Even if you make a mistake it still sounds beautiful.
Not many musical instruments you can say that about – think squeech of the gone-wrong bagpipes – but the harp will always sound gorgeous said Lela Zimmer, who decided to start playing nine years ago when she was in her mid-60s.
Zimmer’s desire to learn to play the harp was inspired by her love of Celtic music.
“Oh gosh, it must’ve been 30-35 years ago I heard recordings by a Frenchman, Alan Stevil, and just loved his music and discovered a few others like Kim Robertson, who is a favourite harpist and I would sit and listen to their music on my Walkman (there’s an eye-roll here because of the old-timey reference) and I just longed to play the harp,” Zimmer said.
“I actually did get a harp – my husband bought me a harp for my 40th birthday but there was no teacher. It was just a little 26-string – not with all the levers just some – and I did my best to teach myself but I didn’t know any technique or anything. So when I found out Shoshanna (Godber) was teaching here at the PG Conservatory of Music I signed up for lessons and harp ensemble.”
There are two 10-week sessions per year for Harp Ensemble and the group goes out into the community to perform as well as showcasing their new-found talent at the adult-student recital at session’s end.
Zimmer who is a youthful 75 years old said learning how to play a musical instrument keeps her young.
“It’s true!” Zimmer exclaimed. “Playing the harp keeps your brain working. To learn a musical instrument and to practice and to try very hard to get better – all of that really makes a huge difference. I think it’s akin to learning a language.”
Most people would be slowing down at 65 but that’s when Zimmer thought it was a good idea to start something complicated.
“I don’t think age should stop you doing what you want to do – as long as you’re physically capable,” Zimmer said. “I intend to just keep going until I drop.”
Zimmer said there are challenges that come with learning the harp as a mature person.
“I watch children learn to play the harp and they just pick stuff up like that,” Zimmer said, snapping her fingers.
“It takes me longer to learn things and that is sometimes a frustration, remembering how I used to be and not quite able to do the same things now. Another challenge is that my harp is heavy, it probably weighs about 30 pounds.”
Conservatory of Music artistic director, music teacher and musician, Shoshanna Godber, piped up that Zimmer’s harp weighs closer to 50 pounds including the case.
“Oh my gosh, no wonder!” Zimmer said with a shake of her head.
“It’s a big thing to heft around but I can still do it. At some point I may need to get a dolly. But for now I heft it into my SUV and it’s heavier than it used to be and that’s a challenge but mostly the harp is not a challenge, it’s just fun. Sometimes it’s hard to carve out that time to practice or find the motivation to practice but that’s the same as when I was a kid taking piano lessons.”
The Harp Ensemble is a real incentive to keep at it, she added.
“Because you have to come together with other people and keep up and play your part,” Zimmer said.
Zimmer’s face is alight when she talks of the harp.
“It’s such a beautiful instrument,” Zimmer said.
“It’s such a joy to be able to make music. I would like to make music more perfectly than I do but it’s still such a pleasure to play. Even if I don’t feel motivated when I do sit down to play I always feel more uplifted afterward. It gives me great joy.”
Godber, Zimmer’s teacher, has been at the conservatory since 2012 and teaches harp as well as other instruments.
The harp has been steadily growing in popularity over the years and when the Prince George Symphony Orchestra (PGOS) received support from Fred & Daniella van der Post and a grant from the Prince George Community Foundation they were able to purchase a Salvi Daphne SE 47-string concert harp made in Italy worth more $20,000. When not part of the PGSO’s performances the harp is under the guardianship of the conservatory that offers lessons to eager students. The number of students learning to play the harp has reached 15. A number that has grown since the purchase of the new harp.
Harp is Godber’s instrument of choice.
“I love the sound of the harp, the immediacy of it, I love the feeling of having the harp on me and also I like that it is a unique instrument,” Godber said.
It’s a truly beautiful instrument, she added.
“For the concert on Saturday, when they wheeled the harp on stage, everyone applauded,” Godber laughed.
“When we are talking with our students we often say that we just have to show up with the harp and people just love it. They love to see it, they love to hear it and often times they’ve never heard it played live before and I have been here for 13 years and I still get that from people when I perform.”
The Conservatory of Music, a non-profit music school and registered charity offers group and private lessons with music teachers who are professional performing musicians that are passionate about seeing their students succeed.
For more information about the Prince George Conservatory of Music visit https://pgconservatory.ca/
