Apologies for the lack of posts these last few months, real life got in the way. More news and links to come, but in the meantime, here are three featured Canadian harpists in the news and in concert:
Harpist revives old ways in the new world from Annapolis County shop (article on luthier Timothy Habinski)
I feel like I should have heard of this group before now. Such a great idea! I wish I was in a populated enough area to start something like this. The mission of the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble is “to deliver quality musical instruction on the harp, develop music reading skills and musicianship to at-risk, urban youth.” You can visit their official website at http://www.urbanharp.org/.
Here are some members of the group playing “What a Wonderful World” (the sound is a bit fuzzy but it’s still way cool):
From The Raw Story:
NEW YORK — Few instruments can be gentler than the harp, but authorities in New York’s Central Park have branded street musicians like harpist Meta Epstein a public disturbance and want them driven out.
A new campaign to enforce eight “quiet zones,” including in some of the city’s most hallowed spots for street performers, is turning virtuosos like Epstein into outlaws.
After years of being left in peace to perform her baroque repertoire on the beautiful, golden instrument, Epstein, 59, says she’s suddenly being treated as a menace.
Harp, flute and cello sighting! Not sure I could convince my trio to do something like this though (then again, I almost have enough antique tea cups to pull it off)…