Aug 16: Levers to Syncopation workshop with Amelia Romano

Dusty Strings 3406 Fremont Ave N

Maximum Enrollment: 16

Registration & Refund Deadline: Wednesday, August 13, 2025

A two part workshop: The first hour, Amelia will present a classical work covering tips for planning and executing fluid lever shifts. We will discuss how to use lever diagrams and the importance of eye-balling the lever. The second hour, we will learn the well-known Venezuelan tune, Moliendo Cafe, applying a series of tricks for counting syncopated passages.

Skills Needed: For intermediate harpists: have comfort playing with two hands and reading sheet music.

What to Bring: Harp, music stand, and a recording device. Need to rent a harp? Dusty Strings has an affordable rental program. Please come to the shop or call (206) 634-1662 as rentals are subject to availability.

Teacher: The lever harp is often played by folk musicians and designed to play folk music from countries including Ireland and Scotland. In this context, oftentimes the lever mechanisms at the top of the instrument are set in the key of the song and left that way throughout the folk song. Conversely, on the classical pedal harp, one can easily change notes by stepping on the pedals.

Amelia’s vision has taken on both harp worlds and tackles complex classical passages on the lever harp by shifting the mechanisms mid-song, which is fascinating to watch. While pedal harps weigh 80 pounds, lever harps weigh 25 making them very portable. Romano lived in South Africa for a year and has toured in Europe, the southern United States and Pacific Northwest, bringing her enthusiasm for lever harps to classical music, wherever she goes.

ameliaromano.com

*Most classes and workshops are geared towards late-teens and adults. Younger learners will benefit most starting with private lessons.