The Youngest Harpist in the Room Taught Me Something

Leading a workshop or giving a presentation for a group is always fun for me. It's just another way to teach, and I love to teach. But it's so different from teaching a one-on-one harp lesson. I was reminded of this in a big way at Philly Harp Day.

I taught a workshop called "Create Your Next Arrangement in Three Steps," a pared-down version of my summer arranging challenge with a few new ideas thrown in. I had planned the workshop so it was a manageable amount of material for an hour-long class, and I wanted to focus on the system and the possibilities rather than get into too many details.

Two workshops at once

But as I looked at the harpists gathered in front of me, I saw a challenge I hadn't prepared for. It was a small group, which is a presenter's dream because you can really focus on what your listeners want and need. But those wants and needs were spread across two ends of the age and experience spectrum. I had to make the material relevant and accessible for experienced adult harpists and harp teachers, and at the same time speak to young harpists who were just starting to count their age in double digits.

Time to think fast. I decided to present two workshops at once. It was really just one workshop, but with each step I demonstrated, I offered two completely different perspectives.

For the adults, I presented each step as part of a process, a path they could follow or, as teachers, direct others to follow. I outlined the whats and the whys that would allow harpists to work logically through the arranging process.

For the young harpists, I talked about imagination and discovery, about how the notes they heard in their heads, wrote on paper, or played on their harps could make the music come alive. I wanted to spark their creativity, not dampen their enthusiasm with steps to take.

It was fascinating to hear the questions the adults asked, questions mainly about the step-by-step and the journey.

A handwritten "Silent Night"

But it wasn't one of the adults who came up to me later that afternoon with a sketch of her own arrangement of "Silent Night." It was one of the barely-double-digit-ers, who proudly brought me a handwritten draft of her arrangement, incorporating many of the elements we had worked on in class.

She was excited, and I was excited right along with her. The joy of discovery, exploration, and experimentation shone out of her eyes, and it made me wonder: How often do our practice and our efforts quench our fire, our inner passion for playing the harp? And what are some easy ways we can keep that fire burning?

I don't have a definitive answer. But since discovery is one of the ways we keep our "harp spark" alive, here are a few ideas.

Five things to discover at the harp this week

1. A pattern in your music that you hadn't noticed before.
2. An alternate fingering.
3. Music by a composer you haven't heard of before.
4. A piece you used to play long ago and had forgotten about.
5. The most beautiful chord or glissando ever, and you get to make it up yourself!

What will you discover this week?

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