Discover The Harp Workshop in Barbados Impresses Music Enthusiasts

Several musicians plucked at harp expert Helen Naylor’s heartstrings when they participated in the Discover The Harp Workshop yesterday.

Not only was she impressed with the group’s enthusiasm but she also sang their praises as they quickly grasped the concepts during the beginner’s workshop held at the Queen’s Park Steel Shed in The City. About 18 professional and budding music enthusiasts participated in the one-day training.

“This is the first time we are teaching in Barbados and it has been brilliant. Everybody has such a good learning ethic and they concentrated. This has been the biggest and best group I’ve had all year,” said Naylor, who is the director of music at Cambrian Harps, based in Wales.

She, alongside her husband Paul, travelled to Barbados on board the Queen Mary for the session.

Paul, who is a skilled harp maker and luthier, builds the instruments while she instructs. They have travelled across the world pushing the instrument.

While they have visited Barbados multiple times, yesterday was their first time leading a class.

Helen said that while it is relatively easy to play, the harp can also help with confidence-building and mental well-being.

“It’s like the white keys on the piano. You can pick up tunes fairly quickly and it is accessible. So whether you want to be a professional musician or improve your well-being, it can be useful.

“It gives you focus because you only think about the job you’re doing which is learning a tune and it does improve people’s mental health,” she added.

The Discover The Harp Workshop was held in association with the National Cultural Foundation (NCF). It began at 10 a.m. and for over two hours participants learnt and played several

tunes.

There was also a cultural exchange between steel pannist Hashim Durant and Naylor who also played a bit of Just The Two Of Us.

NCF cultural officer – music organisation, Aisha Butcher, said they were pleased to partner with Cambrian Harps and meet the demand.

“It is an exciting time because I believe this is the first time that we have been able to conduct a workshop like this on the island. I am looking forward to the development of the harp and including it in our performances.

“People were asking, ‘How can I learn to play harp, how can I get into it?’ We’ve allowed for ten persons to have free access to the workshop and we are assigning five of the instruments to the National Youth Symphony Orchestra, so there will be continuity,” she said.