Comments

anybody there?

anybody there?

hi! if you havent met me, im lauren!!
im 11 years old and play the pedal harp.
i want to know, am i the only harp player?

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by harpomaniac

Re: anybody there?

No, but I can't remember who else. I mean that about 'pedal harp', as I am sure there is at least one other on site here and to mind that it was a she and she was German? But that's just the 'one' that comes to mind just now.

Try this for possibilities, a search in discussions for 'harp' ~

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/index/search?name=harp

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Pedal harpists unite!!!

Here's another ~ 'pedal harp' ~

http://www.thesession.org/discussions/index/search?name=pedal+harp

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Re: anybody there?

I don't know any other harpist on the thesession.org, thought there must be others, as celoachan above said. However, I *DO* encourage you to continue your studies. Lily Neill used to play at the Nanny O'Brien's sessions when she wasn't much older than you, and now she is in the thick of a musical career (check out http://www.lilyneill.com). Best wishes for you!

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by NorthEagle

Re: anybody there?

Hi Lauren, like your username.
Hey, here's a pedal harp player you might want to get to know:
http://evlweb.eecs.uic.edu/pape/Marx/Harpo.jpg

*wink*

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by sts

Re: anybody there?

Hi Lauren,

I also play the pedal harp but most people who play this music play small lever harps, as they're easier to carry around and in the car. Anyway, the harp is a lovely instrument and welcome to the session!

Mark

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by Mark Harmer

Re: anybody there?

PS should have said that I also play mainly lever harps - the pedal harp tends to stay at home because it's too big to move.

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by Mark Harmer

Re: anybody there?

Cymru/Wales has had a few harpists who have started out with folk harp and ended up including the pedla and full orchestral exposure ~ as an example ~ Catrin Finch ~ daft as a brush (t'ick!) ~ but doing very well ~

http://www.catrinfinch.com/

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Pedal Harp

Pedal Harp ~ That is just repeating it for furture folk who might do a search...

I did remember a few others that have come on site here, but most of them show in the various 'Discussions' linked to previously... I've had the pleasure of harp with this music, but not pedal harp, which we have enjoyed in other situations. I'd place it with other orchestral instruments that tend to be too loud to blend reasonably with the usual session instruments. So, dear Lauren, and it is a different instrument despite the shared name, find yourself a nice small harp as well to have fun with, and to take as seriously as the big one. Don't let the diminuitive size put you off. Check 'Recordings', as there are some nice listens to be chased up there.

An old favourite of ours is Maire Ni Chathasaigh ~
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/index/search?name=Maire&search_start=0

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Pedal Harp ~ this isn't...

Especially her first recording ~

"The New Strung Harp"
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/570

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Pedal Harp ~ they aren't, but here's some more to consider ~

~ & hoping others will recommend some listens for you ~

Derek Bell / The Chieftains
Sileas
Patrick Ball
Robin Huw Bowen

Various ~ "Telyn y Celt / Trad Harps"

There are others, but my brain is being uncooperative this morning... :-/

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Pedal Harp it ain't, but ~

"Telyn y Celt" ~ just checked, this CD is still available and for sale for under a tenner...

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Re: anybody there?

I saw Cormac de Barra at a concert recently - he played both but he had to get help to carry the larger pedal harp onto the stage. Mostly he played on a smaller harp with levers on the top. He mentioned that there were something 40 student harpists at this years Willie Clancy week, taking lessons. Also saw Laoise (Kelly?) in Achill last week and she played some lovely music on a lever harp.

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by the wounded hussar

Re: anybody there?

wow! i didnt know i would get soooo many replys in one day!

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by harpomaniac

Pedal Harp & what some lump together as 'Folk Harp'

Nice on WH!!! The promise for the future, and Cormac too...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormac_de_Barra

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=191070466

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=152244792

Musn't forget deal ol' Sylvia Woods & here efforts ~
http://www.harpcenter.com/

& Cormac again ~
http://www.harpcenter.com/page/SWHC/PROD/RARTCDEB/2248D

& there's a CD of Cormac in duo with Anne-Marie O'Farrell ~ "Double Strung"
If you do a search you'll find snippets of the tracks to listen to, like here ~

http://www.zavvi.co.uk/music-Folk-Irish+Folk-Anne-Marie-OFarrell-Cormac-De-Barra-Double-Strung/663942/ccc.r10.1/p.jsf

http://www.cmc.ie/shop/cd_detail.cfm?itemID=2077

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

The Harp, Pedal or otherwise, & Dear Ol' Sylvia Woods

http://www.harpcenter.com/

http://www.harpcenter.com/page/SWHC/CTGY/SWBooks

http://www.harpcenter.com/page/SWHC/CTGY/RARTSWOO

http://www.harpcenter.com/page/SWHC/CTGY/REC

Some groups featured the harp ~ in Cymru / Wales ~ Ar Log

http://www.thesession.org/recordings/index/search?name=Ar+Log&search_start=0

A favourite friend, character and maker of harps is Jay Witcher ~ & associates...
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6593

If some explanation is needed for my madness on this point... As you suggest with yuor tag, harpomaniac, it does things to people. I can't say much for the emphasis some put on the wee folk, usually too twee for me, but the Marx brothers are favourites, and I like the older rawer tales of wee folk, like the Pookah who sit on berries in the Autumn and cause them to go mouldy... ;-)

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

& the not wee Shi... ;-)

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Two Pedal Harps & Cerdd Dant & FIRST PLACE!!!

I've just enjoyed my neice singing with her choir on the Internet, the National Eisteddfod this morning, and they took 1st Place for choirs and Cerdd Dant ~

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Eisteddfod of Wales 2008
NOW!!!
http://www.eisteddfod.org.uk/

HALLELUJAH!!! ~ Cerdd Dant ~ FIRST PLACE!!! ~ Dance next
Llun / Monday 11:40 a.m.
Choir & Two Pedal Harps
Cyntaf: Parti Aelwyd y Waun Ddyfal, Caerdydd

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/eisteddfod2008/sites/canlyniadau/canlyniad1.shtml?rhif=18

Be sure to watch it full screen!!! She's studying as a doctor and is a sweetheart... I'm not saying which one though...

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Re: anybody there?

Hi - also check out "harplist" on Yahoo Groups. It's US-based but is a great community of harpists. http://www.groups.yahoo.com then search for harplist

Happy harping!

Mark

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by Mark Harmer

Re: anybody there?

Where's Ptarmigan? I'll have to pester the old geezer and see if he can add something here...

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Re: anybody there?

International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsfolk
http://folkharpsociety.org/pages/journal.html

Index to The Folk Harp Journal
http://tns-www.lcs.mit.edu/harp/fhj/

Harp Column . Com
http://www.harpcolumn.com/

Ann Heymann
http://www.annheymann.com/

Another member ~ http://www.rachelhair.com/

# Posted on August 4th 2008 by ceolachan

Re: anybody there?

Hi Lauren, welcome to the yellow board! I play lever harp.

Ceolachan stole a little of my thunder by listing most of my favorite harpers already. ;-) Another couple of harpers you might like to listen to are Therese Honey and Grainne Hambly. If you like Welsh harp music, Llio Rhydderch is good.

The most important advice anyone can give you, I think, is to have fun playing!

# Posted on August 5th 2008 by sara g

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