Harpblog

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. 

Concert newsround

Here's some nice - and very contrasting - concert news from two artists we've blogged about before. First up, Jane Berthe, who is an excellent source of inspiration for creative, themed programming, will perform a new recital, "Fantaisie Française". This concert is dedicated to the turbulent century of French history 1850 - 1950, where the harp was such a source of fascination for French composers. Jane's first performance of this programme will take place at the Muffendorfer Sonntagskonzerte in Alt Martin, Bonn-Bad Godesberg in Germany, on February 3rd at 5PM. 

Meanwhile, Maria Christina, who has recently been working with Dominic Murcott and the blue harp in London, will play at Athens's Half Note jazz club with Pete Long at the end of January. Pete is, among other things, the director of the Big Band at Ronnie Scott's. He also has a fantastic biography, an inspiration to all of us who find our pens hovering over a long list of conductors we've worked with.  

Voices of Latin America in NYC

It's been a good week for Latin American harp in New York. First up, here's a recent, fantastic review for Edmar Castaneda in the Wall St Journal. The WSJ also points out that New Yorkers have two more opportunities to hear Edmar in November: at the Americas Society on the 19th and the 26th, as part of Carnegie Hall's Voices of Latin America Festival. 

 

 

The Mexican-Paraguyan virtuoso Celso Duarte has also been in NYC, again performing for Carnegie Hall as part of the same festival. Celso has just been awarded a Latin Grammy for best folk music album, with the disc he's recently made with Lila Downs - Pecados y Milagros.

Congratulations to both these wonderful artists! We're very proud to have recently sent one of our electric llanera harps, a model developed for and together with Edmar, to Celso as well. 

 

Celso Duarte with his Camac llanera

 

Edmar Castaneda at Ayelet's String, Israel

 

Many thanks to Nadav Konieczny for these photos of a recent workshop given by Edmar Castaneda at the Ayelet's String showroom. You can see the full album, and some short videos, on the Ayelet's String facebook page. A big thank-you too to the workshop participants for their feedback below!

"The workshop was an amazing experience! There was a great atmosphere, and I was amazed by Edmar's playing and personality. It gave me a new musical direction and I will never forget it. Thank you!" - Maya Knoller

"Edmar's workshop was very invigorating: with his smile, Edmar shows how much he loves music and the harp. He also gets everyone involved in experiencing his very special music and rhythms. His workshop was highly polished, and had everyone playing bossa nova by the end!" - Ruth Maayani

"It was very interesting to meet Edmar, he is a virtuoso, but also humble and willing to help ordinary people." - Nili Konieczny

Milevska Trio win first prize, Auvernier Jazz Contest 2012

Bravo to Rossitza Milevska and the Milevska Trio, who have added another jazz prize to their 2012 collection! In addition to their success at the Mont-Saint-Michel "tremplin" competition, they have also won first prize in the Auvernier Jazz Contest 2012 in Switzerland. 

The Auvernier Festival site has published a nice (French) video interview with the group (embedded below), where they talk particularly about their experience of the harp in jazz.

 

Rossitza Milevska and the Milevska Trio celebrate double win at Tremplin Jazz à Venir!

 

Bravo to Rossitza Milevska, who has won the soloist's prize at the prestigious Tremplin Jazz À Venir showcase in the South of France! And just as many congratulations are in order for the entire Milevska Trio: Rossitza, Frederick Lacroix and Cedric Le Donne, who also won the audience prize in the session of May 5th.  Evasion Magazine reported on the evening: "Rossitza Milevska...was the big sensation of the showcase. We had never heard jazz harp like this, with the phrasing of a pianist (she is also a pianist), or of a guitarist, all the while preserving the character of the harp. Full of ideas and with incredible punch, marvellously supported by her rhythmic double bass and drums... everything was there."

 

The win has brought her debut album As I Am (2011) to the attention of Serge Baudot in the review jazzhot.net, where it is featured as a "new discovery":

Summer courses with Nikolaz Cadoret

 

Here is some more summer school information. Nikolaz Cadoret (December 2011's Camac Voice!) will be teaching two courses this summer, both at the cultural centre Le Grenier de la Mothe in Normandy, France:

 

July 16th - July 28th:

A summer course for young harpists (aged 14 and up)

Pedal, Celtic and Jazz harp (beginners, to electric harp).

Individual lessons, chamber music, and music theatre.

For more info and forms, click here.

 

August 24th - August 26th - Nikolaz will be teaching with Dominig Bouchaud.

Open to all levels from 2 years + of study

Celtic harp repertoire from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany and beyond...an idea way to get fit again for the new season!

For more info and forms, click here.

 

Le Grenier de la Mothe also offers music courses for even younger harpists (aged 8-12, and 12-15), with Anne Raffard and Alice Soria - details here.

Edmar Castaneda's new album: Double Portion

 

Second International Jazz Harp Academy, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, September 2011

It's not too late to apply for the second International Jazz Harp Academy! It will take place at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA between September 23rd and 25th of this year. at the end of this month! Brenda Dor-Groot and Sabine Meijers of the Jazz Harp Foundation write:

Do you want to make a head start in jazz harp, or seriously improve your already developing jazz harp skills? The Jazz Harp Academy is the place to be.

WHAT: 3 day intensive course
WHEN: September 23-25, 2011
WHO: YOU, Park Stickney, Carol Robbins, and many others
Costs: $ 350 (lodging and meals not included)

WHAT: 2 day light course
WHEN: September 24-25, 2011
WHO: YOU, Park Stickney, Carol Robbins, and many others
Costs: $ 230 (lodging and meals not included)

Jazz Harp Academy ingredients: hands-on harp lessons | combo classes | theory lessons | jam session | concert | bass lines workshop | blues workshop | optional private lessons | optional outing to New Orleans on Sunday night

Faculty: 
Park Stickney - jazz harpist 
Carol Robbins - jazz harpist 
Kurt Schwab - saxophone player 
Bill Grimes - bass player 
Brenda Dor-Groot - blues harpist (yes, the harp with strings and levers) 
Sabine Meijers - harp educator 
Kimberly Houser - LSU harp professional in residence

Levels: The 3 day course will be an intensive course for harp students and professionals with some experience in jazz playing, divided in 2 levels: intermediate & advanced. The 2 day course will be an exploration course for harp students, professionals and amateurs who are beginners in jazz playing, divided in 2 levels: beginner & intermediate. 

Did you know that:
- the 2 day course is especially interesting for lever harp players, since there will be a lot of blues in this course
- all participants get to play with a jazz ensemble (drums, bass, etc.)
- the 2012 edition is expected to take place in Europe, so US harpists should grab their chance now!

Separate concert tickets for Saturday September 24 are available in our webshop.

Register for the 2 or 3 day course here
More info @ www.jazzharpacademy.org 

 

Edmar Castaneda plays the EC Llanera at the Bolzano Jazz Festival

 

Speaking of Edmar Castaneda - here is a video of Edmar performing in duo with Hamilton de Holanda at the South Tyrol Jazz Festival this year. Edmar is playing the new harp Camac have built especially for him: the EC Llanera.

The EC Llanera is a Latin American llanera harp, built to the highest contemporary technological standards. Its traditional string tension is combined with wrapped bass wires for better intonation and resonance, concert harp spacing for greater ease of playing, an improved soundbox and a rich, balanced acoustic sound. It is also the first lever llanera, unlocking still more musical potential for everyone interested in Latin American harp-playing.

The EC llanera has now been released into mainstream production. Contact us for more details, harpblog@camac-harps.com!