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Can't make it to Somerset? Then come to the
Harpers' Escape Weekend
October 5-7, 2012

 

 

 

 

Workshops: A-B
Time Period Key: AM1=9:30-11am AM2=11:30am-noon PM1: 1:30-3pm PM2: 3:30-5pm
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Accompanying Other Instruments: William Jackson
You love playing music with other people but it’s almost impossible to know a million melodies. Learn the secrets of good accompaniment in traditional music. The modes used in Scottish and Irish traditional music will be discussed and you’ll get solid techniques to accompanying other instruments as well as ideas for playing in sessions by improvising chord patterns. Level: Int-Adv  
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sat. AM1  
Where:  Morris 10
Accompanying Traditional Irish Music: Grainne Hambly
Learn some quick approaches to accompanying traditional Irish dance music, especially when playing with other instruments. Get insights into to the modal nature of Irish music and how that plays out with your left hand! Grainne will take you through widely used chord progressions as well as some rhythmic patterns useful for accompanying jigs and reels. Basic 'session etiquette' will also be discussed.
 Level: Int-Adv
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Fri. PM1
Where: Morris 11
Adapting Arrangements: Lois Colin
As you've become a more advanced player, you've figured out that harp arrangements written by others don't always work for you or for your harp. If you know your scales and arpeggios this workshop will give you the courage to figure out how to best adapt and modify an arrangement. Lois Colin of Colin Harp Music will be using examples from her own publications, including "Have a Harp" and "The Session Collection" to demonstrate these principles. Level:  Int-Adv    
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Fri. PM1  
Where:  Morris 6
Aeolean Art at Its Best: Aideen O'Donnell
One of the roles of the harper long ago was to recite poetry to the accompaniment of the harp. In this workshop Aideen will revive one of her grandmother's great talents of using fine Irish poetry and entwining it with music and sounds on the harp. She will show you how to portray the rhythm of recitation and develop the poem's mood, story and feeling through the array of strings. If you are looking to add another dimension to your performances, take this workshop! Level: Any  
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Fri. PM2  
Where: Morris 9
African & Cuban Rhythms : April Vega
Do you love the energy of African music, but have no idea how to bring that energy to the harp? Don't worry - the harp isn't typically thought of as a standard instrument in Afro-Cuban music, but that doesn't mean that we can't use these rhythms to bring joy and vitality to our own playing! Come and learn the basics of Afro-Cuban/harp fusion. Level:  Any  
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sat. PM1
Where: Morris 8 
Art of Arpeggios I: Sunita Staneslow
If you've never taken Sunita’s arpeggio workshop and want to get some new ideas for playing different types of arpeggios, this is the workout you're looking for! Perfect for beginners. This is very hands on and liberating because there is lots of looking at your harp and not at the paper. Level:  Beg  
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Fri. PM2  
Where:  Johnnes
Art of Arpeggios II: Sunita Staneslow
This workshop builds on Arpeggios I and is more ambitious in taking different patterns based on arpeggios and adding rhythm and phrasing to create more interesting arrangements, introductions, or just noodling. Take this class to improve your tone quality and be a more relaxed player. Level:  Int/Adv  
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sat. PM1
Where:  Vail
Artistic Excellence=Talent + Ambition: Frank Voltz
Are you ready to move to the next level as a harpist? Do you know what the next level is (for you personally)? Become a better harpist with these concepts and values of becoming a better musician. Of course, everyone wants to play with excellence, but the color, nuance, and subtlety of a dynamic performance requires an artistic approach. You'll get solid techniques and exercises that will help enhance your playing. We will discover the secret to a great sound on the harp, as well as increase our speed and agility. NOTE: Think of this as "Geography of the Harp: Part II." Level: Any 
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sun. AM1  
Where: Morris 9
Basically Beginning I, II, III: Debbie Brewin-Wilson
If you've just started to play the harp, come to this special 3-day beginner class and get going with the fundamentals, particularly if you don't have a teacher yet. Get confortable with the instrument and yourself! Music-reading ability is not necessary to get started. This has been such a successful starter class for the past 2 years that we're repeating it again and hoping to attract even more beginners to Somerset. Level:  Beginner!  
Type:  Hands-on  
When:   Fri. & Sat. AM1, Sun, AM1
Where: Morris 3
Being a Flexible Teacher: Stephanie Curcio
Start with the premise that everyone is an individual with different strengths and needs and then teaching music and the harp has to follow that logic. Teachers will get solid advice and tips on being a more flexible teacher. Find out what works better for teaching adults versus children. Learn to recognize different learning styles and adapting your teaching to the students' strengths. This workshop is part of our Teacher's Symposium which is offered throughout the festival this year. Level:  Any  
Type: Lecture 
When: Sat. PM2  

Where: Morris 3
Beyond 4/4: Playing in "odd" time signatures: April Vega
You love playing music with other people but it’s almost impossible to know a million melodies. Learn the secrets of good accompaniment in traditional music. The modes used in Scottish and Irish traditional music will be discussed and you’ll get solid techniques to accompanying other instruments as well as ideas for playing in sessions by improvising chord patterns. Level:  Any  
Type:  Hands-on  
When:  Sun. AM1
Where: Symmes
Blazing Levers: Maeve Gilchrist
This class aims to get the already advanced player more comfortable with their levers. Whether one is playing a harmonically complex jazz piece or simply reaching for that one chord change that will make their arrangement shine, this class aims to make the levering process easier. Maeve will work with the lever's both in a harmonic accompaniment setting AND in a melodic right hand setting. Through various exercises and tunes, she will show you that fluid lever use IS possible. Level:  Adv  
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sat. AM1  
Where: Symmes
Blues Harp: Walk on the Wild Side: Martha Gallagher
It's time for you and that harp of yours to take a little walk on the wild side. Besides snagging techniques for playing blues on the lever harp, you're going to feel the music in your soul and exude a little attitude. Oh yeah, we'll be feelin', and groovin' and showin' some attitude! Get down 'n dirty on the harp and have lots of fun in this workshop. No sight-reading. Level: Any 
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Fri. PM1  
Where: Morris 9 
Breton Dance Tunes for the Harp: Clotilde Trouillaud
Description to followAdd to your repertoire of Celtic dance tunes with the lively and infectious dance tunes of Haute-Bretagne area of Brittany. Learn about the different types of dance tunes like the ridée, tour, hanter dro, pilé-menu. The tunes will be taught by ear with music handed out at the end of the class. Level: Any 
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Fri. AM1  
Where: Morris 11 
Breton Folk Dancing: Clotilde Trouillaud
There's nothing like learning the dances of a culture to inform your playing of their music. Clotilde will teach a few dances from the Haute-Bretagne area of France. This workshop follows on the Breton Dance Tunes workshop and will use some of those pieces for the dancing. You'll also learn to sing the tunes you're dancing too! A fun afternoon. Level: Any
Type:  Dance  
When: Sat. PM1  
Where: Symmes
Breton Music I: Clotilde Trouillaud
Ireland and Scotland are the dominant Celtic musical forces and get lots of good press. However, there is a part of France called Brittany that is also part of the Celtic world and its harp and music traditions have also undergone a revival. Take this workshop and learn about the Haute-Bretagne music of Brittany, where the songs are in French. This class will focus on the song melodies and how to adapt them to harp. Level:  Any  
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sat. AM1
Where: Morris 8
Breton Music II: Clotilde Trouillaud
Take this workshop and learn about another part of the Celtic world: Brittany. Clotilde will build on material presented in Breton Music I and add new tunes to your Celtic repertoire. Level:  Any   
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sun. AM1  
Where: Morris 4 
Bunting's Collections & the Old Harp Repertoire: Grainne Hambly
Who was this guy & why is his work so important? This workshop will include some background information on the Belfast Harpers Assembly of 1792, the collections of Edward Bunting, and their significance in preserving the 17th and 18th century harp repertoire. Some tunes from the collections will be taught, and ideas on how to adapt the published piano arrangements for harp will be discussed.
 Level: Any
Type:  Hands-on  
When: Sat. PM1
Where: Morris 11
Business of Playing Harp in Church: Gerry Serviente
Join this Q&A discussion session with a long-time church organist and harper about the business ins and outs of playing harp in church. What are the issues in playing for weddings, funerals, Sunday services and dealing with organists and soloists? What kind of repertoire do you need? How should you dress? The devil, so to speak, is in the details! Level: Any 
Type: Lecture 
When: Sun. AM1  
Where: Morris 6 
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If you find a mistake in any of these schedules pages please let me know!

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Updated 1/27/12
Workshop descriptions and schedules are subject to change.