19th -century Welsh and Irish Harps: Authentic Revival or Invented Traditions? | Type: Lecture  | Level: Any   | When: Live 7/23/23 10:30-11:30am HHS Add-on
In the 19th century, Welsh and Irish harps were perceived as revived versions of true ‘native’ instruments; but were they actually newly invented traditions? Movements to promote national harps and music at festivals struggled with the contradictions of embracing modern harp designs and allowing the inclusion of classical harp repertoire.

Accompaniment for Irish Sessions: Laoise Kelly | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-On
Even if you've been playing harp for a while, trying to play dance tunes at speed in an Irish session is a daunting feat. Get some useful tips from Laoise on accompaniment patterns for reels and jigs and maybe a hornpipe that will have you more confident in navigating your way through bassline progressions.

Accompaniment Toolbox with Lisa Lynne | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Get over the worry of how to accompany a singer, instrumentalist or ensemble. The harp can be used for rhythmic or harmonic support--learn how to step into a backing role and then step out for a solo. In this workshop, Lisa will help you create a toolbox of accompaniment options to keep at your disposal at anytime and feel ready to jump in and do your part. Besides creating chord charts and working from a lead sheet, you'll learn the secret of how to transpose and change key in an instant and how best to contribute to the whole. Guest artists will participate in this workshop. Sightreading not essential.

Accompanying Other Instruments with William Jackson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 3-4:30pm
You love playing music with other people but it's almost impossible to know a million melodies. Learn the secrets of good accompaniment in traditional music. The modes used in Scottish and Irish traditional music will be discussed and you'll get solid techniques to accompanying other instruments as well as ideas for playing in sessions by improvising chord patterns.

Alan Stivell’s Breton Music with Tristan LeGovic | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/29/23 1-2:30pm
50 years ago, Alan Stivell was one of the most prominent pioneers on the Celtic harp (he was the recipient of the Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award last year). His two ground-breaking albums "Renaissance of the Celtic harp" and "Olympia" had a fantastic impact all around the world. Let's come and celebrate some of the famous tunes of one of the leading Breton harper. Handouts will be available prior to the workshop.

American Ballads & Airs with Kim Robertson | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg./Int.   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 3-4:30pm
American folk music is a richly diverse source of repertoire for the harp. Learn ideas and skills for adapting and arranging American roots music to the lever harp and putting your own spin on it. Examples will include Southern, Appalachian, Gospel, Western and a few Celtic melodies that have crossed over the pond to become American classics

Ancient Harp of Scotland with William Jackson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
Nowadays, Scottish harpers are just as likely to play jigs and reels as the fiddlers and pipers are, but in the "old" days this wasn't the case. Learn about the "old" harp repertoire and the harpers who played it. Take advantage of William Jackson's expertise in interpreting and arranging this music. The music will be taught by ear but sheet music is also provided as a downloadable PDF.

Andean Music from Argentina with Nicolas Carter | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
Carnavalito is a traditional indigenous dance from northern Argentina. Its current form is an expression of a syncretism between Pre-Columbian and Spanish colonial culture. The song has a catchy melody that will invite you to skip around the house. If you love the flavor of Andean music this workshop is for you.

Arranging Irish Slow Airs with Eileen Gannon | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Int.   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 3-4:30pm
Make your playing of Slow Airs even more expressive. Eileen will give you tips on how. In this workshop Eileen will share recordings of Traditional Irish Singers interpreting different songs and together the class will try to recreate each singer's interpretation. By analyzing the tone, "the lift", and how the text affects the song's phrasing you will gain tools to help make these airs “sing” on your harp.

Arranging Lullabies with Shelley Fairplay | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/23/23 9:30-11am
Learn “tricks” that can be used to write lullabies and arrange other tunes in the lullaby style. Relax as Shelley shares her favorite lullabies from Wales along with her own original songs in this style.

Arranging Music Through the Centuries with Tomoko Sugawara |Type: Hands-on| Level: Any  | When: Live   | 7/30/23 3-4:30pm
Don’t know where to start to come up with beautiful arrangements? In an arranging rut? In this workshop Tomoko teaches you how to look to the past to create your own arrangements. The class will use medieval music, focusing on Spanish Cantigas Santa Maria music as a starting place. Tomoko will also give you historical examples of how East Asia Tang Dynasty court music was adopted from many beautifully simply structured foreign folk tunes, such as the repertoire in Central Asia. Join us and connect with arranging through the centuries.

Arranging Pipe and Fiddle Tunes for Harp with William Jackson | Type:   | Level: Int.   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 1-2:30pm
Pipe and fiddle tunes are such an integral part of traditional Irish and Scottish music. You'll get some useful ideas on how to expand your Scottish repertoire and how to select tunes from non-harp instrumental collections from William, who not only plays harp but the pipes as well. Learn how to develop creative arrangements and perform them by using devices such as intros, bridges and "outros”.

Arranging Traditional Music with Aryeh Frankfurter | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Beg-Int   | Archive Add-on
There are hundreds of tunes and song out there waiting for you to include in your repertoire. But how do you take a simple melody and arrange it yourself? Aryeh says you start by rethinking left hand technique to be more like a “rhythm guitarist” than a pianist and use left hand chordal patterns to create variety in phrasing. Get some useful tips for creating and developing interesting and evocative arrangements by composing intros, bridges, and “outros” which add a personal and original dimension to any traditional tune. Aryeh will share some useful ideas to create movement, lift, phrasing and dynamics by using a couple of very easy tunes everyone can play and applying these ideas to show how they work. Some notation is used but people do not have to “sight-read.” Reading music helps, but it is not essential to getting something out of the workshop.

Art of Practicing with Sunita Staneslow | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/20/23 3-4:30pm
Do you want to play more smoothly and get the most our of your practicing? Yes, it is an art and practice does not always make perfect but can get us playing in a stiff and clunky way. Most harp players just play through their pieces and never really practice. How do professionals practice? Sunita will tell you everything she knows and much of it she learned the hard way. Sunita admits that she didn't really practice well for at least a decade! Sunita will discuss strategy, fingering, memorization and understanding your goals. And of course understanding your pieces!

Beauty of Simplicity with Shelley Fairplay | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 1-2:30pm
Working on the quality of your sound and truly ‘being in the moment’ to create magic using the minimum notes possible.

Beginner's Basics with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 9:30-11am
New harpers or those who need a refresher should take this workshop so Debbie can guide you through the basics of hand position, placing, and playing. You'll get lots of hands-on pointers and exercises to help you grow comfortable with your instrument and learn to play more fluidly.

Beginner's Boost 1: Exercises 1 with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: On Video Starting July 1   | Anytime
If you've just started to play the harp, this video workshop is from a series Debbie created for the Beginners' Boot Camp in 2020. If you already know how to tune the harp, sit at the harp and your basic hand positions, start this video! Now start learning the notes and how to pluck! Thumbs up! Get comfortable with the instrument and yourself! Music-reading ability is not necessary. Video 4 from the 2020 Series.

Beginner's Boost 1: Exercises 2 with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: On Video Starting July 1   | Anytime
If you've just started to play the harp, this video workshop is from a series Debbie created for the Beginners' Boot Camp in 2020. This segment continues on from Beginner's Boost Exercises 1 and here you're learning how to position and playing using more fingers. Practice plucking and playing scales. Thumbs up! Use both hands and practice cross-overs.Music-reading ability is not necessary. Video 5 from the 2020 Series.

Beginner's Boost 1: Sitting at the Harp with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: On Video Starting July 1   | Anytime
Debbie gets you off to a good start with some solid foundation in learning how to position and sit at the harp and how to work on hand position. Review these "basics" videos as often as needed to establish good habits. Video 3 from the 2020 series.

Beginner's Boost 1: Using a Tuner with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: On Video Starting July 1   | Anytime
If you've just gotten your harp and want to start building a solid foundation for learning and playing it, the first step is actually learning how to tune it! Debbie explains how to use a tuner to do that. Video 2 from the 2020 series

Beginner's Boost 2: Cookie Cutters with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: On Video Starting July 1   | Anytime
We've brought back 3 videos from Debbie's Beginners Boost 2 series. View these videos and refer back to them when you need to before our 'live' festival and your sessions with Debbie. In this segment, Debbie gets to showing you 3-finger chords, starting with triads, and explains how these chord patterns easily translate to every key. Learn to place, then play. Placing is important.

Beginner's Boost 2: Finger Conventions with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: On Video Starting July 1   | Anytime
We've brought back 3 videos from Debbie's Beginners Boost 2 series. View these videos and refer back to them when you need to before our 'live' festival and your sessions with Debbie. In this segment, Shapes of chords, Debbie calls them cookie cutters, become all-important and once you learn the shapes it will make your playing clean and beautiful. Consistency is key. Place, then play, is the harp mantra. Learn which finger to play for which intervals.

Beginner's Boost 2: Octave Patterns with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: On Video Starting July 1   | Anytime
We've brought back 3 videos from Debbie's Beginners Boost 2 series. View these videos and refer back to them when you need to before our 'live' festival and your sessions with Debbie. In this segment, you'll learn the most common "big" chord patterns or "cookie cutters" as Debbie calls them. Be sure to place, then play! Thumbs up!

Beginner's Chord Basics with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 3-4:30pm
If you're having trouble getting your hands to cooperate with forming chord shapes, Debbie will demystify chord structures and reinforce the harp fundamentals you’ll need to become more fluent in playing chords. She'll show you how to play your favorite tunes using a “lead sheet” , which is just music that displays a chord letter rather than using the bass clef for the left hand.

Beginner's Coordination Basics with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Nov.-Beg   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 9:30-11am
Feeling that you can play one hand or the other but not both at the same time? This is common for beginning players. Debbie will review some of the basics to lay the groundwork, then focus on pointers, to help you get both hands working together. She’ll teach a tune to reinforce good playing technique with both hands, while reviewing chord structures at the same time.

Beyond Jigs and Reels with Grainne Hambly | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
Broaden your repertoire of Irish dance tunes, with some slides, polkas, barndances and other less widely played tunes. Grainne will teach some of these easy melodies, along with some tips on appropriate ornamentation and how to add lift and rhythm through interesting accompaniment and syncopation. This workshop is ideal for both intermediate and advanced players, as the melodies are not difficult to learn but playing them up to speed can be a fun challenge! Music taught by ear, no sight-reading necessary.

Black Death Tunes with Erik Ask-Upmark | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Erik's previous workshops at Somerset in medieval and renaissance music have always been popular, and this one follows in those footsteps, only now he's focusing on a single year and a specific event in history-- the fateful year 1350 AD and the Black Death! It's not as gruesome a subject as you might think. The era is home to some amazing music, utterly captivating and especially poignant considering the times and circumstances in which it was composed. If you have even the slightest interest in history and medieval music, you will find this workshop very fascinating! Historical harps are of course welcome but not needed as any harp will do fine. Part of the workshop will explore the possibilities of singing with the harp while accompanying ourselves.

Blind Harpers: who was Rory Dall? with William Jackson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
Their music is very different than that of O'Carolan, probably the best-known, today, of the blind harpers. So who was Rory Dall? You and Blly will explore the music attributed to the 17th century blind harpers Rory Dall Morrison of Scotland and Rory Dall O'Catháin (Roger O'Keane ) of Ireland, and the confusion over the authorship of their compositions. This is yet another link in the music connecting Ireland and Scotland.

Breton Legends & Myths with Tristan LeGovic | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/30/23 1-2:30pm
Discover some of the most inspiring Breton/Celtic Legends & Myths through music. Merlin, Broceliande, Korrigans and other fairytales. Brittany is full of legends and myths on which many tunes are based. This year, Tristan will present and teach some historical music related to those myths based on the King Arthur legend (which part of it belongs to the Breton history) as well as a mystical tune known as “The Series”. No level requirement for this workshop. Everybody is welcome. You will learn at your own speed and level. Bring your harp and/or just enjoy listening to legendary tales! Handouts will be available prior to the workshop.

Breton Music Made Easy with Tristan LeGovic | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg./Int.   | When: On Video   | 7/29/23
In this workshop, Tristan has chosen some easy traditional Breton tunes for you. Add dance tunes, marches or songs to your repertoire and learn different styles with different modes and rhythms. Tristan will guide you through the basic arrangement appropriate to this music. No prior knowledge of Breton music is necessary. Everyone is welcome. You will learn at your own pace and level. Handouts will be available prior to the workshop.

Breton Music's Early History with Tristan LeGovic | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: On Video   | Anytime
Breton music is rooted in a long historical tradition which belongs to the Celtic heritage. Some musical forms, such as the gwerz, are specific to Brittany. Thanks to these tunes, the history of the country has passed through the ages orally. In this workshop, Tristan will present some of the historical tunes typical of Brittany. No level required for this workshop. Everyone is welcome. You will learn at your own pace and level. Handouts will be available prior to the workshop.

Build a Harp with Dennis Waring | Type: Demo   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 9:30am-1:30pm
Dennis Waring of Waring Harps will guide you through the construction of their 19-string, corrugated cardboard and wood harp, (or the 38-strung double-strung harp) built from their unique kit. In the first part you'll build the harp and in the second part you'll string it and tune it. Purchase the kits before the festival for the discounted price of $145 for the 19-string or $235 for the double-strung. This workshop is on-site and will not be zoomed.

Business of Harping: become an entrepreneur with Mary Radspinner | Type: Lecture   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Join Mary, co-owner of Afghan Press and Melody's Traditional Music, for a lively give-and-take discussion on thinking 'outside the soundbox' on the possibilities and earning potential in being a career harpist or harpist supporter. Join the discussion about the many contributions you can make to the harp world in any capacity, at any level. Explore what else you can do besides playing weddings.

Business of Music Publishing with Mary Radspinner | Type: Lecture   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Mary Radspinner, co-owner of Afghan Press and Melody's Traditional Music, will talk about what it takes to create and publish your own music. She'll cover the many situations that come up during the process of writing, arranging and publishing your own or others' harp music. Here are just some of the topics she'll cover in this fast-paced 90-minute workshop: creating harp-able arrangements, desktop publishing and music editing software, proofreading, what you do after the arrangements are done, cover and binding considerations, PDF music, pricing and sending samples. She'll answer what Net 30 is and much more.

Carolan & the Music of the Harper Composers with Gráinne Hambly | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 9:30-11am
We’re still playing his music more than 300 years later. Simple, elegant melodies that are as popular today as then. Learn about Carolan and the other harper bards in this hands-on workshop that will add a new piece to your repertoire.

Carolan Marathon: 2020 with Event | Type: Fun   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
You can replay 2020's Carolan Marathon featuring Grainne Hambly, Kim Robertson, Dominique Dodge, and Kathy DeAngelo in a celebration of Carolan's 350th birthday. We had over 150 in the room playing along on some of his most popular tunes.

Carolan Play-Along for La na Cruite 2020 with Event | Type: Fun   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
In honor of Turlough O'Carolan's 350th birthday Somerset sponsored a Carolan Play-Along for Lá na Cruite, Harp Day, on Oct. 17 with Grainne Hambly & William Jackson and Cormac de Barra in Ireland, and Kim Robertson, Dominique Dodge & Kathy DeAngelo in the US. Here's the sequence of tunes on this video and the final playlist: https://www.somersetharpfest.com/Carolan-Playlist-final.pdf. Aibhlin McCrann of Harp Ireland, which organized Harp Day, gives introductory remarks.

Celtic Connections with Rachel Hair | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Take a trip in this workshop and find the many smaller countries that have a Celtic Connection with wonderfully vibrant music. Explore the music of lesser known Celtic nations like Cornwall, Galicia and Asturias. What gives their music their special flavor? Find out! There are other ample opportunities at the festival to explore the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland. Tunes will be taught by ear with music downloadable as a PDF.

Celtic Service with Debbie Brewin-Wilson | Type: Lecture   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/23/23 8am
Debbie is our official pastor in residence! Join her for her Sunday morning worship service and make "a joyful noise".

Chord Magic on Cross-strung with John Metras | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Have you opened up a fake book and seen a lot of chord symbols that you don't recognize? Not to panic, as you have a cross-strung harp, meaning that you can play any of them. This workshop will show you how to create the most commonly used chords and give you a chance to play along with a few chord progressions, simulating songs that use a number of altered chords.

Chord voicings and accompaniment patterns with Maeve Gilchrist | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
The order in which we stack chord tones has a huge impact on the sound of your accompaniment and the elegance of a phrase or form. Maeve will show you how to use some simple chord progressions as vehicles for exploring voicings. By finding common tones between chords and minimizing jumping around different registers, we can create a more sophisticated and cohesive accompaniment while using less energy!

Christmas in July with Sunita Staneslow | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 3-4:30pm
It is time to dust off your carols. Most people really want to hear starlight, snow and feel loved. Learn special effects that sound like starlight and gentle falling snow. Add these to your Christmas Music and take away some of those difficult notes! Full disclosure: these ideas and effects can be used beyond Christmas!

Christmas Latin Style with Nicolas Carter | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
Here is an entertaining way to spice up your Christmas repertoire! Nicolas Carter has put a new twist on beloved North American traditional Christmas pieces so you can wake up your listeners with joyful rhythms and a delightful surprise to the ear. Nicolas makes all his workshops FUN, so he'll show you how to play "Joy to the World” as a Colombian Cumbia, a very popular Latin dance music style that will truly bring joy to the song.

Composers from County Clare with Aisling Lyons | Type: Hands-on  | Level: Any | When: Live 7/30/23 10-11:30am
This workshop will focus on jigs, reels and hornpipes from County Clare composers who are now deceased: Paddy O'Donoghue and Martin Junior Crehan. Aisling will focus on teaching the melodies to these tunes. During the lesson, she will also incorporate suggested ornamentation & ideas for variations in the left hand.

Composing in a Traditional Style with William Jackson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
What makes a new composition sound traditional? This is a comprehensive look at the structure of traditional music and the modes and rhythms used from Gaelic song, strathspeys to jigs and reels. Learn how to use a simple chord progression as the basis for developing melodic ideas and then expand these melodic ideas into a larger work.

Composing Using Ancient Prayers & Blessings with William Jackson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
In this creative workshop you and William Jackson will choose one of the blessings and incantations from the Carmichael collection and create a melody and arrangement to one of the English translations. How do you fit somebody else’s words to your new melody? Be guided through the creative process. Who was Carmichael? By day he was a tax collector and the rest of the time Alexander Carmichael collected a vast amount of lore and traditions in the Scottish Highlands and Outer Hebrides where he lived from 1864 and 1882. His compendium Carmina Gadelica (The Hymns of the Gael), published in 1900, cast a light on “Celtic” spirituality.

Concerts: 7/20/23-7/22/23 Thursday - Saturday @ 7:00pm Live and Streaming

Thursday 7/20/23: Eileen Gannon, Deborah Henson-Conant performs and receives The Somerset Lifetime Achievement Award, Robbin Gordon-Cartier & Guests, Maeve Gilchrist

Friday Lunchtime Concert 7/21/23: Bedside Harp Ensemble | Festival Lobby and Zoom | 11:30am-12:15pm

Friday 7/21/23: Christa Patton, Nicolas Carter, Sunita Staneslow, Angel and Luis Tolosa

Saturday 7/22/23: Shelley Fairplay, Rachel Hair, Gráinne Hambly & William Jackson, Ensemble Sangineto

Saturday Lunchtime Concert 7/22/23: Youth Harp Program and students from the Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts | Festival Lobby and Zoom | 11:30am-12:15pm

Sunday 7/23/23: 7/23/23 @ 12pm EDT Live and Streaming Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, Kathy DeAngelo & Dennis Gormley

Concert: Friday Night 2020 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Kim Robertson, Eduardo Betancourt, Ailie Robertson, Aryeh Frankfurter & Lisa Lynne

Concert: Friday Night 2021 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Mairi Chaimbeul, Grainne Hambly & William Jackson, Tristan Le Govic, Maeve Gilchrist

Concert: Friday Night 2022 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Robbin Gordon-Cartier, Nancy Hurrell, Grainne Hambly & William Jackson

Concert: Saturday Night 2020 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Dominique Dodge, Nicolas Carter, Grainne Hambly & William Jackson and Maeve Gilchrist. We also have special end-of-concert song and celebration of 20 years of festival.

Concert: Saturday Night 2021 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Shelley Fairplay, Rachel Hair & Ron Jappy, Erik Ask-Upmark, Deborah Henson-Conant, and our closing song guests

Concert: Saturday Night 2022 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Kathy DeAngelo & Dennis Gormley, Rachel Hair, Deborah Henson-Conant

Concert: Sunday morning 2020 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Sunita Staneslow, Robbin Gordon-Cartier, Joy Yu Hoffman

Concert: Sunday morning 2021 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Jo Morrison, Christina Tourin and Alfredo Rolando Ortiz

Concert: Sunday morning 2022 with Dominique Dodge, Debbie Brewin-Wilson| Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on

Concert: Sunday Evening Historical Harp Society |Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | 7/23/23 8:00pm HHS Add-on

HHS Conference Concert: William Jackson, Adriano Sangineto, Christa Patton, Nancy Hurrell and Mara Galassi

Concert: Thursday Night 2022 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Christa Patton, Kim Robertson, Nicolas Castaneda

Concert: Thursday Night: 2020 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
John Metras, Mairi Chaimbeul, Rachel Hair, Deborah Henson-Conant

Concert: Thursday Night: 2021 with Event | Type: Concert   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Philip & Pam Boulding, Ann & Charlie Heymann, Laoise Kelly, Edmar Castaneda and his quartet. Ann Heymann receives our Lifetime Achievement Award. Video tribute.

Cool Chords & Groovy Rhythms with Verlene Schermer | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
Modern musical styles use chords that include notes beyond the triad, and rhythms that sometimes swing, sometimes syncopate. In this workshop, you'll be looking at chord extensions and altered chords used in jazz, pop and blues, how they’re voiced and how they function within a major key. Verlene will also cover the standard jazz and pop rhythm patterns. You'll get a chance to play through examples with Verlene. Come prepared for a real workout!

Core Arpeggios with Maeve Gilchrist | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
Fully explore the benefit of working with arpeggios as part of a comprehensive exercise and dexterity program. Delve deeply with Maeve and find how using them in different shapes will help stretch fingers and break muscle memory while increasing dexterity over the full range of your harp. By using unorthodox shapes and different inversions, arpeggios can be the most beneficial exercise that will help free up your hands and navigate your instrument more freely.

Create a Singing Tone with Maeve Gilchrist | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Int.   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 9:30-11am
Do you want to create a more beautiful tone and let your playing really sing? Through her composition, “Catriona's Jig” Maeve gives you tangible steps to help you create a musical sense of phrase and tone, or as she likes to call it, a “singing tone”. Find the roundness that will give your playing more subtle shades of expression and discover ways to use dynamics and intention to make your playing truly sing.

Creating a Cradle of Sound with Edie Elkan | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 3-4:30pm
At Bedside Harp we don't’ just play a tune to the end, stop, and then play another tune. We’ve found we get the best response when we create a sound cradle by playing something familiar then move seamlessly to an improvisation (noodle) and then back to the familiar again. Hands on, all levels.

Creating Beauty and improvisational patterns for therapy with Sunita Staneslow | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/23/23 9:30-11am
Learn to sit down and create instant beauty with shimmering glissandos and improvising over a simple descending bass line. Sunita worked for over a dozen years as a therapeutic harpist and these are my favorite patterns. Creating beauty without reading notes is a wonderful way for all harp players to stay inspired. All levels.

Cross-strung Harp 1: Introduction with John Metras | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Dive into the fascinating world of the chromatic cross-strung harp and learn about its history in its various forms. John will play musical examples showing how the instrument can play music of all styles with all the “juicy” chords that are often eliminated in lever harp playing. Hear about the pros and cons of this fascinating instrument and find resources to help you get started. All ability levels welcome.

Cross-strung Harp 101 with John Metras | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Dive into the fascinating world of the chromatic cross-strung harp. In this second part of John’s introduction to the Cross-strung Harp, you will have the opportunity to learn how play melodies, chords and scales. Be sure to download the PDF for this workshop as you get ready to view this video.

Crossing to Ireland with William Jackson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Int.   | Archive Add-on
At its closest, Ireland and Scotland are only separated by 12 miles across the Irish Sea. They share similar Celtic albeit distinct cultural flavors and their histories are inextricably entwined, politically, and for our purposes, musically! Well-known Scottish harper William has deep family ties to Donegal and will take you through a musical exploration highlighting the cross-musical connections between Ireland and Scotland.