Dance / Harp Project

 
​Wellington harpist and composer, Michelle Velvin, and the Auckland Harp Orchestra , have received a grant from Sounz for a new project combining harp and dance.  Knowing how clever some of our harpists are ... and not just in their harping, we decided to look for a different way to express some of these talents!  So this project, which will result in a concert in Auckland on July 26, 2020, explores the inter-disciplinary aspect of harp and dance - where some of our harpists are also our dancers... and not just the younger harpists - we will be show casing the talents of our adults too!  The new suite of music will include music for ballet, and belly dancing, highland dancing, and lyrical dance.

Regarding our application for the grant, the donor said    "I'd like to go with the Harp ensemble.....I had a look online at the harp group...kids and adults together with a huge range of experience and playing abilities.....it's a challenge for any composer but that's what this commission is about....community....to put a composer with a designated group and they work from scratch together....no pre-conceived ideas....in my mind the ideas have to come out of the interaction between the composer and the participants in whatever way is deemed fruitful, fun and invigorating for all on all levels....... "