Creative Harping

The Aeolian Mode touches and enters into the inner depths of our Soul. It is often referred to the relative minor of a major key of music. In this lesson you will have the choice of three songs to focus on. In the Int’l Harp Therapy Program (IHTP), students are required to memorize one of the songs and then follow it by an improvisation in the same tempo and time signature.
They are to utilize at least three variations of the left hand improvization patterns so that the music does not sound repetitiously ‘boring’ but lends itself to creative flow. If you are preparing for study in the IHTP, you will want to focus on memorizing one of the songs followed by the short improvisation (not to exceed 4 minutes in length). When you enrol in the program, you can then send on these recordings to your mentor and be far ahead of your schedule on music development.

To create this sound, it is a matter of setting the levers ahead of time and taking your improvisational skills and the 3-chord structures that you learned in the Ionian Mode and applying them to your new tuning with the levers set in a new configuration.
Two children ages 8 and 10 from the Middle East came to the Hospice as their mother was transitioning. After we met in the foyer and they learned how to improvise on this tuning, they were able to go back to the room and play for their mother. Lovingly she acknowledged them, smiled and finally closed her eyes. I am sure they will always remember that moment of playing the harp for her. They all seemed to know exactly what the song was.

from years, to seasons, to hours of the day, affecting the rhythms of the body and psyche. When we are out of balance and have too much of one element overpowering the others, we can balance ourselves with foods, aromas, colors, and sounds. This lesson gives a basic overview of the qualities and what kind of music works best when you need to calm a child or lift someone out of depression. Music helps when helping to ease rigidity in a person’s life or conversely if they are non-directed to give them some structural guidance. It is a fascinating study. In our therapeutic music study, we learn what kind of music to play not only when working with special needs or people with Alzheimer’s, but how to aid and assist through gentle sound while the elements dissolve at the end of life.

… of how to best use the range of the harp now into modulations that have a rich history. In ancient days, the learned harpers of Ireland were required to have three strains of music at their fingertips – that of Suantraighe, Goltraighe and Geantraighe. Simply interpreted, that of relaxing a person, going into the depth of the soul, and creating enlightenment or to set the foot a tapping.

It has been specially created to cater both for the ‘beginner’ harpist as well as experienced players who wish to get away from just reading the dots and want to learn the art of improvisation, creating spontaneous music that flows effortlessly from one feeling to another.
“Would you love to know how to play for hours on end, on your own or with other musicians, without needing any music
– effortlessly drawing upon tunes and chord-cycles and improvising on them whilst moving through a rich variety of moods and flavors of music? So many people who have gone through the Creative Harping Program from start to finish now have this ability to enrich their own lives as well as those of family, friends and audiences.”
Each video-lesson is enhanced with beautiful scenery depicting the mood of the music, and each Course will introduce you to new songs to add to an ever-expanding repertoire for you to use as a springboard from which to jump into your own improvisations and creativity.

The Creative Harping Series provides the basis for music development for students of the IHTP International Harp Therapy Program and is particularly suitable for harp players who have an interest in communicating through music in a healing environment.