West Coast Harp Society

The AHS has funded at request for $1500 to support students going to major competitions as observers or performers. Interested students should contact Elizabeth Volpe Bligh or speak to their harp teacher!  Thanks to the AHS for the support!

Thanks to all who participated in the Cowichan Cello and Harp Festival Feb. 23 and 24, 2018.  We had students from Powell River, Harrison Lake, and Vancouver, as well as from all over the island, from Courtenay to Sydney. Bravo to all who attended - it was a wonderful sound and playing experience with 18 harps and 9 celli!

Morag Northey was the harp clinician and Marilyn Rummel led the harps, and conducted the big ensemble.  The weekend featured instrument workshop classes, a great deal of ensemble playing and 2 concerts, one a more traditional one, and the 2nd a theatrical concert written by Morag Northey. There were parts at all levels from beginner to challenging for 4 pieces, and Morag and Marilyn are definitely ready to offer the workshop in other locations -  contact Marilyn if you are interested.

Elizabeth says "Here's a photo of Hayley and Madison in Vancouver Philharmonic, playing The Planets by Holst, on Feb. 25 at 2:00 at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver"

Something for everyone - and did you know that in one piece he actually asked for 6 harps?  Fabulous. If you are in Vancouver Friday night, go hear the UBC Symphony: Elizabeth writes -

The UBC Symphony Orchestra will be playing an all-Wagner program at the Chan Centre on Feb. 9 at 8:00 pm. There will be five harps in the section: Noelle Kelbert, Hayley Farenholtz, Madison Dartana, Renee Qin and Elizabeth Volpé Bligh. Pieces with harp: Magic Fire Music, Siegfrieds Funeral March from Götterdämmerung, and the aria “Abendlich strahlt die Sonne Auge” from Das Rheingold. 
Here they are at rehearsal Tuesday night.

Here's what Lori Pappajohn had to say about the concert last Sat Feb 3rd

"That was probably one of the best harp concerts that I've ever been to. Sasha is pure genius. What an amazing player! Not only does he have a built-in genius for the harp, but you can tell he has put in thousands of hours of hard work. His playing is effortless and so virtuosic as to make you want to fall off your chair in amazement! His arrangements of pieces where the harp 'becomes the whole orchestra' are astounding (i.e. Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers). Everything is by memory. He has millions and millions of notes in his head -- and all in the right order! And he practices in the dark! Sasha is also one of those rare musicians who have total command of both the classical and non-classical world. Sasha is opening new doors in the harp world -- and what we see through those doors is fantastic. I hope he comes back to North America soon!"

Anna Dunwoodie writes from New Zealand: I am trying to promote my new project – the Harp Music Club.  I’d really appreciate if you would be able to inform your members about it.  You pay a monthly subscription and you get 3 new pieces delivered to you email address each month. Details here:   http://harpmusiconline.weebly.com/harp-music-club.html

The virtual harp summit is a seven day extravaganza of harp players doing short lectures or concerts - a festival in your living room. Free for the day it is on, and reasonable for life-time access. Nathania Ko is doing a bit on the Kunghou. Sept 14 - 21

Kate Kunkel is doing a similar thing with her Virtual Harp Retreat   Sept 8 to 13???  Again free the day of, pay for ongoing access

Marilyn Rummel is experimenting with a new format for lessons - a more self-paced alternative to skype with combo of video and recordings by teacher and student and short on-line chats. She'll report in with successes and failures as it unfolds!

Details to come, but put this on your calendar now - not to be missed!!