Jazz for Harps 2018 – Final Beginning Projects
At the conclusion of many of the online courses at Hip Harp Academy, the students have the opportunity to complete a “Final Beginnings” video project. We call these Final BEGINNING Projects because I tell the students to focus on imperfect completion as a... read more
Baroque Flamenco … for YOU
(Some of the info in the post was shared in earlier posts in 2011, 2016 & 2017) I get to hear my music played by harpists all over the world. But there’s one piece in particular that I really have to show people how to play. That’s my fiery... read more
The Missing Link: “Start Harp” from Shelley Fairplay
When I created my online school for harp players, “Hip Harp Academy,” I knew that the year-long curriculum in improv, arrangement and creative expression was not for beginners. “Advanced Beginners” yes — and all the way up to... read more
Half-Baked What?
My new “Jazz for Harps” summer program is in its final weeks and the students have just submitted their “Half-Baked” projects and I’ve shared my feedback with them. When one student took notes on every one of my feedback videos, the... read more
11 Reasons why Summer Harp Jam Rocks!
“Summer Harp Jam” is my 6-Week virtual summer camp that’s exclusively for harp players – lever or pedal, from fledgling to professional – and gives you a treasure chest of jams, vamps and play-alongs that strengthen your improvisation and rhythm skills while you’re... read more
Blues As Creative Structure
This is an archive post ~ originally published Jun. 18, 2013 and updated in 2018 I recently had a mastermind session with music therapist, coach & harpist Trista Hill about my online program Blues Harp-Style, a 6-Week program on the Blues specifically for harp... read more
Learn the Blues in your SLEEP? Not exactly …
You know those old audio-tapes that claim they can teach you a new language in your sleep? That kind of learning is called hypnopedia and, according to Wikipedia, nobody knows whether it works or not. What I DO know as a performing musician and a musical trainer, is... read more
Hip Harp Academy 2018 Schedule of Courses
What you get when you join Hip Harp Academy More than 10 courses to develop your improv, arrangement and performance skills. Learn from Grammy-nominated master harpist and teacher Deborah Henson-Conant in guided lessons and live online play-along Q&A sessions.... read more
Vamps & Loop Improv Project (Facebook LIVE Training!)
On Monday Nov. 20 at 7:30PM EST, I’ll be testing out a new musical toy on Facebook LIVE: a multi-layered Calypso loop you can download as an MP3 and play along with. Check it out http://bit.ly/CalypsoLoop1 If you play the harp ~ join me on Facebook Live Mon.... read more
