Harp festivals, held worldwide but most common in Europe, feature concerts, courses, workshops, and art exhibitions for harpists and classical music enthusiasts. They are funded by ticket sales, advertising, and sponsorships. Instructors offer classes for players of all levels, and workshops cover a variety of topics. Art exhibits allow customers to try out and purchase or rent harps and related items.
The harp, or harpsichord, is a multi-stringed instrument, which stands vertically on the floor, perpendicular to the way a player plays the guitar. Harmonicas may also be called harps in North America, but are not necessarily aligned with harp festivals in the traditional sense. A musician who plays the harp is called a harpist or harpist. Harp festivals cater to these types of players and those with an interest in classical music. These festivals are usually composed of a combination of the following elements: concerts, courses, workshops and art exhibitions.
Harp festivals are most common in Europe, but are held all over the world. They are most often kept outdoors in the summer months of June, July and August. Harp festivals are funded primarily by ticket sales along with advertising and sponsorships.
Concerts usually headline the main events and feature well-known artists, whether they are known locally, nationally or internationally. These festivals feature guest artists who are veterans of their instruments and knowledgeable about the harpist scene. Collaboration between musicians is an important element of any music festival, and users will likely see these artists playing together during concerts and forming new combinations of musical formations that involve a great deal of improvisation.
Reputable instructors may also offer classes during the festival. They usually require additional course fees. Different levels of courses are available to offer the best results for players of a given skill and experience, from beginner to advanced. They combine various teaching methods, some teaching by ear, some teaching with written music, and some by a combination.
Distinguished tutors conduct individual and group workshops. Workshops may differ from courses in that they do not necessarily play music. Some examples might be dancing, how to make traditional bows, or how to get down the right path for a particular music career. These workshops are popular with the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, hosted in the UK, which is in its 30th year. Somerset Folk Harp Festival and Caernarfon Harp Festival are other popular harp festivals.
The art exhibits provide customers with the opportunity to try out different instruments from the harp makers and buy or rent harps as they please. Numerous brands gather in an exhibition center, similar to a guitar show or guitar exhibition, only with harps. Vendors sell paraphernalia such as bows and music CDs at these exhibits.
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