Workshop Descriptions

N.B. All levels will have 2 sessions with each tutor (one on Saturday and one on Sunday)

Aisling

Aisling grew up in County Clare on the West Coast of Ireland, a place steeped in music & song. In these workshops, Aisling will teach tunes she grew up playing from the Irish Harp & Irish Dance Traditions. These workshops will be taught with particular emphasis on technique, ornamentation, variations and left hand accompaniment ideas. 

Josh

It’s time for a Technique Tune-up! This workshop focuses on some of the fundamentals of good technique - scales, chord shapes and progressions, and arpeggios. Plus posture, staying relaxed, and playing without pain. Josh will work on increasing your relaxation and general technique, with a focus on chords - a fundamental building block of harp playing.

Sunita

Sunita will be revealing some of the secrets of flowing, musical playing. Let's dig beyond the written notes and work on what makes music sound beautiful. We will work on tone, phrasing, dynamics, rhythm and accents, to create phrases that have an natural sense of ebb and flow.. What really is the the secret to playing the harp from your heart?

Wendy

Wendy will be looking at Border tunes and songs - music from either side of the Scottish / English boundary - an area full of history, big ballad tunes and lively dance rhythms.

The Borders are home to a rich and distinctive musical heritage and we’ll be diving into compelling, accessible repertoire from song melodies to bouncy dance tunes and settings drawn from the piping and fiddle traditions.