The Harbison Harp Method of training combines elements of the old Irish oral training system in a modern method that will teach creative musicianship to today’s players of the Irish harp – recognising the improvisational style of informal music (session music and balladry) and the more formal repertoire of historic music in the tradition.

It is an organic method of learning that recognises music as the language of emotion. In the western world, our understanding of emotion is universal, and if music is the universal language, it speaks to all of us. I believe that music education today does not teach music as a language, or at least not one to be spoken or used for two-way communication, but is taught only to be recited, regardless of whether the music is understood or not, either by the performer or the audience.

Imagine the scenario: You are taught a wonderful piece of poetry in a foreign exotic language that you don’t understand, but your ‘teacher’ coaches you expertly. Every nuance, every tone, every musical gesture is perfectly in place, and the foreign exotic audience is delighted. They were completely convinced by the magnificent performance, and come to congratulate you afterwards – but you haven’t a clue what is said since you have been coached only to parrot a great performance, not to understand, speak or appreciate the language.

How should a language, any language, and the language of music be taught? Surely the end goal of any teacher is to equip the student with the means to communicate with the language, so that they can indeed appreciate and enjoy the works of the great artistes, writers and composers, but also that they too can use the language to communicate their own wishes and artistic expressions – for to speak within a language whether in casual communication or in formal composition is the prerequisite to healthy relationships between oneself and one’s mental, physical and emotional health, and between ourselves, our families, friends and communities. Every culture will have its Shakespeares and Beethovens, but we are not teaching language purely to mimic Shakespeare and Beethoven, but to speak ourselves and be spoken to.

The Harbison Harp Method is based in this ideal and teaches music (which is perfectly amenable for any voice or instrument but in this case particularly gauged to harp playing) as an art form for the player to explore and express for themselves. Working therefore from a sound understanding of how the language works in the three dimensions of Melody, Rhythm and Harmony and from how we create connections with people individually, in groups or communally, we can learn how we can better lift our spirits and be good for each other (which is what Art is mostly about). This ideal is at the core of the method. . .