Harpblog

Curso Internacional de Arpa Horta de Lleida, August 30 - September 8, 2013

 

The second edition of the Arpa Horta de Lleida course, with Isabelle Perrin and Maria Lluïsa Ibáñez, will take place towards the end of the summer this year. This course has an interesting distinguishing mark: it is seasonal. In 2012, it took place in the spring; this year in the summer; the 2014 edition is planned for the autumn and in 2015, in the winter. This gives loyal course participants the chance to experience music not only in an idyllic rural setting, but to do so against the changing colours of the year. 

All information is available on the course website, and the closing date for applications is June 30th, 2013. 

 

 

Early harp opportunities in Verona and Palermo

If you are interested in Baroque and Renaissance harp, Loredana Gintoli has some vacancies in her classes at the Conservatoire Dall'Abaco, Verona, and Conservatoire V. Bellini, Palermo. There are three types of course available: a three-year standard degree, a two-year experimental degree, and also a one- or two-year flexible course. Italian tuition fees are still relatively low, so it is a good chance to expand your professional options in a manageable and flexible way.  

Applications are due by the end of April, and auditions will take place some time before the academic year begins in November. Course prerequisites are good performing skills on a polyphonic instrument, plus good knowledge of harmony.

New Orleans Jazz & Pop Harp Weekend, June 6 – 9, 2013

French Quarter, New Orleans

 

There's been a lot of hoo-hah in the press recently about maternity leave being a burden on women. I dunno if I would go that far, but I have to admit I am gutted not to be going to New Orleans for the Jazz and Pop Harp Weekend in June. I would love to visit New Orleans. You don't get to drink much whisky on maternity leave either. 

Anyway: together with the American Harp Society and the Arts Council of New Orleans, we're delighted to be sponsoring the 2nd annual New Orleans Jazz & Pop Harp Weekend, from June 6th – 9th, 2013, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. In addition to guest artist Deborah Henson Conant, the faculty will include harpists Patrice Fisher, Rachel Van Voorhees, Kimberly Houser, and a local New Orleans rhythm section.

The workshops will focus on improving the jazz skills of students and professionals, as well as generating interest among music students to study jazz harp. In addition to the 12 jazz and pop harp classes, there will also be daily jam sessions, a faculty concert, a solo concert featuring Deborah, a guest-artist afternoon tea at the 5-star Windsor Court Hotel, and a tour of the New Orleans French Quarter.

More information is available on the festival website - NB! It's best to register before May 6th, to avoid a late registration fee. Festival artistic director Patrice Fisher has also created a series of engaging podcasts, including one with Deborah, which you can listen to here. 

Catrin Finch Academy 2013

Even if you can't make it to Dubai to hear Catrin at the end of March, you can mark in your diary that the deadline is fast approaching (April 1st) for her summer school, which will take place in Wales in July this year!

Janet Harbison at and after Beginning in the Middle 2013

Here's an update to our announcement about Beginning in the Middle, the excellent course and festival for adult amateur harpists sponsored by our partners, the Virginia Harp Center. In addition to being on the festival faculty, Irish harp legend Janet Harbison will give a special concert and workshop straight after the festival ends, on March 11th and 12th:

JANET HARBISON IN CONCERT
Monday March 11th, 2013 7:30pm
Markeim Arts Center
104 Walnut St  Haddonfield, NJ 08033 
Tickets $15 adult, $5 children

Celtic Harp Workshop 
Tuesday March 12th, 2013 at 6:00pm 
Virginia Harp Center 
425 N. Haddon Ave 
Haddonfield, NJ 08033 
$20 participant 
$10 observer

Call 856-428-1430 to order in advance

 
 

Janet Harbison is a multidimensional Irish artist and harper, composer, arranger, writer, teacher and orchestra director. One of Ireland's best known cultural figures, her solo, ensemble or orchestra performances range from the most intimate house concerts to the 5000 seater stadiums. Her many awards for her performance and promotion of Irish harp in education, tourism, heritage, commerce, healthcare, social and community life (and particularly within the peace process in Northern Ireland), are testament to her life's commitment.

At an early age she won every Irish national and a number of prestigious European harp competitions, and after a career of almost 40 years of adventure, creativity and innovation, she continues to enjoy a prominent role directing and training new generations of Irish harpers re-establishing Ireland's ancient reputation of greatness with the instrument.

Information about the Janet, the harp we are proud to have developed together with Janet Harbison

2013 Edinburgh International Harp Festival

 

Another long-established harp festival (2013 will be its thirty-second year) has also just released its full programme: you can now explore the 2013 Edinburgh International Harp Festival online! In fact, I think it's the best festival website I've ever seen, with not only exhaustive information about this year's festival, but interesting archive sections and a great blog. 

The lever harp - in all its huge and hugely creative diversity - is at the heart of the festival, as is the way it is a place where professionals and amateurs can get together on very equal terms.  As important as the concerts are the huge number of courses, workshops and late-night sessions where anyone can join in: whatever your level of experience, you will find new sources of inspiration, friendship and joy in making music. There are also special events and courses for children, and is also a big harp exhibition. On the subject of instrument manfacture, another theme that's really caught our attention is the festival's "resonating string" series of concert and workshops. These will track developments in the construction, repertoire and performance techniques of harps from Medieval to MIDI - our own MIDI harp will be visiting the festival, with Arnaud Roy. 

Wow! You can download the full brochure here.

 

Edmar Castaneda, pictured here at the 2012 festival, will be returning to Edinburgh for the second year running 

 

Elisi (Handcraft) brings together two classically trained Turkish harpists, Sirin Pancaroglu and Meriç Dönük, together with Jarrod Cagwin, an American percussionist who has made Istanbul his home.  This predominantly improvisationalproject is based on traditional Turkish music. They also intertwine elements of classical, contemporary, jazz and fusion. 

Harp Island 2013

Jakez + new friend in Tasmania, Harp Island 2011

This March, Jakez will be going to Tasmania for the second time - and for the same reason as he went the first: Harp Island. For obvious geographic reasons, it isn't so easy for Tasmanian harpists to attend many harp events, and so they've been running their own for the last eight years in the beautiful setting of Diamond Island, Bicheno. We're delighted to support them so they can invite two top-flight professors to teach the course: Gabriella Dall'Olio, returning after her great success at Harp Island 2011, and for the first time in Tasmania, Isabelle Moretti. 

Fifteen students - of any level - will have the chance to study with Gabriella, and six advanced students with Isabelle. To qualify as advanced, you need to be at about AMEB Grade 7 level and up. It's an amazing chance to work with Gabriella and Isabelle in some detail, without flying to the other side of the world to do so!

You can consult the Harp Society of Tasmania website for all details, and download the registration form there, or here:

Download Harp Island registration form

 

Another scene from Harp Island 2011: impressed by Gillian Weiss's cardboard harp 

 

Cromarty Harp Village 2013

 

Many thanks to Corrina Hewat for news just in about the annual harp village in Cromarty, in the Highlands of Scotland. It's an ideal opportunity to spend time  playing fine music, enjoying sessions and concerts, eating freshly caught seafood, and drinking ale and whisky.  2013's weekend (Friday, September 27th - Sunday, September 29th 2013) will feature Corrina Hewat, Patsy Seddon and Mary Macmaster as tutors, and it is also possible to borrow harps if transport would otherwise be an issue.

 

Académie de musique française, Kyoto

We're sponsoring the harp class at the long-established, Japanese Académie de musique française again this year. Isabelle Perrin will teach the class, which will take place in Kyoto between March 21st and April 2nd, 2013. As you can see from the forms and website, this is one for the Japanese speakers among you, but for the general interest of everyone else - the French Music Academy consists of a fortnight of masterclasses given by great French soloists in Kyoto, and has been thriving every year since 1990. It was Chihiro Hayami who initiated the harp class, in 2007, and competitive auditions are held in music colleges throughout Japan. Some of the masterclasses are open to the public, and the session concludes with a professors’ concert, as well as one by the best students on the course. It's an unusually extensive, long-living cultural exchange dedicated to classical music, and one we are delighted regularly to support. 

Beginning in the Middle 2013

Here's some more news for adult amateur students. Our partners the Virginia Harp Center sponsor a great festival for you - Beginning in the Middle - which happens annually in, well, Virginia.

 

The course website will tell you everything you need to know, including a helpful levels guide to help you pick the best classes for you. The classes themselves are admirably broad, ranging from technique to ensemble playing, to harp maintenance and more philosophical discussions. It's a great way to meet like-minded people (after all, it's not everyone who plays the harp) and give your music-making a real boost in the New Year!