FALL
2015

National News
42nd National Conference in Atlanta

The Georgia Chapter is proud to host the 42nd National Conference in Atlanta, next June 30 - July 3, 2016 at the Emory Conference Center Hotel.
 
The AHS National Conference is dedicated to bringing world class presenters and performers to Atlanta to captivate the next generation of harpists and to develop the talents and careers of our current members. Please join us for dynamic concerts and workshops, and to enjoy true southern hospitality with friends old and new. Please check  www.harpsociety.org/ConferenceInstitute/2016Conference 
often for updates on the program, schedule, housing and registration.

AHS Concert Artist
Congratulations to the 2015-2017 AHS Concert Artist, Katherine Siochi! Local chapters have a wonderful opportunity to invite Katherine to give a recital and masterclass in their region. Consider a chapter event that would support this talented harpist and enrich your local community! For more information about the program and Katherine please visit:   www.harpsociety.org/About/Programs/ConcertArtist.

Membership
Have you renewed your membership for 2016-2017? The new membership year began September 1st. Don't miss the wonderful upcoming winter issue of The American Harp Journal, or miss out on grant opportunities, insurance discounts, national e-newsletters and much more by letting your membership lapse. It's easy to renew online today at www.harpsociety.org/Membership/JoinRenew.
 
AHS Onlne Store
Just in time for the holidays, AHS has made ordering of the Salzedo Centennial Fund and Grandjany Centennial Fund music and recordings easy!  Visit the new online store and see what needs to be on your holiday wish list!
From Your Regional Director
Cheryl Ann Fulton

We have two very active and thriving chapters in the Western Region: The Bay Area Chapter and the Silicon Valley Chapter. I am hoping in the next few years to get the Greater Redding Chapter, the Grass Valley, and the Las Vegas Chapter reinstated and functioning again as well and to promote some exchange harp events between Las Vegas and the Bay Area.

The AHS Western Regional chapters are vital to sharing and creating harp music in our beautiful, multi-cultural Bay Area. Both chapters are pioneers and leaders in helping the AHS expand to welcome, include and promote many types of harps and styles of harp music.

Cheryl Ann Fulton 
Western Regional Director 
The Bay Area Chapter

When you visit the web page for the Bay Area Chapter the first thing you will notice is the stunning San Francisco Bay graphic for the heading. Living in the Bay Area we are blessed with a rich, very diverse urban cultural scene as well as the magnificent natural beauty of the region. The Bay Area chapter is very engaged in entertaining, educating and collaborating with the harp and non-harp communities throughout the Bay Area.
 
Special thanks go to Suki Russack who has been instrumental in elevating the newsletter and the chapter to another level with her member spotlights, event reviews, enthusiasm and creativity. The latest BACAHS newsletter includes the first installment of a new, ongoing column Practical Tips for Harpists by Karen Gottlieb. She gives excellent advice and tips for Cleaning and Preserving the Beauty of your Harp's Finish: http://bacharp.org/bacahs-newsletter-november-2015/
 
The Bay Area Chapter sponsors the bi-annual Yvonne La Mothe Schwager Harp Competition. Check out the lovely music video with a performance of Bluette by Alfred Holy performed by harpist John A. Wickey on the competition support page: http://bacharp.org/competition-support/ The Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition for Young Harpists held in May 2015 attracted 25 young harpists giving them the opportunity to perform harp repertoire and receive feedback from a panel of professional harpist judges.  The winners in each category and of special prizes performed in recital in June 2015.
 
The BACAHS plans for the New Year include:
  • Host its annual Pot Luck supper that includes entertainment by a member harpist and a music swap.  This year, Destiny Muhammad will perform.
  • Present Natalie Cox and the Pacific Arts Trio in Concert at Harps Etc. in February2016.
  • Welcome Julia Kay Jamieson to the Bay Area for a workshop and concert.
  • Sponsor Harps Etc. 15th Anniversary festival by providing funds for scholarships and/or performers and recruiting chapter volunteers to assist with the event.
You will also find archives of all the other wonderful chapter activities, as well as chapter and member news on the website.
 
Special thanks go to the people who have been instrumental in making the chapter vital including Alice Yothers, Susie Spiwak, Dominique Piana, Natalie Cox, Jim Ward, Suki Russack, Jessica Siegel, and Karen Gottlieb.
Silicon Valley Chapter
www.siliconvalleyharp.org

The Silicon Valley chapter website features a group photo from one of the String Fever concerts. The chapter is located in beautiful Silicon Valley, in the South Bay Area of San Francisco. In 2014 under the leadership of Lynn and Martha Bailey the chapter received the Chapter of the Year Award from the American Harp Society for the second time in its history.

A dynamic chapter, the SVCAHS currently has a membership of over 80 harp enthusiasts
ranging from professional solo and/or orchestral harpists to amateurs who simply enjoy playing the harp. Members are of all ages, levels, and motivations, including pedal, lever, and folk harpists.
 
Regular chapter events include the Silicon Valley Youth Harp Ensemble performances, the String Fever ensemble concert, the Student Education Sessions and Harp Live at CB Hannegan's on St. Patrick's Day. 
 
Very special thanks to Tamara Mead, Linda and David Rollo, Lynn and Martha Bailey, Mary Pless, Jennifer Hurley, Gwen Halterman, Sue and Ken Dinwiddie, Sonya Yu, Lynne Rovin and Debbi Ricks.
International Harp Festival 2016
Harps Etc.

We are very fortunate to have Bay Area Chapter member Jessica Siegel and Harps Etc. in our region.   Not only is a local harp store a great benefit but also Jessica is always hard at work enthusiastically creating wonderful concerts and workshops at the store. For the 15th anniversary of Harps Etc. she has a very special International Harp Festival (IHF) from May 26 - 29, 2016 in the works. In Jessica's words: 

The Harps Etc. Cafe Concert Series and festivals work to bring a wide range of workshops, master classes and concerts to show that there is a great variety of music and styles that can be played on the harp, no matter what size of harp you play.  I believe that both students and professionals need to hear high quality music to be inspired to strive to play their best, no matter what level or type of harp you play.   
 
Another goal of the concert series is to bring more of the public into the world of harp music to educate the non players and to inspire others to learn more about the harp and to explore their own musical  and creative interests.   I believe that the harp is a wonderful instrument to bring music into more lives.  It create a sense of curiosity and wonder with it's physical beauty and the wonderful sounds that even a beginner can produce on the harp.
 
2015 events included:
Deborah Henson-Conant  Jazz, original compositions  workshop and concerts 
Mitoshi Kosako Jazz, original compositions, workshop and concert 
Sunita Stanislaw Irish and other Ethnic, workshop and concert 
 Ann Hobson Pilot Classical, master class and concert
 Grainne Hambly Irish, workshop and concert
 Cormac De Barra Irish workshop and concert
 Harper TascheWorkshop and concert

Harps Etc. is now celebrating our 15th year.   To celebrate this landmark we are producing the International Harp Festival (IHF) from May 26 - 29, 2016. The festival will be held at the scenic and peaceful San Damiano Retreat Center in the nearby town of Danville, just a few minutes south of our store in Walnut Creek.   We will bring together many of the Bay Area's talented players and performers for workshops and concerts.   With this festival we hope to continue our mission of educating and inspiring both the harpist and the non harpist.  
 
The main artists include Deborah Henson-Conant, Heidi Lehwalder, Cheryl Ann Fulton, Diana Rowan, Diana Stork, Destiny Muhammad, Barbary Grant, Joanna Mell, Mitoshi Kosako, Bonnie Mohr, Portia Diwa and many more great players and presenters.  We'll cover topics as diverse as Healing Harps, World Music, Liturgical Music, Improvisation, Celtic Music, Classical Music, Music Theory, Composition software, harp repair and maintenance and so much more.
 
Every evening there will be concerts, social time and of course, time to browse music and try out many new and used pedal and non-pedal harps.
 
You can get full information about the IHF and register for all or for portions of the festival at our website www.harpfestival.org.


Join us May 26-29 at San Damiano Retreat Center in Danville, CA for workshops and concerts presented by the harp community's best clinicians and performers.


The Festival is also the kick-off event for the Diablo Valley Arts Academy, fondly nicknamed DVAA, or as we say, "Diva".   This is a non profit music program I have recently founded.  The mission of DVAA is to bring the art of music making to the community.   We hope to be able to offer scholarship and instrument rental assistance so that more people can play our magnificent instrument.  Stay tuned for more news about DVAA.  
Jessica Siegal