Historical Harp Society of Ireland

What questions do you have about our next semester of online courses?

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Course Spotlight: Renaissance harp: music of the 1500s from Germany and Italy

Course Duration: 6 Sessions

Level: Intermediate+ **All harp types are welcome**

Class Time: 5:30–6:45 pm Irish time

Tutors: Claire Piganiol, Heidrun Rosenzweig

Price: €99.00 (until October 5th, then €134)

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Description: Learn to play characteristic sixteenth-century German and Italian music in practical class sessions with a hands-on approach to understanding and performing Renaissance music on the harp. We will begin with an introduction to the Leipzig 191 manuscript, a newly attributed harp-music source from around 1540. Our class sessions will cover foundational concepts and fundamental techniques — solmisation and the hexachord system, historically appropriate cadences and patterns for embellishments, and the 'roles' for each hand — to develop your skills as you engage with and learn pieces from the Leipzig manuscript and other 16th-century sources. In the final two sessions we will explore explore the world of Italian Renaissance music through an instrumental piece from Intabolatura nova di balli, a keyboard book published in Venice in 1551. Working from the original tablature and transcriptions, you will learn techniques for adapting the piece to your own harp and playing level, including selecting the best range, modifying the original accompaniment, and finding the best strategy for passages with accidentals. We will also delve into creating simple yet effective variations that are idiomatic for the harp. Mastering this skill was essential for any Renaissance musician and will prove valuable for playing other pieces from this repertoire.

All types of harps welcome!

The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Course Spotlight
https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Course Duration:6 Sessions

Level: Post-beginner+ **All types of harps welcome**

Class Time: 3:45–5:00 pm Irish time

Tutors: Dr. Tamzin Elliott, Mara Galassi, Bill Taylor

Description: For musical instruments, past and present, music written in tablature shows musicians where to place their fingers, rather than which notes to play. This course will introduce you to historical tablatures, opening up new sources of music for you to explore while enhancing your understanding and performance of repertory from Scottish, Spanish, and Welsh traditions. Begin with an introduction to lute tablature in Scotland through the Balcarres Lute Book, focusing on the piece 'Port Gordon'. In these sessions, you will learn to read and transcribe the tablature for this representative Scottish port — a style of piece associated with the Gaelic harping tradition. Next, enter the world of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Spain through Iberian harp tablature, which shows not only the strings to be played but also the fingerings and the division of the texture between the two hands. These sessions will teach you to read, transcribe, and perform music by Spanish composers Antonio de Cabezon and Don Diego Fernandez de Huete. Round out the course with an introduction to the late medieval Welsh harp tradition of cerdd dant, through the enigmatic and unique harp tablature preserved in the manuscript of Robert ap Huw. In these sessions, you will learn how to read and play from the tablature as you explore Gosteg yr Halen, a piece purported 'to have been played before the knights of King Arthur when the salt cellar was put on the table.'

All types of harps welcome!

The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp classes start in just two weeks.

Course Spotlight: 'The Ancient Irish Music': airs of the 18th-century Irish harpers'

Course Duration: 6 Sessions (only 99€ until October 5th)

Level: Post-beginner+ (All harps welcome)

Class Time: 2:00–3:15 pm Irish Time

Tutors: Dr Tamzin Elliott, Dr Karen Loomis, James Ruff

Description: In 1792, in the waning days of the Irish harping tradition, a young organist named Edward Bunting was enlisted to write down the music played at an historic gathering of Irish harpers in Belfast. Inspired by what he heard there, he made collecting the music of the Irish harpers his life's work. Bunting published three volumes of music, but he arranged it for piano, so it is not in its original form. Many of his hand-written field transcriptions — taken directly from the live playing of Irish harpers — survived, though, and were rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century.

In this course, explore and become familiar with Edward Bunting's rare 18th-century hand-written field transcriptions, and learn where to access them online. Then, learn to play three beautiful 18th-century Irish harp tunes that Bunting included in his first published collection, The Ancient Irish Music, working from settings based directly on his field transcriptions of the Irish harpers. In hands-on class sessions, you will be guided to learning historically appropriate playing techniques and ornamentation to help you bring your own performances of early Irish harp music to life.

All types of harps welcome!

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon

VIDEOS FOR HARP DAY ARE DUE TODAY

regardless of skill level please consider submitting something to Karen Loomis.

**Reminder that video submissions for the Harpers Call are due today**

From Karen:

2024 Harp Day HARPERS' CALL — HHSI compilation video
On 20 October 2024, Harp Ireland | Cruit Éireann will be presenting videos online of harp players from around the world as part of their Harp Day events.
We want to submit a compilation video to celebrate YOU, the community of people who play the early Irish / Gaelic harp, to highlight the work each of you has done this year to bring its music to life.
To do that we need your help, so tune up your harp and get your phone camera out...
]What do we want?
We would like to create a compilation of videos of YOU, our HHSI community, playing your harps, to celebrate your work and create greater awareness of our community and what we love to do.
But I’m not good enough!
Yes you are: ALL LEVELS of ability are welcome – from beginners to professionals. Your video can be very short or up to 2 minutes long; it’s entirely up to you.
OK, what do I do?
If you would like to be included in the HHSI compilation video:
1. take an up-to-2-minute video of yourself playing your harp
2. make sure you are filming in LANDSCAPE orientation
3. send your video by WeTransfer, Google Drive or DropBox, to [email protected] by Friday 27 September, 2024.
4. Tell us the name of the piece, and any other info. you care to, e.g. who arranged it? What kind of harp are you playing? Who made it?
I will edit the videos together and send the compilation to Harp Ireland | Cruit Éireann.

Don't let the best pricing on our autumn online courses fly away.

Enroll now for €99 and save 24% off the full price of €130. Offer ends 5 October, 2024

irishharp.org/acadamh

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Tutor Spotlight: Bill Taylor

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Bill is a returning tutor, having taught courses for at Scoil na gCláirseach and previous Acadamhs. This semester he will be co-teaching our Unlocking music of the past: an introduction to historical tablatures course.

Bill is a teacher-in-residence with Ardival Harps, Strathpeffer, in the Highlands of Scotland. For many years he has taught at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in the UK, and at the Amherst Early Music Festival in the US, and he is often invited to lead workshops, and to perform, in the British Isles, Europe and the United States. His teaching covers a wide range of subjects: arranging for small harps, using fingernail technique to play wire-strung harps, psalteries and bray harps, and exploring music from medieval, Renaissance and traditional sources. He continues to teach a series of courses on playing music in the historical Welsh harp manuscript of Robert ap Huw, and he is currently constructing a website to serve as a performing guide for playing that music’s tablature. He has made over thirty recordings as a soloist, and with several different ensembles.

Bill's website: www.billtaylor.eu

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Tutor Spotlight: Heidrun Rosenzweig

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Heidrun will be co-teaching our Renaissance harp: music of the 1500s from Germany and Italy course this autumn.

Heidrun Rosenzweig is a pioneer in the study and performance of Historical Harps from the Middle Ages to the Classical period. Having grown up in Germany without mobile phones, computers and virtual libraries, she studied music therapy and pedal harp in Vienna after her baccalaureate. Refining her studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis she discovered her love and vocation for Historical Harps and immersed herself in the different sounds and playing techniques of these specialized instruments, most of which were being rebuilt for her for the first time. For many years she performed with many different international music groups, domestic and abroad. Editor of the renowned book Historical Harps, she built up the Historical Harp class at the Schola Cantorum and in her more than 35 years of teaching experience at this institute she has had the great pleasure of being able to play an inspirational part in developing the potential of future generations of musicians.

We had a great HHSI Harpers' Gathering online on Sunday, with historical harpist Bill Taylor joining us for an interview. Bill talked about how he became a harpist, and gave us some insight on his recordings as well as his work with the music of the Robert ap Huw manuscript. He told us about the Gold Lyre of Ur, and what it was like to play a reconstruction of that ancient instrument, about his recent interest in exploring repertory on small instruments, his work with Ardival harps in Scotland, and much more!

Thank you Bill, for a delightful interview, and thanks to our host, Barbara Karlik, and to everyone who joined us!

As a tag to today's Harpers' Gathering we are premiering a past performance from Scoil na gCláirseach 2021 with Pádraig Keane (pipes) performing:
Bridget Cruise (‘3rd air’) / Planxsty George Brabazon
Larry Grogan’s / Jackson’s Morning Brush
Carolan’s Dowry

A celebration of Carolan's 350th Birthday — 2021 Festival concert excerpt — Pádraic Keane A celebration of Carolan's 350th BirthdayExcerpt of 2021 Scoil na gCláirseach–Festival of Early Irish Harp concertPádraig Keane performing:Bridget Cruise (‘3...

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Tutor Spotlight: James Ruff

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

James is a veteran tutor with us and a returning favorite of both Acadamh na gCláirseach and Scoil na gCláirseach. James will be co-teaching the 'The Ancient Irish Music': airs of the 18th-century Irish harpers course this semester.

James is an award-winning singer (Royal National Mòd, Scotland; National Gaelic Mòd, USA) and harpist, from the USA, who has been researching and performing early Gaelic repertory for nearly twenty years. A fluent Scottish-Gaelic speaker, James has studied early Gaelic song with noted singers, Kenna Campbell and Mary Ann Kennedy, among others, and harp with Ann Heymann and Siobhán Armstrong, among others. He currently enjoys presenting concerts of this music at festivals, and at music series, in the USA and Europe, and is a regular tutor at Scoil na gCláirseach. As a tenor, James has degrees in voice performance from the University of Southern California and Boston University, his professional work ranging from medieval liturgical drama to French baroque haute-contre repertoire, bel canto opera and more. He has served on the music faculties of Amherst College, Smith College, MIT, the University of Connecticut, and Longy School of Music. He has taught at Vassar College since 2009, and teaches voice and harp privately. His solo CD, The Gaels' Honour: Early Music for Harp and Voice from Gaelic Scotland and Ireland, was released in December 2018.

James' website: jamesrufftenorharper.com

James Ruff, Tenor and Early Gaelic Harp

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Tutor Spotlight: Dr. Tamzin Elliott

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Tamzin, an alumni tutor of both Acadamh na gCláirseach and Scoil na gCláirseach, returns to co-teach two courses this autumn semester:

'The Ancient Irish Music': airs of the 18th-century Irish harpers
Unlocking music of the past: an introduction to historical tablatures

Tamzin Elliott is a composer and harpist based in Los Angeles. Tamzin’s music stems from their love of immersive, world-building experiences and the process of learning music by rote, often incorporating elements of early European music and living folk music such as polyphony from the Republic of Georgia. As a harpist they specialize in historical performance practice, performing European Renaissance repertoire as well as 17th- to 18th-century Irish and Scottish repertory on the wire-strung cláirseach. The work, reconstructing this repertory from Ireland and Scotland, with the tutelage of harpist and scholar Siobhán Armstrong, has played a major role in the development of Tamzin’s current composition project, Meidelant: an opera on the Maidenhood of Morgan le Fay. Tamzin holds a doctorate in composition from the University of Southern California, studying under Ted Hearne, Don Crockett, and Sean Friar.

Tamzin's website: www.tamzinelliott.com

Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Tutor Spotlight: Claire Piganiol

https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Claire will be co-teaching our Renaissance harp: music of the 1500s from Germany and Italy course this autumn.

Claire Piganiol teaches medieval and Renaissance harps at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (CH) as well as in music courses such as the Settimana Musicale del Trecento in Arezzo (It) and Medieval Music Besalú (Es). She plays repertoires from the Middle Ages to contemporary works on historical instruments. In the field of medieval and Renaissance music, she regularly performs with ensembles such as Le Miroir de Musique, Gilles Binchois, Tetraktys or Per Sonat.

Claire's website: www.clairepiganiol.net/en

https://irishharp.org/acadamh
Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Tutor Spotlight: Mara Galassi

Mara Galassi graduated from the Civica Scuola di Musica di Milano with Luciana Chierici and the Pesaro Conservatory of Music, studied performance practice with David Collyer, Patrick O’Brien and musicology with Michael Morrow.
Former principal harpist for the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Italy, she develops her activities as historical harps soloist and as a member of the most famous early music Ensembles in Europe and teaches historical harps in Milano at the Civica Scuola di Musica “Claudio Abbado” and at the ESMUC in Barcelona.
She founded and currently directs the Ensemble de Harpes Sébastien Erard.
Recordings: Il viaggio di Lucrezia (rewarded with Choc de la music and Cannes Award), Les Harpes du Ciel with Gabriella Bosio, The Microcosm Concerto, (Handel compositions for Welsh triple harp and Erard harp), Portrait of a Lady with Harp (Music at the Court of Christine of Sweden), Davidsharfen with Flora Papadopoulos (harp duets at the time of Bach), Il Finto Pariggino (voice, mandolin and harp), Mozart Flute and harp Concerto (Freiburger Barockorchester).
Musical and acting performances:
Sidereus nuncius: Galileo e la Luna.
Alltiddensamme: A Portrait of Christine of Sweden
Art film:
“Voluptas Dolendi I gesti del Caravaggio” (ArtFILM, Fondazione Marco Fodella, 2010).

Website:
maragalassi.org

Autumn Acadamh na gCláirseach--Academy of Early Irish Harp Tutor Spotlight - Dr. Karen Loomis

Based in the USA, Karen Loomis conducts construction and craftsmanship analysis of early Irish harps, uncovering the wealth of information these instruments hold in order to help musical instrument makers, musicians, and museums. She has led groundbreaking work studying the harps of Ireland and Scotland, and recently led a project for The Historical Harp Society of Ireland to undertake analysis of the eighteenth-century Hollybrook harp at the National Museum of Ireland. Karen’s expertise is in non-invasive techniques, utilising extensive experience in scientific imaging, and an interdisciplinary background in STEM and music. She studied at the University of Edinburgh, earning a MMus in musical instrument research followed by a PhD in music (organology). She also has a BS in physics from the University of Connecticut, and an MA in astronomy from Wesleyan University.

Website
www.karenloomis.com

More info and to signup https://irishharp.org/acadamh

Come find out more about Ireland's national instrument and symbol and even give it a try.

As part of Culture night HHSI will be hosting two discovery day events at the National Museum of Ireland next Friday (20-Sept) at 2:30 PM and 6:30 PM.

Visit https://irishharp.org/discovery-days for more information and to sign up.

National Museum of Ireland, Dublin

Join the Historical Harp Society of Ireland at the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St, Dublin on Culture Night, where we will celebrate Ireland’s illustrious, ancient (wire-strung) harp.

LISTEN to this rare instrument being played in concert
LEARN all about its fascinating history in an illustrated talk
HAVE A GO yourself in a hands-on workshop (limited places)

FREE ADMISSION

Level: No harp experience required

Location: National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St, Dublin 2, D02 YK38

Contact: To reserve a place in the HAVE A GO workshop, please contact [email protected]

Harps copied from medieval to 18th-century originals will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

It’s here, the announcement everyone has been waiting for…

Online courses for Autumn | Saturdays, starting 12 October, 2024

Information and Enrollment | https://irishharp.org/acadamh

'The Ancient Irish Music': airs of the 18th-century Irish harpers

• Explore rare 18th-century hand-written transcriptions of the music of the Irish harpers, and learn to play three beautiful Irish harp tunes

• course tutors: James Ruff, Dr Tamzin Elliott, Dr Karen Loomis

Unlocking music of the past: an introduction to historical tablatures

• Discover historical tablatures, and open up new sources of music for you to explore from early Scottish, Spanish, and Welsh traditions

• course tutors: Dr Tamzin Elliott, Mara Galassi, Bill Taylor

Renaissance harp: music of the 1500s from Germany and Italy

• Learn to perform 16th-century German and Italian music in practical class sessions with a hands-on approach to understanding and performing Renaissance music on the harp

• course tutors: Heidrun Rosenzweig, Claire Piganiol

Lots to do with HHSI this fall/Autumn. Guest interviews, Harpers Gatherings, online courses, Discovery Day and likely more to come.

Irishharp.org

This Saturday in Dublin.

🎶Try your hand at the early Irish harp with Eibhlís Ní Ríordáin 🎶

Would you like to learn more about, get your hands on a copy of an ancient Irish harp – and be taught a tune? Hear this rare instrument played, have your questions answered, and try out a historic harp in this informal, hands-on beginners’ workshop. Harps copied from medieval to 18th-century originals will be available to try!

In collaboration with the Historical Harp Society of Ireland

Buíochas le



Sat 14th Sept
11 - 1pm

Tickets available here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/harps-alive-try-your-hand-at-the-early-irish-harp-tickets-990279601947?aff=ebdsshother&utm_share_source=listing_android

If you were a harp, which would you be?

Join the Historical Harp Society of Ireland at the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology where we will celebrate Ireland’s illustrious, ancient (wire-strung) harp. During this discovery workshop, hear pieces played by musicians, learn all about the history of the ancient Irish harp, and then have a go at playing it yourself. No harp experience is required for this workshop.

2:30 p.m. LISTEN to this rare instrument being played in concert
3:00 p.m. LEARN all about its fascinating history in an illustrated talk
3:30 p.m. HAVE A GO yourself in a hands-on workshop (limited places)

and

6:00 p.m. LISTEN to this rare instrument being played in concert
6:30 p.m. LEARN all about its fascinating history in an illustrated talk
7:00 p.m. HAVE A GO yourself in a hands-on workshop (limited places)

Booking required. Please visit https://irishharp.org/discovery-days for more information and to sign up.

Located in the Ceramics Room, first floor. This event is not wheelchair accessible.