I’ve taken the month of March to tell you about some great harp opportunities that are available this summer. I mention these particular events because I have participated in each of these events in the past.  I am confident that if you choose to go to any of these you will have an excellent learning opportunity – and you’ll have fun!  There are many harp events throughout the summer and this was not meant to be an exhaustive list – just a sampling, so I’ll end with the last of my suggestions – Harp Camp.

I’m particularly partial to Harp Camp because it is not only where I have such fun teaching and sharing – it is also where my harp life began.  This will be the 16th consecutive year for Harp Camp and each year Director Kris Snyder puts together a wonderful teaching staff.  I wasn’t at the first few, but I am delighted to be invited back again this year.  Lucy Stevens, the wonderful arranger and performer, will also be teaching this summer. I am so excited – we have done all the planning and have put together a really nice workshop for you – if I may say so myself!

Harp Camp is a great learning environment.  The setting and the facilities allow participants to be comfortable.  That comfort allows you to safely try new things, meet new people and ideas, and grow regardless of your level of experience and expertise. In fact, Harp Camp is an excellent place to come if you have never played the harp before and are not certain it is for you. At my first harp camp, two of us were in that category…one is now a harper (me) and the other decided that it wasn’t really for her, but don’t worry, she had another instrument to fall back on.

Harp Camp will be in the lovely Glen in Southeastern PA which is beautiful (that’s not really what its called – but that’s what it reminds me of).  This setting lets you breathe and be creative.  In addition, we have a variety of activities that all contribute to our growth,  In case you’re worried, we don’t spend 8 hours a day slaving behind our harps – we spend the days in a variety of activities and we have FUN too! We approach developing our musicianship in a number of different ways and in many modalities – it’s exciting and I am very thrilled to be returning!  We have a variety of learning experiences, exploring basics of music, technique, performance, as well as creativity, ensemble play, arranging and writing, improvisation, and other aspects of being a solid musician. We also play games, enjoy good company, and play a lot of great music together. It’s a busy workshop – jam packed with harpy goodness!

We’ll be updating the website so you can find all the particulars and I’ll post here when the information is available.   Don’t forget the date – join us for Harp Camp 28, 29, and 30 July!

The Somerset Folk Harp Festival will be held in Parsippany, NJ July 14-17 and in conjunction with the Historical Harp Society Conference.  Somerset is a great conference – see people you know, meet people you’ve only dreamed of meeting, and learn from some of the brightest stars in our modern harp pantheon.  With over 90 workshops to choose from the question is not will there be anything to go to but rather how will you ever decide on just a few in the available time.  In addition, the vendor area is a veritable cornucopia of temptation and delight with products ranging from delightful jewelry and trinkets to harps that are beautiful, mellifluous and harp-lust inducing!  And if it needs it, you can even take your harp to the doctor – and have it regulated!  All in one place and for an excellent price.

No matter your interest area – historic, wire, Celtic, Latin, classical, bedside – there will be workshops.  There are sessions on business, teaching, and other “tools of the trade” for professionals and those contemplating becoming professionals.  And there are excellent concerts each day of the event.  And even more – there are jams, the Carolan marathon, fancy dinners,  meeting old friends, making new friends, and harps everywhere! 

Somerset is well run, fun, informative, and worth the trip.  Early Bird registration offers a great deal on the registration price and is open until May 14th.  For all the details go to the website (being updated frequently with even more information, presenters, performers, exhibitors and more) – http://www.somersetharpfest.com/.  Don’t miss it!

Those of you who know me personally know I’m really big on going to school to learn cool stuff. So it is essential that I tell you about/remind you about/encourage you to come to THE OHIO SCOTTISH ARTS SCHOOL. I have been fortunate to participate in OSAS for a number of summers and each year I learn more than I thought possible – so you need to know more about it too!

This year, OSAS will be held June 25—July 1, 2011 at the quaint Oberlin College campus in Oberlin, Ohio (just south of Cleveland). OSAS is sponsored by the Scottish-American Cultural Society of Ohio, Inc.

From the website, “It is the intent of the OHIO SCOTTISH ARTS SCHOOL to provide comprehensive instruction in traditional arts of Highland dancing, fiddling, harping, piping and drumming, by nationally and internationally recognized teachers. At the end of the week, the students will have increased their knowledge of theory, improved their basic skills and technique, and been exposed to new material.”

OK, originally when I pasted that in I was going to delete all the other arts, but you need to know the full scoop! The school provides a great opportunity not only to improve your harping but also to learn from other students as well. And we learn all sorts of things all day – from breakfast straight on through ‘til the end of the sessions that erupt each evening.

Again, from the harp portion of the website:

All Students are expected to bring their own instrument. The Scottish Harp classes will focus on:

• Basic harp technique for beginners and intermediates.
• Repertoire at all levels, including tunes for competition sets.
• Scottish style, including ornaments, lilt, and dance types.

Evening jam sessions offer students the chance to develop accompaniment patterns and learn more tunes.

The nylon/gut harp classes will study Scottish dance music, airs, and songs, focusing on ornamentation, Scottish style, accompaniment, and learning by ear. Afternoons will include lectures, practice time, and playing in sessions. Classes will be available for beginners who have played for a few months, intermediates, and advanced players.

Ann’s class will focus on fingernail and damping techniques for the wire-strung clarsach but any harp is welcome since such techniques were also standard fare for gut harp. Repertoire will range from beginning pieces to ports, strathspeys and reels. The creation of two level-appropriate groups will allow for individualized instruction and practice opportunity as well. Afternoon lectures will include an overview of fingernail technique, the “coupled hands” technique, and a discussion of symbolism in harps.”

And the instructors this year are, as every year, AMAZING! This year we will have:

Seumas Gagne, Jo Morrison, Ann Heymann, and Sue Richards! It’s enough to make your head explode in excitement!

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to learn more about the harp, the culture, the music! For more information go to the OSAS website: http://www.ohioscottishartsschool.com/home_files/osas_harp.htm

And if you’ve never been to OSAS before, give it a good think – it is a warm, inviting learning environment that might feel daunting if you’ve never been – but that could not be further from the reality – don’t let the thought of all that yummy Scottish harping scare you – its a blast you’ll never forget!