Music for a Driveway Concert

Fall is in the air, but it’s not too late for a pop-up driveway concert! This curated program is the latest installment of our “Build Your Gig Book” series. Download the whole set at 10% off!

Driveway concerts, pop-up park concerts, and the like have become increasingly popular among musicians during “quarantimes.” If you’ve been thinking about putting together a concert yourself, but don’t know what to perform, we’ve got you covered. This playlist includes unique, captivating, well-known, and “harpy” melodies that any audience will enjoy. It is also a great introduction to learn the capabilities of the harp for those who may have never seen or heard one before. From pop, to classical, jazz, ragtime, and more, your bases are covered to surely WOW your audience.

Akiko

Fabio Rizza

This Japanese haiku-inspired piece is SO hauntingly beautiful! It’s melody, harmonies, and pitch bending lever slides are honestly captivating. I cannot wait to perform it at my next driveway concert and integrate it into my gig book.

What The World Needs Now is Love

arr. Michelle Whitson Stone

With everything going on in the world the last few months, there is nothing more perfect for a driveway concert than this Burt Bacharach pop song! This jazzy waltz is such fun to perform for audiences. Whitson Stone has both an intermediate and advanced version available.

The Entertainer

arr. Darhon Rees-Rohrbacher

Ragtime is always a fun addition to a concert and this timeless classic in particular is always a crowd favorite! It is both a joy to play the famous melody and to see the smiles on your audience members’ faces. This collection includes a lever harp solo, pedal harp solo, and a duet version for both lever or pedal harps.

Claire de Lune

arr. Maria Luisa Rayan

Although this is an advanced level piece, this Debussy classic really is a must-have for every harpist’s gig book. It is a great addition to many gig playlists for the years to come. Plus, audiences LOVE it. It is a piece they recognize, not to mention that it is also incredibly soothing, beautiful, and showcases the range of the harp.

Songs of Hope

Eira Lynn Jones

Socially distanced performances and uncertain times 100% call for “songs of hope.” This collection has three beautiful, healing pieces with “harpy” melodies to help ease your audience’s minds. My favorite is “Another Day.”

Rolling in the Deep

arr. Janne-Minke Nijp

In my experience when you have an audience hearing harp for the first time, they are always impressed when you can play songs that they know. This upbeat, smash pop hit by Adele is a perfect addition to your driveway concert—you’ll probably hear people singing the words along! Nijp has easy and advanced versions of her arrangement.

La Harpe Blanche

Sabine James

This is a really neat collection of original tunes for the harp. Each tune has a unique vibe to it. The pieces are very melodic, rhythmic, romantic, etc. in a variety of genres such as pop, jazz, swing, and more. Note: This collection will definitely test your rhythmic counting abilities, so if you’re looking for something easy to sight-read for your gig book, this may not be the one for you. But, if you have some time to devote to learning these pieces, you’ll really enjoy the variety of showy tunes here.

This Is My Father’s World

arr. Pam Ohms

I personally hold my driveway concerts on Sunday afternoons, so I always like to include one sacred piece on my program for those who worship on Sunday. This improvisational Christian hymn arrangement is really lovely. Ohms uses a very “harpy” arpeggiated accompaniment and some unusual minor chords to add depth to the arrangement.

The Blue Danube

arr. Meinir Heulyn

Another crowd favorite! This glorious Strauss waltz appeals to both adults and children. I think it makes a great ending piece to a concert because it is so much fun. Heulyn has two versions of this piece—for a simpler and shorter version, see here.

Purchase this entire set and get 10% off the total!

Choose all nine products listed here and add them to your cart. (You’ll need to choose an option for “Rolling in the Deep” and “What the World Needs Now is Love” before you can add them to your cart.) Discount will be reflected in your cart.

ImageNamePriceBuy
Akiko$10.00
Clair de Lune$15.00
La Harpe Blanche$24.00
Rolling in the Deep (solo version)$4.99
Songs of Hope$10.00
The Blue Danube$12.00
The Entertainer$12.50
This is My Father's World$5.00
What The World Needs Now Is Love$12.00

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.