Press Release: 9th Bi-Annual 2019 Minnesota Scottish Harp Weekend
For Immediate Release:
Gather Round and Head North for the Minnesota Scottish Harp Weekend
St. Paul & Eagan, Minnesota | The Scottish harp community in the Twin Cities may be small, but it is mighty; we have not only one, but two National Scottish Harp Champions. We’ll be playing it forward for the next generation by holding a Minnesota Scottish Harp Weekend again, July 19th-21st, 2019. The weekend will include a harp workshop on Friday afternoon at the Celtic Junction Arts Center in St Paul and a SHSA sanctioned harp competition on Saturday, July 20th, at the Minnesota Scottish Fair and Highland Games, which will also host the first joint concert of Minnesota’s aforementioned National Scottish Harp Champions, Stephanie Claussen and Chad McAnally, playing on lever and wire-strung harp respectively. The festivities continue into Sunday with a cozy Scottish brunch, followed by a jam session, open to harpists and their musical friends.
Our featured guest judge and workshop leader, Sue Richards (right), is internationally known as a performer, teacher and composer in the Celtic harp tradition.
“We are so excited to have Sue Richards for this event. Besides being an icon in the Scottish music community, Sue has the reputation of being a wonderful mentor both in her workshops and as a judge. Competitors at whatever level can improve their playing through the insightful feedback Sue provides” says Chad, co-organizer of the event. Stephanie couldn’t agree more “Sue has contributed enormously to the Scottish harp community in America and to my own personal journey with Scottish music. Her arrangements have inspired me for years! I’m thrilled that she will be sharing her wealth of information about Scottish style, tunes, and history with our Minnesota harp community.”
There are categories for all ages and skill levels, as well as harp ensemble and harp & voice, open to all non-pedal harps. “Events like this can be a wonderful way to focus your practice toward a goal, as well as to connect with other friendly faces in the harp community, share ideas and techniques. And of course, you’ll learn more about the Scottish traditional idiom, which has a vast depth and diversity of music, from the experiences of common people, to the aspirations of chieftains and kings”, notes Chad.
Can’t make the event, but would like to support it? Be the first kid on your block to have this amazing t-shirt (left) designed by Emily Taege, organizer of our 2017 event. It is based on an illustration in a mediaeval manuscript for Oxford’s Bodleian library. If your pockets run a little deeper there are several other ways to help sponsor the event as well.
As Chad says “The Twin Cites recently hosted the NFL Superbowl and the NCAA Final Four. We are ready for a great gathering of Scottish harpers at this event!”.