Harp FAQ's

Here are some frequently asked questions about hiring a harpist for your event. There are also other general questions about the harp listed at the bottom.

Frequently Asked Questions about hiring a harpist for an event:

Does the harp require amplification? The full sized harp is much louder than most people expect because of its extended sound board. The harp is usually not amplified during performances with a full orchestra and it is rarely necessary to amplify the harp during a wedding or dinner party.

Do you attend the dress rehearsal for a wedding? I do not generally attend the dress rehearsal. I will meet with you before the wedding to choose all of the music and discuss the details of your ceremony. I will also arrive early on the day of the wedding to discuss final details and cues with your wedding director.

Can I have harp at my outdoor wedding or event? The harp is fine outside as long as the weather is nice. Because the harp is made of wood, it can't be exposed to extreme temperatures, direct sunlight, or precipitation. The rule of thumb that I like to use is this: if the conditions outside will be too difficult for an elderly relative then it will be too much for a harp and shade may be required. It is also very important that you have a plan in case it should rain since the harp will have to be covered or moved inside.

What will a harpist need when she arrives at my event? The harp will need to be placed on a solid surface. If your event is going to be out on the grass then the harp will either need to be placed on a nearby sidewalk or a platform will need to be arranged. I bring my own stand and bench.

Can you play Free Bird?! No. I can play many other popular tunes on the harp including Stairway to Heaven, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and From this Moment On. If you have a special request I am happy to try to arrange it for the harp. Some popular pieces sound great on the harp and others just don't sound like the original once they are transcribed for the harp. Please contact me for further information.

How far in advance should I book you? I begin booking weddings for the months of April-October about a year in advance. I also book very quickly for the month of December because of holiday parties and church events. It is best to book your event as far in advance as possible. You may also reserve a lower rate by booking before rates go up for the next year.

Questions about harp lessons:

What is the best age to learn the harp? In my opinion it is never too early or too late to begin harp lessons. The youngest age to start harp is around 7 or 8, but depending on the attention level of the child he/she may be able to start even younger. Also, harp is a great instrument for the adult beginner and unlike the violin or cello, the harp sounds great from the very first lesson. No one can make a harp sound bad, I promise!

I want to learn the harp but it's so expensive! What are my options?

I have a few harps that I rent to beginning students. This is a great way for students to try the harp out to see if they will enjoy it without making a huge initial investment. Once the student is ready to purchase a harp there are many affordable options such as rent to own programs available through http://www.vanderbiltmusic.com/ or used harps which are available through http://www.harpconnection.com/ or http://www.harpmall.com/

Do I have play another instrument first? No! The harp is a great first instrument. If you don't already read music it is no problem. You will learn to read bass and treble clef quickly and easily.

What is the duration of a lesson? Lessons are 1 hour long and preferably held once a week.

Where are lessons held? Lessons are held in my in home studio. If you are just starting out on a small harp you will bring your harp with you. If you have advanced to a larger harp you may have your lesson on my harp.

Other Questions about the harp:

How much does a harp cost? Harps range in price depending on the size, make, and model. There is a line of lap harps designed for beginners called "harpsicle harps". They are made by William Reese (http://www.harpsicleharps.com/). They come in fun colors and have a decent sound for small inexpensive harps. They start around $500. Pedal harps start around $10,000 and a quality new pedal harp will start around $20,000.

How many strings does a harp have? A small harp may have as few as 22 strings, but the full size pedal harp has 47 strings.

Why are the strings different colors? The red strings are C, the black strings are F. The colors serve as markers to the harpist sort of like frets on a guitar or the black keys on the piano.

How much does the harp weigh? The full sized harp weighs around 80 lbs.

How do you transport a pedal harp? The harp is moved on a cart just like a refrigerator! The seats in my Toyota Matrix fold down in the back and the harp lays on its side. I am able to move my harp by myself, but help is always appreciated especially when there are stairs involved!

What do the pedals do? There are 7 pedals on the harp, one for each note in the scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. There are 3 positions for each pedal: flat, natural, and sharp. When I move a pedal from the flat to natural position, the disc for that string tightens the string and raises the pitch by a half step.

Is harp like the guitar? Harp is actually most similar to the piano because the strings are arranged in a scale. Guitar completely eludes me!

My Journey on the Harp

Welcome to "Creative Harping"! I have designed this blog to discuss many topics of harp playing including technique, repertoire, and professional harp playing. I hope that this blog will be useful to harp students, harp teachers, and anyone interested in learning more about the harp.


I am a professional harpist and teacher in Charlotte, NC. I began playing the harp when I was 9. I had always been drawn to pictures and stories about angels and so naturally I was dieing to play the harp! After many years of asking my parents, they finally found a little lap harp made by a man from the Blue Ridge Mountains. This harp has 28 strings and sounds like a broken ukulele at best, but it was all I needed to realize that I was passionate about pursuing music. I soon began taking lessons from Elizabeth Dechent, former principal harpist for the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. Beth taught me using the Salzedo method of harp playing which gave me a wonderful foundation. After a few months on my 28 string twangy lap harp, it was clear to my parents that I needed a bigger harp because I was literally becoming obsessed with practicing.

I got my 36 string Cunningham lever harp about a year later and my parents were sure that this investment would last for quite a while. This harp had full levers which allowed me to play in 7 different keys instead of just 1 key at a time. The levers also allowed me to play music with moderate chromaticism. I made a lot of progress with this harp and at the age of 12 I began performing professionally for weddings and dinner parties.

When I was 13 my teacher moved to Richmond. This was a pivotal time for me because it was this change that made me realize how serious I had become about the harp. I knew that I wanted to pursue classical harp at the highest level possible and that I would need a concert grand pedal harp to progress any further. I also realized that I wanted to study harp with Jacqueline Bartlett at the North Carolina School of the Arts where I could envelop myself completely in music and creativity. My parents knew the importance of getting me a pedal harp, but a $14,000 or greater investment was completely out of their budget. I saved all of my money from playing for weddings and even gave my first recital to raise money towards my pedal harp. Even with all of my savings, I was still no where near the amount that I needed.

One day when I was in 8th grade I came home from school to find a strange note on the door from my grandmother who lived up the street. The note said that my mom was out of town on business and that she wanted to take me out to dinner at our favorite tea room. I thought nothing of the strange note and was excited to spend the evening with her. We went to dinner and stayed for a long while afterwards until the whole tea room was vacant. I was beginning to wonder why we were staying so late when suddenly I turned and saw someone wheeling in a large harp in a blue cover. "Oh look, someone is here to play the harp!" I said. I then realized that my mom and step dad were the ones behind the harp and that my dad and step mom were also there. They all looked at me with tears in their eyes and said, "you're here to play the harp". I will never forget how amazing it was to uncover my mahogany finish concert grand pedal harp for the first time. I will never forget that the first piece I ever played on this harp was the harp cadenza from the Nutcracker Ballet. I would remember this moment many years later when I had the opportunity to perform the cadenza during a performance of the ballet at Indiana University.

With my new pedal harp I became even more obsessed with practicing the harp and learning more advanced repertoire. In the fall of 1999 my mom and I moved to Winston-Salem, NC so that I could attend the North Carolina School of the Arts. This was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much about harp in those 4 years, but even more about what it means to be an artist. I am so indebted to my teacher Jacqueline Bartlett for her tremendous inspiration. I am also indebted to my mom who was willing to leave her hometown and move to NC to enable me to pursue my dream.

The next sequence of events are even more amazing to me as I recount them because they undoubtedly led me to where I am today. During my junior year of high school I got the opportunity to study with world renowned harpist and instructor, Alice Chalifoux who taught the Salzedo Harp Colony in Camden, Maine. Alice Chalifoux was 92 at that time and it turned out to be the last year that she would teach in Camden. I was placed with a host family near Ms. Chalifoux's house on the coast of Maine. I learned so much from Alice Chalifoux that summer and her incredible spirit was such an inspiration to me. I also became very close to my host family during my month at their home and stayed in touch with them even after I left.

At the end of high school I knew that I wanted nothing more than to continue studying the harp with renowned harpist Susann McDonald who taught at Indiana University in Bloomington. When I auditioned and was accepted into her studio I was elated but also disappointed that I would never be able to afford the out of state tuition. I felt confused that I had been so driven to pursue a dream that now seemed so completely out of financial reach. After applying for many scholarships and grants I was still at a loss for how I would ever pay for this degree and I felt that my dream was over. As a last result I contacted the family from Maine and told them my situation, hoping for some helpful financial advice. I never expected the extremely generous offer that they would pay for me to attend IU. To this day I feel tremendously blessed by these events that made this possible and I am so grateful to this generous family. I went on to study with Susann McDonald and learned about the French method of harp playing. I now incorporate aspects of both the French and the Salzedo methods into my own playing and teaching. I also learned so much about musicality and musical connection through my studies with Miss McDonald and I always strive to incorporate the same genuine and supportive approach to teaching that she always had with her students.

I am currently playing harp for weddings, dinner parties, and special events. I also play with various symphonies and choirs in the area. Performance is my first love and I always enjoy an opportunity to play in a recital or perform with other musicians. I am currently performing with my fiance, trumpeter Bryan Osborne as well as flutist Emily Higgins who both live in Charlotte. In addition to performance, some of my most rewarding experiences come from teaching harp students. I have students that range in age from young children to adults and finding ways to inspire and encourage them on their journey is my greatest satisfaction.


I welcome your comments and suggestions for future blog posts. For more information about harp lessons or having harp at your event please visit: www.ncharp.com

Thanks for reading!!