How To Harp Podcast

A library book about choosing an instrument for your child, left lying around the house, is where this whole story starts. Heather's guest is Rachel, who read it at 11, came downstairs the next morning asking for a harp, and has since been named BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2026. Heather asks her about the years in between, from a first rented harp in Aberdeenshire to a masters at the Berklee campus in Valencia, and about how quickly everything changed once the result was announced for the Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year. In this episode: - How the Clàrsach Society rental scheme made that first harp possible - Why she wrote a conservatoire application and never sent it - Two years on pedal harp, and what pulled her back to the lever harp - Where her tune Number 43 came from, and why it's really about Glasgow - Applying for the competition on a whim, and the boxes we put ourselves in - Letting go of feeling she had something to prove, and what that did for her nerves - The concert and workshop she's bringing to the How To Harp membership Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Rachel Groves - Professional Harpist, Composer, BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2026, and How To Harp Guest Tutor Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #RachelGroves #ScottishHarp

Heather's learning and teaching philosophy has never been spoken about properly before, and she lays the whole thing out here. It came out of a live session during our Celebrating Harmony Weekend, when she heard herself explaining it and realised that's genuinely how everything at How To Harp has been built. It centres on three ideas she's taken from the jazz musician Clark Terry, imitation, assimilation and innovation, but she doesn't think they happen in that order. She makes the case that they're a Venn diagram rather than a staircase, with every one of them at work from your very first lesson. In this episode: - Why Heather refuses to say the word "should" to a learner - The Suzuki idea that we pick up an instrument the same way we learn to talk - Her brother Alistair, the name she couldn't pronounce as a baby, and why nobody corrected her - What's really going on when adult learners feel stuck and impatient - Why our beginner and post beginner pathways are designed to take at least a year - Asking what you like about a single bar of music, and where that question takes you - How waiting until you know enough can end up holding your playing back Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #AdultHarpLearners #TeachingPhilosophy

Niccie heard a harp at the ballet when she was little, then waited more than four decades before she started playing one. Heather sits down with her to find out how she finally got going, and why doing it her way has mattered so much. She's nearly three years in now, and she knows exactly how she learns, what she wants from an instrument, and what she'd rather take her time over. Heather gets into both harps, the teaching that suits her, and the mindset that holds it all together. In this episode: - Why weekly lessons weren't right for her, and how monthly ones with Angela work instead - Choosing a Pilgrim Clarsach, and the harp she never expected to fall for - Building and painting a Harp-E from a bare kit, levers and all - Being on the autistic spectrum, and how the harp settles a busy brain - Picking music that's far too hard on purpose, and preferring exercises to pieces - Harmonics on the lower metal strings, and getting two hands to agree with each other - Practice Togethers, the technique bank, and a community where nobody feels behind Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Niccie Hughes - Learner Harpist and How To Harp Member Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #LearnerHarpist #HarpJourney

Plenty of people come to the harp later in life already sure they've missed their chance. The Heather and Angela episodes are usually a Harpy Tutor Chat, but in this one Heather is asking Angela a set of questions she hadn't seen beforehand. It's part celebration of Angela's two years with How To Harp, and part honest conversation about what teaching adults asks of you. In this episode: - Angela's first ever one-to-one lesson with us, and the 10pm high that kept her awake - Why adult learners compare themselves to a fantasy self, and stop seeing their own progress - The maple tree from our goal-setting session, and the member who planted one at home - Knowing how hard to push someone, and why she calls it a tightrope - The piece a learner falls in love with that's well beyond them, and why there's no easy answer - The one gift she'd give every adult beginner - How her confidence changed once she was actually doing the job - Heather on what it's like having another harpist on the team Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Angela Boraston - Harpist, Harp Tutor at How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #AdultHarpLearners #HarpTeaching

Nadia's best-known tune sat in a drawer for eleven months before she published it, because she wasn't sure it was good enough. It's since been heard well over a million times, and the German harpist and singer joins Heather to talk about how she works, and what she listens for. Much of it goes back to her training in Lieder, where the piano part is written to illustrate the words. She's spent a career carrying that idea across to the harp, treating it as a duo partner with a voice of its own rather than a set of arpeggios underneath the melody. In this episode: - Falling for the Celtic harp at sixteen, after hearing the duo Sìleas live - Why she went back and took classical lessons after teaching herself - Starting every song arrangement from scratch, hunting for patterns she hasn't used before - Building "Sagittaire" around a short film, and writing music to picture - Collecting light, wind and acoustic spaces as raw material - Putting her first video online when most computers couldn't play it, and the invitation that arrived two years later - Whether the tradition can be stretched too far, and why she doesn't think there's a line - Her concert and harp and voice workshop inside the membership - One piece of advice for adult learners, and how to know a teacher is right for you Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Nadia Birkenstock - Harpist, Singer, Composer, and How To Harp Guest Tutor Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #NadiaBirkenstock #HarpAndVoice

Heather turned 40 last weekend, and this week she's flying solo with something a bit more personal than usual. It's an honest look at how she handled the run up to a birthday she really didn't want, and what she'd do very differently next time. It's not really a birthday episode though. If you've ever put something off because you were dreading it, you'll recognise a lot of this. That same pattern turns up all over harp playing, and Heather talks through how to face it, why changing your mindset is much easier said than done, and why she's heading into this next year with a lot less dread. In this episode: - A whole year spent worrying, and the moment Heather realised nothing had actually changed - How a poor attitude sucks the fun out of something before it even happens - Why a bit of a wallow is fine, but a year-long one isn't - The stressful lesson, the exam, or the technique problem you're quietly avoiding - The three choices you've got when a concert's coming and you're dreading it - Reframing the work you've put in, the people listening, and the sound of the harp - Why sharing it with someone is the most useful thing you can do first This is a vulnerable and funny one, and really it's about how much time and enjoyment we can lose to something we can't change, and how quickly that turns round once we choose to look at it differently. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #MusicianMindset #PerformanceAnxiety

Heather sits down with Karen, a much-loved part of the How To Harp membership, to hear how she found the harp and what it has come to mean to her. Please listen with care, as Karen speaks openly about living with serious illness, including cancer. What follows is warm, funny and full of heart, a reminder of how much music can carry us through, even in the hardest of times. In this episode: - How a flute and harp concert first sparked Karen's love of the instrument - The surprise harp lesson that started it all - The harp she named Joy, and the story behind it - Choosing the Skye Boat Song, and why a reflective piece felt right - How playing supports her through treatment, physically and mentally - Finding humour and positivity in the hardest moments - The practice trackers Karen created for fellow members - Her advice on making practice a treat you reach for first Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Karen Marks - Learner Harpist and How To Harp Member Learn with us: https://www.howtoharp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #HarpJourney #LearnerHarpist

Heather & Angela are back for another Harpy Tutor Chat, sharing an honest conversation about what it means to keep growing as a musician. They reflect on their own experiences, the challenges of developing new skills, and why staying curious is such an important part of any harp journey. From learning completely new instruments to taking regular harp lessons, they explore different ways of developing as musicians. They also discuss accountability, professional development, festivals, workshops and why experiencing life as a learner helps them better understand and support their own students. In this episode: • Why Heather learns a new instrument every few years • Why Angela still has regular harp lessons • The value of accountability in your own musical development • Learning through festivals, workshops and new experiences • How becoming a beginner changes your perspective as a teacher • Why curiosity is essential for long-term musical growth • Supporting students by continuing to grow yourself This is a thoughtful and encouraging conversation that reminds us there is always something new to discover, whatever stage we’re at in our harp journey. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Angela Boraston - Harp Tutor at How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #LifelongLearning #MusicEducation

Heather chats with Gwyneth about EFT, tapping and how emotional blocks from the past can affect the way we feel, behave and make music. They explore how tapping works, why performance anxiety can feel so powerful, and how simple emotional freedom techniques may help musicians feel calmer, freer and more confident. In this episode: • What EFT and tapping are • How Gwyneth helps people get free from the past • Why performance anxiety can be so difficult for musicians • The story of a pianist who worked through deep performance fear • How music can bring up emotions and memories • The five minute tapping routine Gwyneth will be sharing in the membership • Why Catherine recommended Gwyneth to How To Harp • How tapping can support stress, sleep and emotional wellbeing This is a fascinating and thoughtful conversation about performance anxiety, emotional freedom and how musicians can find more calm and confidence in themselves and their music. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Gwyneth Moss - EFT and Tapping Specialist Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #PerformanceAnxiety #EmotionalFreedom

Heather answers another batch of listener questions in this special Q&A episode. Thank you to everyone who sent questions in - you all made this episode possible! She also shares thoughts on professional harp pathways in Scotland, conservatoire study, harp qualifications, regulation, practice methods, hand shapes, humidity, sun cream, and when to ask your harp maker for advice. In this episode: • What to know when changing harp strings for the first time • Whether changing a string means your levers need regulated • Heather’s thoughts on becoming a harp teacher • Different routes into professional harp playing in Scotland • How to build speed without losing accuracy • Why hand shapes matter when speeding up music • How heat, humidity, sun cream and insect repellent can affect your harp This practical solo episode is full of harp care advice, practice tips, and honest insights from Heather’s own experience as a performer, teacher and educator. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #HarpPractice #HarpTeacher

Heather explores why technique is about far more than scales and exercises, and how strong technical foundations can give you greater freedom, confidence and expression at the harp. She shares four reasons technique gives you freedom in your playing, from removing panic and building confidence to expanding your musical choices and helping you focus on expression rather than mechanics. In this episode: • Why good technique removes panic and helps you feel more secure at the harp • How stronger technique gives you more musical choices and flexibility • Why technical work builds confidence and independence in your playing • How technique allows you to focus on musical expression instead of mechanics • Why technique and musicality are not opposites, but partners This is a practical and encouraging solo episode about building confidence, creating musical freedom and understanding how technique helps bring your music to life. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #HarpTechnique #HarpPractice

Heather chats with learner harpist Karin, who shares her remarkable harp journey, from discovering the harp during the pandemic to rebuilding her playing after suffering a life-changing stroke just 18 months into learning. They discuss recovery, neuroplasticity, the power of tiny daily steps, learning online, and how music, community and determination helped Karin reclaim an important part of her life. In this episode: • How Karin discovered the harp and fell in love with its sound • Why she chose to learn online and eventually joined How To Harp • The devastating impact of a stroke on her harp playing • How neuroplasticity, repetition and determination helped her recover • The mirror therapy techniques she used to retrain movement • The role her family, teachers and the harp community played in her recovery • Combining online learning with one-to-one lessons • The importance of community, friendship and shared musical growth • Her ongoing journey towards confident lever changes • Why small daily steps can achieve extraordinary results This is a deeply moving and inspiring conversation about resilience, gratitude, lifelong learning and the transformative power of music. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Karin den Rooijen - Learner Harpist and How To Harp Community Leader (and so much more!!) Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #AdultHarpLearning #InspirationalHarpLearner

Heather & Angela chat about why nerves, vulnerability & learning never fully disappear, even when you become a teacher or have years of experience behind you. They also discuss why students can feel nervous playing in lessons, how teachers can support learners through that, and how reflecting clearly on progress can help adult learners build confidence and trust the learning process. In this episode: • Why harp learners often feel nervous playing for their teacher • Why teachers still get nervous too • How nerves can be a sign that something really matters to you • Why honest communication between student and teacher is so important • How tutors can help students recognise their own progress • Why visual reflection tools can make progress easier to see • How recording yourself can act as a helpful safety net • Why adult learners are so inspiring This is an honest and encouraging Harpy Tutor Chat about nerves, vulnerability, progress and why we never really stop learning. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Angela Boraston - Harp Tutor at How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #HarpTeacher #AdultHarpLearner

Heather chats with Nicole about moving beyond external expectations and finding a musical path that feels honest, creative and true to who you are. They also discuss classical training, orchestral pressure, burnout, songwriting, improvisation, teaching, performing with others, and the courage it takes to follow musical dreams that might feel out of reach. In this episode: • How Nicole first started learning the harp as a child • Growing up with classical training and a love for different musical styles • The pressure and perfectionism of professional orchestral life • Burnout, sensitivity and learning to trust her own musical instincts • Finding freedom through freelancing, songwriting and singing • Why sharing personal creative work can feel so vulnerable • Playing in bands and discovering a more liberated musical voice • Nicole’s approach to teaching harp improvisation • Why supportive people can help you follow dreams that feel impossible This is an honest and inspiring conversation about creativity, liberation, self-trust, and finding the courage to make music in a way that feels truly your own. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Nicole Müller - Professional Harpist, Composer, and How To Harp Guest Tutor Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #ProfessionalHarpist #HarpImprovisation *****Nicole had some video issues during this podcast so occasionally her video is frozen and replaced her pic*****

Heather explores how perfectionism can show up for adult harp learners, and why trying to get everything “right” can sometimes hold back your progress, confidence and enjoyment. She shares five helpful ways to think about perfectionism, from allowing yourself to be a beginner to seeing mistakes as useful information, aiming for progress instead of perfection, and learning to speak to yourself with more kindness. In this episode: • Why adult learners often expect themselves to be good quickly • How perfectionism can lead to avoidance • Why mistakes are an important part of learning • How to aim for better instead of perfect • Why music is about communication, expression and feeling • The importance of changing the voice in your head • How to approach your harp practice with more curiosity and kindness This is a practical and encouraging solo episode about letting go of impossible standards and finding more joy, freedom and progress in your harping. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #HarpPractice #Perfectionism

Heather chats with learner harpist Kim about how discovering the harp later in life completely transformed her life, leading to new friendships, creative confidence, unforgettable musical experiences, and a deep sense of connection and community through music. They also discuss learning the harp as an adult, overcoming performance anxiety, attending retreats and workshops, experimenting with electric harp and loop pedals, and learning to stop comparing yourself to other musicians in order to find your own musical voice. In this episode: • Discovering the harp later in life after retirement • Learning the harp as an adult beginner • Building confidence through online learning and live events • The importance of harp friendships and community • Overcoming anxiety and learning to stop walking away from opportunities • Experimenting with electric harp, loop pedals, and effects pedals • Finding your own musical identity instead of comparing yourself to others • Why retreats, workshops, and ensemble playing can be so transformative • Heather and Kim’s friendship through the harp world, from Scotland to Vermont This is a warm, honest, and uplifting conversation about creativity, courage, connection, and fully embracing the things that bring joy and meaning into your life. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Kimberly Woods - Learner Harpist and How To Harp Member Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #AdultHarpLearner #LeverHarp

Heather and Angela chat about the huge impact that in-person musical experiences can have on our harp journeys, from first discovering the instrument, to finding inspiration, creativity, confidence and community through shared musical experiences. They reflect on festivals, retreats, workshops and live concerts, and explore why spending time making music together in person can completely refill your creative cup and reconnect you with why you started playing in the first place. In this episode: • How in-person events helped Heather first discover and learn the harp • Why hearing live music in person can feel so emotional and inspiring • The unique experience of playing music together in ensembles and group settings • How retreats and festivals can refill your creative cup and reignite motivation • The friendships and connections that grow through shared musical experiences • Why immersive harp events can massively boost confidence and enthusiasm for learning • The importance of finding “your people” as a harp learner • Why even a short retreat, workshop or concert can leave you feeling creatively refreshed • The difference between learning music online and experiencing it together in person • Why stepping away from everyday life and fully immersing yourself in music can be so powerful This is a warm and uplifting conversation about community, creativity, connection, and the magic that can happen when musicians come together in person. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Angela Boraston - Harp Tutor at How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow and helps us connect with more harpists around the world! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #HarpRetreat #LiveMusic

Heather chats with Eleanor about finding her way back to the lever harp and building a creative career rooted in collaboration, groove, and traditional music. They explore her early start through Irish music, the pressures of formal study, her time at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and how working with other musicians helped shape her voice as a harpist. In this episode: • How Eleanor first discovered the harp through a school music programme • Moving from traditional music into more formal classical training • Studying pedal harp at university and the pressure that came with it • Reconnecting with the lever harp during Covid • Heather’s memories of teaching Eleanor during her Masters at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland • Playing with Ranagri and developing the harp’s role in a band setting • Collaborating with Gregor Black and exploring groove, rhythm, and harp with percussion This is an honest and inspiring conversation about creative identity, collaboration, and finding the musical path that feels most authentic. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Eleanor Dunsdon - Professional Harpist, Composer, and How To Harp Guest Tutor Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #ProfessionalHarpist #LeverHarp

Heather shares a simple structure for making short harp practice sessions feel calm, focused, and genuinely useful. She explains how to use 15 minutes well, including warm-up, creative work, focused repertoire practice, and the mindset shift that consistency matters more than duration. In this episode: • Why 15 minutes can still be enough time for meaningful practice • How to use a short settle and centre moment before playing • Why close work and stretch work still matter in a short practice session • How to include a small amount of creative work without losing focus • How to use nine minutes of repertoire practice in a targeted way • Why practice journaling helps you know exactly what to work on • Why regular, thoughtful practice matters more than long unfocused sessions This is a practical episode for harpists who want to make steady progress, even when time is limited. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #HarpPractice #HarpRoutine

Heather chats with learner harpist Zee about discovering the harp later in life and how music became part of a deeply personal healing journey. They explore Zee’s musical background, performance anxiety, the role of music theory in learning, and how the harp has supported growth, creativity, and wellbeing. In this episode: • Zee’s first encounter with the harp through medieval reenactment and why the sound stayed with her for years • How previous experience in singing, guitar, and music theory helped her approach learning the harp • Reflections on performance anxiety following conservatory training and how this influenced her learning journey • How the How To Harp mind pathway helped rebuild confidence and support performance in a safe environment • Writing original music as part of processing grief and emotional experiences • Research into historical ideas about music and healing, and how music can support wellbeing • Zee’s hopes to use harp in therapeutic and hospice settings in the future This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about identity, healing, creativity, and becoming a harpist later in life. Host: Heather Downie - Harpist, Principal Lever Harp Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Founder of How To Harp Guest: Zee Bishop - learner harpist and How To Harp member Learn with us: https://www.HowToHarp.com (membership, courses, retreats) If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with a harp friend. It really helps the podcast grow! #HowToHarpPodcast #HowToHarp #HeatherDownieHarpist #AdultHarpLearner #MusicAndHealing