PLAY! LEARN! FUN!
3-DAYS LIVE in PERSON
with Deborah Henson-Conant!
Build your Confidence, Improv & Harmony Skills
Come join us! July 25 -27, 2024.
Limited Capacity – join now!
“The Confab’s motto: ‘For the love of the harp’ says it all. With enthusiastic students, delicious catered lunches, a student recital and final sharing session, it’s a well- organized, joyous celebration for harpists of all levels. Don’t miss this ‘Confabulous’ weekend!” Former guest Teacher KIM ROBERTSON
Limited Spots Available! Register Now!
$345 for all 3 Days!
See the Full Schedule Below.
Daily Breaks and Lunch are provided each day.
Choose your own lodging from dozens of fabulous hotels & AirBnBs near the center.
For harpists from Fledgling to Professional
What if learning and building your confidence was like a GAME of Improv and Music Theory – where the goal is CONNECTION … not perfection. And where each game becomes a piece of music you can expand and play forever?
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play and learn LIVE – with one of the most sought-after harp teachers and performers in the world, someone who specializes in multi-level group learning on the harp.
It’s all about learning to GROUND in the Essential Framework and then let the music EXPAND as you get more and more comfortable .
This is actually the most fun way to play and learn in a group because you learn as you play, each person plays at their own level and you walk away with improv and harmony skills you can use right now – at whatever level YOU play.
That’s how you’ll be learning: through playing, listening and having the FUN of DOING IT at your level . If you’re a fledgling player, I’ll show you how to play only the essentials. If you’re an advance player, I’ll show you how to add all the bells and whistles and embellishment you love to play.
It’s all about CONNECTION … not perfection.
And you walk away with a grounding in IMPROV and HARMONY that you put into play IMMEDIATELY!
“This Festival is an absolute gem. The collaborative energy is uplifting and inspiring. Without a doubt, JPG is one of the best harp retreats on the planet! I can’t wait to visit lovely Chattanooga again!” Former guest teacher SUNITA STANESLOW
“The secret to effective and fun group learning on the harp is to learn to play a creative FRAMEWORK instead of trying to ‘replicate’ a piece of music. This allows everyone to play together, regardless of their level.
If you think this is impossible, look at any orchestra score. You’ll see that some instruments are playing a single note per measure, while others are playing a rhythm, and still others are playing many notes of accompaniment and melody. They’re all playing something different – yet they’re all playing together – and it sounds GREAT!
That’s what I base my FRAMEWORK training on – and it teaches you harmony, improv and how to LET GO and have fun playing TOGETHER. And you will do it together – just like an orchestra does.
Look, my whole family played music together – and that’s how I learned to play: by learning the FRAMEWORK of each song.
Instead of sitting down and learning or practicing a song before we played together, they just taught me the simplest version – so I could immediately play along – while the grownups played more complex versions of the same music.
As your abilities expand, you add more – but only if you want – because the simple version is GREAT on it’s own. As you do expand, you’ll be grounded in the FRAMEWORK that holds the music together.
Not that there was no time during that process when I wasn’t playing, when I didn’t have my own simple – but essential – role to play together with the others.
Beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee is a fusion of Southern charm and rich history – nestled on the banks of the Tennessee River and encircled by rugged mountain vistas.
It’s also the home of the 2024 HARP CONFAB – an incredible opportunity to play LIVE in PERSON for 3 days with harpists around the globe, with your creative coach and leader, Deborah Henson-Conant.
During this Fun, 3-Day Adventure in Playing, Learning and FUN you will:
Play TOGETHER, learning simple Improv Patterns you can use to improvise on any tune. Expanding your skils in harmony, coordination and fluency as you play -based on YOUR level of playing .
Learn different ways to play the same improv pattern: as an intro, an interlude, a rhythmic piece – or as a meditation. You’ll experience music as GAME that’s fun to truly PLAY WITH.
How to put it all together to create improvisations you can take home with you — turning any tune you already know into an improv – or using the tunes you learn in the retreat.
Fledgling Harpists learn the basics … Advanced players expand on the harmonies and EVERYONE has FUN.
I was skeptical at first … but I immediately felt freer in my playing and singing. ~ Theresa Niederberger
For Pedal & Lever Harps – All Levels
THE 3-DAY SCHEDULE
THU. JULY 25 – SAT. JULY 27
Here’s How it Works:
CHECK IN on Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m., on July 25th. Because all harpists register online, all you have to do is give your name and you will be given your workbook. Next, you will place the column of your harp on one of the colored circles on the floor, and place your harp bag in the storage area. Bring your bench and music stand. chairs are available if you need them. Dress for comfort, prepare for fun! Here’s the daily schedule:
- Thursday – 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m – Learn & Play: Harmony Improv
- Friday
- 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Learn & Play: Harmony Improv
- 5:30 pm: Showcase Soiree: Cozy, Casual Mini-Showcase performances followed by Hors D’Oeuvres provided by JPG
- Saturday – 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Learn & Play: Harmony Improv
Daily Breaks and Lunch are provided each day.
Location: JPG Harp Confab is held in beautiful Chattanooga, TN with easy access from CHA airport and BNA and ATL airports by shuttle van. It is also accessible by I75 and I24. The address for our 2024 camp is:
The Oak Street Center – 433 Oak Street – Chattanooga, TN 37403
FREE YOURSELF from the
NOTES ON THE PAGE!
Here’s What you Learn
As you PLAY you LEARN – and here are some of the things you’ll learn
HARMONY
- How to expand, alter & subsitute chords to 7ths, and 9ths (including the delicious “sus4” chord!) and why it sounds soooooo cool when you do)
- The easy modulation-formula (with built-in ‘think-time’)
- How modes can expand your repertoire
- The secret of harmonic “families” – and how they make improvising soooo much easier and fun on a harp!
- Throughout it all, you’ll get more and more familiar with LEAD SHEETS, coming away with a powerful skill of improv
PROGRESSIONS, SNIPPETS & VAMPS
- How simple progressions open up a world of improv – expanding any song into an improvisation (including songs you only half-know!)
- How to use “Snippets” – the tiny improv structures that let you create improvs at a moment’s notice.
- How vamps give you time to breathe and the opportunity expand your musical coordination while you’re playing
ADDITIONAL SESSIONS INCLUDE:
- How to tell your story with harp – so that you can command a room – no matter what your technical level – when someone says “Play something for me”
- Sing and Play Harp with 3-chord magic. You’ll learn the basics of THE simplest way to sing and play harp (hint: it’s the same way I learned to play ukulele when I was 7!)
- The 7 Strings of Passion – the fundamental principles you can use with ANY creative project – that take you from IMPULSE to CREATIVE EXPRESSION.
We’ll start each day with a modulating warmup that you can take home and use over and over. Then we’ll play-and-learn, play-and-learn – as you immediately apply everything you learn, in a safe, fun, creative adventure together.
That means you walk away with music in your body, your mind and your heart!
And YOU EXPERIENCE the FREEDOM and JOY of IMPROVISING!
Invest in the Joy of CREATIVE Confidence & FREEDOM
Take your creative expression to the next level
with the FIRST 3-DAY LIVE EXPERIENCE
with Deborah Henson-Conant
3-DAY Improv & Harmony
Playing Retreat
$345 TOTAL
Includes all training and materials
Meet your creative coach Deborah Henson-Conant
I’m Deborah Henson-Conant, and I’ve been composing, arranging and creating shows since I was a kid. I now play shows with symphonies and on solo stages with the electric harp that was created for me by CAMAC Harps, the “DHC” Harp.
But I started on the ukulele, playing and singing my own little-kid arrangements, telling stories, improvising and playing and singing with other people. And guess what? I use many of the same skills and principles to arrange the music I record and perform today – including the Grammy-Nominated album “Invention & Alchemy” and the song that won first prize in the International Songwriting Competiton (ISC).
