News & Events

Dear Bay Area Harp Teachers and Harpists,

The Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society’s bi-annual student harp competition has been reintroduced under the new name of Yvonne La Mothe Schwager Harp Competition. It will be held on May 26 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and the winners’ recital is scheduled for June 2 at the beautiful Firehouse Arts Center in Pleasanton, a prestigious new venue with a great stage area. I am writing to you today to let you know how these upcoming events can contribute to all:

• by providing opportunity to young harpists and teachers alike
• enhancing the standing of our beloved instrument in the community, and
• enriching the lives of those who will witness the performances

If you are a teacher, please encourage your students to participate and find a way to work with the repertoire choices given to include as many students as possible. The competition is open to all harpists ages 8 to 23. Ideally, partaking in this opportunity allows them to prepare thoroughly for a special performance, and to set and implement goals that will bring out their very best.

If you are a student in this age range, ask your teacher to help you prepare to participate in our local competition and encourage your parents to bring you even from far away to be a part of this exciting experience. If you are a university student studying outside of the area but still officially in residence at your parents’ home within the Western Region, you are welcome to participate as well.

The BAC board believes that organizing this competition is one of the best ways to contribute to our local harp community with the funds our chapter received from the Schwager Estate. Our goal is to give as many people as possible a boost in the development of their talent and to spread the love of the harp. Ultimately the art of music is equally about listening and being heard. Let’s turn the occasion of the competition into a big harpfest that brings us all together.

For details and to download the application for participation, please visit our website at bacharp.org/competitions. All the selections on the competition list are available at Harps, Etc. and can be purchased in person or ordered online. Video demonstrations and score errata and commentaries can be found here. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at dominiquepiana@comcast.net.

Musically yours,

Dominique Piana
President, BACAHS

Dear Bay Area Harpists and Friends,

Welcome to the new BACHARP.org! This new website for the Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society offers our members and friends more timely and dynamic information in a clean and easy to navigate format. Use it as a tool to gather and contribute information and to contact us.

Here are some of the interactive features that you can put to good use regarding chapter and/or personal activities and interests:

• Membership: Check out the new interface that makes it easy to join/renew and pay on line.
• Calendar: Let us know about your upcoming events and gigs so we can post for all to see.
• News: Share your stories, adventures in harping and achievements.
• Competition: Find out more about the YVONNE LaMOTHE SCHWAGER COMPETITION FOR YOUNG HARPISTS. Check out the repertoire options and read about the winners of the last competition.
• Classifieds: Have a harp to sell or rent? Let us know and we’ll post your ad.
• Contact: Tell us what else you want from your chapter and from the website, or how you would like to contribute your talents.
• Blog: Stay abreast of the latest news.
• Resources: Find listings regarding harp regulation, stores, societies and other resources.
• Visit often for timely, dynamic and interactive harp news and events.

We’d like to offer special thanks to Jim Ward, our creative web master, for developing this beautiful site, and to Susie Spiwak for her initiative in making it happen.

Please let us know what you think of the new site.

With best wishes,
Dominique Piana

Dear Harpists and Harp Lovers,

The first event of the season will be the solo recital by AHS Concert Artist Elizabeth White Clark on Saturday, September 29 at 4pm, an event not to be missed, which is also the season kickoff for our sister chapter in the Silicon Valley. I hope you will consider driving south to Immanuel Lutheran Church in San Jose for great music and fellowship.

Following closely comes the visit of jazz harpist extraordinaire Park Stickney on October 6 at Harps, Etc. in Walnut Creek. Come and join us for a workshop, pizza dinner and concert all in one, from 4 to 9pm. The time has come to dig again into our creative instincts and explore ways to fancy up gig repertoire, and gain further understanding into the inner workings of how music is put together. This event is open to harpists of all levels, on lever or pedal harps. You may just listen, or participate hands-on.

One month later we will welcome the TrueNorth Harp Duo, with master teacher Lynne Aspnes and former San Franciscan John Wickey. Their concert at St. Cyprian’s in San Francisco on Friday November 9 at 8pm will be followed by an Afternoon Salon on Sunday from 2 to 6pm at Harps, Etc. The theme for the afternoon will be Wake Up the Artist Within.

Since Lynne specializes in teaching Beginning in the Middle workshops, which are designed to coach those who started to play the harp in mid-life, my mind started to extrapolate, and I’d like to address myself directly to those who recognize themselves under this description. Can our chapter do anything to encourage your personal endeavors and love for the harp? Any practice of an instrument is ultimately a “performing art” that requires expression. In this spirit, would there be enough people among you who would enjoy some kind of opportunity, such as a separate audition category, as part of our upcoming competition in May? If there is interest, I will explain things in more detail soon, as the next step of our board is to organize the competition.

At this time, I wish to call for teachers or others interested in contributing ideas to the repertoire list for the competition to contact me in person immediately. It does not matter whether your students will or won’t participate. We may have a meeting, or simply communicate by email, depending on what will work best.

Many exciting things are in the works for the spring as well: our usual potluck in January, a master class with Heidi Lehwalder, as well as a master class and recital with Gianetta Baril, and of course, the second Yvonne La Mothe Schwager Competition, with the Winners’ Recital already scheduled for June 2 at the Firehouse Arts Center in Pleasanton. Lastly, the existing board has invited Susie Spiwak to join us as Membership Chair. Her enthusiasm and practical mind will be a great asset to further the interests of our association. In the next pages, you will read more about her and about everything else mentioned above.

Here’s to your good health and joy with the harp,
Dominique Piana