A simple but very true quote! Hope your week goes well!

A few months ago, I made the astounding discovery of the importance of the pinky in harp playing. In this video I share with you how I made this discovery, and what you can do to improve your own:

All harps have a story about how they come into your life. Mine starts with a special student. Her mom always told me that she felt she had a special connection to me. This student came to me already a level 5 pianist and wanted to learn to play harp. Because of her piano skills, she took to the strings quickly, playing levered pieces within 18 months. She joined the San Jose Youth Orchestra Harp Ensemble. Shortly after that, she said:

 

“I want to learn to play pedal harp.”

 

“I don’t play pedal harp, honey,” I said. “I’ll have to find you another teacher.”

 

“No,” she said firmly. “You’re my teacher.”

 

“OK,” I said. “I guess I need to get a pedal harp.”

 

Around that time, I had been hearing through the “coconut wireless” – the local Hilo, Hawaii, grapevine – that the university had a pedal harp that no one was playing. Eventually I found the right person, and offered a deal. If they would let me fix it up, keep it in my air conditioned studio, and play it, they could have it back whenever they wanted. The university agreed. In fact, when I picked up the harp, the department head’s body language was “thanks for taking it off our hands.”

 

I thought it would be a simple restring-and-away-we-go, but it turned out to be a slower more deliberate cleaning and stringing – about 9 months. The harp hadn’t had strings on it in years, and I had to put pressure back on the soundboard slowly. I consulted with harp techs via Zoom. Everything seemed to work ok on the Lyon & Healy 85E.

 

Then just as I was really ready to sit down and learn my way around the pedals, I had a surprise divorce. I decided to leave Hawaii and return to my home in Colorado. I was in a quandry. The harp was not mine. It belonged to the university. And I had just put $1000 worth of strings and 50 hours of time into restoring it.

 

I decided to bite the bullet and buy the harp. I emailed the university and explained everything. I asked what they might want for the harp and could I work out payments…

 

The head of the department wrote back to tell me the whole story of the harp. It had been part of an estate, given to the university as part of a patroness’ gift. But the university didn’t have an orchestra program. And tropical weather is the natural enemy of acoustic stringed instruments, so the harp had been shuffled from closet to storage locker, strings broken, unplayed. For years.

 

The university gave me the harp, and asked that I give a donation to the university, which I have done, and continue to do.

 

So when the movers came to pack me up and move me back to Colorado, the pedal came along. And I have been studying myself, while I also teach my student. She’s still a special student, and I now have my harp.

 

The harp first arrives in my studio after leaving the university, broken strings and all.

My assistant, Flower, asleep on the job. I had to restring the harp myself.

Completed string job and restoration.

The pedal harp among the flock in Colorado.

What makes harps such expensive instruments?

If you’re like most people, you enjoy the sound of the harp – the sweeping glissando musically announces the arrival of magic, fairies, dreams and goddesses. But if you’ve ever looked into what a harp costs – you might feel that magical feeling slipping away. I always tell new students and parents: “Playing harp is not a cheap sport.”

Yes, you can buy very inexpensive harps on Amazon. I did. But within months, I learned what most harp teachers know – you get what you pay for. The cheap Amazon-purchased harp had a dense thudding sound, and it wasn’t long before the levers were not holding anymore.

So truly, an entry level harp is going to start around $700-$1000 or more. Gasp! And when you look at concert harps…they cost as much as a small car, upwards of $20,000 or more.

But why? Why are harps so expensive? In short, each one is a delicate, hand-made piece of artwork, made by a craftsman/woman who has been honing their trade for decades. In some cases, for generations.

Let’s take a look at a couple of harp-making shops: Lyon&Healy in Chicago makes high-end harps for harpists all around the world. In 2019, they opened their tours to the public for the first time – before, only performing harpists could go. Now you can see how concert harps are made in a factory setting, from the comfort of your sofa.

Lyon&Healy Harps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q57owlLmwQ

Maybe owning a concert harp is not for you, and instead you’d rather a more affordable option – a Celtic harp (aka Lever Harp). These harps are smaller, lighter, and less complicated than concert harps. But as you can see in this video, it’s still an artistic process.

How A Celtic Harp Is Made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQF0JaHJuA

What’s your favorite kind of harp? Have you been to a harp store or factory? What was your experience seeing how harps are made? Can you see how each one is unique, hand-made, and therefore expensive?