Shelley Fairplay is a soloist, arranger, coach, ensemble leader and creator of the online “Start Harp” harp school. Her over 20 year teaching experinace is far reaching, ranging from one-to-one lessons from beginner to university level, ensemble teaching regularly and as a guest tutor for groups and harp festivals, whole class music teaching both general school workshops and also specifally harp and of course online with START HARP.
She is one of the very few harpists in the world to hold all the following music and teaching qualifications:
- Masters in musc from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (MMus)
- Degree in Music from Cardiff University (BMus)
- Fully qualified school teacher (PGCE)
- Teaching diploma from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
- Grade 8 with Distinction on the harp
Her concert presentations include “Harp Revelry’, “The Three Strands; Passion, Sorrow and Joy” and “HarpOsphere”. Shelley performs throughout the UK and internationally her harp has taken her as far as America and Hong Kong. Shelley is deeply passionate about engaging more people in harp playing and listening to harp music, both through community engagement harp workshops, and through approachable performances. This desire has inspired her to create regular family centred harp events including the annual family harp weekend at the National Botanic Garden of Wales where she is the resident harpist. The passion to engage people with the incredible instrument that is the harp and to enable more people to learn the harp lead to the creation of START HARP, and the courses now help harp students all over the world to begin and progress their harp journey in a joyful and supportive setting.
“So often when out performing I would meet someone who would tell me they had always wanted to learn the harp ‘but…the instrument was too expensive, they couldn’t find a teacher, they had an irregular work schedule, they wanted to play ‘different’ music, they were too old, they found learning and instrument a lonely goaless expreriance…’. I set out to create course that could blow ALL these excuses away and START HARP was born! I am now endelssly in awe and delighted by the achievemnts of people all over the world achiving their hopes and dreams on the harp!” Shelley Fairplay, April 2019.
In addition to teaching harp here in START HARP, Shelley is a performer in concerts, a wedding harpist and ensemble leader. For details on weddings, events, ensemble teaching and Shelley’s main online shop for sheet music and other harp related offerings, visit https://harpwales.com
