For fun, for joy, for healing, for comfort . . . nothing enchants like the sound of the Celtic harp.
When I got my hands on a borrowed Celtic harp in 1999, I knew it was the instrument I’d been waiting for.
An instrument whose lyrical voice speaks straight to your heart.
An instrument whose rich and resonant sound has the power to soothe and to heal, instantly creating an atmosphere of peace.
As soon as I could play a simple tune, other people were also enchanted.
This is known as the “harp effect.”
The harp effect is how I went from being a novice in my own living room to playing my first wedding, even before I had the benefit of a wise and wonderful teacher.
The harp effect is also what I come back to, every time I sit at the harp, even when the music I’m playing is jazz or rock or a fast jig rather than the sweet music that everyone associates with the instrument.
Photo by Ingrid Greenberg
Since I fell in love with the harp, I’ve had the benefit of years of lessons, workshops, and countless opportunities to play. I’ve learned to improvise at dances, while jamming with a Celtic band, and at the bedside of hospital and hospice patients.
I’ve tried most of the sheet music published for Celtic harp, and built repertoire for background gigs, weddings, and numerous other events, both as a soloist and as part of a flute and Celtic harp duo.
I’ve written arrangements and original compositions for solo harp, as well as harp with voice or other instruments. And I’ve become a teacher, in turn, to students of all ages who want to directly experience the magic of the harp. My students bring me such joy and inspiration that I can’t help but want to share it with you!
Whether you want to learn to play the Celtic harp or you already do, you’ll find inspiration in these pages. I love to share the best of what I’ve learned or discovered, from playing those first sweet notes to improvising patterns and using basic music theory to create new arrangements. If it’s something I want my students to study or practice, it will be here for you as well.
If you already play the Celtic harp, there are great ideas here to keep you jazzed and inspired. These include suggestions for repertoire, advanced techniques, special effects, music theory, songwriting and arranging, as well as using the harp to heal as a therapeutic musician.
Please contact me with your questions and suggestions about what else you would like to see on this site. I’m here to help you find whatever answers and inspiration you need as you follow your own delightful journey with the Celtic harp!
