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Presenters
Debbie Brewin-Wilson Nicolas Carter Chris Caswell Cynthia Cathcart Lois Colin Stephanie Curcio Jaque Davison Brenda Dor-Groot Candyce Dunham Edie Elkan Jessica Frost-Ballas Martha Gallagher Melinda Gardiner Maeve Gilchrist Tracy Gorman Bill Grant Dennis Gormley Denise Grupp-Verbon Michael Grupp-Verbon Gráinne Hambly Joy Yu Hoffman William Jackson Kathy Kasley Sabine Meijers Aideen O'Donnell Alfredo Rolando Ortiz Kim Robertson Gerry Serviente Margaret Sneddon Maureena Spadaro Sunita Staneslow Tomoko Sugawara Carol Thompson Angel Tolosa Clotilde Trouillaud April Vega Frank Voltz Sarajane Williams Janet Witman David Yunghans
Presenters
Gerry Serviente
Gerry Serviente has been a church musician since the age of 10. She has served as organist, choir director, cantor, choir member, pianist, guitarist, and now harpist in several Roman Catholic churches in Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. She also has experience as an organist and choir director in two Evangelical Lutheran churches. If one area of music can be said to be her focal point, it is church music. Gerry came late to the harp, celebrating her 50th birthday by buying her first harp. Combining her new love with the old, she uses her harp to enhance worship, playing both solo and ensemble music for Sunday Masses and for weddings, funerals, vesper services, and other para-liturgical events. She has developed techniques for harp accompaniment along with the organ during congregational song. Gerry is the founder and former director of this festival. She has now retired to spend more time with her harps and with the Cumberland Valley Harpers, a harp club she started several years ago.
Presenter website: Harp 'n Fish
The Business of Playing Harp in Church
Level: Any Type: Lecture When: Sun. 9am More Info
Margaret Sneddon
Poise, professionalism and a wide-ranging familiarity with different harps and repertoire characterize some of what Margaret Sneddon brings to Somerset. Equally at home on a cruise ship or founding a harp ensemble. As a teacher Margaret tailors her instruction to meet the needs of each student although she has a particular focus teaching even the shyest students to play with other musicians in ensemble settings. Besides seeing her workshop presentation, you can catch up with her in the R Harps booth, whom she is also representing at the festival.
Presenter website: Margaret Sneddon
I Always Wanted to Play the Harp
Level: Visitors or Companions Type: Demo When: Fri. & Sat. at 10-11am More Info
This workshop may be repeated: check schedule at RHarps booth
Maureena Spadaro
Maureena integrates every aspect of her background in body work with shiatsu, reflexology and tai chi into her approach to harp, which she has been playing for 16 years. She is presenting two workshops at Somerset this year sans harp.
As a graduate of Meridian Shiatsu Institute in Wayne, Pennsylvania and a Shiatsu practitioner for over 21 years, she is a registered JinShinDo® practitioner and reflexologist, and is certified in Lymphasizing from the International Academy of Lymphology. These interests have led her to many avenues of healing, including membership in the International Harp Therapy Program. She is founder of Harps of Mercy® serving Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware regions.
Presenter website: Harps of Mercy
Self Acupressure Basics
Level: Any Type: Lecture/Demo When: Sat. at 11:30am More Info
Tai Chi Morning Exercise
Level: Any Type: Lecture/Demo When: Fri. & Sat. at 8am More Info
Healing with Sounds
Level: Any Type: :Lecture/Demo When: Fri. & Sat 1:30pm More Info
Sunita Staneslow
Versatility and a willingness to explore—different musical genres, different types of harps and different settings in which to play, characterize Sunita’s career. At eight Sunita was already deeply interested in music, playing flute, harp and piano. The next twenty years were spent studying mostly classical music, with such eminent harpists as Lucile Lawrence, Lily Laskin, and Judith Liber. While living in Jerusalem during the mid-'80's, Sunita began arranging various styles of Jewish music for the harp. More recently she has been working as a therapeutic musician in a chidren's hospital near Tel Aviv. She has participated in two studies to measure the effect of music on premature babies. Sunita has played under the baton of conductors such as Phillipe Brunelle and Claudio Abbado but her passion is traditional music. With more than a dozen recordings to choose from and many books of arrangements from classical, sacred, Celtic and Jewish music, Sunita has something to offer to every aspiring harper.
Presenter website: Sunita Staneslow
Art of Arpeggios I
Level: Beg Type: Hands-on When: Fri. 3:30pm More Info
Art of Arpeggios II
Level: Int-Adv. Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 1:30pm More Info
Christmas in July
Level: Int-Adv. Type: Hands-on When: Sun. 9:00am More Info
Playing for Children
Level: Any Type: Lecture/Hands-on When: Fri. 1:30pm More Info
Tokyo-born Tomoko Sugawara began playing Irish harp when she was 12 and graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts with concert harp as her main instrument. For the past 20 years she has specialized in playing the kugo, the ancient angular harp, and played the kugo at major international venues, such as the World Harp Congress (in Prague and Amsterdam), Columbia, Harvard, and Princeton Universities, as well as The British Museum. She has two solo CDs of concert harp and recently released "Along the Silk Road", the first ever recording of the kugo.
Tomoko's appearance is underwritten in part by the Japan Foundation and Asahi Beer Arts Foundation.
Presenter website: Kugo Harp
Japanese Folk Songs on Harp
Level: Beg. Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 1:30pm More Info
Kugo and its Music (listening room)
Level: Any Type: listening room concert When: Sat. 3:30pm More Info
Carol Thompson
Carol Thompson began playing classical harp at age 13, but other genres soon spoke to her. Although better known for playing Irish music, a lifelong interest in medieval and renaissance history also led her to Early Music. She has been a long time performer with the Moravian College Collegium Musicum, and a guest artist with the Baltimore Consort. She taught Irish harp at the Augusta Heritage Workshops for many years and has five solo CDs to her credit. Active as a side musician, she played with Paul Winter on his Grammy-winning CD “Celtic Solstice.” Carol teaches privately and at the Eastern Conservatory for Music and Arts in Oldwick, NJ. In addition to teaching her workshop at Somerset this year, she also has a table from which she’ll sell her handcrafted jewelry.
Presenter website: Carol Thompson
Early Music Harp Ensemble
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 3:30pm More Info
Renaissance Music for Beginners
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Fri. 3:30pm More Info
Angel Tolosa
Venezuelan, Angel Tolosa began playing the harp in his native city, Caracas, at 14, studying first with Solomon Villegas, and next with Carlos ‘Metralleta’ Orozco, who became his foremost mentor. Angel combines technical and composition skills with strong rhythmic ability, enabling him to freely cross over into several genres, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Bluegrass, and World Music among others. Angel is in demand to accompanied many prominent Venezuelan singers with his back-up compositions in the Creole style. With his brother, Jose,who plays the Cuatro (a small guitar), and two others, he formed the group Ensamble A Contratiempo where they play in a variety of Venezuelan styles, including pieces strictly for harp. They presently have one album Katuketi and are preparing another. As well as touring, both brothers represent and promote their craft as members of Musical Foundations and as teachers in Central and South America.
Presenter website: Ensamble Contratiempo
Venezuelan Joropo
Level: Int-Adv Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 9:30am More Info
Venezuealan Merengue
Level: Int-Adv Type: Hands-on When: Fri. 1:30pm More Info
Venezuealan Waltzes
Level: Beg-Int Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 1:30pm More Info
Clotilde Trouillaud
Trained in the Breton tradition by the harpers Brigitte Baronnet and Catherine N’Guyen at the Conservatoire National de Region de Nantes, Clothilde Trouillarde has delighted audiences with what reviewers have characterized as music both quiet and delicate but also intense and surprising. Today Clothilde often plays solo, offering her own repertoire and interpretations of music profoundly informed by her studies in traditional Breton music. Clothilde has participated in a number of music festivals, including being among the founders of the Yaouank and Roue Waroch festivals. She is part of a group named Sylbat as well as a harp trio, Fileuses de Nuit with whom she regularly performs.. Clothilde teaches and regularly performs in France and abroad. Among her CD’s are a solo album, one with Sylbat and two with Fileuses.
Presenter website: Clotilde Trouillaud
Breton Dance Tunes for the Harp
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Fri. 9:30am More Info
Breton Dancing
Level: Any Type: Dance When: Sat. 1:30pm More Info
Breton Music I
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 9:30am & Sun. 9:00am More Info
Breton Music II
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 9:30am & Sun. 9:00am More Info
April Vega
Versatile and innovative, April Stace Vega is at home playing classical or improvising jazz on the harp. Reviewers have written of her ensemble, Harp 46, “April combines lyrical harp playing over a world-beat rhythm” and “conventionality goes out the window” April began her studies on the classical harp as a child, graduating from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Harp and Music in 2001. Since then she has performed regularly near her home base in Maryland, including the Kennedy Center, the White House, as well as touring nationally with her ensemble, Harp 46. April lives in Maryland where she teaches privately and serves on the Arts Advisory Board as well as practicing and performing with Harp 46, world fusion music on harp, bass and percussion. The group has released four recordings.
Presenter website: Harp 46
African & Cuban Rhythms
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 1:30pm More Info
Beyond 4/4: Playing in "odd" time signatures
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sun. 9:00am More Info
Improvisation for Beginners
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 9:30am More Info
Next Steps in Improvising
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 3:30pm More Info
Frank Voltz
Every concert, for Frank Voltz, is an joyful and humble effort to communicate his faith and his love of music. Equally comfortable playing classical or gospel jazz harp, Frank keeps his concerts lively and fun with his fresh and exciting ‘jazzy’ arrangements of traditional hymns. After several years of study of classical harp in Frank discovered jazz gospel harp, and in 1997 he competed in and came in second in the Lever Division of the Lyon & Healy Jazz and Pop Festival. He is an accomplished teacher of jazz technique, and has instruction for the beginner basics, with simple concepts and technique all the way to advanced work in improvisation, and even a course for harp teachers in how to bridge the gap between classical and jazz harp. Frank will bring many CDs and lots of arrangements to offer at this year’s Somerset music table.
Presenter website: Frank Voltz
Artistic Excellence=Talent + Ambition
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Sun. 9am More Info
Create A Brilliant Program - Putting It All Together
Level: Any Type: Lecture When: Fri. 1:30pm More Info
From Hymnal to Harp
Level: Int-Adv. Type: Hands-on When: Sat. 1:30pm More Info
Geography of the Harp
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Fri. 9:30am More Info
Sarajane Williams
Sarajane Williams life is totally immersed in the world of harp. Williams is a founding member of The National Standards Board for Therapeutic Musicians. It's no wonder she is deeply involved in harp therapy, with over 35 years of experience in various roles in the healing arts as a nurse, cardiopulmonary technologist, director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory and biofeedback therapist in a chronic pain center. She is a lecturer and author of The Mythic Harp and Good Vibrations: Principles of Vibroacoustic Harp Therapy, editor of The Harp Therapy Journal, and producer of the Therapeutic Harp: ancient legacy, sound science, clinical applications 3-DVD set. As a professional harpist and teacher, she also performs with her classical guitarist husband Ted Williams. We welcome her back to the festival as a presenter this year after a long absence from our roster. She and Ted can also be found at the harptherapy.com booth in the Exhibit Hall. If you are interested in a private Vibroacoustic Harp Therapy session with Sarajane at the festival, please contact Sarajane directly by email to inquire about fees and schedule or chat at their booth to schedule.
Presenter website: Vibroacoustic Harp Therapy
Vibroacoustic Harp Therapy
Level: Int-Adv Type: Hands-on When: Fri. 9:30am More Info
Janet Witman
I am so pleased to announce that Janet Witman was added to our roster on 5/17/12, replacing Stephanie Curcio, who had to cancel.
From the Curtis Institute to the Fair Hill Scottish Games, Janet Jackson Witman has gracefully moved back and forth between the realms of classical and celtic harp music. After years of enjoying Scottish and Irish Music, Janet made the leap to playing. In the past 10 years Janet has won the U.S. National Scottish Harp Championship, the All Eastern Scottish Harp Championship. In her private studio Janet works with over 30 harp students, many of whom have won scholarships and awards.
She has also been on the faculty of the Ohio Scottish Arts School and “Beginning in the Middle” as well as heading a harp program at the Wilmington Music School. Janet can offer numerous arrangements for harp ensembles and her recordings.include Christmas Crossings and Celtic Journeys with Brandywine Harps, which she arranged and produced. She led her Brandywine Harps to the Edinburgh Harp Festival in 2009 to perform her arrangements and her Somerset harp ensemble's performance at last year's festival was one of the festival hightlights.
Performer website: Brandywine Harps
Being a Flexible Teacher
Level: Any Type: Lecture When: Sat. 1:30pm More Info
Develop Your Sight-Reading Skills
Level: Any Type: Hands-on When: Fri. 3:30pm More Info
David Yunghans
David Yunghans is the regional development director at Constant Contact in the Philadelphia area. He does not play harp but loves the harp! With experience as a small business owner, David brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of business development, professional training, and corporate meeting planning to help small businesses and non-profits achieve success. He has served as a training and development resource and has built customized team building programs for numerous small businesses in the insurance, property management and hotel industries. Somerset is glad to leverage David's training and business development expertise to help our professional and wannabe-professional harpists maximize the power of relationship marketing through the use of online communication tools like email marketing and social media. .
Presenter website: Constant Contact
Email Marketing & Social Media to Grow Your Music Business
Level: Any Type: Lecture When: Fri. 9:30am More Info
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