 The Story of How I Got Stared with the HarpIn January of 2001 I hosted a neighborhood committee meeting in my apartment. After the meeting ended, one of my neighbors asked me if I would like a harp. After I picked myself off the floor and managed to catch my breath again I said, "YES!" and followed her back to her apartment just to be sure she wasn't kidding. From her closet she pulled a rather ragged looking 29 string folk harp which she said her uncle had built from scratch. She also handed me a stack of books, including Sylvia Woods' book, "Teach Yourself to Play the Folk Harp." The soundboard was cracking, the top strings were all loose, and there was no tuning wrench, but it was a harp and it was mine! Since I tuned it up it has fallen apart and I've had to repair it multiple times, including adding metal braces both at the top of the sound box and at the bottom of the sound board. Still, my harp teacher says it's the best sounding folk harp she's ever heard. In January of 2003 I began taking lessons from Nichole Neely, a former member of Harp Fusion. I moved away in the summer of 2004 and have not yet found a new teacher.
I now have a larger harp, this one made by my good friend Heidi James, an extremely talented woodworker. It has a great sound, thanks to the unusually large sound box. I've played it at several wedding receptions and also in church. This Page Copyright 2007 Rebecca J. Carlson. All Rights Reserved. |