Description

The Brain to Finger Strengthening Challenge!

Games, tips and workouts to improve your brain to finger connection when playing.

Ever find your brain is telling your fingers what to do but they are having none of it? You know exactly what needs to happen, yet perhaps a different finger plays, or a finger slips, or lands on the neighbouring string, goes in too slowly and makes a buzz, two fingers land on one string, or even nothing happens at all?! YOU ARE NOT ALONE! These are common harp student challenges!

In this IMMERSION I aim to give you some games, tips and workouts as strategies to help us get our fingers and brain to connect up as fast as possible, so we can achieve that flow, agility, speed and beautiful sound (or whatever else you are currently seeking that needs your fingers to behave) at your harp!

As well as tips, ideas and strategies (including two sets of exercises) you can look forward to a more lighthearted approach with 3 harp games; Air Harp to Freedom, Pin the Tail on the Donkey – Harp Style and Spin the Tuning Key (4 editions available; rhythm, placing, notes and keys). I have so enjoyed thinking up these harp practice games for you, I am smiling as I write this and I cannot wait to hear how you get on with them all!

What will the course include?

• Welcome and overview
• Top tips to improve agility, speed and flow
• Game 1: Air Harp to Freedom!
• Game 2: Pin the Tail on the Donkey – Harp Style!
• Game 3: Spin the Tuning Key! 4 Editions to work with, you can play any that suit your current needs; rhythm, placing, notes and keys.
• A brief look at how to use ‘Hands Together Coordination Exercises’ as a workout
• A brief look at how to use ‘Improving Speed and Dexterity – A Work in Progress‘ as a workout
• Groove your way into the flow! Ideas on how you can improvise using a snippet from any piece to strengthen brain to finger connection!
• Thank you and goodbye 

Online short Course

The September 2022 IMMERSION will be delivered slightly differently than usual. As you will be aware our country is currently going through some exceptional times following the passing of our Queen. I am honoured to have been asked to play at a Service for the late Queen at Margam Abbey.

This unfortunately clashes with our usual IMMERSION slot. I’m sure you will understand that I felt this was a playing engagement that I couldn’t decline and is my way of acknowledging the outstanding service of queen. Please accept my apologies for the disruption and at such short notice – the engagement was only arranged on Friday 16th September. I am proposing to reschedule our sessions as follows:

So that I can provide you with the course on the date/time as originally promised, it will initially be delivered as a pre-recorded YouTube Premier on Sunday 18th September 2022 over a 2 hour time slot 3.00PM-5.00PM GMT+1(BST). The session will include a built in short break for fingers and brains around half-way through! There will be an option to live chat with your fellow classmates if you log into YouTube.

I will then deliver the course LIVE on Wednesday 21st September 2022 7.00PM-9PM GMT+1/BST. After the live event you will receive a link to the recorded materials which will include approximately 90 minutes of video training, along with some explanatory text and sheet music downloads for you to print out and keep. You will be able to access for 12 months after the IMMERSION. It is fun to attend live but do not worry if you cannot make it, you will be able to access all the materials afterwards.

My main aim is to cover ideas that will be useful in your future learning, so you can continue to work on improving all the time.

This course is similar to one week of the START HARP  or Flourishing Harpist 12 week intensive online courses for beginner to upper intermediate harpists. Full details on www.FairplayHarpSchool.com

“Great immersion! As usual, Shelley went above and beyond.” Rebecca Blakeney referring to last IMMERSION (START HARP Level 1, 2 and 3 graduate!)

Following the same ethos and delivery style as the main 3 START HARP 12 week courses, we look at playing from sheet music, improvising and playing by ear all with an underlying focus on a good strong playing technique.

This course is aimed at advanced beginner to advanced intermediate level harpists. To be honest as long as you can read treble and bass clef at least a little bit and can play with all four fingers (and turn) you will be able to take this course. Simplification and extension ideas are offered as we go along so lots to keep everyone busy!

You will have 12 months access to these videos and materials.

When you sign up you will automatically receive a confirmation on email from this website. If you are signing up before the live session you will receive the meeting link and sheet music by 1pm BST on Sunday 18th September 2022. If you do not receive any details when excepted please check your spam/junk file and if it is not hiding there email me on info@harpwales.com.

If you prefer you can subscribe to my Patreon account (Tier 4) where you pay a monthly fee to access the monthly IMMERSIONS along with various other benefits including monthly live Q & A sessions. Full details here: https://www.patreon.com/ShelleyFairplay

Comments from students who have attended previous IMMERSION

• Insider info…don’t miss it but prepare yourself to be bombarded with info in the nicest possible way???
• Don’t miss it! And don’t be surprised if you feel overwhelmed if you do it live. Shelley basically fits a full week of Start Harp into 2 hours, so it’s a lot to take in live — but then you can go back and work with the videos as you’re already used to doing in Start Harp. Or you can miss the live bit and just do the videos afterward. I did my best learning of Spiraling Shoots after the fact, when my brain was quiet and I could hear myself think and appreciate what I was playing.
• I couldn’t join live so learnt it from the recordings, which are great.
• I was glad to be on the live presentation, although it was early in the morning. However, due to more pressing priorities, I tabled my practice efforts for a future time—hopefully, in September. That is a benefit of the Immersion structure. Sign up for the class and add to your repertoire when you are ready.
• I also saw it in the replay. It’s great to be able to go over everything slowly…