Well, you already knew that Harp Camp was going to be fun and that everyone would learn a lot in a very short time and that we would have a good time doing it. You were right!
Directed Ensemble is hard work! |
Learning to tie a good string knot may not sound exciting but it is one of the most important skills a harper needs! |
Reading, counting, playing all together – they are sight reading a new ensemble piece and bringing it alive for everyone else. |
This year’s theme was “Raise the Bar” – and boy, did we! We had a small but motivated group who worked hard, learned so much, and were just a joy to share with. And they clearly had a good time making music with each other. We had people who are young but experienced, older but brand new to the harp, young with some experience, older with a great deal of experience. You know what they say – it takes all kinds!
We played music, played games, performed on multiple instruments (including a kazu chorus), and made crafts. We had delightful catered lunches and Kasbah was a hit as usual.
And as teachers, we had a blast! Our workshops focused on learning to read better, learning to learn by ear better, counting more complex rhythms better, improvising left hand better as well as learning about a “harp personality” and learning to really feel the beat. These very diverse workshops were well received and fun to teach.
I hope you’ll be able to join us for the 17th Annual Harp Camp. You’ll learn a lot, you’ll be exhausted when its over, but you’ll also be so inspired and ready to “Raise the Bar”!