if she ever decides to do it.
I wrote this post at like 1:30 AM this morning. I have the crude (congestion) alot of people have this time of year so the clarity of most post may have been mudded. I would never force her to do something she does not want to do. I just laid the plan out to her. She really has no hobbies so I was also giving her ideas.
As far as what I said about the instruments being rare in this area I did not mean that you can give a shoddy performance either. I just meant that people around here are not used to these kind of instruments so what may be a simple song to you guys would be really good for most people down here. Anyway, have a good day…
Dear Kris
I must agree with the previous posting. In our zealousness to pursue a very noble dream we can sometimes be a little less tactful than
Thanks Jennifer for your comments and also those by Karen. It has given me much food for thought, being a performer that is only now beginning to help out in the school system.
I am very grateful for the links listed on this thread.
Ta muchly!
Well, for sure you have to practice that variation at least twice as much as the right hand, twenty times a day minimum to start to get it.
Sara Cutler once taught a course at Teacher’s College of Columbia University for music teachers to learn harp basics with lever harps. It is more possible now than ever before, perhaps. It certainly must be done, just as we must liberate the harp from parochial, ignorant preconceptions of its imaginary limitations.
I think we need to have a national conference for planning and discussion of this broad topic of harp in the schools. So many people are trying to do the same work without information from each other. It is also likely that public schools
You might obtain the LaRiviere book of exercises. In it there are exercises using just about every combination of finger patterns possible. If you learn those patterns, then you can use them in playing music. We do NOT play the same patterns as guitarists, we are harpists. Guitar playing does not sound that good on a harp.
It may be that the only place you can clip it on and get a reading is by clipping it onto the brass plate between studs. I am not all that happy with mine, and this is the only way I get the pretty much full range of the harp in one position. I don’t if I use it in the back of the harp.
Sherry, can you describe it clearer. I have an L&H 85 SG pedal harp. What do you mean by ‘sound hole’? Thanks.
Where can you buy this book? I would like to get it as it sounds very useful. Is it on-line somewhere?
Hey Briggs,
Wrong thread gurl, this one needs to go on the dog and pony show harp thread one by Smiffy. Good thing he only marked the harp with his paw, and was not marking territory (if you know what I mean, he is a boy dawg after all…)
Actually, good gadget topic in a weird way. Last time I had a harp maker work on one of my harps, we cut out large soundboard shaped chunks of carpet underlay and put them on the soundboard with bits of tape on the knee clock ring thingee. That way if he dropped a screw or screw driver he would not ding the soundboard of the harp…
It was hysterical to look at though, all grey and mohair furry. And kind of smelly…as it was from the spare room and we had pulled up all the old 1950’s green carpet…my goodness…I can feel John D’s eyes coming down on me as I speak!
Another thing I do at gigs to protect the harp a little longer, from people setting up around me, with music stands and violin bows, or lighting guys running around…is that I leave the column and base covers on when I tune. Just if there is bedlum going on at the time…which seems to be happening more and more often these days. What part of “I need access to the hall at least 45 minutes prior to rehearsal to tune and set up” do you not understand????
Not sure how to get this one through to them. I was thinking of just leaving if they do not provide access to the venue to give me adequate time, but then I worry about letting people down (the other musicians, the audience etc)
The lightweight harp that you take around with you to teach is such an excellent idea! I do think that experiencing harps in every day settings will really help, make it less of a rarity and more of a possibility for kids too.
Good on ya Briggs!
Great topic Diane.
It’s a dilemma. Sometimes I wonder if the frilly image of the harp is held against it. I was asked to play a concerto not so long ago with a local orchestra and in choosing repertoire the conductor was quite restrictive and would not accept any modern repertoire. As “people do not want to hear ugly music on the harp” they want “feminine and beautiful” music. So, romantics only. He also stipulated that I had to leave my harp on stage before and after I played, uncovered, so people could oggle it, as mostly
