Workshop topics
Over the last 30 years of my teaching career, I've been very lucky to have the opportunity to not only see some fabulous teachers doing what they do best, but also have had the chance to work with them, and to lead workshops and tutor all over the world. Including NZ events - The NZ Harp Festival 2004, Harp Weekends, Harpenz, The Harp Retreat and in the UK - Benslow Music School, Retreat to the Harp and the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in Scotland. I've also spoken at online events such as "Hangin' with the Harp" on the 'Step up Your Sightreading' and talked about my publications and compositions - most of these online appearances can be found on YouTube and in various places around my website.
I Hate Sightreading!!
Really??? I love it!
I love the freedom it gives me to open and play a new piece of music with a high degree of accuracy. Then I can consider if I liked the sound of it (or not!) and whether to take the time to learn it.
Interested? This workshop will give you the overview for how to tackle your sightreading – from the very first steps…C..D…C up to the level you want to be able to read at.
Resources – Sightreading for Harp books 1-4, by Anna Dunwoodie and Lisa Williamson
Removing the Barriers to Learning
Lots of beginner and intermediate tips and techniques for teachers, parents and students on making the path to success easier for all students.
I have a special interest in working with students with specific (diagnosed or not) learning disabilities such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism, Aspergers, Irlens Syndrom and Auditory processing disorders and have developed little ways to make some aspects of music more obvious and helpful to the learner who can then thrive rather than just survive in their lessons.
Ensemble Music – what’s not to love about it?
How to bring it all together – what am I as a member of an ensemble expected to know about being in an ensemble?? I can play my part at home, but there is so much more than just playing the notes by myself.
How do I ensemble online? It’s do-able!! Learn how!
Music resources supplied for this workshop
Let’s Ensemble Together
It doesn’t matter if you are gathering in person, or online – we can duet (do it!) together with cleverly planned duets for harpists at beginner and intermediate levels.
Music resources and audio files supplied. Attendees will get their music in advance so they have a chance to become a little familiar with the music in advance of getting together.
Choice of Celtic or Anna Dunwoodie original duets
Start memorising!
Memorising music can be a skill that some people think they were not given , but maybe, just maybe, it's about having access to music that invites you to learn it by logical hands shapes and patterns, and tunes that stick in your head. In this workshop we will look at several examples of music which has all the right components for being straight forward to memorise. A workshop aimed at the early intermediate harpist but manageable for any harpist who can get their fingers around 3 note chords and 4 note scales comfortably. Build up to confident memorising by starting with tunes that have great patterns throughout.
Kiwi Celt Tunes – taught as a 5 day course at Edinburgh International Harp Festival 2019
Explore the unique sounds of ‘traditional’ and contemporary songs and tunes from New Zealand. NZ was a landing point for many people following the Celtic diaspora and the exploration of the far corners of the globe in the late 1700s. They brought with them the music of their homelands, and over time, while we still have a strong and keen Celtic backbone, that music has taken on a Kiwi flavour that stands out as different from the contemporary or traditional of the Celts. And we are proud of it!
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Some people get offended at this phrase – please don’t! If you want a fun and full on way to learn some new tunes, I’ll be the lead monkey, showing you what to do, and you be on team monkey and copy me. We’ll learn new tunes in small chunks with lots of repetition and plenty of chance to let your ears help you out with the learning.
Different levels available – novice/ beginner / intermediate
Themes – Kiwi Celt, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Christmas music (old and even older tunes) or Anna Dunwoodie originals,
Composing like an age-old folk musician!
This is a course that takes 3 to 5 sessions to analyse the structure, tricks and techniques of the traditional Celtic tunes and... we will be writing our own tunes based on the same ideas that have worked for hundreds of years.
As taught at the NZ Gaidhealtacht 2012, suitable for any melody instrument.
Harp 101
A refresher on how to get our fingers around our strings and do it with ease.
Theory Matters
It really does (just like sight-reading really matters!) and unfortunately many musicians prefer just being able to play rather than understanding the underlying concepts behind the notation, structure, shape and make up of the music they want to play.
What you need to know to stay ahead of your music - you won't learn it all in this lesson, but you will find out what it is really important to know about at your level, and go away with a list of resources for filling out your theoretical understanding.
Different levels available - non music reader/beginner/intermediate
Over the last 30 years of my teaching career, I've been very lucky to have the opportunity to not only see some fabulous teachers doing what they do best, but also have had the chance to work with them, and to lead workshops and tutor all over the world. Including NZ events - The NZ Harp Festival 2004, Harp Weekends, Harpenz, The Harp Retreat and in the UK - Benslow Music School, Retreat to the Harp and the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in Scotland. I've also spoken at online events such as "Hangin' with the Harp" on the 'Step up Your Sightreading' and talked about my publications and compositions - most of these online appearances can be found on YouTube and in various places around my website.
I Hate Sightreading!!
Really??? I love it!
I love the freedom it gives me to open and play a new piece of music with a high degree of accuracy. Then I can consider if I liked the sound of it (or not!) and whether to take the time to learn it.
Interested? This workshop will give you the overview for how to tackle your sightreading – from the very first steps…C..D…C up to the level you want to be able to read at.
Resources – Sightreading for Harp books 1-4, by Anna Dunwoodie and Lisa Williamson
Removing the Barriers to Learning
Lots of beginner and intermediate tips and techniques for teachers, parents and students on making the path to success easier for all students.
I have a special interest in working with students with specific (diagnosed or not) learning disabilities such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism, Aspergers, Irlens Syndrom and Auditory processing disorders and have developed little ways to make some aspects of music more obvious and helpful to the learner who can then thrive rather than just survive in their lessons.
Ensemble Music – what’s not to love about it?
How to bring it all together – what am I as a member of an ensemble expected to know about being in an ensemble?? I can play my part at home, but there is so much more than just playing the notes by myself.
How do I ensemble online? It’s do-able!! Learn how!
Music resources supplied for this workshop
Let’s Ensemble Together
It doesn’t matter if you are gathering in person, or online – we can duet (do it!) together with cleverly planned duets for harpists at beginner and intermediate levels.
Music resources and audio files supplied. Attendees will get their music in advance so they have a chance to become a little familiar with the music in advance of getting together.
Choice of Celtic or Anna Dunwoodie original duets
Start memorising!
Memorising music can be a skill that some people think they were not given , but maybe, just maybe, it's about having access to music that invites you to learn it by logical hands shapes and patterns, and tunes that stick in your head. In this workshop we will look at several examples of music which has all the right components for being straight forward to memorise. A workshop aimed at the early intermediate harpist but manageable for any harpist who can get their fingers around 3 note chords and 4 note scales comfortably. Build up to confident memorising by starting with tunes that have great patterns throughout.
Kiwi Celt Tunes – taught as a 5 day course at Edinburgh International Harp Festival 2019
Explore the unique sounds of ‘traditional’ and contemporary songs and tunes from New Zealand. NZ was a landing point for many people following the Celtic diaspora and the exploration of the far corners of the globe in the late 1700s. They brought with them the music of their homelands, and over time, while we still have a strong and keen Celtic backbone, that music has taken on a Kiwi flavour that stands out as different from the contemporary or traditional of the Celts. And we are proud of it!
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Some people get offended at this phrase – please don’t! If you want a fun and full on way to learn some new tunes, I’ll be the lead monkey, showing you what to do, and you be on team monkey and copy me. We’ll learn new tunes in small chunks with lots of repetition and plenty of chance to let your ears help you out with the learning.
Different levels available – novice/ beginner / intermediate
Themes – Kiwi Celt, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Christmas music (old and even older tunes) or Anna Dunwoodie originals,
Composing like an age-old folk musician!
This is a course that takes 3 to 5 sessions to analyse the structure, tricks and techniques of the traditional Celtic tunes and... we will be writing our own tunes based on the same ideas that have worked for hundreds of years.
As taught at the NZ Gaidhealtacht 2012, suitable for any melody instrument.
Harp 101
A refresher on how to get our fingers around our strings and do it with ease.
Theory Matters
It really does (just like sight-reading really matters!) and unfortunately many musicians prefer just being able to play rather than understanding the underlying concepts behind the notation, structure, shape and make up of the music they want to play.
What you need to know to stay ahead of your music - you won't learn it all in this lesson, but you will find out what it is really important to know about at your level, and go away with a list of resources for filling out your theoretical understanding.
Different levels available - non music reader/beginner/intermediate