Earlybird cost per workshop is $30 until July 12, when the cost goes up to $35 per workshop.
Concert tickets are $15.
Email Stephanie Claussen (use the email on the poster, or the contact form on this website) to save your seat!
All workshops will be recorded and available for later viewing.
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Workshop Descriptions:
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Exercises for Every Occasion: An Introduction to Warmups
BEGINNER LEVEL – with Rachel Clemente
Description to come.
Harpin’ on It: Making the Most of Your Time at the Instrument
How to make progress while having FUN!
BEGINNER LEVEL – with Amelia Romano
Do you ever feel uninspired – finish your practice session feeling like you haven’t made progress? This workshop will offer practical tips on how to design and execute a productive and fulfilling practice session while keeping the learning fun.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Counting Confidently
BEGINNER LEVEL – with Stephanie Claussen
Do 16th notes, dotted quarters or triplets give you pause? Do you ever feel like you are guessing on the counting of the pieces you play, or that you need to hear a rhythm before you can play it? Counting out loud is an incredible skill (practically on the level of a super power) that will help you understand rhythms mentally, feel them in your body, and get them out into the world via your fingers on the harp strings. In this session, we’ll practice writing rhythms into your music, clapping rhythms while we count them out loud, playing while counting out loud, and finally playing while counting in our heads. We’ll also take a look at the metronome and how it can help or harm one’s musical journey. Beginner Level. Handout provided. The ability to sight read the treble clef (even slowly) will be helpful in this workshop.
Dancing Fingers: creative left hand accompaniment strategies for Celtic dance tunes
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL – with Tiffany Schaefer
Dancing Fingers: Creative Left Hand Patterns for Celtic Dance Tunes will take intermediate Celtic harpists through a toolbox of ideas for making faster melodies shine. If you find yourself stuck on left hand 5ths to accompany jigs and reels, this is the class for you! We’ll use a few tunes chosen ahead of time as examples, but please feel free to prepare a snippet of a tune you’ve been wanting to arrange so we can try some of these tools out together. Handouts provided.
Friday, September 1, 2023
Music Theory Made Easy
BEGINNER LEVEL – with Tiffany Schaefer
Music Theory Made Easy will explore the practical side of music theory in an easy-to-digest way for beginners. Topics include the structure of chords, a primer on key signatures, and how to add harmony to your tunes with a lead sheet – and without! Anyone looking to better understand their instrument so that they can arrange music, will benefit from this class. Handouts and lead sheet provided.
Befriending syncopation; Grooving w Ease
Teach your hands how to syncopate with the catchy Venezuelan Trad tune, Moliendo Cafe
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL – with Amelia Romano
Befriending Syncopation / Grooving with Ease – Do you avoid syncopated pieces – dauted by counting? This workshop will present methods for internalizing syncopation to help YOU find the way that sits best in your body. Once you identify the counting method that works best for your, slow and steady practice is the ticket to a lifetime of syncopated fun!
Concert w/ Tiffany, Amelia, Rachel and Stephanie
5pm Pacific/7pm Central/8pm Eastern
Saturday, September 2, 2023
Shaky Hands, Racing Harp
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL – with Stephanie Claussen
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. This will be a hands-on workshop with the opportunity (though not a requirement) to play for the other participants to test these performance tips and tricks.
Creativity Within the Tradition: Finding Sources of Traditional Scottish Melodies and Making Them Your Own
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL – with Rachel Clemente
Description to come.
Email Stephanie Claussen (address on poster above) to register, or use the contact form on this site.