Classical and Contemporary Styles

Contrary to popular beliefs, any style of music can be performed on the Harp. The teachers in our community are extremely versatile and can offer lessons in both classical and contemporary genres such as classical pieces, popular music from the top charts, Romantic ballads, Disney and Theatre songs. You can also play Blues, Jazz, Motown and Reggae songs on the harp

Alongside learning your favourite songs on the Harp, our teachers also can offer tuition for grade exams such as ABRS and Trinity College. Whether you are a parent looking for fun and inspiring tuition for your child, or looking to further your passion for the harp and get into college, University or pass grade examinations, our roster of teachers will be suited to whatever your goals and further your musical journey with a tailored, student focussed plan.

Reach the Next Level On the Harp

The Harp teachers we work with are often highly experienced performers and musicians, having developed their craft over many years. This ability to play well and think clearly under the pressure of performing in Orchestras, concerts or in the recording studio is vital to having a calm and collected teacher, who is focussed on your progress and draws from their own experience to ensure rapid progress. This an area that we can help you to improve on, rapid progress towards your goals as an active musician in your own right.

Composition and improvisation are also areas our teachers can focus on when helping to develop advanced Harpists. Harpists who can draw upon a wide range of stylistic techniques are able to use their knowledge to create music of their own, whether that be solo or as part of an ensemble. 

As mentioned above, we are able to help students who are interested in taking graded qualifications on the Harp. These grades use exams to progress through a variety of syllablus, depending on the students preferred exam board. These graded exams are certainly not compulsory, with a lot of students simply learning to play the Harp for their own pleasure or as a hobby.

Whatever your goals for learning to play the Harp, or the ability you are currently playing at, We are confident there are teachers in our music community who have the experience and confidence to help you reach that next level on the Harp.

Giving you the confidence to play your first notes, to learning your favourite songs, working on technical ability to perform at a high level, auditioning for a music college or even building a career in music. Your teacher will build a course of lessons tailored to you, based around your individual playing goals and current ability, to ensure engaging and fun lessons even from the comfort of your own home.

Are you a harp teacher?

If you are a Harp teacher with a passion for helping students to improve their playing ability and self-confidence, then I’d be delighted to talk to you about joining our teacher community.

It is a community of many experienced Harp teachers who pride themselves on offering the highest-quality of individual Harp lessons to their students in a variety of different genres. We explore and use the latest teaching techniques to help our students of all ages improve.

We know that every student is different and requires a unique and engaging approach to learning, to explore new concepts and develop their own pathways to success. If you would be interested in teaching more harp students and expanding your teaching business, please get in touch by filling out the teacher application form.

How Does The Harp Work?

The Harp is a stringed instrument, it actually contains 47 different strings all of different lengths! The shorter strings are higher pitched and the longer ones create lower notes. When you pluck a string, the vibrations resonate off of the soundboard and the soundwaves are amplified out of three little sound holes, so it works very much like an acoustic guitar. Some harps even include pedals, the player presses these pedals and changes the notes from natural, to sharps and flats.

Non-pedal harps include folk harps, Celtic harps and Irish harps. They come in many sizes from the lap harp (like the one pictured on Guinness beer!) to very large floor harps, which can stand even up to five feet tall. These harps use levers instead of pedals to allow you to get two notes from each string—flat/natural or sharp/natural. When the lever is engaged the string becomes higher in pitch.

Harp variations don’t stop there. Strings can be made of various materials too, such as nylon, bronze, and even hair! Celtic harp strings can be made from metal wire, gut, or nylon. Folk harps usually have gut or nylon strings. The Irish harp (the national instrument of Ireland) usually has brass or bronze strings. Harp strings are usually ordered in the same order as the white keys on the piano—C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C, with C strings coloured red, F strings coloured black or blue, and the rest white or neutral. These strings are tuned with pegs at the top of the Harp, again like a guitar.

Lever harps are great for beginner harps because they come in a variety of different sizes and prices, making them more affordable than the large pedal harps. But your choice could also depend on the type of music you would like to play. For example, Jazz music can be played on a pedal or cross-strung harp. New age, Celtic, folk, and early music, such as Medieval and Renaissance, can be played well on a Celtic harp. Most pop music can be played on any type, but for rock, blues or melodic metal music, you may want an electric harp.

As always, when buying instruments, be wary of pricing that’s too good to be true, as it usually is. Also, keep in mind that cost does not automatically mean a good quality instrument. If you are set on playing the pedal harp, you can always look into the option of renting one before committing to a full purchase.

Harp Classes

As well as searching through the teacher database you can also find one of our regional music hubs, where you will be able to find information about a professional harp teacher in your area.