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Newry Harper Sharon Carroll is set to take families on an hour-long adventure in the forthcoming Harps Are Fun! children’s workshop in Belfast this weekend.
Hosted by Turas, East Belfast Mission on the Newtownards Rd, Belfast the workshop will take place on Saturday July 16 at 10am as part of the Harps Alive│An Chruit Bheo│Harps Leevin festival.
Sharon will delve into the magic of Irish legend as she invites the children (and parents) to come along to be spellbound by enchanting harp sounds and intriguing stories.
According to Sharon the event is going to be “interactive and fun, with a magical harp, a goblin and a very cross village”.
Sharon plays traditional Irish music with some popular and classical mix.
Learning the harp from an early age, Sharon has always had a talent and affinity for the harp. But getting started professionally was not simple for her.
“When I came back to the harp there were hardly any harp teachers about. It was lonely and isolating. Through time I made more contacts and thankfully Dearbhail Finnegan took me under her wing and guided me to improve my own playing, teaching and generally my confidence,” she explained.
Now, priding herself in delivering a high standard of performance with innate musicality, Sharon is the Director of the Carroll School of Harp and Sonas Harp Ensemble based in Newry, County Down. She shares her passion with many budding young and beginner harpers, having pupils from all backgrounds from the age of six to nearly 76.
“I pass on the tradition and music of the Irish harp to those keen to learn,” said Sharon.
“I get a great buzz from working with my pupils, helping them develop into wonderful musicians and reaching their potential.”
The biggest lesson Sharon herself has learnt working in the industry is to stay determined and focused despite drawbacks and difficulties.
“Believe in yourself and follow your dreams,” she advised.
“I learnt the harp at school and followed another career when I went to university. It wasn’t until ten years later that I decided to follow my passion and enthusiasm for the harp, buy one and change my career path.”
Sharon’s professional idol is Aibhlin McCrann, chair of Cruit Éireann Harp Ireland, a group of harp players working together to increase recognition of the Ireland’s national instrument and its unique status.
“The work Aibhlin and her team does to help preserve and promote the harp is phenomenal,” Sharon said.
The Harps Alive│An Chruit Bheo│Harps Leevin festival is set to bring together harpers and historians throughout the month of July to celebrate the 230th anniversary of the Belfast Harpers’ Assembly and is a partnership between Harp Ireland and the historical organisation Reclaim the Enlightenment.
The festival will feature three major concerts, smaller recitals, talks and workshops across Belfast, in addition to an exhibition in Linen Hall Library, and a new publication on the history of harping in Ireland.
The historical Belfast Harpers’ Assembly was held in Belfast in 1792 to collect music for future harpers to learn from and perform. As part of the agenda, the 19-year-old organist Edward Bunting (1773-1843) was employed to write down the music of the harpers and to transcribe their techniques. He subsequently published three volumes of music in 1797, 1809 and 1840 and named them ‘The Ancient Music of Ireland,’ a unique collection of its kind.
Sharon is a great admirer of that landmark event that influenced the course of Irish harping history forever.
She said: “By the end of the 18th century traditional Irish harpers were nearly extinct. To preserve the old harping tradition, an assembly was held in Belfast in July of 1792. All Irish harpers were invited to come and play. Only ten Irish harpers and one Welsh harper showed up. The youngest was a boy of 15 years; the oldest was Denis Hempson, who was 97 years old. “
Denis Hempson (1695 -1807), one of the greatest Irish traditional harpers, was the only one using the ancient way of playing with the long fingernails.
Hempson’s priceless legacy and life is a special highlight of the festival. On the other hand, many events within the festival will see performers playing favourite tunes from Bunting’s collection.
“Manuscripts made by Bunting survive to this day and are among the most important documents in the history of the Irish harp and Irish traditional music,” said Sharon.
Harps Alive│An Chruit Bheo│Harps Leevin festival opened last weekend with a live performance dedicated to Hempson at Mussenden Temple. The majority of the festival takes place across a number of sites in Belfast this weekend with its conclusion happening in Dublin on July 24.
Apart from giving a children’s workshop, Sharon will perform at the festival’s major concert ‘230 Years a-Harping’ along with renowned Irish harpers, including Siobhan Armstrong, Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhride, Laoise Kelly and others on the evening of July 16 at the First Presbyterian Church, Rosemary Street, Belfast.
She hopes the concert will be “enjoyment and inspiration to learn more about the harp and its amazing history.”
For tickets to Sharon’s workshop and 230 Years a-Harping as well as for more information about the festival go to http://harpsalive.com
