Category: Doing Good

I am truly an East Coast Girl.  I will never be a West Coaster.  However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t visit as often as possible – I love to visit the West Coast – and I do as often as possible. 

You might be an Eastie like me, who loves to visit the West Coast, or you could be a Westie who’s looking for something-something fun – may I recommend the Seaside Highland Games in Ventura, CA?

You might be surprised – they don’t have a harp competition so what am I going on about?

Well, if you have the opportunity, it would be worth your while – because Harp is making its inaugural debut at the Seaside Games this year – http://www.seaside-games.com/harpGlen.php

The Harp Glen is being sponsored by the Clan Currie Society to introduce the Harp to visitors to this event. In addition to shedding light on the fabulous and rich history of the harp this event will showcase actual harps and harpers.

There will of course be harpers playing and more importantly, an opportunity for people to try and to learn.  Highlights of the two-day Harp Extravaganza include:

• Harp Ensemble performance
• Solo Harp Performances
• A Harp Ring/Circle
• Harp “Petting Zoo”
• Mini Harp Lessons

The Clan Currie Society, who is the Title Sponsor of the Scottish Harp Society of America’s US National Scottish Harp Championship, is working with the Seaside Highland Games to showcase the harp at this Harp Gathering event.

I hope if you are able you’ll support this new event – what a great time!

So, sometimes you learn something you have to share immediately – and this is it.  Mike Conners is a teacher at North Carolina’s Penn-Griffin School for the Arts (disclaimer – he’s also a friend of mine).  Heb recently introduced his hobby, harping, to his students as club.

You might also recall that Mike won the 2011 Scottish Harp Society Travel Scholarship which he put to use improving his repertoire and experience, which he took back to his students. Here’s Mike in Scotland (photo unceremoniously ripped off his blog: Miketheharper.blogspot.com!)

But the point of this post is not that Mike plays the harp, but rather to highlight his students’ project – raising money to buy more harps for the club.  They made the news (watch the video and read a short report here):

http://myfox8.com/2012/06/05/students-play-harps-to-raise-money/

They need more harps, including a pedal harp.  This is a really great opportunity for the students to learn a great deal – about music, about fundraising, about community, about community service.

These kids have already saved $2,200 from donations.  They gig to make money too!  But, as we all know – to buy more lever harps and a pedal harp will require more than a couple of gigs.  So, I’d suggest we chip in –

To donate contact Mike Connors at 336-819-2870 or send mail to:

Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, 825 East Washington Street, High Point, NC 27260.

Please write “harp donation” on the memo line and make checks payable to Penn-Griffin School for the Arts. Donations are tax deductible – and I’m sure if you have a harp you’d like to donate, they’d be happy to hear from you.

(PS, I would have loved to share a photo of the kids playing, and while I have no compunction with asking Mike for forgiveness for pillaging graphics from his blog, I’m not tangling with the tv station and their lawyers! Just check out the video!!)