Lowell — Rhett Barnwell will give a full concert on Friday evening, August 17 at 7:30 p.m. He will perform on several instruments, playing sacred music. Tickets may be purchased by calling (616) 897-7842. HARPfest 2012:The Spiritual Nature of the Harp will be Aug. 17 and 18.
Guest clinician, Rhett Barnwell, has distinguished himself as a composer and arranger of music specifically for the Celtic harp. His work encompasses hymn arrangements and original transcriptions of the music of Bach, Handel and others. Barnwell holds a Bachelor of Music from Florida State University. He has also pursued advanced studies in choral conducting and Gregorian chant. He recently completed a concert tour of Italy with soprano Claire Teuber. Mr. Barnwell has released four recordings to date. He is the founder of Seraphim Music, a source for sacred, healing and meditative music. For more information, visit seraphimmusic.com.
n Gregorian Chant for the Harp (All levels, hands on)
With the recent surge of interest in Gregorian chant, many people are rediscovering this most ancient form of sung prayer. We will look at the origins of Gregorian chant and see its fundamental role in the shaping of Western sacred music. These simple and beautifully profound melodies lend themselves well to being played on the harp, and this workshop will explore how to do this as well as examining existing arrangements.
n Checking Your Baggage (All levels, lecture and discussion)
How often have you had the experience of thinking you had learned a piece rather well, only to perform it in front of people and having disaster strike! This may come in the form of shaking fingers, memory slips, mistakes, losing your place, or general amnesia of how to play the harp! This workshop will show you how to approach learning music and performing in a totally different manner which will minimize these potential pitfalls of public performance.
n Getting a Handel on the Harp (All levels, part lecture, part participation)
In the first half of the 18th century, the harp was overshadowed by instruments that were more capable of meeting the ever-increasingly chromatic demands of composers of the time, most notably, Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, and Handel. Of these, only one was in a unique position of having virtuosi harpists at his fingertips – George F. Handel. After leaving his native Germany, Handel settled in London and soon discovered a group of Welshmen who were quite proficient in the triple harp, which had been brought previously from Italy and adapted to their needs. He composed a handful of pieces for the instrument and, more importantly, inspired later composers and arrangers to adapt his music for the new-fangled single and double action pedal harps, which came later. In this workshop we will look at the few original pieces Handel wrote for the harp, and hear his famous harp concerto as it might have sounded in the early 18th century, and explore transcriptions of some of his best loved works. Many of his pieces are very well suited for the lever harp and are frequently requested for weddings, church services, and other special occasions.
n Anything Goes – Arranging and Composing for the Harp (All levels)
We discover there is more than one way to skin a cat as we look at the methods to the madness of arranging and composing for the lever harp. We will learn how to create beautiful music out of a row of strings. You will find your “style” by selecting a mood, a mode, a meter and other mechanics. We get down to the nitty gritty of classical forms, look at tricks of the trade, and figure out how to make things sound like they are meant for the harp. In the end, we discover that anything goes – if it sounds good, it IS good!
Rhett is available for a limited number of private lessons, first-come, first-served basis. Indicate on your registration form if you would like a private lesson. Fee is $60, paid directly to Rhett.
Franciscan Life Process Center • 11650 Downes Street • Lowell, MI 49331-9489 (616) 897-7842 or at flpc@lifeprocesscenter.org.†