Cloris Chen
I've been playing the harp before kindergarten, my school is Bagby, I'm in grade 2.
Ribambelle No. 1 by Bernard Andres
When I play Ribambelle I feel like running. Also I feel like a little deer bouncing up and down in a forest. I also feel like flowers are running and coming to life. I think it also sounds like water going up and down. It also sounds like flowers and butterflies are dancing. |
Mysterious Forest by Carlos Salzedo
Mysterious Forest makes me feel I am in a dark and scary forest. I also feel like it is very foggy. At the last part in makes me feel the fog getting bigger. Also I feel very very quiet and weird because there no birds chirping. I want to get out of this dark forest. |
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Sofia Mohammed
My name is Sofia Mohammed and I have been playing the harp for two years. I go to The Harker School, and am 8 years old in second grade. I love playing the harp and I practice it everyday as the soothing music makes me forget about all problems and gives me pure joy. The pieces I played are by masculine and powerful composers who changed the history of harpists and harp music. I hope I can too!🎶
Nocturne by Marcel Grandjany
Nocturne means night song. The story is about in the night, the animals are either asleep or awake having a party. At the end of the song, the sun comes out and the drowsy nocturnal animals drift off to sleep. Nocturne is the second piece in Trois petites Piéces by Marcel Gradjany. French Marcel Grandjany was born on September 3, 1891, Acharion, France, and died February 24, 1975, New York, US. |
Petite Bercuese by Alphonse Hasselmans
Petite Berceuse is a sweet, little piece by Alphonse Hasselmans. The composer of this piece is Alphonse Hasselmans and it is edited be Susan McDonald and Linda Wood. The meaning of Petite Bercuese is A Little Lullaby. Belgiumese Alphonse Hasselmans was born in Liege, Belgium, and died in 1864. |
Milana Rubio
Milana Rubio is 8 years old in 3rd grade at Weston Elementary School. She lives in Ripon, a small town in California's Central Valley. She started harp 6 months ago. Harp is special to her because of the pretty sounds and how it has helped her gain confidence. Milana also plays the piano. In addition to music, Milana enjoys nature and playing outdoors.
Both of Milana's pieces are the first pieces in Harp Olympics, Stage I, and both were composed by celebrated American harp virtuoso and master teacher Susann McDonald (1935- ). Miss McDonald was the last student of the famous harpist and pedagogue Henriette Renié, in France. Mis McDonald also taught my teacher, Dominique Piana.
Both of Milana's pieces are the first pieces in Harp Olympics, Stage I, and both were composed by celebrated American harp virtuoso and master teacher Susann McDonald (1935- ). Miss McDonald was the last student of the famous harpist and pedagogue Henriette Renié, in France. Mis McDonald also taught my teacher, Dominique Piana.
Chinese Moon by Susann McDonald
Chinese Moon, officially in the key of F Major, presents a tune and special effects in a pentatonic scale (a five-note scale) that is not only typical of folk music world-wide, but also of classical Asian music. The double notes (E#-F and B#-C) create an eerie yet enchanting effect in the numerous glissandos, while the last glissando, set in the low range, suggests a slow gong effect. The title reminds us of how prominently the moon figures in Chinese stories and imagery. |
Little Walz by Susann McDonald
A Little Waltz offers a rising and descending tune in 3/4, accompanied repeatedly by the same stepping-up pattern that favors the tonic and the dominant in C major, while the combination of G and A offers a quirky dissonance to spice up the music. The waltz is an elegant dance form that became prominent in Vienna during the romantic era. |
Haena Lee
My name is Haena Lee and I live in Pleasanton, CA. I am in fifth grade at Hearst Elementary School. I have been playing the harp for about 2 years. I love the harp because of the feeling you have when you play it and the sound it produces. In my free time, I love to read and rollerblade.
Le Garçon courageux by Cornelius Gurlitt, arr. McDonald-Wood
Le Garçon Courageux (The Brave Boy) by Cornelius Gurlitt (1820-1901) was transcribed from the piano by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo. Gurlitt was a prolific German composer and piano pedagogue from the romantic era who was also an excellent painter. He was a proponent of the popular Hausmusik movement that favored short piano pieces to perform in the home. Le Garçon Courageux is a miniature piece composed in C major; it requires nimble fingers and teaches contrary motion. |
The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls, Irish Traditional, arr. McDonald-Wood
The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls is presented in an arrangement by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo, also in Harp Olympics II, and was chosen in honor of St Patrick's Day. The famous English verse by Thomas Moore was added much later, in the beginning of the 19th century, to one of Edward Bunting's Irish melodies collected at the meeting of the last old harpers, and evokes the now empty Tara castle of the old Irish kings, set on a legendary hilltop. This harp arrangement is set in C major and features many rolled chords and arpeggios that contribute to its nostalgic strains. |
Alice Sandel
My name is Alice Sandel, I have been studying harp with Ms Yu for two years. I attend Pacific Collegiate School in Santa Cruz for the tenth grade. I have oft dreamt of learning to play harp, as it is a very beautiful instrument, and Ms Yu truly brings that out through her teaching.
Amazing Grace, Early American Melody, arr. McDonald-Wood
John Newton, who lived from 4 August 1725 – 21 December 1807, was a British clergyman and priest. He was the captain of multiple slave ships within his lifetime, and later was a priest of the Anglican denomination. His faith brought him to become one of England's most prominent abolitionists, writing the song known as Amazing Grace to us today, under the title "Faith's Review and Expectation" in his hymnal, Olney Hymns. This publication took great inspiration from his experience as a slave trader and his reformation, notably the lines in Amazing Grace "How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me" and "My chains are gone, I've been set free". |
The Little Fountain by Samuel O. Pratt
Samuel Orson Pratt was born March 20, 1925 and lived to June 22, 1985. He received a masters degree in psychology from Brigham Young University. He was an American harpist and composer, and he served as a manager for Lyon & Healy harp factory in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York for twenty years. He designed the Troubadour model lever harp, which is the model that I play, this, as a result, brought great interest in studying the harp. |
Mia Ravishankar
My name is Mia Ravishankar and I am in 8th grade. I go to Blach Intermediate School in Los Altos and I have been playing the harp for about 3 years.
Professional, by Linda Wood
This piece of music is in the key of E-flat. Mrs. Linda Wood Rollo (composer) is a harpist, composer, and harp teacher. Mrs. Rollo has published more than 15 volumes of music and received many awards. I really like that Processional has fanfare, which brings the different sections together and makes the piece sound grand. The processional music style is commonly used at weddings, specifically, for the entrance of the bride. This makes the title very fitting, since it can be used at wedding processions.
This piece of music is in the key of E-flat. Mrs. Linda Wood Rollo (composer) is a harpist, composer, and harp teacher. Mrs. Rollo has published more than 15 volumes of music and received many awards. I really like that Processional has fanfare, which brings the different sections together and makes the piece sound grand. The processional music style is commonly used at weddings, specifically, for the entrance of the bride. This makes the title very fitting, since it can be used at wedding processions.
Dorma Yang
My name is Dorma Yang, I am 12 years old and I have been playing the harp for more than 3 years. I am currently a 7th grader and I go to Casa Di Mir Montessori School.
The Song of Heart by Henri Van Gael
The composer is Henri Van Gael ed. McDonald - Wood, is in F Major, and is in Rondo form. I think it is very soothing and sweet combined with the middle part, in d minor, which shows the difficulties and challenges happen in life and we strive to overcome them. Finally the music returns to the calm and sweet melody. |
Fantasy by Susann McDonald
Fantasy is written by Susan McDonald, is in C Major and in ternary form. The arpeggio patterns reflect the fountain- and dreaming-like images. The middle cadenza part makes me think about a disturbing and tensed moment dramatically. |
Rebecca Bossow
Becca Bossow has played the harp for 6 years. She enjoys playing water polo, swimming, and taking care of her two cats. Becca goes to Redwood Middle School and is in 8th grade.
Theme and Variations by J. F. Naderman, ed. McDonald-Wood
François-Joseph Naderman (1781-1835), the composer of Theme and Variations, was was a classical harpist, a teacher, and a composer. His father was a well-known harp maker. Naderman's works are recognized as some of the most important works in harp repertoire today. |
Prelude in C Major by J. S. Bach, ed. Renié
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is the composer of Prelude in C Major. Born in Germany, he is widely recognized as one of the greatest composers of all time. He was known for his instrumental compositions. |