Harp on the Hill Music Studio

06/22/2025

Every SUMMER students at Harp on the Hill Studio take part in a Special Summer Course of No-Repertoire Lessons. Instead of learning pieces of music together, we embark on a very special project exploring music theory through a specific genre of music.

This year’s theme? Christmas in July!

What gives songs such as White Christmas, I’ll be Home for Christmas and Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas their signature nostalgic yearning? What makes songs such as Holly Jolly Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, and Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree so catchy? And what does a modern Christmas Classic—All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey—have in common with these earlier songs?

At Harp on the Hill Studio, music theory/analysis is NEVER a dry boring exercise. Instead, it’s a form of musical appreciation— a way of exploring HOW music accomplishes that seemingly magical feat of making us feel a specific emotion!

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06/15/2025

Backyard roses at Harp on the Hill Studio are in full bloom—A sure sign that I am putting the final touches on the Summer’s Special Theory Program. Each new summer brings a different theme. This year’s is a fun one! Stay tuned….

10/31/2024

It’s Halloween!! Which means students get to play on the « other piano »—the one that lives in the basement, spattered with century old candle wax and bedecked with gossamer cobwebs and a sparkling of dust. What could be better for creating one’s own very SPOOKY Halloween Soundtrack, replete with the sound of rattling chains, evil laughter, and of course, plenty of giggles! (This recording comes to us thanks to Aya and Danny, a father/daughter Buddy Lesson duo. Piece of Music: Creepy March by Samantha Coates.)

02/10/2023

5 Benefits of Buddy Lessons

1. Buddy Lessons increase Practice Motivation.
2. Buddy Lessons provide an interactive game-based approach to learning music theory and ear-training.
3. Buddy Lessons create consistent opportunities for ensemble playing.
4. Buddy Lessons help build children's identity of themselves as musicians, increasing the chance that they will become life-long music learners.
5. And best of all? Buddy Lessons put the "play" back into "playing music!"

02/10/2023

At Last! Ear Training made fun! This is probably one of my favourite BUDDY LESSON activities.

Student 1 IMPROVISES with a backing track (in this case, iReal Pro) while Student 2 PLAYS back BY EAR. The exercise is incredibly easy to adapt for different ages/abilities, and can be made as simple (rhythm on a single note) or as complex (using an entire scale) as needed.

02/09/2023

Just in time for Valentine’s Day…Harp on the Hill Studio officially launches its *NEW* Buddy Lesson Program!

Buddy Lessons combine conventional one-on-one music lessons with time spent exploring music with a partner.

Interested in learning more? Go to https://www.harponthehill.com/buddy-lessons-1

01/01/2022

At last! The satisfaction of taking down last year’s calendar, and starting afresh. Bye-bye 2021 (unfinished sticky notes and all)…Hello 2022!

09/08/2021

09/05/2021

The September Surprise-Me!-Recital...Quite possibly my FAVOURITE event of the year!

For the Surprise-Me!-Recital, students find, arrange (or even compose) their own music. Then they practice it on their own. In short, they prove that they are on route to becoming independent musicians.

Last September, my students surprised me with everything from Beethoven Bagatelles on the piano, to pop (Christina Perri), metal (Danish composer, and multi-instrumentalist Myrkur) and traditional Greek orthodox chant arranged for harp.

I wonder what my students will surprise 🤗 me with this year?
(Did I ever mention that I have the most amazing students?!)

Which is your favourite picture?
Picture 1–Surprise Me!
Picture 2–I LOVE surprises!
Picture 3–Surprise Me! I DARE you!
Picture 4–Letting students learn something completely on their own (and then present it at a recital) actually IS a little scary!

08/13/2021

Have to love that tasteful touch of rubato near the end!

08/09/2021

Good news for Harp on the Hill’s resident kitty, Coquine, this week: Harp on the Hill just reopened its doors to in-person lessons, which means…Belly rubs from students are back!

08/06/2021

At Harp on the Hill Studio, summer lessons take on a whole new flavour from the rest of the year!

Each year, at the start of summer, I switch to “Repertoire-Free Lessons.” These lessons usually have a special theme or flavour. This year's flavour is all about Modes—which we are exploring through listening, analyzing, and improvising music (in as many modes, and as many musical styles as possible—everything from Medieval chant and Celtic, to Pop, Heavy Metal and Funk…

Also different during summer: There is no homework, except for that week’s improvisation exercises. Instead, students spend this “time off” preparing pieces for the Surprise-Me!-RECITAL to take place on Labour Day weekend. One of my favourite events of the year!

Ps. In my ice-cream making, as in my teaching, I love to experiment …Think you can guess the 🍦 flavour? (HINT: It’s not vanilla!)