Wild Strings
​Sponsored by the UKHA

​The Wild Strings UKHA Jazz & Pop Harp festival was held on October 5-7, 2018 at the RNCM in Manchester. The event was initiated by the UK Harp Association and organised by the Wild Strings festival team. A true celebration of the harp in jazz, blues, pop and folk rock, the festival offered three days full of concerts, workshops, lectures, open mic, jam session and harp exhibit, as well as a jazz and pop composition competition. 
As part of the festival, we created the Wild Strings UKHA Jazz & Pop Harp Collection 2018! 
This book is aimed at lever and pedal players (mostly between Grade 5 - 8), with pieces in a variety of styles, both solo and ensemble. This is the first jazz and pop harp compilation in the UK, with pieces both donated by festival artists, notable harp composers and winners of the Wild Strings UKHA Jazz & Pop Harp Composition Competition.
More about the Wild Strings UKHA Jazz & Pop Harp Composition Competition:

Held in collaboration with the Future Blend Project (now known as the PoppyHarp Composers Project), this was adjudicated by David Snell and Savourna Stevenson. Four winning compositions are featured in the Wild Strings UKHA Jazz & Pop Harp Collection, published by PoppyHarp, together with eleven pieces contributed by Wild Strings artists (those performing and teaching at the festival, competition adjudicators, etc.) Tamsin Dearnley brought the main prize home: a 22 string fully electric Spectrum harp generously offered by Pilgrim Harps. 

Wild Strings
​UKHA Jazz & Pop Harp Collection 2018

16,234 (.47) by Tamsin Dearnley
SHAPE THE AIR by Steph West 
MOVING HOUSE RAG by Tamsin Dearnley - TRINITY non-pedal harp Grade 5
THE GREAT GLEN CATTLE RANCH by Anna Tait Westwell
PLYWE KACZA by Alina Bzhezhinska
BREGAR’S GUITARP by Brenda Dor-Groot - TRINITY non-pedal harp Grade 6
WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT by Shelley Fairplay
PLAY WITH ME by Tara Minton
SONG FOR JO by Christopher Norton- TRINITY pedal harp Grade 6
HARP SOLO BLUES by David Snell - TRINITY pedal harp Grade 7
LIFE GOES ON by Monika Stadler
LEGEND IN THE SHADOWS by Savourna Stevenson
O CHRISTMAS TREE by Park Stickney
ICE CREAM DAYS by Eleanor Turner
FLORESTA TROPICAL by Amanda Whiting - - TRINITY pedal harp Grade 8

Quotes & thanks for the festival:

  ....The festival exceeded it's original aim to unite harpists who are not on the traditional classical path and the festival reflected and celebrated the diverse musical path that many of today's harpists travel. All musical paths are truly open and possible with the harp. The UKHA is proud to support this new direction of harping that many of today's harpists are exploring.
....I just wanted to write to say how wonderful Wild Strings was,
Pete and I thought that everything you guys have achieved is nothing short of brilliant!
You would never think it was the first festival. everything ran so well you had a great range of artists and courses. I know from organising our open day that it is a huge amount of work but when everything comes together like it did at the weekend, it makes all the stress and sleepless nights worth it. 
......We can’t wait for the next one and if there is anything that we can do to help make it happen we will do.
Thanks Again,
Penny from Pilgrim Harps
 .......Thankyou thankyou thankyou!!!! Brilliant weekend last weekend.
When's the next one? ;-)
  • Lu, Participant
.......Congratulation to the very well thought through and varied festival.
A big thank you once more that I could be part of it as well as for the excellent organization. 
It was truly inspiring and made me so happy to see that the jazz/pop/creative harp world is growing and flourishing.
  • Monika Stadler
​Performers include (in order of appearance):
Park Stickney / Rachael and The Red Socks / Tara Minton, Eleanor Turner and Brenda Dor-Groot with DJ’s Ayrton Hood and Cristopher Michelangoli aka Tear of Joy
Monika Stadler / Ranagri
Amanda Whiting / Tara Minton Trio
Amy Turk / RNCM Young Harps / Dynamic Harps / Shelley Fairplay / composition prize winners Tamsin Dearnley, Steph West and Anna Tait Westwell / showcase performers Ruby Rose Lee, Tara Minton, Elinor Nicholson, Maddie Herbert & Simeon Evans, Alice Roberts, and Olivia Ter Berg
Appearing at the open mic: Inbar Vernia, Tsvetelina Likova, Olivia Ter Berg, Karen Marshalsay, Ethan Stokes, Steph West. 
Workshop teachers (in alphabetical order):
Alina Bzhezhinska, Amanda Whiting, Amy Turk, Ben Turk, Brenda Dor-Groot, Cristopher Michelangoli, Eleanor Turner,  Monika Stadler, Park Stickney, Shelley Fairplay, Steph West, Tara Minton Trio, Zanna Evans
 
Many thanks go to:
Our invaluable sponsors and partners: Camac Harps, the Jazz Harp Foundation, The Harp Studio, Harp Column, and individual donors.

Exhibitors:
Morley Harps, Telnyau Vining, Pilgrim Harps
Royal Northern College of Music, in particular Eira Lynn Jones
The Future Blend Project and PoppyHarp Publishing, ran by Fran Barsby
The main production team Brenda Dor-Groot, Steph West, Natasha Gale, along with Wild Stringers Zanna Evans, Rachael Gladwin, Tara Minton, Amanda Whiting, Shelley Fairplay, and Eleanor Turner.
Becca Ritchie-Timms and Theuns Van Dijk for on-site production.
UKHA committee members Helen Sharp, Lauren Scott, Katherine Harrison and Alex Rider, and UKHA president Sioned Williams.
 
Lastly, the festival was inspired by:
​Wild Strings was inspired by a donation made in the name of Jean Price. A dedicated harpist, Jean worked extensively in West End shows and London orchestras, including the BBC Light Music Unit.
​Our thanks go to the donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

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