Available harp workshops
KEEPING IT INTERESTING
Harpists
Experienced beginner – intermediate
90 minutes
You discover a delightful melody, find the music, and learn the notes. What comes next? This workshop explores how to add variety to any melody. Topics will include Celtic ornaments (what they are, where to add them in the music and how to master them), modifications to the texture of a piece, passing tones, and easy chord substitutions. Some knowledge of chords is helpful, but not necessary.
SHAKING HANDS, RACING HEART
Harpists and musicians
All levels
60-90 minutes
Whether it’s a low-key background setting or a high-pressure solo performance, playing in front of others feels different than playing in the privacy of home. In this workshops we’ll talk through the art of performing: how to practice performing ahead of time, what mindset to cultivate, how expectations can impact the performance, and how to deal with physical symptoms of nerves.
EXPLORING TRADITIONAL TUNE COLLECTIONS
Harpists
Beginner – intermediate
90-120 minutes
Tune collections such as the Simon Fraser Collection and the Patrick McDonald Collection contain hundreds of lovely and unusual tunes that are relatively unknown in the harp world. Discover how to utilize these and other free collections in your harp journey, as well as online resources like TheSession.org and IMSLP. We will walk through the process of how to simply adapt these tunes to the lever harp, including where to start when adding a left hand accompaniment, and how to best capture the flavor of each tune when playing and arranging.
ALL ABOUT THE HARP (DEMO)
All audiences
All levels
45 minutes
Stephanie’s demos include a sampling of Celtic, Classical and pop music on the harp, a description of various types of harps (Celtic, pedal, wire-strung), a bit of history and the development of the instrument, modern harp techniques, jazz and pop on the harp, Q and A, and the opportunity for audiences to pluck the strings.
MUFFLING AND FLAT HAND TECHNIQUES: where and how to use them
Harpists
Intermediate
90 minutes
Virginia Woolf once said, “One must learn to be silent just as one must learn to talk.” Harp is an instrument where the strings ring freely unless we silence them. In this workshop we will learn how to use muffles to bring clarity to your melodies, to add rhythm and definition to your bass, and to avoid buzzing. We’ll cover the techniques to play flat octaves, walking bass, and brush muffles. Lastly we’ll learn how to interpret written muffles in sheet music and discuss where you might want to add a little bit of silence into your own arrangements. Handouts provided.
DYNAMICS AND PHRASING: how to shape any melody
Harpists
Beginner
90 minutes
It’s never too early to start thinking about musicality! Even with a simple melody on the harp, dynamics and phrasing can make all the difference between a nice piece and a piece that really speaks to people. We’ll play through several melodies, discuss different ways to think about dynamics (short little hairpin dynamics, long dramatic dynamics, or sudden, unexpected dynamic changes, etc), and cover how to write all this into your music. We’ll also touch on how to hear phrases and how to use that knowledge to let the music breathe. Being able to read the treble clef or pick up simple melodies by ear will be helpful for this workshop. Handouts provided.
Harpists
All levels
90 minutes
We will discuss methods of reviewing pieces, what mindset to cultivate when coming back to old pieces, as well as emphasize skills (such as improvisation, ear training and sight reading) that can help with playing pieces that aren’t as polished.
TEXTURES: Creating atmosphere and a continuous sound on the harp
Harpists
Intermediate-Advanced
90 minutes
Bring a harp and get ready for some experimentation as we explore various combinations of notes, fingerings, and rhythms in order to achieve atmospheric sounds: exciting or soothing, menacing or sprightly. We will discuss where these textures can be used in arrangements (or added to existing arrangements), as well as how to keep our arms and fingers safe while playing so many repeated notes. We will also do some exercises on how to relax the hands while playing.
Stephanie gave her debut harp workshop at the 2017 Musicmakers Harp Twangle alongside harpist Kim Robertson. Other teaching events include the Lever Harp Series Online, the Harp Gathering, the Sioux Falls AHS National Conference, and the Island Mountain Harp and Cello School in Well, British Columbia. Contact her for rates and availability.