Bayareaharpfoundation

Bayareaharpfoundation Harp Ensembles in the Bay Area! Youth, Adult and Preliminary! We empower harpists of all backgrounds, providing them access to ensemble experiences!

Eligibility:
Students must audition for the Harp Ensemble. Music will be level 2-3+. Students must be in private lessons. Performances:
Two primary performances during the season - January and May. Community Outreach Performance - TBA

Special Performances - TBA

Additional Add on - Summer Camps


Rehearsals:
Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm

Begin September 10:

Every-other week:

No rehe

arsals on these dates:

Location of Rehearsals:
Valley Christian School Conservatory
100 Skyway Dr. San Jose 95111

Curriculum:
Harp Ensemble runs for full season - September through May. We will meet bi-monthly for two hours. What to expect:
- Orchestra Cadenzas - we will study standard harp orchestra cadenzas
- Harp Ensemble music
- Rhythm, conducting and teamwork
- Standard harp technique
- Basic applied music theory
- Audition performance practice

Tuition: TBD ($300-$400 range)

Additional Info:
Harps are limited, students may need to take turns bringing their harps. Students must abide by the Youth Symphony student requirements

Audition Requirements:
- Two memorized contrasting pieces of level 2-3+
(Link to ASTA CAP Levels for solo options and level information)

- One Scale - two hands 3 octaves in eight notes (Metronome quarter note 55+)
- One Arpeggio - V7 chord: four octaves in eighth notes, divides between the hands using four fingers of each hand, root position only.
- Intervals and chord inversions

- Key signatures: CM, GM, DM, AM, FM, BbM and EbM

- Sight reading: meters 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8
Quarter notes, Eighth notes, Dotted notes, Sixteenth notes
Hands together

- Must demonstrate strong note reading and ability to play steady rhythm. Must be proficient with a metronome.

More than 14 young harpists are learning that music is not only something we perform. It is something we give.Through th...
09/02/2026

More than 14 young harpists are learning that music is not only something we perform. It is something we give.
Through the Bay Area Harp Ensemble, students develop musicianship, leadership, responsibility, and a commitment to community service. Together, they bring live harp music to community spaces, support new works by local composers, and share the joy and beauty of this rare instrument.
Our next goal is to represent Silicon Valley at the first national harp ensemble festival in Texas. Students will perform alongside harp ensembles from across the country, receive graded feedback, and work toward earning national honors.
For many of our students, the cost of traveling to Texas is beyond what their families can afford. Your support will help ensure that this opportunity is determined by talent and commitment, not family finances.
Help these young musicians learn together, serve their community, create new music, and take their place on a national stage.

This performance represents months of focused work, collaboration, and growth. Our students have been developing not onl...
05/01/2026

This performance represents months of focused work, collaboration, and growth. Our students have been developing not only their individual technique, but also the ensemble skills that define high-level musicianship, listening, blending, and performing as a unified group.

The program will feature a range of repertoire that highlights both the beauty of the harp and the strength of playing together. For many of these students, this is more than a concert. It is a milestone in their musical journey.

We would love to have you there to support them and experience the performance.

04/27/2026

Rehearsal!

04/27/2026

Incognito by S. Dunstone
This contemporary piece has unexpected rhythms and textures. It feels modern and slightly mysterious. I liked how everyone’s part layered together to create something bigger than any single line.

04/27/2026

The Mermaid’s Croon Traditional Hebridean melody, arr. T. Dearnley
This melody comes from the Hebrides, a group of islands off Scotland, where folk songs often tell stories connected to the sea. The arrangement feels mysterious and expressive, like a voice calling across the water. It taught me how to create mood and play with intention.

04/27/2026

Full ensemble performs Comptine d’un autre été (from Amélie) Yann Tiersen, arr. A. Klohn
This piece was written for the film Amélie and has a modern, nostalgic sound.
It feels quiet and emotional, like a memory. It’s written in a modern classical- minimalist style that showcases clarity and cleanliness. Getting 14 harpists to sound like one is harder than it sounds.

04/27/2026
04/27/2026

Elementary Ensemble performs Two Guitars

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San Jose, CA

Telephone

+14088859220

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