2024 Workshops NC

Nicolas Carter

Learning Latin American style waltz: “Luna LLena"
Most of the world's cultures include some kind of waltz in their dance repertoire. In this fun workshop, learn about the distinct characteristics of waltzes in Latin American music and how specific Latin harp techniques will make you sound like an entire band. Nicolas will teach the music "by ear" and will have a music score available. He will introduce a beautiful waltz by Digno Garcia, one of Paraguay’s most influential harp composers.

Guantanamera
If Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Pete Seeger, Jose Feliciano, Jimmy Buffet, and a zillion other recording artists have played this great tune, maybe you can bring smiles to your friends by playing it, too! Include Guantanamera in your repertoire, with a real Latin flair, a song loved all over the world. With Nicolas’ delightful teaching style, you will learn the bass pattern for the Cha Cha and practice playing along a rhythmic groove. After getting a feel of the relationship between the melody and bass pattern the group will explore ways to improvise and tag on decorative motifs. You are encouraged to use a recording device. Experienced beginners to intermediate. Bring harp.


Improvising with Latin American Rhythms
Free your soul and embrace the art of improvisation! Nicolas will quickly have you playing Latin American rhythms and chord progressions. Based on the interest of the group he’ll also cover popular Caribbean rhythms like cha cha, cumbia, rumba or some of the traditional harp folk styles like joropo from Venezuela, jarocho from Mexico, Paraguayan Polca and Guarania. You are invited to bring a recording device, as it helps to hear these rhythms when you get home too.

You will practice playing along a percussion loop and be divided in small groups to create your own melodies.... lots of fun! This workshop is for any type of harp. As serious as this workshop might seem, these rhythms invite you to relax and dance. You can’t help but smile. Intermediate to advanced. 

Martha Gallagher

TranscenDance; Release and Renew!
Dance away tense, stagnant, blocked energy and activate your creativity and joy, connecting body, mind and spirit! TranscenDance is conscious dance modality that takes the benefits of yoga off the mat and infuses it into movement and dance. There is proven direct, positive correlation between authentic (self-directed) dance and increased divergent thinking, creativity and artistic expression. Dance deeply encourages creativity to flow mentally and physically, helping to release embodied, embedded anxiety and tension. And it’s loads of fun! Come, release old patterns that have you stuck and renew your creativity and joy! All welcome! No experience needed; accessible to all mobility and fitness levels. You are invited to participate at the level of your own personal comfort. Please wear comfortable clothing and footwear that you can easily move in. Open to companions.

Seasons of the Harp
Playing & Creating in Rhythm & Harmony with the Seasons Journey through the seasons with your harp, exploring the natural rhythms and music that is in harmony with them. In this workshop I’ll share music, illuminations and inspirations that will spark your imagination for ways to choose and/or create music that will grow a repertoire centered around Nature and the seasons. Whether you are a performer, a therapeutic musician, a Creation Justice advocate or someone who simply loves to have a season-inspired piece or two to play for personal enjoyment, this workshop is sure to delight and inspire! This workshop is a special sampler offering of tasty tidbits from Martha's expanded online harp retreat Seasons of the Harp. All Levels.

All That Jazz
Discovering the fun of Jazz Standards on the Lever Harp Oh, that fabulous music of the 1930’s, ’40’s, & ’50’s; that marvelous, magical music heard in so many wonderful old movies! Some of this music is pretty darned chromatic, but there are many pieces that can be played - and sound terrific - on the lever harp. We’ll explore some of the techniques and tricks that will help demystify the chord possibilities and how to achieve them on lever harp with ease and panache. Intermediate/Advanced Level players with little or no Jazz Harp Experience.

Sue Richards

Dexterity Exercises for Intermediates
Some exercises to smooth out your jigs and reels when you stumble over a measure. You can change fingerings, or accept the difficulty and practice it, or learn to use your hands in ways you might not have known about.

My Fave Beautiful Tunes
I seem to be surrounded by friends writing wonderful tunes. These are tried and true! I’ll pass out music and we can read through a few.

Issues for Senior Harpers
First we’ll commiserate for a few minutes, then see if there are work-arounds, learn a few stretches, and learn to simplify music according to our ability.

Denise Grupp-Verbon (Tapestry)

Thursday Special Workshop: Your Creative Muse
Where do you find your inspirations? How do you craft a new project? Join us for a discovery of ideas and unusual sources in your approach to songwriting, making your very own arrangements and even practicing! All levels are always welcome on Thursday evenings!

The Mystery Of Copyright
When is your creative work considered copywritten? Are you thinking about recording a CD? Have you created a solo or ensemble arrangement or composition, which you would like to publish? Would you like to register your work with the US Government copyright office? Wondering what ‘Fair use’ means? Facts and myths when it comes to copyright will be discovered. No harp required, open to companions.

Sight-reading Tools
Are you a beginning or non-music reader? You will gather practical sight-reading tools and become more proficient at your reading. Perhaps you’d like to be better at reading the grand staff. All levels welcome, bringing your harp will be helpful.

Sunita Staneslow

The Magic Of Christmas
Add special effects to your Christmas music that evoke gentle falling snow and glistening stars. Celebrate this joyous season without all the stress. Learn to add magic touches to your arrangements and take away some of the difficult notes. Full disclosure: these ideas and effects can be used beyond Christmas!


Jewish and Arabic Music
Discover the passion and power of both Jewish and Arabic music. Delve into exotic modes, rhythms and melodies. We will work from full arrangements, lead sheets and improvise around a Middle Eastern mode.


The Art of the Phrase
Breath, timing, tone, these are all elements that create that special magic that brings a piece to life. It is tempting to spend all our energy on technique yet controlling phrases as if you are singing them can change a piece from lovely to breathtaking. In this workshop, we will work on short phrases and focus on the timing within a phrase and the ebb and flow between phrases. This is a workshop on musicality and is for all levels. Bring your harps and be ready to be inspired.

Christina Tourin

Five Elements And Harp Music
This workshop outlines the characteristics of the Chinese Five Elements and provides the listener with a better understanding how they can balance their own energy by providing the type of music matching the element that they may have either a deficiency of or excess amount.

Creative Harping
This workshop will give you the basic structure of how to start playing music from ear and "jam" with friends. It is a systematic approach to understanding how we can improvise using one chord, then two, three, etc. One attendee said, "Although I have played harp for many years and studied at University - I have never been able to play without music. This is the first time that it has all clicked for me! I now can go to jobs with only my harp and no music. Christina has so clearly given the tools and understanding that has freed my playing! Each day I sit at the harp is so exciting - I never know what new wondrous music will emerge - and it really sounds great!" - Melissa C.

Celtic Tunes for Therapeutic Applications
Christina has developed a series of Celtic songs that are appropriate for Hospice, Rehabilitation Centers, Hospitals, NICU Units, Veterans Hospitals and even Prisons along with beautiful lullabies. Each tune has a story as well as a poignant presentation of how these songs have inspired a composition for our modern age. Join her in this workshop and take home some incredibly beautiful tunes. But it is not just the tunes, it is the unique arrangements that you will love.

Frank Voltz

Cascading Arpeggios
What does the harp do best? Arpeggios and glissandos. When you see and hear a harpist play ascending and descending arpeggios up and down the harp non-stop, it takes your breath away. Why? Because you wish you could do THAT (and because it is just simply gorgeous)! In this workshop, we will break them down into small bites, understand how to intertwine them, practice them, and polish them. Voila, you just added a new arsenal to your harp toolbar. We will start with “three fingers per hand” arpeggios and continue with “four fingers per hand” arpeggios. Think about it—if you’re going to play the harp the rest of your life, how many arpeggios will you play between now and then? A lot! Learn to play them NOW so that you can enjoy playing them the rest of your life! INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED LEVELS

Finding Leverland
Many harpists are afraid to move levers while they are playing a piece. Flipping a lever is as easy as plucking a string. By applying a few simple rules and practicing a few simple exercises, harpists at all levels can feel confident to move levers with their left hand while plucking strings with their right hand. Training materials are provided so that even if you don’t “get it” in the workshop, you can go home and practice everything you’ve learned so that you can master moving levers. This is a hands-on workshop so bring your harp. ALL LEVELS 

Only on a Harp
Did you know there are lots of special effects that you can play on the harp? Glissandos are just the beginning. We will explore many (not all) of the special effects that make the harp the most unique instrument in the orchestra. For lever harpists, these special effects add interesting new effects to your solo playing and storytelling, and introduce the unique novelty and nuance of your instrument to an audience. Hands-on—bring your harp. ALL LEVELS

Angi Bemiss

Tech Tools for Musicians
In this fascinating workshop, Angi will give an in-depth demonstration using a digital music reader (forScore app for iPads). Then, she’ll cover the steps for getting started and the equipment you’ll need. She is well known for “keeping it simple” while also providing excellent handouts that give step-by-step guidance. You’ll see it demonstrated in the workshop, but you’ll also have it written out when you get home so you can get started with a reduced learning curve (a.k.a. avoiding the school of hard knocks!). This workshop may be a game-changer for you because these tools can make your life easier! No harps needed.

The Art of Chords
Understanding Chords and Arpeggios – A working knowledge of chords can transform a harpist’s ability to learn new music, memorize, arrange, sight-read, play by ear, and/or improvise. Yet, many of us are intimidated by the lingo of chords – major, minor, 7th (m7, maj7), suspended, inversion, add2, omit3, progressions, modulations, accidentals, etc. Then, there’s that elusive Circle of Fifths. We’ll start with the basics of chords and key signatures, and then we’ll bring clarity to how to use chords and arpeggios to play and create beautiful harp arrangements, introductions, & interludes.

Deette Bunn

Patterns and Puzzles
How to piece simple right hand and left hand patterns together to create beautiful improvs, intros, interludes, and outros.

A Medieval Take on Christmas Carols
Christmas is coming sooner than you think so let's combine some old Christmas carols and medieval tunes and rhythms to create a new set of holiday prelude music.

Joy Slavens

Ready, Set, Go!
 This class prepares a musician to know how to be ready for the world of gigging. We will look at fees, insurance, preparation, repertoire, equipment needed, wardrobe, and the big obstacle.... dealing with the dreaded nerves. Organization and preparedness is the answer to calming our fears. For all levels, no harps needed.

Improv made easy
In this class we will be learning to play from a lead sheet. Discovering a variety of LH patterns, adding RH harmonies, changing chords, adding arpeggios, glissandos. It is fun to add an introduction and create an interesting ending to make the song a masterpiece. Harps needed, and an understanding of chords is helpful. Intermediate level, harps needed.

Carolyn Deal

Unfortunately, Lee Timer won't be able to join us as she had an accident and hurt her hand. We are pleased to announce that Carolyn Deal has agreed to step in for Lee!

Discover The FUN of Double Strung Harp!
In this joyful hands-on workshop, Carolyn will demo the amazing ways double strung harp is even easier than single Yes, you can SOUND more advanced than you really are, and have fun doing it! With double strung harp, you need less dexterity to sound rich, and you can do early intermediate-level skills yet sound advanced. Beginners even learn faster on a double strung than a single, and arranging tunes is easier. Vendors will loan some Double strung harps so that you can try techniques like staggered 1-5-8s, cascades, waterfalls, bass-chord glissandos, mirrored three finger patterns, unison and echoed patterns and more. Be prepared for surprises and smiles!

Beth Stockdell

Celtic Knot Ceili
Do you love Celtic Knots? Have you always wondered how they are created? This class will teach you about the process used in designing knots and adding “barriers” to enhance and create diversity in your work. Drawing skills are not required for this fun and satisfying practice. In this class, each participant will leave with a handmade bookmark and a border piece which you can use to frame your favorite quote or photo from the Harp Gathering. All paper and tools will be supplied. Class limit of 15 participants.

Debbie Vinick

Practice with Purpose
In this fun and helpful workshop, Debbie will share tips on how to get started learning a new piece and making the most of your practice time. She will provide you with easy and intermediate versions of her own beautiful arrangements of Irish and Christmas songs. Debbie will guide you in choosing the best fingering, identifying chords in music, and making your practice time efficient and enjoyable. So bring your harp and join in!