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July 29-Aug. 1, 2010
Parsippany, NJ
 
Performers
(click on the artist name to view their bio and see what they're presenting)
Rhett Barnwell
Denise Bennett
Debbie Brewin-Wilson
Pamela Bruner
Nicolas Carter
Cynthia Cathcart
Marta Cook
Christina Cotruvo
Stephanie Curcio
Candyce Dunham
Edie Elkan
Melinda Gardiner
Maeve Gilchrist
Gráinne Hambly
Nancy Hurrell
William Jackson
Sharon Knowles
Joanna Mell
Alfredo Rolando Ortiz
Ray Pool
Kim Robertson
Margaret Sneddon
Maureena Spadaro
Sunita Staneslow
Tomoko Sugawara
Harper Tasche
Ellen Tepper
Christina Tourin
Janet Witman
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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Rhett Barnwell
Rhett Barnwell is an organist, composer, conductor, cellist, pianist, and French horn player when he’s not wearing his hat as a classical and Celtic harpist. As a harpist, he has concentrated on music for healing, sacred and meditative purposes, and organized the 2007 Liturgical Harp Retreat. He has also published a number of compositions and arrangements for the harp which are distributed internationally and has four recordings, several of which were included at the 2002 International Conference on Healing Music in Athens, Greece. A particular interest in Gregorian chant and early music has led him to study at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome, Italy, the Abbey of St. Pierre, Solesmes, France, and Westminster Choir College and he is now on the Board of Trustees of the Historical Harp Society. He is the general manager of the Atlanta Harp Center.

Performer website: Seraphim Music

Go for Baroque
Level: Any   Type: Hands On    When: Fri. 9:30am   More Info
The Joy of Bach
Level: Any  Type: Hands On    When: Fri. 3:30p.m.    More Info
Taize Music: meditative music that transcends styles
Level: Any  Type: Lecture & Hands On    When: Sun. 9:00am    More Info
Play like an Angel: a Guide to Playing in Sacred Settings
Level: Any  Type: Lecture   When: Sat. 9:30am     More Info
Denise Bennett
denise bennett
Those of us who have tried it know how hard it is to combine singing and playing the harp, but Denise Bennett adds skillful storytelling as well. ‘Timeless and flawless’ are words that have been used to describe Denise Bennett’s performances in which she combines harp, singing and story-telling. Performing widely in community settings, she has also been a featured ‘teller’ at the Williamsburg Storytelling Festival. She is a member of the Tell Tale Hearts Storytellers Theatre in Richmond. Creator of the one woman show “The Heart’s True Scale: An Original Fairytale for Adults,” Denise Bennett’s skills offer another avenue for harpers to consider.

Performer website: Denise Bennett

Find your inner storyteller in performance
Level: Any   Type: Hands On   When: Fri. 1:30pm   More Info
Storytelling with Your Harp
Level: Any  Type: Hands On    When: Sat.. 1:30pm     More Info
Debbie Brewin-Wilson
“My Muse, tho' hamely in attire, May touch the heart." Robert Burns
There is nothing ‘hamely’ about Debbie’s artistry as a musician and singer, and the combination of these skills with her passion for Robert Burns results in music that echoes ‘the wood note wild’ as Burns describes the natural and unpretentious singing he liked best. An experienced performer and teacher, Debbie’s repertoire also includes many traditional Scots ballads and Scottish jigs, reels, and strathspeys as well. To date, she has three solo CDs, Dream of Caledonia, Roots and Wings, and Love Came Down at Christmas, a mix of original and traditional songs. Cofounder, with Kathy DeAngelo of the Harper’s Escape (and co-author of the associated publication Ten Years of Tunes) Debbie has also published two song and harp arrangement collections: Burns for Bairns and Wood Notes Wild.

Performer website: Debbie Brewin-Wilson

Basically Beginning
Level: Any  Type: Hands-on   When: Fri & Sat. 9:30am    More Info
Beginning Scottish Harp
Level: Any  Type: Hands-on   When: Sat. 1:30pm    More Info
 
Pamela Bruner
A life-long musician, trained classically on piano and cello, Pamela was drawn to the Celtic harp nearly two decades ago and found her true love, particularly as it felt like the perfect accompaniment to her singing. Along with performing, Pam works as a life-coach and, in one workshop, she combines her teaching and music skills to help musicians overcome their hesitations: ‘Creating Music with Love, not Fear’ has been called ‘life-changing.’ Pamela also writes and arranges music, and has released over a dozen CDs and books,including the acclaimed Play the Harp Beautifully, a self-teaching package on book and DVD. One comment about her teaching book was, “this is clearly one of the finest method books available for harp.” With her husband, Dave Woodworth of Heartland Harps, she also helps to design harps and creates and paints artwork for the soundboards.

Performer website: Pamela Bruner Music

I Always Wanted to Play the Harp
Level:  Visitors   Type: Hands-on   When:  Fri. & Sat. 11am   More Info
Special Thursday Business Seminar: Creative Marketing Strategies
Level: Any   Type: Lecture   When:  Thursday 10am-noon   More Info
Sound Like a Pro--Even If You're a Beginner
Level: Beg-Int  Type: Hands On    When: Fri. 3:30pm     More Info
Nicolas Carter
nicolas carter
At home in two cultures, Nicolas Carter was raised in Asuncion, Paraguay, where he learned to play the Paraguayan harp and in Minnesota (where he is currently settled). His principal teacher Isidro Caballero (Father to Paraguay's harp genius Nicolasito) taught him in the traditional folk style of learning by ear, an “ideal way for me to learn, every note I have to hear and feel it.” Playing professionally since 1988 in a variety of settings, as accompanist to singer Lizza Bogado, to playing in a various trios and groups from “Son del Sur” (Song from the South, Latin-American folk music), and “Los Amigos” (traditional Mexican music) to ” Nube” (New World Fusion). As a solo harpist Nicolas has had concerts in Europe, the United States and Latin America. Nicolas combines his passion for music with a deep interest in theatre, and indeed, holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Direction from the University of Minnesota. His CD’s, more than a dozen, reflect the several musical idioms from Latin to Fusion in which he is fluent.

Performer website: Nicolas Carter

Paraguayan musc class, I, II, III
Level: Int.   Type: Hands On   When: Fri., Sat., Sun. 9:30am   More Info
Spanish Harp Journey from the Old World to the New
Level: Any  Type: Lecture & Hands On    When: Fri. 1:30pm     More Info
Cynthia Cathcart
cynthia cathcart
A visit to Cynthia’s superbly organized and informative web site will fill you with an instant desire to play the clarsach, the wire strung harp, of Scotland and Ireland. In lucid prose Cynthia presents herself with anecdotes and practical information as well as giving a taste of her teaching style in pieces on such topics as how harmonics work and how to handle accidentals on a lever-free harp. You can also listen to a selection of her playing which has been described as ‘Clear, pure and glistening… bell-like…’ and giving the ‘impression of very fine china.’ It is no surprise then to read of Cynthia’s multiple awards and accomplishments, among them being a two-time winner of U.S. National Scottish Harp Competition and recognition that she is one of the world’s foremost experts on the wire strung harp. Cynthia has recorded two CD’s, Alchemy of a Rose and Joy to the World and has four books, including Pathway; A Primer for the Wire-Strung Harp (with CD), From my Music Stand and Traditional Beginnings for the Gaelic Harp .

Performer website: Cynthia Cathcart

Harmony from Melody
Level: Beg.   Type: Hands-on   When: Fri. 9:30am   More Info
Historical Harp listening room: Cynthia Cathcart, Nancy Hurrell & Ellen Tepper
Level: Any   Type: Concert    When: Sat. 3:30pm   More Info
Time Travel Harp Tour
Level: Any.   Type: Lecture   When: Sun. 9:00am   More Info
What Makes That Authentic Early Music Sound
Level: Any.   Type: Hands-on   When: Sat. 9:30am   More Info
 
Marta Cook
martacook
Marta Cook brings to Somerset her energy, experience and fearlessness at working across genres and at the cutting edge of performance in harp, dance and composition;  immersed in the traditional harp traditions at a young age, Marta studied classical harp with Sarah Bullen in Chicago.   Nowadays, Marta has moved beyond easy classification:  improvising, collaborating,  and creating new works exploring the boundaries of music, movement, and reality, often in the company of such musicians and artists  as Yo-Yo Ma, Natalie Macmaster,  choreographer/film-maker Marisa Hayes, Def Jam Poet Nikki Patin. She was a collaborator with Yo-Yo Ma on his Songs of Joy and Peace, recognized in the categories of  "Best Classical Crossover Album" and "Best Production, Classical" in this year's Grammy Awards.

Performer website: Marta Cook

Simple is Beautiful: Phrasing for Beginning Irish Harpers
Level: Beg.   Type: Hands-on   When: Sat. 3:30pm   More Info
Sunday Special Event Performance Piece
Level:    Type: Concert   When: Sunday 11am  More Info
Christina Cotruvo
christinacotruvo
Christina Cotruvo introduces a new ‘note’ to Somerset, with offerings for teachers working with students with disabilities as well as methods and ideas for working and would-be working harpists who themselves might be held back by accessibility issues. A committed musician and teacher, Chris’s life work began in the late ‘80’s when she paired up with a vision-impaired music student who was daunted by the idea of learning Braille as an adult. To assist him, she was inspired to create a method for transcribing sheet music onto audio. Her interests now include wider issues of accessibility for those with disabilities as they relate to learning, teaching and performing music. The lever harp is her primary ‘soul’ instrument.

Performer website: Christina Cotruvo

Business Approaches for Harpers with Disabilities
Level: Any   Type: Lecture   When: Sat. 3:30pm    More Info
Harping with a disability: Open forum
Level: Any   Type: Lecture   When: Fri. 3:30pm    More Info
Teaching Students with Disabilities
Level: Any  Type: Hands On    When: Fri. 1:30pm     More Info
Stephanie Curcio
stephaniecurcio
Few can claim as widely distinguished a harp career as Stephanie Curcio of New Hampshire, trained in both classical and lever harp. For her constant and steady career as a solo and orchestral musician, a teacher, lecturer and organizer of events, as well as an arranger and composer, her musical and artistic contributions were officially recognized by the state of New Hampshire in 2008. At Somerset Stephanie will be offering her expertise at reading and understanding musical notations, especially for the harp. Her publications and arrangements are too numerous to mention here so a visit to her a booth in the Vendor Mall is going to be a must. Don't forget to put time in your schedule to spend time in the Vendor Mall!

Performer website: Stephanie Curcio Publications

Develop & Improve your sight-reading skills
Level: Any   Type: Hands On   When: Fri. 9:30am   More Info
Harp hieroglyphics--music reading 201
Level: Any  Type: Hands On    When: Sat. 1:30pm     More Info
Candyce Dunham
candycedunham

Interwoven with Candyce Dunham’s lifelong engagement with the harp is her commitment to the Suzuki method which was at the core of her own musical training as a child when she was taught by her mother (among others) herself a respected Suzuki teacher. An early award-winner, Candyce won a scholarship to the Eastman School of Music for Harp Performance. Her journey has led her to learning more than the harp, for teaching purposes she has studied bagpipe and tenor drumming, and is certified in Suzuki Harp and Piano. She judges for the Scottish Harp Society, teaches at a variety of celtic workshops around the country, and has created several harp programs, including The Dunham Harps Ensemble. Not stopping with those accomplishments, Candyce and her husband Benjamin rolled up their sleeves and have been building their own harps since 2001. When she's not presenting her workshops, she'll be at the Dunham Harps booth in the Vendor Mall.

Performer website: Dunham Harps

Suzuki Method for Harp
Level: Any   Type: Lecture/Demo   When: Sat. 9:30am    More Info
Playing Well with Others: Suzuki Harp Ensemble
Level: Any  Type:  Hands On    When: Sat. 3:30pm     More Info
Edie Elkan
edie elkan
Sometimes a particular experience will connect with existing skills in such a way that a person will embark in an entirely new but inspired path. Such is the case for Edie Elkan, who with a strong background in music, experience as a teacher of piano, and an an early grounding in playing the harp, found herself first, returning to the harp to assuage her own grief, and then discovering that the harp was being used in medical environments which in turn led her to found Bedside Harp in 2002, a New Jersey, hospital-based harp therapy program. In 2005 Elkan was recognized by the Society for the Arts in Health Care for her work at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s cancer center, where, in a research project, she discovered that patients who listened to live harp music while receiving chemotherapy were less anxious that those patients who did not. Edie has published Everything You Ever Wanted to Know (about Harp Therapy) and her master’s thesis: The Edie Elkan Method of Teaching Folk Harp as an Instrument of Healing. Also available is a 4-set CD Oodles of Noodles, a recording of a workshop on ‘noodling’ presented by Edie in 2006.

Performer website: Bedside Harp

Bedside Harp Report
Level: Any   Type: Lecture/Demo   When: Sat 3:30pm   More Info
Harping with Healing & Helping Hands: Open Forum with Edie Elkan, Melinda Gardiner, Christina Tourin
Level: Any   Type: Lecture/Demo   When: Sat. 1:30pm    More Info
Playing in the Key of Bedside Harp
Level: Any  Type:  Hands On    When: Fri. 1:30pm     More Info
 
 
 
Workshop descriptions and schedules are subject to change.
Changes are posted as soon as possible. This page updated 4/23/10
     
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