Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Hi! I am from NC originally, and I know that the following schools near you have harp teachers or can arrange them:
I ALSO HAVE THE LYON AND HEALY DOLLY..I ASSUME YOU ARE USING A PEDAL HARP? THIS DOLLY IS LIGHT ENOUGHT TO PICK UP AND PUT IN YOUR CAR WITHOUT HURTING YOUR BACK..EASY TO PULL OR PUSH WITH ONE HAND, BUT I AGREE ON THE STAIRS ISSUR..IT JUST BUMPS THE HARP TO TRY TO PULL UP OR LIFT DOWN STAIRS. TWO PEOPLE ARE A MUST..PRAY FOR GIGS WITH ELEVATORS!
I am a harpist with a small, simple lap harp… yet she is mine own, and I love her dearly. As a result of her size, I am able to take her parctically everywhere with me. I and a friend went to a harp concert one evening. We were both very excited by it, and had spent the day harping up a storm ourselves. The concert went well, until after the first intermission. The harpist wanted to do some of her quicker pieces on a small lap harp she had. The room went a bit quiet, for a while. Finally, it became apparent that the tuning key was missing. I scrabbled into my purse and came out with my harp key, which had found it’s way in there durring the course of the day. The harpist was very grateful, used it, and returned it after the concert.
I was feeling insufferably pleased with myself for the next two days.I’ve found some wonderful pieces. “Drei Tonstucke” by Willy Hess is wonderfully melodic and well written. “Arioso”-Bach/Owens is a gorgeous harp part with a great bass line, along with “Suite in D Major”-Hotteterre/Owens. Also nicely written for harp. Alot of movements, suitable for prelude music for a wedding ceremony.
Mona PeckHi Anthony,
why don’t you try the local music schools in Germany? Usually they can either provide your son with a harp or tell him where he might get one. Music schools can be found in almost any town in Germany. They should be able to help you.I noticed the same phenomenon overseas! Just moved to US and surprised to see the same question. Where I came from there are a lot of people who only care about the harpists they already know and support one another. Any new comers just have to rely on their luck to get audience. Sometimes the students (even their teachers) only care if there are new pieces have not been played in the area or not to decide whether they want to go to concert or not. Master class is another issue. Students there only attended the master classes unless their teachers told them to. Perhaps most students there were not eagerly to learn as the opportunity comes only once a while. I have to say publicity is the only key to bring people in. From my experience, try to get non-harpists to come is more rewarding because the more people get to know the instrument the better it will get. And they will love the harp later just like any other instrument they already knew. One time I organized a special master class for Alice Giles in 1997, actually it should not be called as master class because no students played on the stage. Alice Giles demonstrated many contemporary pieces for solo harp to people who were interested in harp. Most audience were Not harpists. That night was full house. After that, people called to ask if we could organize a master class for students because those teachers came and saw what they wanted from the class. It also inspired many music students to try something new for composition. The next spring I played a solo piece on a composition contest held by local ISCM and the work won the first prize among other pieces written for other instruments. I think it is important to get out of the shell of “Harpists only!”
