Date: October 10-12, 2008
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“...it was a wonderful weekend in every way- I loved the people, the teachers, and the learning experience. Thanks for all your efforts. Having the CD to listen to the songs was a great idea. It helped me learn them much more quickly.”

--from a 2003 attendee.
 
 

“This was the first I ever played this type of music, first time doing a weekend thing, first time all around. I think I am hooked! You are fabulous.”

--exactly what we like to hear. This feedback from a 2002 participant.
 
 

“My favorite workshop was Saturday night when everybody played what they learned and played together. It was inspiring and it boosted my confidence,”

--2002 participant
 
 

“ It was a nice mix of playing and learning, as well as time off to relax... I especially enjoyed the session on the porch in the afternoon. It's good to get together with others to learn, ask questions, and hear stories.”

--2005 participant
 
     
     
 
The Harpers' Escape is produced by You Gotta Have Harp Productions, 11 Country Lane, Voorhees, NJ 08043. Phone: 856-795-7637. 		 
 
 

   
Workshops

"I think this was probably one of the best workshops I have ever attended and will definitely be back next year."

“This was my 5th year I love it and look forward to it again no matter where you have it.”

Grainne Hambly (right) leads the advanced level workshop.
   
   
We structure the entire weekend as one long-running workshop, covering all of the topics listed below, plus anything else that comes up as a result of the formal and informal discussions. You'll learn at least 2 new pieces in small group sessions. You'll start learning a tune by ear, work ornamentations into that and as things progress, work on chord basics and finally left hand accompaniment. It's a marathon day. Be prepared for total harp immersion!

We divide up into 3 different learning levels for the first part of the day and each group focuses on two pieces--one which all the levels learn and then a second piece unique to each learning level. In the afternoon we have a mix of topics and tailor the depth level to the participants. When you register you can follow our guidelines and place yourself or ask us for suggestions on placement. We cannot accommodate those who have never ever played a harp at all, even for the beginner class. We'd love to have you but f you just got your harp, please wait until next year to sign-up.

 
   
   

Friday Night
(Just Updated for 2008!)

Arrival: You can arrive anytime after 3 pm. If you arrive early, stroll the grounds and relax in one of the Chauncey's many comfy lounges.
Dinner: 6pm. We traditionally start the evening with a get-to-know-you dinner. It's a great way to unwind from your trip. Alumni meet up with old friends and we get to know the new "Escapees".
Harpers Circle: 8pm. We have a "get-to-know you" Harpers Circle. Never done a Harpers Circle? We go around the circle and take turns starting a tune. Everybody gets a chance to play. Introduce yourself. Don't be shy. Even if you have only one piece, we're going to ask you to share it. Non-harping participants and guests are also encouraged to participate.
Photos ...
 
 

Saturday Workshops

We break out into smaller groups by level for the Saturday morning workshops. Everybody will learn the same tune before the first break. At the break, anyone who is uncomfortable at the original level they chose can speak to the instructor and work out another placement.

Playing by Ear: We mail all registrants a "listening" CD of the pieces we intend to teach at the Escape at least 2 weeks in advance. All you do is listen to it. Listen to it a lot. This is part of learning to play by ear. Some of the subject topics might change slightly at the weekend, depending on the experience and playing levels of the participants. We keep the class sizes small. The goal is always the same—learn by doing.

Morning

Everybody learns the same piece in the first workshop, at different levels, depending on the group you're with.
  • Playing by Ear: You don't have to read music to play it. Music-dependent players can break free of the printed page. Ear training makes a well-rounded musician. Listen & learn! We'll make repetition, repetition, repetition fun, fun, fun.
  • Ornamentations:Ornamentations are the "icing on the cake" in your playing. We'll be teaching a few of the basics within the tunes we're learning. Lots of practice.
  • Building repertoire: Each level learns a different piece in the second workshop of the morning. Left hand accompaniment added to suit the playing level of your group. Lots of repetition.

    Afternoon

    You'll have two workshop options in the afternoon--unless you've figured out the cloning thing!
  • Chord Basics & Inversions: We'll cover this topic and and show how to pick the right chord for accompaniment. There's more than one way to play a chord. Chords will add depth to your playing, and combined with a good accompaniment pattern, give the music color.
  • Rhythm Accompaniment: Kathy will help you apply chord knowledge to create interesting bass lines and then playing on and off the beat to jazz it up a little. So popular every year.
  • Singing to Simple Accompaniment: Debbie will teach some simple accompaniment patterns to use with your chord knowledge and show how using a chord chart can help you easily start singing along to a pattern you're playing. Learn by starting a basic pattern, then changing chords and use various inversions and finally add voice to it.
  • The O'Carolan Workshop: So popular last year, Gráinne will talk about and teach a tune by Irish harper/composer O'Carolan. He composed about 200 tunes, which one will Gráinne teach?
  • Tap Your Creativity and Compose: Billy leads a creativity-building session on creating your own tunes. Learn how to use a simple chord progression as the basis for developing melodic ideas and then expand these melodic ideas into a larger work.
  • Music Therapy and the Harp: Billy, who is a certified music therapy, will give a lecture/demonstration on how he uses a small harp in working with children. An eye-opening workshop.
  • The Music of Niel Gow Sharon will do a musical lecture on one of Scotland's noted composers plus a little hands-on with one of his pieces.
  • The Music of Robert Burn Debbie will do a musical lecture on Scotland's noted poet who left a significant impact on the music. Hands-on learning a Burns piece from her book, "Burns for Bairns".
  • Getting Started Playing Gigs: Thinking of starting to perform and play out in public? With over 30 years of experience herself, Kathy will help you sort through some performing basics as well as the business of music.
  • Developing Your Arrangements: Be prepared to play a piece and have your questions about your arrangement answered by Gráinne. Get suggestions on technique and arranging. Workshop limited to 5 people for evaluation and hands-on, but any number can sit in and listen and learn.
    Wind-down activities in the late afternoon:
  • Group Photo: we always do a group photo. Don your Harpers Escape t-shirt for this event!
  • When You Don't Have a Teacher: a casual open discussion held in one of the comfy lounges in the conference center where people share their ideas, suggestions and stories.
  • Collaborating & Group Dynamics another open directed-discussion group on how to musically colloborate with others. Working in a duo? Thinking about starting a band? Having problems in your current band?
  • Practice Time: lots of people asked for a "practice" session, a time when they could review the day's material on their own. Two teachers will "roam" the halls providing assistance where needed. The rooms in the conference center will all be in the same wing close to our workshop rooms and they're quite roomy and spacious for doing practice privately. Or you can find a space in any of the lounges or other workshop rooms. Last thing in the afternoon before the dinner brea,.

    Evening

  • After-Dinner Concert: All the teachers will do short sets in an informal concert.
  • CD Swap: A game using CDs donated by the participants.
  • Leftovers: We wrap up by finishing off the day's loose ends. We play the whole evening "by ear." Whatever needs doing gets done.
  • Playing with Others:
  • Tune Session: There's no curfew. The hardy can stay up and play tunes to their heart's content. We'll call this a "slow" jam session. What are the dynamics of interacting with other musicians? Play if you know it. Watch. Listen. Learn.
  • Song swap & sing-along: You can play. You can sing. You can do both. Share songs with choruses everyone can join in.

    • Sunday

  • The Use It or Lose It Sessions: Our Sunday morning session is a refresh of the pieces "learned" on Saturday. You'd be surprised how much sank in while you slept. It's an intense practice session, with the goal of cementing everything "in your head and hands".
  • Lunch & Checkout
  • Public Concert: We didn't do a public concert last year and everybody missed it so this year we will be doing an hour-long concert at the Princeton Public Library at 2pm. Each group will perform their piece and the teachers will perform as well as various group pieces we put together over the weekend.
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