Harp on the Stone Arch Bridge

Boston harpist Haley Hewitt spent a weekend in St. Paul teaching and judging for the Minnesota Scottish Harp Competition back in July. After spending time with her I wanted to practice more, improvise more, arrange more, include more Scottish ornaments in my music, listen to more quality musicians, collaborate with other artists more often, and play out on the public streets more often.

Hence two Saturdays ago found me sitting with my little “outdoor” harp on the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis around 8pm practicing the time-honored tradition of busking. I had such fun. At first I competed a bit with the amplified live music from Father Hennepin Park and I rather felt that people avoided making eye contact. But once the music in the park ended and the sun began to set, people started to slow down in order to listen and several deigned to sit and enjoy the ambience. One young woman, seeing a harpist playing on the bridge, went and found her boyfriend who came out with his guitar and harmonica. We jammed and had a magical time.

Minneapolis, you’ll be seeing more of this harpist.



Thanks to my friend Christian who snapped these photos for me.

Stephanie Claussen is a professional harpist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She performs on her harp throughout Minnesota in various concerts, recitals, and collaborations with other musicians. Consider signing up for her e-mail newsletter to be notified directly of upcoming performances and important announcements.