For the first time in over eleven years, I was unable to send my monthly newsletter in August due to technical issues. I am so sorry. However, don't worry. You haven't missed anything. Here is the August newsletter, now with a brand new name: September Newsletter!

I hope you enjoy it. 

-- Sylvia

As I've mentioned in many previous newsletters, my amazing sister Sheryl has lived in France since 1970. She and her husband, Jean-Pierre, travel extensively throughout Europe and the world. Sheryl sends me photos whenever they visit a church with statues, paintings, carvings, or stained-glass windows depicting harps. Last Christmas, she sent me a calendar she made with window photos for every month.

I'm pleased to announce that Sheryl has added an 18-page PDF featuring over 50 of her photos, along with descriptions of the cathedrals and other locations. In the Fun Stuff category on my website, I've created a new "Looking for King David" page, which includes a link for you to read and download this beautiful PDF. See how many "Davids" you can find!

Although most of the photos in Sheryl's PDF are of King David and his harp, here's a statue of a different harper that she recently found and included.

In Brittany, in western France, there is a very surprising 90-acre park called the Valley of Saints (La Vallée des Saints). It contains more than 200 granite statues of Breton saints, most of whom I have never heard of.

This is Saint Houarvian – a bard or troubadour who lived in the 5th century and was canonized in 1247. Houarvian was the father of Saint Harvey (Hervé), who was born blind, was also a musician, and is the Patron Saint of Breton Bards.

The statue was sculpted by Stephane Goupil in 2023.

You can find pictures of the other statues at www.lavalleedessaints.com.



-- Sheryl

In my May 2025 newsletter, I featured Make Music Day, a free celebration of music around the world that takes place annually on June 21st. 

In the June newsletter, I included an update with a photo of Jacqueline Pollauf performing at a previous Make Music Day event in a Baltimore library. I also said:

“If you and your harp participate in this year's June 21st festivities, please send me a photo and a brief description of your experience. I'll print some of the responses in a future newsletter.” Here are a few of the responses I received.

Jeanne Hunsberger

East Greenville, PA 

This is the third year I have taken part in Make Music Day. I am 83, and my hands shake in front of an audience, but my friends just enjoy hearing me play. We have 17 different venues and over 150 participants. This year, it was close to 90 degrees, and the air conditioning in the church venue was broken. You can see how red my face was.

Zoe Vandermeer

New London, Connecticut

This photo is from my informal performance today, singing with my Welsh Triple Harp at the Custom House Maritime Museum. I was surrounded by exotic nautical antiques. I performed music by Delibes, Mozart, Paisiello, Dragonetti, and Taubert. It was lots of fun, and they want me back for a full program!

Marcyn Clements

Claremont, California.

I played in front of the Folk Music Center store on Make Music Day. I was pleased that Reggie, the talented guitar-playing husband of my friend, Rev. Jessie, was willing to join me. It was the first time we had played together.

My harp was hooked up to my little red amp, and I played my Native flute into the sounding board. Luckily, the amp picked it up.

Reggie’s daughter Emma enjoyed the music while sitting in her stroller, and her mom, Jessie, took the photos. It was lots of fun! 

Make Music Day, or Fête de la Musique, began in France in 1982. Sheryl wrote about her experiences with past Paris festivals in my May newsletter. Here's her description of this year's festivities near her home.

In Paris, a major event took place in the Tuileries Garden, culminating in the launching of the large vasque cauldron balloon, which was the symbol of the 2024 Olympic Games.

As we were driving home, we listened to various bits of concerts on the radio. We arrived home just as the sun set, about 10 pm. (Yup, that's sunset time!) It was in the high 80s to low 90s all day, so we had our windows open all night. We could easily hear the concert in the park gymnasium across the river. It ended at 11 pm sharp. Then another outdoor concert, a bit farther away, took over and continued until exactly midnight.

In the meantime, at 11:45, a city "eight seconds away" put on a fireworks show that lasted almost 15 minutes. Those "seconds" are the time it took the sound to reach us after the bursts of fireworks. For once, they were visible from our bedroom window; most of the time, we can hear all the booms but rarely see anything. 

And finally, after midnight, the frogs took over.

Photo by Gaëlle Girolami

Check out this YouTube video interview with Aaron Friedman, Executive Director of the Make Music Alliance in New York for more information about this special day in the United States and around the world.

The Wizard of Oz

including If I Were King of the Forest

by Sylvia Woods

PDF or book

15% off with King code

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The King's Delight

by Suzanne Guldimann

PDF

15% off with King code

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The King of Love My Shepherd Is

by Rhett Barnwell

PDF

15% off with King code

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The Wheel of the Year

including The Holy King

by Carol Wood

PDF

15% off with King code

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The Three Ravens

including Grim King of the Ghosts

by Suzanne Guldimann

PDF

15% off with King code

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Star of Wonder

including We Three Kings

by Sunita Staneslow

PDF

15% off with King code

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15% off select sale items when you use the code word King

Our newsletter promo codes are redeemable online and are only valid for the products listed above in the monthly sale section. They are not valid for phone or email orders. This month's code word is King.

Here's how to get your newsletter discount at harpcenter.com:

#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 King 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 (the original price)

   Total Price: $8.46 (the discounted price)

You'll also see a note below the Promo Code box stating the name of the promo code you entered and the percentage discount amount.

REMEMBER: You must enter this month's code word King in the Promo Code box and click "Apply" on your shopping cart page by September 30, 2025, to get the discount!

If you forget or have trouble adding it to your order, email Sylvia immediately.  

This offer expires at the end of the day on 9/30/2025.

Sylvia Woods Harp Center

Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii