Blog News - Kela Walton - Kela Walton

TCU Summer Harp Workshop

5/11/2022

I'm very excited to announce that I will be teaching at the TCU Summer Harp Workshop this July 6-8, 2022!

The TCU Summer Harp Workshop offers 3 days of harp ensemble, solo masterclasses, and interactive sessions about the harp uniquely customized for the participants enrolled. Each day will begin with a focus on physical wellness through stretching and yoga designed for harpists. Kela Walton will offer individual instruction in masterclasses, as well as ensemble coaching. Sessions away from the harp on customized topics such as: practice strategies, harp history, audition/competition prep, or how to take care of your harp will be offered pending interest by the participants. At the end of the workshop, each participant will have the opportunity to perform on the final recital. This year’s workshop will celebrate being able to create music together again, safely in the same space.

The workshop is open to young harpists 8th grade and above, intermediate to advanced level. Students are asked to bring their own instruments, as the availability of rental harps is quite limited.
Learn more and register online at https://finearts.tcu.edu/music/events-and-programs/summer-camps/tcu-harp-workshop/

10 Tips for Taking Notes in Lessons

1/4/2021

Here are my top 10 tips for taking great notes in your lessons. These tips will help any parent or student refine their note taking skills. Whether you are new to Suzuki lessons (on any instrument) or a veteran with tons of experience, I hope you will find at least one new idea to incorporate into your note taking style!

Originally published in the Suzuki Association of the Americas series "Parents as Partners Online" in 2020.

Harp Column Podcast

8/11/2020

In Episode 67 of the Harp Column Podcast, host Kristina Finch and I chat about my articles Keeping the Beat and Fine Tuning in recent issues of Harp Column. For more practical harp news and information visit www.harpcolumn.com, and tune in for more podcasts taking you behind the stories in Harp Column.

We Got the Beat! - Harp Column Articles

7/1/2020

With the help of several experts, we take a deep dive into the world of pulse, rhythm, and metronomes, as well as review metronome apps in the July/August 2020 issue of the Harp Column.

The metronome doesn’t have to be a torture device. Much like good friends help us grow to become better people, the metronome can be a true friend that helps us improve our inner pulse and play with rhythmic accuracy to become better musicians. Three expert harpists--Jennifer Ellis, June Han, and Delaine Leonard—give us advice on how to improve our skills as well as our relationship with the metronome.

Read the full article here.

Our team of testers tried out eight metronome apps to determine which apps are both user friendly and useful to harpist.. The apps we tested range in price from free to $4.99, and all work on both Android and iOS operating systems.
Find out which apps our testers liked best here.

Special thanks to the my fellow metronome app testers: Kelly Evans, Nadia Pessoa James Scully, and Phala Tracy!

All About Tuning - Harp Column Articles

5/1/2020

With the help of several experts, I take an in-depth look at tuning as well as review tuning apps. We get into, "the nitty-gritty about the chore harpists love to hate." in this special stay at home May/June 2020 issue of the Harp Column. FREE for all harpists to download or read online here!

Tuning is something we all spend time doing, and harpists face some unique challenges in this department. I talked to the experts to get their advice on how harpists can tune efficiently and effectively.
Read the full article here.

For more tuning tips, tricks, and terminology, check out the article extra in this issue.

Our team of testers tried out seven tuning apps to find out how well they worked for a harpist’s tuning needs. The apps we tested range in price from free to $9.99, and all work on both Android and iOS operating systems.
Find out which apps our testers liked best here.

Special thanks to the my fellow tuning app testers: Catherine Case, Kelly Evans, James Scully, and Jessica Zhou!

Going Public - Harp Column Article

3/1/2019

For the March/April issue of the Harp Column, editor Alison Reese asked me to take in in-depth look at six successful public school harp programs across the United States, "to find out what they do, how they do it, and why it's important to the larger harp community." I immensely enjoyed interviewing directors from:

Cass Technical High School - Detroit, MI
Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts - East Orange, NJ
Ector County Independent School District - Odessa, TX
Frisco Independent School District - Frisco, TX
Mesa Public Schools - Mesa, AZ
Urban Youth Harp Ensemble - Atlanta, GA

The students in these programs, "are enrolled in public schools where a harp class is part of their daily curriculum. We took a peek inside some of these classrooms to see what goes into building and sustaining a public school harp program."

Harp Column Subscribers can read the full article here: harpcolumn.com/blog/going-public/

Article Extras:
Get the quick stats and Public Record on the schools featured in this article, and find out how they get all those harps! Plus, read about some High Profile Alumni.

Harp Column Podcast

2/10/2019

In Episode 44 of the Harp Column Podcast, host Kristina Finch and I chat about my article What Makes A Musical Role Model in the November-December 2018 issue of Harp Column. We talk about how I researched this article, and my personal role models. This episode also includes Kristina's conversations with the 20th International Harp Contest in Israel first and second prize winners, Lenka Petrovic and Joel von Lerber. For more practical harp news and information visit www.harpcolumn.com, and tune in for more podcasts taking you behind the stories in Harp Column.

What Makes a Musical Role Model - Harp Column Article

11/1/2018

I'm pleased to share another article I've written for the Harp Column!
I asked harpists of all ages and career paths about their musical role models, and the impact these important people have on their lives today.
“An idol may have a desirable, glamorous life that we eye appreciatively but never actually emulate. A hero may blaze the way forward, teaching and encouraging. But a role model is a person who offers, often unwittingly, an accessible pattern of living,” writes Faith Durand, editor-in-chief at The Kitchn food blog. With that definition in mind, who is your musical role model? What qualities do they inspire you to emulate in your daily life?

Harp Column Subscribers can read the full article here: https://harpcolumn.com/blog/what-makes-a-musical-role-model/

Beyond The Music Lesson Podcast

10/26/2018

I had a great time talking with Hosts Abigail Peterson and Christine Goodner about balancing teaching and a rigorous performance schedule on episode 24 of their Beyond the Music Lesson Podcast! This is a fantastic podcast to inspire your music education journey for parents, teachers, and students alike!

Listen using the links above or find it on Spotify, iTunes, or your favorite podcast platform.

Former Student Wins Top Honors at Midwest Harp Festival Solo Competition

7/18/2017

The Midwest Harp Festival held at the University of Tulsa, in Tulsa, Oklahoma features intensive summer harp study for students of all ages as well as a competition. On of my former adult students Linda Goodman of Austin, TX placed first in the Advanced I division in the 2017 Midwest Harp Festival Solo Competition. Linda is pictured above (2nd from right) at the winners recital after performing Marcel Tournier’s Au Matin. I am so proud of Linda's hard work over the years and her amazing performance at the competition!

Read more about the 2017 Midwest Harp Festival online here: https://www.harpcolumn.com/midwest-harp-festival-underway/