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Carl Swanson wrote: I don’t know if musical instrument instruction on other
instruments(clarinet, violin, trumpet, etc) is as generally bad as it
is on harp, but I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who knows. [/quote]Piano pedagogy tends to stand as the leader among the instruments in this regard – possibly vocal pedagogy as well. This is simply because there are so many people involved in it. Piano pedagogy degrees are wonderful and comprehensive in studying the history of teaching techniques, developmental psychology, structure and use of the hand, etc. There is also so much wonderful teaching materials for piano. I wish there was the same available for harp, although a good percentage of the information transfers. When transferring information from piano to harp, the main areas requiring new
exploration have to do with the application of the structure and
movemenet of the hand specifically to the harp. Also, becoming familiar
with available teaching materials for harp.My doctoral minor was piano pedagogy and we studied everything from developmental to educational psychology, curriculum design, studying myriads of beginning methods. We were taught how to systematically critique materials and methods. We did practice lessons for one another, videotaped ourselves, critiqued each other, observed expert teachers, read historical teaching philosophies, and were required to articulate our own phiosophy and design a comprehensive curriculum.
Carl Swanson wrote: I don’t know if musical instrument instruction on other
instruments(clarinet, violin, trumpet, etc) is as generally bad as it
is on harp, but I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who knows. [/quote]Piano pedagogy tends to stand as the leader among the instruments in this regard – possibly vocal pedagogy as well. This is simply because there are so many people involved in it. Piano pedagogy degrees are wonderful and comprehensive in studying the history of teaching techniques, developmental psychology, structure and use of the hand, etc. There is also so much wonderful teaching materials for piano. I wish there was the same available for harp, although a good percentage of the information transfers. When transferring information from piano to harp, the main areas requiring new
exploration have to do with the application of the structure and
movemenet of the hand specifically to the harp. Also, becoming familiar
with available teaching materials for harp.My doctoral minor was piano pedagogy and we studied everything from developmental to educational psychology, curriculum design, studying myriads of beginning methods. We were taught how to systematically critique materials and methods. We did practice lessons for one another, videotaped ourselves, critiqued each other, observed expert teachers, read historical teaching philosophies, and were required to articulate our own phiosophy and design a comprehensive curriculum.
Carl Swanson wrote: I don’t know if musical instrument instruction on other
instruments(clarinet, violin, trumpet, etc) is as generally bad as it
is on harp, but I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who knows. [/quote]Piano pedagogy tends to stand as the leader among the instruments in this regard – possibly vocal pedagogy as well. This is simply because there are so many people involved in it. Piano pedagogy degrees are wonderful and comprehensive in studying the history of teaching techniques, developmental psychology, structure and use of the hand, etc. There is also so much wonderful teaching materials for piano. I wish there was the same available for harp, although a good percentage of the information transfers. When transferring information from piano to harp, the main areas requiring new
exploration have to do with the application of the structure and
movemenet of the hand specifically to the harp. Also, becoming familiar
with available teaching materials for harp.My doctoral minor was piano pedagogy and we studied everything from developmental to educational psychology, curriculum design, studying myriads of beginning methods. We were taught how to systematically critique materials and methods. We did practice lessons for one another, videotaped ourselves, critiqued each other, observed expert teachers, read historical teaching philosophies, and were required to articulate our own phiosophy and design a comprehensive curriculum.
It is useful to analyze effective vs. ineffective teaching strategies. I caution against the labeling of “good” and “bad” teachers because it is a value judgment that implies more than this type of analysis warrants. It can imply they are “good” or “bad” people which is not reasonable to discuss.
One persistent aspect of criticism in society today is an all or nothing approach. It is epitomized in people like Simon Cowell, “You are be the best singer in the world!” or else “You are the worst singer in the world.” It seems related to a kind of cynicism based on ready dismissal. There are few people in this world who are completely incompetent, and fewer still who are comprehensively competent. The best we can do as teachers or students is to continually move in the direction of progress: better strategies, more accurate information, clearer communication.
Teaching is strongly affected by natural ability, but it also consists of strategies that can be taught. Even a person without much ability to adapt or respond intuitively to students can be taught to have a storehouse of teaching tricks and strategies that can enable them to contribute effectively as an educator. If there is any single quality most important to any teacher, I would say it is the continual desire to learn.
It is useful to analyze effective vs. ineffective teaching strategies. I caution against the labeling of “good” and “bad” teachers because it is a value judgment that implies more than this type of analysis warrants. It can imply they are “good” or “bad” people which is not reasonable to discuss.
One persistent aspect of criticism in society today is an all or nothing approach. It is epitomized in people like Simon Cowell, “You are be the best singer in the world!” or else “You are the worst singer in the world.” It seems related to a kind of cynicism based on ready dismissal. There are few people in this world who are completely incompetent, and fewer still who are comprehensively competent. The best we can do as teachers or students is to continually move in the direction of progress: better strategies, more accurate information, clearer communication.
Teaching is strongly affected by natural ability, but it also consists of strategies that can be taught. Even a person without much ability to adapt or respond intuitively to students can be taught to have a storehouse of teaching tricks and strategies that can enable them to contribute effectively as an educator. If there is any single quality most important to any teacher, I would say it is the continual desire to learn.
It is useful to analyze effective vs. ineffective teaching strategies. I caution against the labeling of “good” and “bad” teachers because it is a value judgment that implies more than this type of analysis warrants. It can imply they are “good” or “bad” people which is not reasonable to discuss.
One persistent aspect of criticism in society today is an all or nothing approach. It is epitomized in people like Simon Cowell, “You are be the best singer in the world!” or else “You are the worst singer in the world.” It seems related to a kind of cynicism based on ready dismissal. There are few people in this world who are completely incompetent, and fewer still who are comprehensively competent. The best we can do as teachers or students is to continually move in the direction of progress: better strategies, more accurate information, clearer communication.
Teaching is strongly affected by natural ability, but it also consists of strategies that can be taught. Even a person without much ability to adapt or respond intuitively to students can be taught to have a storehouse of teaching tricks and strategies that can enable them to contribute effectively as an educator. If there is any single quality most important to any teacher, I would say it is the continual desire to learn.
Thank you, everybody, for your kind advice.
When I add it to what I have already found online it says enough for me. I will buy a real harp and worry about the cost later. I have found a good used one from a dealer whom I know I can trust.
I guess it is confusing, because today there are a lot of fairly good, cheap imports of other instruments. As a guitar player I have came to discover that
I thought I was terrible at sight reading, and then I had a teacher who gave me a new pieces every lesson. If you NEED to sight read, you learn. Like those kinds of frogs who change their gender if the need arises, except slightly easier.
I hear Louise Johnson is in Sydney, my teacher Diana Owen says she’s pretty brilliant. Who’s in Melbourne?
I’m auditioning this year, hoping to learn from Alice Giles or Louise Johnson. They’re both really top Salzedo players.
This is a big ask, but do you guys know what scholarships to help me get a pedal harp. I’m tired of using tissue boxes for pedals, but both my parents are music teachers and are therefore broke. Our house was as much as a pedal harp, and we can’t even pay that off.
Either that, or do you know anyone rich I can marry and then bump off?Years ago, I was having dinner at Bookbinder’s in Philadelphia, and seated at the next table was Merv Griffin and Joel Grey. They were both very gracious, and included our table in their conversations. What a lively bunch we were. Joel Grey got up from the table and was brought his coat…he was head to toe in a dark raccoon fur. I remembered this with the passing of Merv Griffin recently. His talk show was based in Philadelphia at the time.
I met Isabella Rossalini, (she was making a film), Ralph Lauren, his wife and daughter, (they were buying horses), Doc Severinsen,(he was at a horse show where his son was riding), and very briefly met Pavarotti in a restaurant, (my friend was in the orchestra at La Scalla). Fun memories!! Thank you for the thread
Here is my Veracruz harp in action! Hey, there’s room for more than pedal and lever harps here, right??
When it comes to eBay, the only reason I look at the feedback is to make sure that the seller at least delivers their products. I do not trust the feedback system to give an accurate account of the products themselves; for this I take a ‘buyer beware’ attitude.
The long-standing problem with eBay’s feedback system is that few people will risk ‘retaliation responses’ for giving accurate feedback about a sellers less-than-fantastic products or service. If I have 200 positive reviews, will I risk my score by on account of one bad experience? Most people won’t.
That’s just the way the eBay cookie crumbles.
As for the harps themselves; I’d rather buy from a company location in my own country that has a solid reputation and is available to make repairs and stand by their product, than some eBay store selling goods made in Pakistan, that have an overall poor track record.
If ones motivation for considering an eBay harp is purely financial, there are many alternatives in North America for harps of good, solid quality at affordable prices, from companies with equally solid reputations.
Triplett, Blevins, even Dusty have been working to introduce new harp models that address the need for more affordable prices, without sacrificing overall quality. Each one is created by people who specialize in their craft. In contrast, the Pakistani harps are made by a company that mass-produces ‘instruments’ of a wide variety, from bodhrans to maracas. It’s just another business, creating as many replicas of the same item that they can. It could just as easily be shoes or shirts.
There is also the widely available option of buying a quality pre-owned harp, sometimes with the warrantee still intact. Here at HarpColumn there are multitudes of such harps for sale in the Listings, from small 19-string lap harps, to 47 Concert Grand.
I am far from an expert, but this is my reasoning. I hope my opinions have helped.
