Is the harp hard to learn?

Learning the harp is probably much easier than you think and a brilliant instrument on which to learn music (no need to have played piano beforehand). The harp makes a beautiful sound from day one making the easiest of tunes sound lovely and most importantly it’s fun! Once you have learnt your hand position in the first lesson all the notes are there under your fingers so it is very easy to pick out any tune you like.

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Do I need to be able to read music?

It helps but it is not necessary at the beginning as I will teach the first lesson by ear. (Music will be given at the end of the lesson to take home). After that note reading and theory will be taught as part of the lessons. Harp music looks very similar to piano music using both the treble and bass clef. 

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Am I too old to learn to play the harp? 

No one is too old to learn! Half of my students are adults and many have never learnt an instrument before. Everyone will come away from the first lesson being able to play some beautiful tunes on the harp. 

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What age can children start learning the harp with you? 

This depends on the individual child but normally I teach students from 9+

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How long are the lessons?

I recommend 30 minutes weekly or 1 hour fortnightly.

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How much do lessons cost?

30 minutes - £25

45 minutes - £35

1 hour - £45

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When do you teach?

I teach from my home studio in Worthing on weekdays. My main teaching days are Wednesday and Thursday, with other weekday slots available around my performing schedule. When enquiring, please let me know which days and times work best for you so I can offer suitable options. I also teach one day a week at Roedean School in Brighton.

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Do you teach lessons online?​

Yes, I can provide lessons via  Zoom and Teams

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Do I need to buy a harp before having lessons?

I always recommend coming for a first lesson before purchasing an instrument. During that session, I’ll guide you through the type of harp that will suit you best and answer any questions you may have. To begin with I would recommend hiring and have a couple of harps available for new students to hire, so you can start learning without the pressure of buying straight away.

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What type of music can I play on the harp?

The harp is very versatile enabling you to play classical, folk, pop and jazz. I teach a range of styles during the lessons. You can see the broad range of my repertoire here. 

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Lever or Pedal Harp?

The harp you choose depends on the type of music you would like to play and budget. If you would like to play Classical or Jazz music you will eventually need a pedal harp but if you prefer folk/traditional music then the lever/Celtic harp is for you. If you are undecided I recommend starting on a lever harp as the music is very similar until around grade 4 level which is then a good time to transfer to the pedal harp if you wish to do so. 

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Do I need to bring my harp to lessons?

You’re welcome to use both the lever and pedal harps I have in my studio to play on during the lessons, so there’s no need to bring your own.

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