START HARP IMMERSION – Simple Gifts and Amazing Grace

Description

A START HARP IMMERSION

In this START HARP IMMERSION we will focus on two pieces, one is my new harp arrangement of ‘Simple Gifts’, a beautiful tune I have so enjoyed playing within orchestra as part of Copland’s ‘Appalachian Spring’ (YouTube orchestral version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI6RYZygevA). The second piece we will be looking at is Amazing Grace, which I am going to use to teach you ways we can create variations and countermelodies to pieces, I will also share one of my own for this well know hymn.

In this short course we work on:

• A warm up designed to get our fingers moving and give examples on how we can embellish simple exercises to make them sound extra beautiful!
• Look at exercises related to the main piece (Simple Gifts) to focus in on tricky sections (Everyday Exercises).
• Learn the tune from sheet music ‘Simple Gifts’
• Look at extension and simplification ideas for ‘Simple Gifts’
• Spotlight on simple ways you can create a countermelody or variation of your own.
• Work on a countermelody for Amazing Grace, I will also share with you one of mine.

Simple Gifts Words:

’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
’Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
’Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come ’round right.

Online short Course

The course will initially be delivered live on Sunday 29th March 2020 over a 2 hour time slot 3PM-5PM BST. The session will include a short break for fingers and brains around half-way through! After the live event you will receive a link to the Ruzuku online classroom 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 via the online classroom afterwards.

In addition working on the two focus pieces, my main aim is to cover ideas that will be useful in your future learning, so you can create your own simple variations and countermelodies for any piece you like.

This course is similar to one week of the START HARP 12 week intensive online courses for beginner to upper intermediate harpists (Level 1, 2 and 3). Full details on www.StartHarp.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 beginner to early intermediate level harpists. 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 ready 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. It is rather like one week of a START HARP 12 week course!

When you sign up you will automatically receive a confirmation on email and then within 48 hours you will be sent a link to the online classroom. If you are signing up before the live session you will receive the meeting link by 1pm BST on Sunday 29th March 2020. 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.

So jut to remind you, in this short course we work on:

• In this short course we work on:
  • A warm up designed to get our fingers moving and give examples on how we can embellish simple exercises to make them sound extra beautiful!
  • Look at exercises related to the main piece (Simple Gifts) to focus in on tricky sections (Everyday Exercises).
  • Learn the tune from sheet music ‘Simple Gifts’
  • Look at extension and simplification ideas for ‘Simple Gifts’
  • Spotlight on simple ways you can create a countermelody or variation of your own.
  • Work on a countermelody for Amazing Grace, I will also share with you one of mine.

Full price START HARP IMMERSION is £35. If you sign up before the day the live class goes out there is a £10 discount available, I have kept this really simple and put a timed discount on the shop page, so just check out before midnight BST Saturday 28th March.

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…