We are very excited to be presenting the first ever of its kind Harp and Story Festival.
Bringing the harp back to its traditional bardic roots, we’ve got sessions for you to be entertained, workshops for you to learn new skills and vibrant, fun engaging stories and workshops for children.
Spread between Lansdown Hall, St Lukes Therapy Centre, Selsley Common and The Prince Albert 1st – 2nd October, we’ve got storytellers and harpers from England, Scotland and Wales to entertain and enthral you.
Friday 30th September
We’re very happy to present a collaboration between award-winning author Joan Haig and acclaimed harper Hannah Haynes.
Free
No ticket required
Saturday 1st October
No musical experience necessary, this is a relaxed workshop in a friendly environment.
Come along and have a go!
You’ll learn how to hold a harp, an exercise and a tune in this 1-hour taster session with harp teacher Morwenna Louttit-Vermaat.
This is a workshop on our unique Rainbow Harps, a chance for you and a loved one to work together to create your own piece of music.
No musical experience is needed, we have an innovative colour system for composition that requires no knowledge of crotchets or minims. And for an additional £10 (you can choose on the day), Morwenna can embellish your composition and send you a recording of it after the event.
This workshop is open to people with and without learning (or other) disabilities. Please let us know in advance if your child has specific learning disabilities that will need to be taken in to consideration.
One ticket per pair.
In stock
An intermediate harp workshop with accomplished harper and harp teacher Heather Yule.
Heather will teach a couple of fun Scottish tunes with left-hand chords that students can take away and develop to suit their own style and level.
Heather Yule Bio
Heather grew up in the rich Scottish musical tradition, among Ceilidhs and traditional harping and storytelling. Her father is John Yule, the harp maker, while her mother took her to hear the renowned storytellers in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
In stock
Join Rosie and Tom from Star in the Apple Stories for magical, musical, seasonal storytelling. A journey through the seasons in song and story…
One free adult entry per child ticket purchased, and separate adults can buy their own ticket.
All ages welcome, check out https://www.youtube.com/c/StarintheAppleStories/featured for a preview.
In stock
Finding joy in the simple things, Hannah Haynes weaves together a tapestry of words and music in celebration of pea-pods, robins, cats, migrating geese, kindness, castles and friendship.
A session of poetry, prose and melodious harp music, all inspired by the landscape and wildlife of Southern Scotland. Hannah has performed at castles, royal palaces, towers and stately homes across Scotland, and also aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. She writes poetry purely for pleasure, and because there seem to be things there, waiting to be written.
In stock
UPDATE sadly Matt can’t make this event now, but Creag will be there to tell you about the story of Hands on Harps, how he got into harp making and a bit about how the harps are made.
It’s also your chance to have a go on a harp if you’ve never done that before, and hear about different ways you can learn to play the harp.
Free
No ticket required
An auction to raise funds for Arts for Wellbeing and Education CIC, with their AWESSOME aims of arts for wellbeing & education: story, song and music for everyone!
Free
No ticket required
Alison Newsom will tell the story and Heather Yule will create some harp sounds and music for the story, and tell some herself.
The main story of Pymlumon gives the source of three rivers: Ystwydd, Wye and Severn. They are the daughters of the giant Pymlumon, with very different characters. Their tears form the source of three rivers: the first goes to Aberystwydd, the next is the Wye, and then the Severn.
Heather Yule Bio
Heather grew up in the rich Scottish musical tradition, among Ceilidhs and traditional harping and storytelling. Her father is John Yule, the harp maker, while her mother took her to hear the renowned storytellers in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. She is a vivacious storyteller who creatively brings the wonderful sounds of the harp into the stories she tells.
Alison Newsam Bio
Alison Newsam is a storyteller based in Wales who tells stories to children and adults.
A teller of traditional and non-traditional tales, she likes to use beautiful words and song to express the humanity in stories from Wales and the world.
In stock
Sunday 2nd October
Sorry to cancel this, but it looks like it’ll be raining at sunrise tomorrow. We do this twice a year anyway, on the Summer and Winter solstices, so watch out for announcements about these on our Facebook page, or email info@handsonharps.com if you want me to send you an email when it’s happening.
Come and sit on Selsley Common and watch the sun come up, accompanied by Morwenna Louttit-Vermaat on the harp.
by donation
No ticket required
Toning and chanting together, plus sounds of the harp to bring us home to the harmony within us all.
Facilitated by Josie Felce
In stock
This is your chance to try a harp out in an informal setting, and ask questions to a real-life harper.
Always dreamed of playing the harp? This could be your first step…
Free
No ticket required
Come along to this short session to learn a tune in the comfort of the Prince Albert Pub. All levels, including beginners, are welcome. Harps provided.
In stock
Come along to this short session to learn a tune in the comfort of the Prince Albert Pub. All levels, including beginners, are welcome. Harps provided.
In stock
Come along to this short session to learn a tune in the comfort of the Prince Albert Pub. All levels, including beginners, are welcome. Harps provided.
In stock