Urban harp trekking

OldTrainBridgeFirst entry in the Urban Harp series. This one was taken during the infamous Harp Quest” of 2002. (Boy, does that old page look dated now!)

The goal of the Millennium Harp Quests (which took place around the world after the turn of the new century) was to expand awareness of the instrument, encourage people to play in public, and generally spread lots of warmth and good feelings (Peace on Earth through harping – not a bad sentiment).

As a reward for finishing my personal quest (which was to play at 25 bridges and locks throughout central Ontario) I received a lovely little 19-string hand-made collapsible (!) Paraguayan-style harp. It has had a place of honour on top of my piano ever since, and still gets played regularly. It was even used to compose several tunes for small harp for my book, “A la Mode”.

You can click on the picture for a bigger version of the image.

Updated to add: Here’s the website of the guy who started it all: http://harpingforharmony.org/

March 14 Celtic Concert in Peterborough

Sat. March 14, 2009 – St. Pat’s Fancy
A celebration of Traditional Irish Music to Support Market Hall

Cairdeas: Featuring Steafan Hannigan and Saskia Tomkins.
With: Carried Away, Glen Caradus, Tanah Haney (Celtic Harp), and the Convivio Chorus.

Market Hall Performing Arts (on George St. in Peterborough, ON).
8pm, doors open 7:30pm.
Tickets: $15.00, available at Showplace.
Phone: 705-742-7469
www.markethall.org

Concert to be followed by a traditional Irish session.

Heartland Harps & Ann Haymann’s “Planxty Cruit”

No, this isn’t an endorsement of Heartland Harps (although I would love to have one of my own, if space and finances weren’t so tight). It is, however, a lovely rendition of Planxty Cruit on wire harp performed by Ann Haymann. And they are very pretty harps. Maybe it will inspire you to come up with some Celtic decorations of your own!