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Sylvia Woods Harp Center
May 2021 Newsletter
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Time flies when you're playing the harp!
During a recent lesson, one of my students mentioned that she often sits down at her harp "for just a few minutes" and eventually realizes that she's played for over an hour! Time flies when you're playing the harp!
In May 1971, 50 years ago, I graduated from Johnston College at the University of Redlands in Southern California. I started playing the harp while in college, so I've been playing for over 50 years. Where has the time gone?!?!? Time flies when you're playing the harp!
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My father took this photo at my first student recital at the university, where I played one piece. (I'm sure he took the picture after the concert, because I can't imagine I looked that happy while I was playing!) My main memory of that night is the two young harp players in the first row who kept a tally on their fingers of every mistake that anyone made. It was very annoying!
I want to send a special "thank you" to my first harp teacher, the late Marjorie Call, for starting me on this lifetime adventure.
I can't imagine what my life would be like without the harp.
-- Sylvia
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One of my wonderful customers, Lorraine Echter, sent me a YouTube video of Chef Amaury Guichon crafting a large pedal harp out of CHOCOLATE!! Yes, these photos are of the actual 5-foot tall (1.5 meter) chocolate harp, complete with 47 pulled sugar strings.
Check it out. I guarantee you'll be impressed -- and crave chocolate!
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Chef Amaury Guichon received his training in France and Switzerland. He now lives in Nevada and opened his Pastry Academy in Las Vegas. |
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New music at HarpCenter.com |
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Here are some of the PDFs that I've added to harpcenter.com this past month.
Holy Gathering - six sacred pieces for harp and a variety of instruments
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Our Featured Arranger: Sharon Thormahlen |
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Sharon Thormahlen is our featured arranger this month. Here's what she has to say about herself and her music.
My musical journey began listening to my parents play music in our living room. They both played mandolin, and my dad also played harmonica. When I was 12, our family visited my mother's cousin and her husband, who played the guitar. I loved watching him play, and I had this feeling inside: "I want to do that!"
My cousin, Helen, and I sat around for hours singing folk songs while I played the guitar. My parents took us camping, and we sang around the campfire. My dad also took me to retirement homes, accompanying my guitar on mandolin or harmonica.
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When I was about 14, another cousin asked me about the notes I played on the guitar. We mapped out the guitar fretboard and discovered that three notes made up each chord! This was my introduction to music theory.
I took some music theory classes in college. I saw people playing harps in the practice rooms, never thinking that I would ever play one. Little did I know what was in my future.
I played music with my friend Paulina in a duo called "Sweet Harmony," and then also formed a duo with a guitar player, Ian. My dad even joined us a few times.
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I met Dave Thormahlen in 1984, and my life changed forever!
Two years before we met, Dave was building mandolins and hammered dulcimers. He first heard a Celtic harp when he saw someone playing at a local restaurant. While teaching an instrument-building class at the Oregon State University Craft Center, one of his students wanted to build a harp. The only harp makers that Dave was aware of were Chris and Teresa Caswell, Jay Witcher, and the Robinsons. After crafting a harp in his class, Dave visited the Caswells in California and saw the possibilities of harp building as a career.
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Dave and I formed the duo "Oak Shade," playing guitar and mandolin and singing at local restaurants and festivals. I later learned to play the bass, and we added Lentil Bean on guitar and Dave Burham on fiddle as the "Swing Beans." We played together for about ten years, creating two excellent recordings: "Groovin' in the Garden" and "Dessert First." But, the harp still waited for me.
Dave and I got married in 1990, and our daughter, Rosiee, was born two years later. In 1996, we went to the harp conference in Olympia, Washington, where Dave exhibited his harps. As we watched the harp concerts, I again had the "I want to do that" feeling! I began taking harp lessons with Laura Zaerr here in Corvallis, Oregon. Over the years, I've also learned from many top performers and workshop leaders at harp conferences.
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I currently teach harp lessons through Zoom, and a few students come to in-person lessons at my studio. I have published 19 books of harp music, including original compositions, traditional arrangements, Latin music (with Nicolas Carter), and duets (with my cousin-in-law, Anna Thormahlen Jenkins). I just released a new book of originals called Beneath the Pines. Order one; you'll love it!
We have made over 1,700 Thormahlen Harps. Most of them are in the U.S., but we've also sent harps worldwide. We have five models that can be strung in nylon, gut, or fluorocarbon. Visit our website at www.thorharp.com for more information.
Due to COVID restrictions, we can't perform at our usual venues, so we play music in our living room. Hopefully, we will soon be able to share our music with live audiences once again.
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This month's sale includes all of Sharon Thormahlen's PDFs. Save15% off of this great music when you use the Sharon code!
To get the 15% discount, enter the code word Sharon in the "Enter Promo Code" box on your shopping cart page and click "Enter Code" by May 31, 2021. For more information, see the "How to get the 15% discount" section at the bottom of this newsletter.
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Sharon's Duet Arrangements |
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by Sharon Thormahlen and
Anna Thormahlen Jenkins
15% off with Sharon code
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by Sharon Thormahlen and
Anna Thormahlen Jenkins
15% off with Sharon code
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for harp and flute
by Sharon Thormahlen
and J.B. Urey
15% off with Sharon code
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composed by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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composed by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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composed by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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composed by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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composed by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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composed by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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Sharon's Traditional & Holiday Arrangements |
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arranged by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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arranged for solo or duo by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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by Sharon Thormahlen and
Nicholas Carter
15% off with Sharon code
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arranged by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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Jewish tunes arranged by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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Christmas tunes arranged by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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AND . . .
Sharon's Brand New Publication
of Original Music
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composed by
Sharon Thormahlen
15% off with Sharon code
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How to get the 15% discount
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15% off select sale items when you use the code word Sharon
Our newsletter promo codes are redeemable online and are only valid for all PDFs by Sharon Thormahlen. They are not valid for phone or email orders. This month's code word is Sharon.
#1. Put the items you want to purchase in your cart.
#2. On the page where you view the items in your cart, type this month's code word Sharon in the "Enter Promo Code" box and click "Apply."
The actual price of the featured sale products on this page will then automatically change to reflect the discount. For example,
Unit Price: $9.95 (which is the original price)
Total Price: $8.46 (the discounted price)
You'll also see a note below the Promo Code box saying the name of the promo code you entered and the percentage amount of the discount.
REMEMBER: you must enter this month's code word Sharon in the Promo Code box and click "Apply" on your shopping cart page by May 31, 2021 to get the discount!
Offer expires at the end of the day on 5/31/2021.
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Sylvia Woods Harp Center
Lihue, Hawaii
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