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The International Harp Festival returns to the San Damiano Retreat Center in the beautiful hillside town of Danville, CA, May 25 - 29, 2017.

In 2017 you can look forward to:

  • Daily classes in tracks geared specifically to the beginning, intermediate and advanced players that build on the material presented the previous day.

  • Two special seminars covering Teaching Tactics and Performance, designed for advanced students, teachers, and anyone interested in beginning a performing or teaching career or taking it to the next level.

  • Internationally acclaimed artists and presenters to educate, motivate and inspire you.

  • Classes for both the pedal and non-pedal player covering a wide range of topics including musical composition, editing and arranging, Celtic and world music, modal improvisation, playing expressively,  jazz, working with composers, and more.

  • Nightly concerts spanning musical styles from Bach to Bebop, World Sounds and Celtic Music. 

  • A mid-day break to nap, take a walk in the surrounding gardens and hillside trails, play in casual harp jams or do yoga and other Healthy Harpist exercises.

intermediate [clear filter]
Thursday, May 25
 

9:15am PDT

Memorization Toolkit
Limited Capacity seats available

Memorization can seem like such a mysterious process! How do you memorize a piece in a way that will stick? Why do some pieces slip into memory quickly and others feel so hazy? And what about the fear of memory slips on stage? Memorizing a piece well is like putting together a puzzle; you use multiple pieces that fit together in order to see the whole picture. This workshop will offer those puzzle pieces b providing a broad toolbox of memorization techniques that draw on multiple learning styles. These techniques reinforce memory and build confidence so that you can perform from memory with ease and satisfaction!

Presenters
avatar for Jennifer Ellis

Jennifer Ellis

Harp
All things harp, new music, improvisation, community engagement, and social justice.


Thursday May 25, 2017 9:15am - 10:30am PDT
Fireside Lounge

10:45am PDT

You've Got Rhythm
Limited Capacity seats available

This hands-on workshop will start with the basic building blocks of rhythm (time signatures, notes, rests, beats, etc.) and move into different rhythmic patterns. We’ll learn the value of rhythmic patterns in the left hand for playing lead sheets, and once you get the hang of that, we’ll explore rhythms of other musical traditions. Some will be easy and some will be challenging. We will discover the fun of syncopation, complex rhythms, and conducting patterns. There will be lots of clapping and tapping, and you’ll be able to immediately translate these rhythmic concepts to the harp, so bring along your instrument. By the end of class, you’ll be excited about rhythms—both old and new—and you’ll be able to apply what you’ve learned to your playing.

Presenters
avatar for Frank Voltz

Frank Voltz

Frank Voltz is a multi-faceted, multi-talented musician whose love of bringing music into the hearts of all people is only surpassed by his love for his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For over 20 years, Frank has pursued his music career as a performer, conductor, composer and arranger... Read More →


Thursday May 25, 2017 10:45am - 12:00pm PDT
Fireside Lounge
 
Friday, May 26
 

3:45pm PDT

Mixed Meter Mastery
Limited Capacity seats available

Does swapping between 7/8 and 3/2 give you a headache? This workshop introduces exercises from eurhythmics for swiftly adapting to meter change and gracefully performing mixed-meter passages. It gives you concrete exercises to practice at home so you feel confident and secure moving seemlessly between meters.

Presenters
avatar for Jennifer Ellis

Jennifer Ellis

Harp
All things harp, new music, improvisation, community engagement, and social justice.


Friday May 26, 2017 3:45pm - 5:00pm PDT
Fireside Lounge
 
Saturday, May 27
 

10:45am PDT

Mindfulness in Music
Limited Capacity seats available

Practice can feel stressful, but what if it could be easier, more effective, and more enjoyable? This workshop will introduce one approach to mindfulness in music to experience and perform music in a healthier, more productive way.

Presenters
avatar for Jonathan Hulting-Cohen

Jonathan Hulting-Cohen

Jonathan Hulting-Cohen, saxophonist, cuts a distinct profile; a person of diverse interests, his musical activities place him at the crossroads of many unexpected fields and genres. He has been a concerto soloist alongside principal players of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and performed... Read More →


Saturday May 27, 2017 10:45am - 12:00pm PDT
Fireside Lounge
 
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