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Join us for a great time of fellowship and learning in the heart of Wisconsin with over 30 workshops for harpers of all levels of ability. Our headline presenters include Robbin Gordon Cartier, nationally recognized teacher and popular conference leader from the state of New Jersey; Sunita Staneslow, an international performing artist who specializes in Celtic Music and Jewish music; and Serena O’Meara, harpist, teacher, recording artist, and music publisher from Eau Claire; Sara Walthery, CMP; and Melanie Wiltse, teacher and harpmaker. Concerts, workshops and circles will be held on the campus of Ben Franklin Junior High School, Stevens Point in the Fine Arts wing. This harp friendly facility hosts all events on the first floor with unlimited free parking and easy access. Hotels are available within blocks of the campus. The new location of Harpsong Studio, your source for harp music shopping, is directly across the street. Nearest airport is Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA), 25 minutes Stevens Point. If you fly in and don’t want to rent a car…e-mail me about transportation from the airport. There are a few harps available for use by long-distance folks who can’t bring their instrument. We will have a room (harp jail) for locking up instruments overnight. There will be meals, snacks and beverages provided on-site.
New This Year Our fee INCLUDES all meals. Last year, our first to provide all meals, we had a donation for meal expenses as we weren’t sure what was reasonable to charge or what our expenses would be. This year we can anticipate our expenses better in both the facility, food and faculty expense categories and the fee structure reflects that. I believe you will still find this conference to be an excellent value. Rooms are available within walking distance for $35.00 per night single, $50.00 double. We will limit conference enrollment to 60 harpers to maintain the quality of our conference in terms of workshop size and suitability to the location. You may e-mail to put your name on the reservation list. Our workshop choices will include some of the favorites from last year and new topics. We will have a beginner selection in every time-slot, and at least one session for harp teachers. New to our faculty this year is Delanie Fedson. Read her biography further down this page. Among her workshop offerings will be beginner workshops and workshops for teachers. Sara Walthery also joins us as a new faculty member. Sunita Staneslow will be with us for the entire conference and will offer workshops with application to therapeutic musicians along with other topics she enjoys teaching. We are going to add a workshop slot in place of the student recital on Saturday. Participants will have an opportunity to perform during meals in the dining room as background music and there will be a sign-up sheet for time-slots. You may perform a single selection or an entire set if time permits.
Special Workshops for teachers on Saturday July 26th! To provide the best experience for all….registrations will be limited to 60 participants.
Conference Fees Full Conference………..$250.00 (Includes ALL Meals) Includes Thursday Intensive Workshops, Thursday Concert, all Friday and Saturday workshops, Harp Circles. Harp Companion (non-harpist)………..$60.00 (includes meals, concert) Thursday only……$75.00 ( 3 workshops,dinner, concert) Friday only…….$110.00 (4 workshops, 3 meals, circles, reception) Saturday only….. $90.00 (4 workshops, 2 meals) Harp Rental $10.00 per day or $25.00 for entire conference. Limited number available. Friday Evening Harp Circle $5.00 (Free for conference attendees) There are no provisions for childcare available for children. Children under 12 must have an adult chaperone. Private Harp Lessons available from Faculty Members for an additional fee of $40.00 for a 45 minute lesson. E-Mail for available times and to sign up.
Thursday, July 24th Workshops 1:30
Skill Building for new Harpers I: Harp care and tuning, posture, hand position, placing, goals for new harpists, the teacher/student relationship, study materials. Beginner Only. Delaine Fedson Harp Aerobics - Focusing on warm-up exercises and building agility in your fingers, hands, Cartier's Renaissance Spa - Are you long overdue for a makeover or want to avoid getting stuck. Finding yourself in a muscial rut? Let's explore ways to broaden your repertoire and spruce up what you already play! All. Robbin Cartier *A Beautiful Tone- How to get the best sound from your harp. Work with your tone to enhance your dynamics, color and overall musicality----without getting tense! 3:00 Sounds of the Harp An overview of harp notation, effects and techniques as used by modern harp composers such as Andres, Salzedo and Ortiz. Robbin Cartier Skill Building for new Harpers II: Placing, Counting, Reading, Listening, Musicality. Overcoming obstacles, Practice techniques for success. Delaine Fedson Master Class Sunita Staneslow *In the Mode: A workshop with a simple explanation of the Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian Modes, and some examples and applications of modal tunes. Sara Walthery 4:15 The Art of the Arpeggio: By using the colors of the strings and the entire range of the harp you can sound impressive after only a few months on the harp. We will learn to see patterns for chords so it doesn’t matter which hand you play them with and we will mix up the order of the notes so that it is easier to play musically. Be prepared to look at the harp in a new way. No need to read notes or know theory. (Well, for this workshop.) (Beginners or anyone who feels they are stuck in a rut with playing the same style of arpeggios.) Harps needed, this is hands on! Beginners. Sunita Staneslow Pop/ Modern/ Jazz/ Master Class: Robbin Cartier Paperless Harp Circles Paperless ideas for harp circles – Have you ever gotten together with other harpers/harpists just for fun? Sometimes a group of a dozen harps can sound awesome – and sometimes it’s just work. If you just want to have a little fun together, here are some ideas and applications. (We’ll try a few.) Sara Walthery Bookstore Read-thru: Serena O’Meara will be at the bookstore to read through new (and old) publications at your request. Hear before you buy! Beginner’s Master Class: Delaine Fedson
7:00 PM Opening Faculty Concert Orchestra Room Our kick-off concert featuring our faculty. Tickets available at the door: $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for students. Free for paid conference attendees. Reception to Follow
Friday July 25th Workshop Day 8:30 Building Opens/Breakfast 9:00-10:30 Playing Bernard Andres - One of the most notable contemporary composers for the harp, Bernard Andres writes prolifically in a variety of styles for harpists of all skill levels. Listen to samples of Andres music, learn about his unique notation style and try your hand at his creative special effects. All levels. Robbin Cartier Putting One Toe In– A beginning Harp Ensemble for harpers/harpists who have never played in a duo or group before, but they read music and play at least at a beginning or advanced beginning level. It’s helpful to have a sense of humor! Required music: Sumer Is Icumen In – Witman, $9.00, Melody Music #70933 Serena O’Meara *The Art of a Relaxed Performance Explore different ways to prepare both mentally and physically to perform with confidence and ease. Learn a few ways to clear your mind and keep your body fluid. Sunita Staneslow Master Class Delaine Fedson 10:45-12:15 Unders, Overs, Slides and Glisses : Have fun as you master these skills for moving getting around your harp. Beginner/I ntermediate Delaine Fedson Putting Both Feet In – a Harp Ensemble for players who are at an Intermediate or Advanced playing/reading level. Required music: Carolan Duets – O’Meara, $12.00, Melody Music # 4111B Serena O’Meara First Gigs: A lively discussion for new players on performing in the public forum. How to know when you are “ready.”How to select music, organize a play-list, find low-stress performance venues, clothing, developing performing skills, transportation, amplification, fees, contract, and more…..(No harps necessary) Beginners/Intermediates. Melanie Wiltse Spiritual Music - What fits where, how to know what denominations use what music and the different ways they are played. Be able to go from a synagogue to a Pentecostal church with ease and assurance. Let’s explore arrangements, rules, repertoire. Robbin Cartier Lunch 1:30-3:00 “So you are ready to play weddings...." Bring your repertoire for playing a wedding and put it to the test. Come participate in a mock wedding where everyone gets the opportunity to see if they can get the bride up the aisle!! Discussions on what music fits where and how to take what you already know and tweak it to fit more than one situation. Robbin Cartier *Tis A Gift to Be Simple: There is both beauty and power in simplicity. More notes often distract the listener and muddy the sound. Yet, one of the most difficult things can be to simplify music. Together we will work on truly listening to the harp and focus on musical phrases. Sunita Staneslow Second Place - Ideas on how to accompany vocalists or solo instruments. What works and Master Class for Tweens, Teens and Twenties. Delaine Fedson
3:30-5:00 Creative Concerts How to create fun and informative concerts using the repertoire that you have. Get ideas for music that will compliment and add to the music you already play. Put all of it together and present concerts that show audiences the great versatility and sound the harp has. Robbin Cartier. *Intros, Interludes and Endings Apply skills to add length and interest to your pieces. This is good for any gigging harpist as well as someone who needs to lengthen their pieces in a more therapeutic setting. Sunita Staneslow Easy Pieces by the Masters: A look at some of easier works by Hasselmans, Salzedo, Grandjany and other noteworthy harpist composers. We'll look at some of the differences in their notation and end by playing some easy pieces together in unison. Intermediate/advanced. Delaine Fedson Harping Cats and Dogs? Kathryn Cater writes fresh and interesting pieces for beginner and Intermediate harpists. Her numerous books are published by Afghan Press. Come hear and play some of this contemporary composer’s music. Serena O’Meara 6:00 Candlelight Banquet 7:00-9:30 Harp Circles w/ Ice Cream Social Reception Intermission
Saturday, July 26th 8:00 Building Opens/Breakfast 9:00-10:30 **Maintaining Lever Harps Changing Strings, Installing and Regulating levers, Eliminating Buzzes. Understand how to get your harps sounding great and keep them that way. Harps not necessary. Melanie Wiltse **Metronomes and Methods Method books, Exercise books, metronomes and more. Bring the books and gadgets that you have purchased and never used to share with group and discover how they really work. Don't own any? Come see the latest tools and discover how helpful they really can be in learning and polishing off those pieces. Robbin Cartier From Hymnal to Harp Delanie Fedson will show us how to use chord theory to turn a standard hymn into a harp solo or a harp part to accompany other instruments and voice. Intermediate. Gathering Ideas A Harp Ensemble designed for Intermediate level harpers/harpists who would like to read through a whole book of Ensemble music to gain insight into the music. Required music: Dyades – Andres, $17.95, Melody Music # 8107M Serena O’Meara
10:45-12:00 **Contest Performance: For students and teachers. Preparing for Solo/ Ensemble Competition. Serena O’Meara will play bits of many of the pieces on the competition list to help you select the perfect piece and then give ideas on how to work towards a top honor. Master Class for Golden Agers (Eligible for AARP Memberships) Robbin Cartier Count to Seven! Music theory for harpers based on counting to seven – a mathematical approach to music theory and chord theory, especially applicable to those who are confused by their piano lessons and the vocabulary they had to learn. Sara Walthery Christmas in July---arranging Carols and keeping the focus on music and magic, so one isn’t overwhelmed by all the notes. Sunita Staneslow 1:00 Ensemble Concert 1:30-2:30 Fill-ins and Turnarounds: Designed for the intermediate and advanced level gigging, or wannabe gigging harpists. This is the “what to do” when the melody note is held. We will work on developing a “cookbook” of ideas to use in making your arrangements musically interesting. Required music: Tunes to Go – Shelhart, $39.95, Melody Music # 4102B Serena O’Meara *Songs for Seniors – A singing session, accompanied by harp, with tunes to light up the eyes of assisted living residents. Sources for songs and a few words of advice. Sara **Teaching the Harp: How to set up your studio, recruit and maintain students, increase student motivation, and work with students who may have physical issues that keep them from playing in the "ideal" form. Delaine Fedson Spiritual Music Master Class Sunita Staneslow 3:00-4:15 Tunes for Time Travelers – A workshop loosely based on Sara Johnson’s collection of Time Traveler Tunes. Will include some very old tunes that work for Renaissance faires as well as civil war reenactments. Sara Practice Makes You" Come explore techniques and ideas for not just getting the most out of your practice time but finding yourself in the music you practice. Get the most out of your practice by focusing on the strengths that are yours to develop! Robbin Cartier Master Class Serena O’Meara **Teaching the Harp II A question/answer forum for teachers on the issues you want to address. Delaine Fedson.
*Workshop content has applications for therapeutic harpists. You do NOT need to be a therapeutic harpist to attend. **Suggested for teachers
Note: Master Classes will be limited to six participants bringing a piece to play. First come, first served for sign-up. Unlimited observers allowed. E-Mail FOR REGISTRATION FORM AND OTHER INFO: mlwiltse@wctc.net SEE FACULTY PAGE FOR FACULTY BIOS |
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Last year, our conference drew over 50 harpists. |
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Sara Walthery Faculty Member for 2008 |
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Some of the Conference Attendees from 2007 |
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Scroll down for information on Up North Summerfest Harp Conference Stevens Point, Wisconsin July 24th-26th 2008 E-mail: mlwiltse@wctc.net Phone (715) 570-1157 (Workshop schedule posted in April) Information on Motel/Registration available now upon e-mail request.
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What you said about last year’s Up-North Summerfest………………… “Excellent Value!” “Having accommodations nearby that were very reasonably priced was great.” “All very professional.” “I’m a beginner and all my workshops held value for me.” “Very, very well done. I am impressed and would come back.” “The meals were wonderful, as was the entire experience.” “Liked having the meals here.” “Great facility...everything close together in one building.” “Loved all the presenters….didn’t have a bad workshop.” “Workshops were a nice mix of theory, technique, new music, etc.” “Excellent conference. Thank you for such a rewarding experience.” |
