ONLINE HARP SCHOOL

START HARP and The Flourishing Harpist are now available to begin immediately, so you can start your 12-week musical journey whenever you’re ready.  Take the START HARP quiz >>HERE<< to discover the level that’s right for you!

More advanced? Take a look at the Harpists Compass and Coach and Connect options to join the harp school that way! 

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, your 12-week course unlocks instantly with weekly lessons — and you’re invited to triple the usual number of live sessions, giving you 36 opportunities to join us live across the year.

To hear Deborah Henson-Conant interview Shelley about the courses and 3 START HARP LEVELS view FREE webinar replay >>HERE<<.

START HARP – Online Harp Lessons

Learn to play the harp in the comfort of your own home, whatever time of the day or night suits you, without the isolation and frustration of self-study

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, your 12-week course unlocks instantly with weekly lessons — and you’re invited to triple the usual number of live sessions, giving you 36 chances to join us live across the year.

START HARP is an established online harp course for beginner harpists, created by passionate and dedicated harpist Shelley Fairplay. It consists of three separate levels (1, 2 and 3), each delivered over a 12-week period.

Not sure which level to take? Click the link below!

Take the START HARP Quiz

START HARP LEVELS

LEVEL 1 is designed for complete beginners, LEVEL 2 for harpists with some basic technique and skills, and LEVEL 3for advanced beginners and early intermediate harpists who have built a solid foundation and are ready to develop their technique, musicianship and confidence even further.

Each course follows a carefully structured 12-week learning pathway, consisting of 10 weekly teaching modules, a mid-course catch-up week and a final review week. The materials can be accessed online at whatever time best suits your lifestyle, allowing you to work through the course at your own pace.

Throughout the course you’ll enjoy video lessons, downloadable resources and play-along practice tracks, together with six optional homework tasks which can be submitted whenever you’re ready to receive personalised feedback from Shelley.

Following enrolment, you’ll be welcomed into your online classroom and private Facebook community, where START HARP students can share ideas, support one another through challenges and celebrate successes together.

As part of our 10th Anniversary celebrations, you’ll also be invited to join our weekly live support sessions throughout the year, giving you even more opportunities to ask questions, deepen your understanding and become part of the wider Fairplay Harp School community.

START HARP Level 1

The LEVEL 1 course works on the foundations and building blocks required to help you take the first steps towards becoming a proficient harpist.

The course presumes no prior knowledge of the harp or music and is based in C major.

During the course you will study from the very beginning basics in harp technique, music theory and musicianship from the comfort of your own home, on a lever, lap or pedal harp. These classes will enable you to access beginner level harp tuition at a time and pace to suit you.

We will work on the foundations of harp playing to enable you to move forwards and enjoy playing this incredible instrument. You will very quickly find you have a basic working knowledge of how to play by ear, from written music and how to improvise!

Read more about START HARP 1 >>HERE<<

 

SIGN UP FOR LEVEL 1

START HARP Level 2

In LEVEL 2 we begin to learn how to put your foundation harpist skills into play; working on fluidity, confidence and really owning your abilities.

Each week you will be introduced to a new repertoire piece and given activities including warm up ideas relating to the piece, exercises to help you master tricky sections and ways to extend and add to the piece to “make it your own”.

The course is based solely in C major. The elements focused on in LEVEL 1; technique, learning by ear, improvisation and reading from the music will all be developed further in this course. We also cover the “modes” and the theory of basic chords and inversions.

If you follow all the lessons, by the end of the course you will have 10 pieces you can enjoy playing and even perform if you would like to!

Read more about START HARP 2 >>HERE<<

SIGN UP FOR LEVEL 2

START HARP Level 3

LEVEL 3 consists of videos and written materials designed to help you work on theory, technique, new repertoire, improvisation and playing by ear.

This course has a focus on learning to play in different keys (up to 3 ♭’s and 3 ♯’s) and how to modulate, change key and use levers/pedals. We also look at:

Techniques “Moving on”: Harmonics, different ways of damping, 4th finger slides, thumb slides, mid piece lever/pedal changes and trills.

Think Theory videos:
 Reading and writing pedal chart, the circle of 5ths, modulating to join pieces together, learning new key signatures, learning about relative major/minors.

‘Spotlight On’ lessons: Practice techniques, avoiding aches and pains, extending repertoire quickly, preparing to perform and learning to teach yourself.

Read more about START HARP 3 >>HERE<<

SIGN UP FOR LEVEL 3

 

Download START HARP Course Descriptions

Imagine

…being able to access tuition at any time of the day or night to suit you.
…being supported by an online community of like-minded course mates.
…being able to repeat lessons as many times as you need at your own pace.
…being able to learn to play the harp in the comfort of your own home.
…sitting down at your harp, playing your favourite tune and someone telling you it’s beautiful.
…joining a course where you can sound wonderful from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Students Say About START HARP

Sign up for START HARP Today

You can sign up for START HARP by purchasing level 1, 2 or 3 in the START HARP shop. If you are not sure which level is right for you, please take the START HARP Quiz and Shelley (the course’s teacher) will recommend a level for you.

Take the START HARP Quiz
Choose a Level in the START HARP Shop

Need more details?

If you want to read more about START HARP before deciding whether to sign up, please visit the detailed START HARP course description.

Free ‘Getting Started Playing the Harp’ Poster

Need some tips on getting started playing the harp? Download the “First Steps in Harp Technique” poster for free in the online shop.

 

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