Announcements

How to join in, even if you forget your harmonica

Don’t worry, we all forget things from time to time. You may feel disappointed, but you are still on our register and you should come along to your harmonica session just the same. Although we can’t lend you a harmonica because this may pass on germs, we do have plenty of ways you can still join in musically.

The first question to ask yourself is, when did I last see my harmonica? It might still be in your book bag, a coat pocket or in your classroom drawer. You’d be amazed how easily this can happen, so have a quick think. If it’s definitely not at school, there is still plenty we can learn and enjoy, even without a harmonica. Here’s how… (more…)

Recommend a friend and receive 2 lessons free!
We all enjoy learning with our best friends, don’t we? Well this includes music making on the harmonica. If you have a friend who might be interested in a Free Taster Session, just ask them to click the Golden Harmonica (on the right of the screen), and register using our promotional code harmonaut. We’ll supply their starter harmonica and music sheet completely free. And if your friend then joins Harp Academy in full, we will credit you with two free lessons. That’s all there is to it!

Aren’t you a little short to be a Stormtrooper?

Here are some harmonauts enjoying their Star Wars session with Ben Jones…

Star Wars is always a favourite with our students, but there’s plenty more musical fun we get up to each week at Harp Academy.

If you’d like to learn the harmonica at school, click the Gold Harmonica across the screen and let us know. Otherwise email us through the Contact link in our main menu and we’ll be happy to help.

M A X my dog is Max

We had great fun music making with Evie Peak this week. Evie’s in Reception Year and had started to write her own song at home. It’s about her pet Pug, Max. By the end of her lesson, Evie finished her tune and it goes like this..

When we talked about Max and what he does, it helped us to make up some words for Evie’s song. You can learn to play Evie’s tune here line by line, and maybe sing along too. You can also download and print the Arrow Tab here if you need to.  (more…)

Wilkomnen, bienvenue, welcome!

We are delighted to welcome everyone at Hopscotch Children’s Nursery, Peacehaven, to our harmonica community. Harp Academy will be providing weekly harmonica lessons for Pre-Schoolers in our new setting with Richard Taylor.

Harmonica at Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
In the summer of 2018, Harp Academy piloted an EYFS harmonica programme for Pre-Schoolers in collaboration with the Hopscotch Nursery team at Portland Road, Hove, and sixteen of their fabulous children.

It was an rewarding experience for everyone involved. Using everyday props and fun challenges, children adopted the physical processes necessary for playing a wind instrument; from a hand hold, to embouchure development, breath control, navigation and articulation. Through games, rhymes and exercises they also learned musical principles such as arpeggio, the major scale, decorative instrument skills (glissando and trills for example) and the musical elements.

They even explored the fun of improvisation and performance by bringing stories and songs to life through sounds and action. Repertoire included Twinkle, Twinkle, Four Little Speckled Frogs and Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight). Books included Waking Wendell and Charlie’s Harmonica.

Harp Academy is extremely proud to be working in collaboration with Hopscotch’s highly professional management team and amazing staff. Since launching our pilot scheme at Portland Road, we are now operational in their Preston Park, Seaford and Peacehaven settings.