Tell Your Story with Music with Deborah Henson-Conant | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 9:30-11am
Do you get nervous when someone asks you to, "play something"? DHC will share techniques to help you find your confidence. Be proud of where you are in your personal harp journey. One of the most powerful things you can do is share your harp journey through your music regardless of your level of playing.

Therapeutic Celtic Circle of Modes with Laurence Furr | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Ireland's ancient harpers had 3 strains of music, called the geantrai, suantrai and goltrai. These days we can relate these to modes. As therapeutic musicians we are taught when to use rhythm vs. non-pulse music and we are taught to use major keys, minor keys, and modes. In this workshop we will discuss how to design medleys based on the Celtic Circle for patients at the bedside and for staff and families. We will discuss the importance of the performer’s artistry and the use of key, mode, and rhythm. These same principles can be used to design concert performances and even your practice sessions by calming improvisational techniques, reflective composition, and ending with uplifting repertoire.

Time for your Left Hand to Shine! with Shelley Fairplay | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 3-4:30pm
Boost your left hand technique and confidence when playing. Shelly will give you tips on improving your left hand playing. During the workshop you will learn a tune just for solo left hand called ‘If the Wren Can’.

Tools for Right Hand Melodic Expression with Màiri Chaimbeul | Type: Hands-on | Level: Any | When: On Video Starting July 1
Get excited about the depth that even the simplest melodies can hold. Màiri will show you a variety of tools and exercises to help enhance your melody playing. Work on creating small variations to help make tunes fit more easily under the fingers; adding counterpoint; and different ways of creating excitement and momentum with phrasing. These are tools that you can apply to melodies in many different genres.

Touching History: the harpers’ marks on the early Irish harps with Karen Loomis | Type: Lecture   | Level: Any   | Archive Add-on
Although the historical harpers are long gone and can’t be here to show us how they played their instruments, they left behind visible wear showing where their hands and wrists (and feet and legs too!) rubbed against the soundbox, how they replaced strings, and even how they adjusted the position of the harp to play it. See for yourself, and inform your own explorations of playing style. This workshop will include demonstration and discussion of how to interpret the harpers’ wear marks. For more on Dr. Loomis' forensic analysis on early Irish harps, see her archived 2020 workshops.

Triple Harp Playing Session | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | When: Live 7/23/23 5-6:00pm   HHS Add-on
Christa Patton leads an informal session, inviting participants to play triple harps and to ask questions.

Troubadour songs for harp with Christa Patton | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 9:30-11am
Bernart de Ventadorn epitomizes the classical period of the troubadours, Bertran de Born, master of the political song, and Giraut de Bornelh, reputed by his biographer to be the greatest composer of melodies to ever live, will be our guides in this magical monophonic repertoire from the late 12th and early 13th centuries. All harps and voices welcome to sing and play.

Tunes played by Rose Mooney & collected by Edward Bunting at the Belfast Harp Festival with Aisling Lyons| Type: Hands-on | Level: Any | When: On Video Starting July 1
In this workshop you will learn 2 tunes brought to the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792 by harper Rose Mooney; Sir Charles Coote & Planxty Miss Burke.

Venezuela's Ancient Romantic Music with Angel Tolosa | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 3-4:30pm
Do you love Spanish music and want to understand how to play with others? but want a better grasp of how the singing, harp work together? Angel & Luis Tolosa offer this workshop for musicians wanting to deepen their knowledge of Spanish music accompaniment. During colonial time in Venezuela many cultural roots from Spain stayed on natives' hearts. This smooth musical genre has an extensive catalog of music standards with a deeply romantic poetry. Genre: Polo, Galeron, Fulias, Malagueñas.Time signature: 3/4, 6/8

Venezuelan Joropo with Angel Tolosa | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Int.   | When: Live   | 7/20/23 3-4:30pm
Joropo is a Latin American musical genre, which originated in the Caribbean Coast of Venezuela. The word itself means fiesta or party, but now it has come to mean a type of music, singing, dance, theatre, the manufacturing of musical instruments, attire, and gastronomy that identifies Venezuelans. The feel is like a waltz, in 3/4 time, but more syncopated and polyrhythmic. Typically, played on a Venezuelan harp, Angel & Luis Tolosa will teach the bass lines and chord progressions and get both your hands working together. You don't need a Venezuelan Harp to take this workshop! Any harp will do. (time signature 3/4)

Venezuelan Merengue with Angel Tolosa | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Int.   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 1-2:30pm
Venezuelan Merengue or "Cañonera music", is a musical genre born in Caracas in the early twentieth century. This genre includes rhythms such as the waltz, joropo and the pasodoble. The correct pronunciation of “cañonera” is something like “cagnonera” like the french sound in “cognac”. One of the main features of merengue (and other Venezuelan musical forms) is the combination of binary and ternary time. It is a stunning rhythm that invites us to create and improvise. Both hands will get a heavy-duty workout and you’ll leave this workshop feeling energized and accomplished! (time signature 5/8)

Venezuelan Orquídea with Angel Tolosa | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Int.   | When: Live   | 7/23/23 9:30-11am
Get ready for a rhythm workout! Orquid, with its roots in Afrovenezuelan communities is an explosion of beautiful Venezuelan Caribbean music. This amazing workshop focus on Venezuelan percussion instruments such as the Quitiplas and Maracas. Explore diverse percussion techniques and bass lines on your harp to apply to your performances. In this fun workshop Angel & Luis Tolosa will give you solid methods for building independence, yet cooperation, between your hands to play these great rhythmic syncopations. (time signature 4/4) Orquidea is Orchid in English.

Waltz Through Lever Changes with Maeve Gilchrist | Type:   | Level: Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 1-2:30pm
Gain confidence in your lever changing. Do you struggle with or even avoid arrangements that have lever changes? Maeve will help you move through lever changes to create a more fluid way of playing. Maeve’s beautiful, “Fin and Sarah’s Wedding Waltz” will be used in this workshop as an example of how to take a tricky tune and make it feel fluid.

Where did that come from? with William Jackson | Type: Hands-on   | Level: Any   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 3-4:30pm
Did you write that ? How do you compose something original, in your own style ? Using existing tunes as a template or inspiration for new compositions. Experimenting with different tunings.

Wire-Strung Harp Essentials with Ann Heymann | Type:   | Level:   | Archive Add-on
If you're new to the wire-strung harp or are considering getting one, this is an essential workshop for you with one of the world's leading experts and teachers of this instrument. Ann Heymann will discuss different types of wire-strung harps and how they might serve your musical needs and desires, and then cover basics of approaches and technique. You can’t become an expert in just one workshop, but this hands on overview is geared to all levels AND any harp is welcome for those who want to explore!

Youth Harp Program with Dominique Dodge | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg.-Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/20/23 3-4:30pm
Day 1 in-person, on-site only

Youth Harp Program with Dominique Dodge | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg.-Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 9:30-11am
Day 2 in-person, on-site only

Youth Harp Program with Dominique Dodge | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg.-Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/21/23 1-2:30pm
Day 2 in-person, on-site only

Youth Harp Program with Dominique Dodge | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg.-Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 9:30-11am
Day 3 in-person, on-site only

Youth Harp Program with Dominique Dodge | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg.-Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 11:30-12:15pm
lunchtime concert

Youth Harp Program with Dominique Dodge | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg.-Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/22/23 1-2:30pm
Day 3 in-person, on-site only

Youth Harp Program with Dominique Dodge | Type: Hands-On   | Level: Beg.-Adv.   | When: Live   | 7/23/23 9:30-11am
Day 4 in-person, on-site only