2024 was a wonderful year as I’ve watched our community grow to include many more adult pupils enjoying classes and community together. Currently, there are 3 adult classes who meet monthly in the picturesque coastal village of Portballintrae to learn and play harp together. There is also a new beginners’ weekly class which runs onContinueContinue reading “Causeway Harp School 2024”
Tag Archives: celtic harp
Harp Therapy Workshops
We have lots going on for the harp community here on the Causeway Coast. In addition to regular classes and workshops, we sometimes host visiting tutors to give specialised workshops in different aspects of harping. Our most recent event was a visit from Sophia Abraham, certified music therapist, who delivered a series of workshops onContinueContinue reading “Harp Therapy Workshops”
Music of the Celtic Lands: Video Tutorials for Harp
This is a series of video tutorials plus ABC notation for a few of our favourite tunes to play at Causeway Harp School. Those of you who follow my Instagram or Facebook may be familiar with some of the tunes in this collection, such as Gordon Duncan’s beautiful Sleeping Tune or Nathaniel Gow’s Coilsfield House:ContinueContinue reading “Music of the Celtic Lands: Video Tutorials for Harp”
Video Tutorials
This week I am delighted to finally launch the first in my series of video tutorials. These have been designed for players who prefer to learn without sheet music. Indeed, this is the method I use with my pupils at Causeway Harp School. This tutorial series is available for purchase on Etsy. When learning aContinueContinue reading “Video Tutorials”
Traditional Irish Music for Small Harps and Lyres
A central tenet of Causeway Harp School is to make learning the harp more accessible. Sadly, the cost of purchasing a harp is often a major barrier to learning. However, with smaller harps and lyres becoming more widely available and affordable, learning the harp is within the reach of many more people. A few yearsContinueContinue reading “Traditional Irish Music for Small Harps and Lyres”
Lá na Cruite/ Harp Day 2022
Causeway Harp Ensemble Each year on the 15th October, Ireland’s national body, Cruit Éireann/Harp Ireland heralds a national and worldwide celebration of Ireland’s harp, its music, players and makers. https://videopress.com/v/1WJog16h?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true Causeway Harp School, Lá na Cruite/ Harp Day 2022 Part of the celebrations include a ‘Harpers’ Call’, inviting harp players to contribute a video performanceContinueContinue reading “Lá na Cruite/ Harp Day 2022”
Harpmaker’s Workshop at Shankill Rd Library
As part of Harps Alive/ An Cruit Bheo Festival 2022, Turmennan Harps delivered a Workshop on harpmaking at the Shankill Road Library in Belfast. Photo Credit: Michael Knan, Harps Alive Festival 2022 Photo Credit: Michael Knan, Harps Alive Festival 2022 Almost all of my pupils and I play harps made by Belfast’s Brian Waugh andContinueContinue reading “Harpmaker’s Workshop at Shankill Rd Library”
Harp Summer School, Portballintrae
Harp Summer School, Portballintrae 2022 Harp pupils from Dunseverick Primary School took time out this summer to gather together, learn some new tunes, play some old ones and have fun together in sunny Portballintrae. Practising outside with a sea view The fine weather enticed us outside and many visitors to the area were treated toContinueContinue reading “Harp Summer School, Portballintrae”
Harps Alive/ An Cruit Bheo Festival 2022
230 years ago, the last of the great harpers in Ireland gathered in Belfast for the Belfast Harp Assembly; a bid to preserve and revive the dying aural tradition of Irish harping. Only eleven harpers turned up. Seven were blind. The eldest was Denis Hempson, 97, from County Derry. A young Edward Bunting, aged justContinueContinue reading “Harps Alive/ An Cruit Bheo Festival 2022”
Cambrian Harp Festival
Harp Workshops in the sun ☀️ What a treat for me to travel to beautiful Wales to teach an Irish Harp Workshop as part of the very first Cambrian Harp Festival, in association with the wonderful Derwent Harp School. Participants of all ages and abilities leaned to play Planxty Irwin, by 17th century composer andContinueContinue reading “Cambrian Harp Festival”
Causeway Harp School 