Inglewood, CA Harp Lessons

the distinguished Anne Adams Awards Harp Competition where she has been a main Director for fifteen years. She has served as the President of the Orange County Harp Society Chapter as well as a board member of the Bay Area Harp Society Chapter.

Alexandra received her Bachelor's Degree from DePauw University, majoring in Music and Anthropology. She also completed premedical studies at DePauw after spending her Junior year studying harp at the University of Oregon. She received her Master's Degree from Roosevelt University in Orchestral Studies, and did post graduate work at the University of Southern California in Harp Performance and Anthropology.

Alexandra's harp teachers have included: Sarah Bullen, Sally Maxwell, Edward Druzinsky, JoAnn Turovsky, Harriet Thompson Moore, Kara Bershad, Faye Seeman, Joy Andreasen, and Neva Lydiard. She has also had many mentors who have guided her life and career including: Kathleen Bride, Victor Salvi, Sally Maxwell, Patricia Masri- Fletcher, Robin Gordon- Cartier, Carrie Kourkoumelis, Dr. Craig Pare, and Karen Thielen.

Alexandra has performed in many master classes given by such internationally known harpists as Skaila Kanga, Jana Bouskova, Marie Pierre Langlamet, and Bryn Lewis. She has also organized many masterclasses and events featuring: Kathleen Bride, Sarah Bullen, Gwyneth Wentink, Patricia Masri - Fletcher, Louise Vickerman, Sivan Magen, Sasha Boldachev, Ina Zdorovetchi, Angel Padilla Crespo, Elzbieta Szmytt, Susan Allen, Gayle Levant, Stella Castelucci, Robin Gordon Cartier, Emmanuel Ceysson, Yolanda Kondonasis, and Kim Robertson.
 
Alexandra has performed extensively throughout North America and Europe as a soloist, with small ensembles, and as an orchestral harpist. She has appeared in several television shows such as General Hospital. Her playing,"Is filled with care, artistry, and mature interpretation. She is a talented musician, well rounded in her knowledge of music, and has a healthy curiosity in areas beyond music." (Donald Chen, conductor) "Everything I heard was sensitive, artistic, and had beautiful intonation." (Richard Ferrin, violist emeritus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra).

In addition to playing, Alexandra has also served as the Ambassador for Salvi Harps in North America for the past eleven years. She has given numerous masterclasses and workshops in addition to performing at National Harp Conferences and National and Regional music showcases. In her role as National Sales Manager, she helped harpists from all over the world find their dream harps, learn to care for them, and has mentored them along the way.

Apart from harp activities, Alexandra also enjoys teaching middle school, teaching piano, coaching rowing, participation in sports activities, and writing articles for various journals including: The American Harp Journal, Chicago Health Magazine, and Atlanta Health Magazine. She also enjoys being a board member on the DePauw University Alumni Board and she enjoys working on music startup companies.

*** Lesson Details ***

As a HARP teacher, all of my
students play scales, arpeggios, and technical exercises in
their lessons. I believe having a strong technical base is the foundation for
every part of playing and you can't learn without it. I will set the repertoire
for students according to their technical progress and although I may
take into consideration a student's desires to learn a certain piece, there has
to be time and they have to be ready for it. I have both short term and long
term goals for each student that involve theory, technical ability, and
repertoire: fun, orchestral and solo. Adult students still have to learn
technique, it makes things much more fun and easy six months later, I promise! Beginning students will learn how to read notes, understand basic theory, and technique in a short amount of time, so don't be scared if you have never had a music lesson before. 

I require all students make
at least half an hour a day commitment to practice. I teach mostly the Grandjany method of harp technique, however, I also use Salzedo and Renie methods
at times to fit a particular students' build and unique physical attributes as well as what the piece requires. I
have studied all techniques throughout my education and I find them all
beneficial for different reasons. I do, however, believe everyone is built
differently and the technique should help the harpist play and not hinder them
from achieving their goals. Everyone learns at a different speed, but as a
brand new musician, after six months practicing regularly, you should be able
to read music fluently, understand basic theory concepts, be able to play with
both hands and four fingers on each hand, play all of the basic scales and
arpeggios musically and be able to play at least one piece memorized.
Curriculum is based on the student's technical ability and issues and is
individually created – if you learn slower than someone else, don’t worry about
your pace. In the end, lessons are about you personally and not someone else.

As a PIANO teacher, I want students to learn about music and not just the piano. Students will learn basic music theory and basic scales as a part of their lessons. They will also occasionally choose a song of their choosing to work on chords. I do promote note reading and theory, so I am not the right teacher for students who don't want to invest time in learning the basics. These basics are the building blocks of all music and can be used for any instrument the student chooses to learn in the future.

*** Studio Equipment ***
I have harps and a piano at my studio, so you do not need to bring your harp to lessons. If you don't own a harp, you can rent one for around $45/month from several sources. 

*** Specialties ***
HARP - Grandjany Technique with an incorporation of Salzedo and French school depending on the player's body type and technical difficulties. I make use of the ABRSM as well as local, national, and international competitions depending on the student's level of commitment.

PIANO - I teach basic piano for fun through an Intermediate level. Although some students choose to take CM and ABRSM exams, I do not push them. I want students to enjoy piano and music lessons.

terest, she studied harp techniques from world-renowned harpist Sylvia Woods and later contributed to her book: Music Theory & Arranging Techniques for Folk Harps. Anne is an active member of the American String Teacher's Association.

Take lessons online at her studio in South Lake Tahoe, California, or in in Placerville, California.

FAQs:

Do I need to have any musical experience to learn to play the Celtic harp?

It's not necessary to have any prior musical background before embarking on harp lessons. If you have never taken up an instrument before, Anne will teach you harp technique and how to read music, too. It's a plus if you have some past musical experience, because you'll already know the rudiments of reading sheet music. Anne teaches from ages 7 and up. If your child is younger than 7 and anxious to play the harp, get them started on the piano first. This way, when they come to Anne at an older age, they will already know how to read music (harp sheet music and piano sheet music look alike).

Is the harp difficult to learn?

It's no more difficult to learn than any other instrument. If you really want to learn and you practice, you'll learn quickly. It's all about motivation.

Do I need to own a harp to learn to play?

For online lessons, you'll need to have your own harp. You can also buy a harp from Anne. She uses Triplett Harps as rentals and can help you get started on a rent-to-own harp, and is an authorized dealer if you decide you want to purchase a harp in the future. (Note: Anne only rents to students taking lessons from her in her studio. Rentals are not available to students taking online lessons.)

What does Anne teach?

Anne assesses your goals and your experience before designing a learning path that is right for you. For this reason, her lessons are always one-on-one and not taught in a group fashion. Of course, parents are welcome to sit in on their child's lesson.

What is Anne's experience?

Anne studied music theory and received her formal music education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). When the Celtic harp piqued her interest, she studied harp techniques from world-renowned harpist Sylvia Woods and later contributed to her book Music Theory & Arranging Techniques for Folk Harps. Anne also studied professional stage performance with Ed Hooks (San Francisco, CA) and at the Living History Centre (Novato, CA). Anne applied her formal training to teaching music for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She continues to work with students presenting educational demonstrations for school assemblies. Anne has given workshops to students in the Sacramento Waldorf School, El Dorado Union School District, Merced Union High School District, and Minden Elementary School. She has taught harp since 1987, offering educational demonstrations, focused workshops, and taking on private students. She performed on the 2015 GRAMMY® Award Winning Best New Age Album, "Winds of Samsara".

d was selected as a national finalist in the Anne Adams Awards harp competition.

Harms received her Bachelor's of Music in Performance from Ball State University and her Master's of Music in Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder. A passionate pedagogue, she has been teaching privately for more than a decade. Through her own extensive studies with notable pedagogues, she has experienced a wide variety of instructional approaches as well as vastly different teachings styles. Harms tailors every lesson to fit each student's specific needs and wants.

l theory.

I strive to help my students develop a love music that can last throughout their entire life while still learning proper technique and theory. I strive to help students set individual goals and then structure lessons to help these students reach each of their dreams.

I really enjoy composing and arranging so something that I especially love to do is help students play music and songs that they want to by arranging music specifically to their individual levels and skills. I've found that this not only helps motivate students but also adds an extra fun aspect to our lessons.

My passion is sharing my love of music with those around me. I would love the chance to meet you and hopefully share this passion with you!

ony and Woodwind Ensemble. Currently, I am pursuing a Film and Television degree from New York University Tisch as well as involving myself in the music community at NYU Stienhardt.

When I am not harping, I like to watch movies (Wes Anderson films are my favorite!), go to coffee shops, and visit museums. Being able to play the harp is a wonderful experience and I hope to share my gift with as many people as possible.