Anne R.

Take harp lessons from a GRAMMY® Award winner! Anne has some 30 years of performance and teaching experience and would love to help you get started learning to play the harp, or help you continue on your harp adventures if you have had some previous lessons and experience. And, you can now take lessons from Anne no matter where you live in the world through a webcam and TakeLessons.com!!

Here is what Anne can help you learn:

Proper hand technique
Sight reading skills
Improvisation skills
Music theory
Repertoire building-Learning Celtic, Classical, Renaissance, Folk, and all kinds of tunes
Arranging music for the harp
Accompaniment skills
Performance skills
And much more!

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 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".