When Ancient Words Find New Life on the Strings – Helen [Member Spotlight]

Have you ever found comfort in a piece of music during difficult times?
That’s exactly what happened with Helen, a member of Hip Harp Academy.

A Song 40 Years in the Making

Helen didn’t just learn a new piece for her final project. She brought to life a scripture that had been meaningful to her for nearly four decades.

She created a five-part arrangement of Lamentations 3:22-26.

“I’ve known this song for almost 40 years. It’s one of the few bright moments in the book of lamentations, and it’s been strengthening for me playing through it and singing it.”

This passage about God’s mercies being “new every morning” became something entirely new as Helen’s fingers found these ancient words on her harp strings.

Creativity Within Constraints

Like many creative journeys, Helen’s path wasn’t without obstacles:

“My hands were quite sore for over a week, but I finally got them rested enough so that I could play… It took about six takes to get something short enough to submit.”

Despite physical discomfort, she persevered. And when her arrangement grew too lengthy:

“The song itself is not short, and when I added exploration, intro, cadenza, and coda, it was way too long, so I had to cut the exploration short.”

She adapted, finding beauty within limitations.

Turning Constraints into Opportunities

Rather than seeing the structure of the song as restrictive, Helen transformed it:

“This song has two verses with a ‘break’ in the middle. I turned the break into a cadenza, and then took a part of that and used it as an intro.”

This creative problem-solving is exactly what makes Late-Blooming Harpists so inspiring. They don’t just play notes—they reimagine possibilities.

The Technical and the Spiritual Intertwine

Helen didn’t just connect with the piece emotionally. She applied specific techniques from her lessons:

“For hip-harp tool kit, this is the five-part arrangement form, using some arpeggios, some sixths, some building cords down from above, and some 158 chords. I sing the intro, melody, and the outro melody…”

Notice how the technical elements support the emotional expression of the piece—each arpeggio and chord bringing those ancient words of hope to life.

Growth Beyond This Piece

Most exciting is how Helen’s studies have expanded beyond this single arrangement:

“Improv is flowing more freely. Fence post noodling is one of my favorites, and mode shifting is another favorite.”

Her harp journey is creating ripples of creativity throughout her musical life.

Moments of Wonder

Even after completing her project, Helen continues to reflect on her creation:

“I was watching Joke’s final project, and it made me wonder, is this an art song? I’m really not sure.”

This ongoing curiosity and reflection is what keeps our musical journeys fresh and alive!

Watch Helen’s Video Below.  

See all the videos from last Quarter’s Final-Beginning Projects Here
Part One ~ Part Two ~ Part Three

Harpists Who Dare

Ready to liberate yourself from the notes on the page?