Harp Lessons. This section contains information on:
Lesson Info & Focus / 2026 Prices / Tips on Buying a Harp / How I Use your Data
Lesson Information & Focus
Hannah enjoys teaching both children and adults. Lessons are available in West Linton in the Scottish Borders. Lessons are also available via zoom.
Although music-readers are most welcome, potential students don’t need to be able to read sheet music at all. Recordings are provided to enable students to learn by ear at first, with music-reading skills being introduced later, gradually. Reminder tutorials (to help with practice between lessons) are also available at my you-tube channel, covering many of the tunes and skills we will learn in the lessons.
We focus on:
Enjoyment
Fostering a love of music
Developing good playing posture and technique, to ensure comfort and ease of playing
Growing an ever-expanding repertoire of tunes, and specifically continuing to work on and "polish" old tunes, (to build confidence and fluency) alongside learning new ones
General musicianship, listening & ensemble-work skills
Playing with others. Many of my students take advantage of opportunities to play together: duets, trios and full harp ensembles. Often as a group we are working towards a particular harp school “event”. For instance we have recently enjoyed playing in a story-telling/harp-playing event alongside author Joan Haig, in Eddleston, based on her book “Tiger Skin Rug”. We’ve also played in a story-telling/harp-playing event in Rosslyn chapel based on the book “William the Cat” and many of us also joined in with our harp school trip away to Banchory, to perform in a story-telling/harp-playing event based on the life of the pictish saint, St Ternan.
Developing confidence in (and enjoyment of) performing in public. We enjoy Spring gatherings, Summer concerts and Christmas harp gatherings. All of these are opportunities to socialise and also play together, and also perform solos (if desired). (All my students are invited to take part in informal concerts, and once they get past their initial nerves, they enjoying playing for each other in a fun, supportive and encouraging environment. Students who prefer not to perform also come along to these events, as part of our harp school community, and enjoy providing a friendly audience for performers. There is also the option to play in unison with myself playing alongside if this is more enjoyable/ less nerve-wracking.)
HOW I RUN THE ADMIN
Students can choose to attend for either 33 or 22 lessons per year.
33 lessons per year works out at (roughly) one lesson per week during term-time. As I have students from different schools in different local authorities, the terms may not always match your own terms exactly, so I send out a harp lesson calendar to clarify when I’m teaching.
22 lessons per year works out as two lessons per month.
Dates are sent out in December for the following teaching year.
33 lessons per year students can choose a 30 minute, 45 minute or 60 minute slot.
22 lessons per year students can choose either a 45 minute or 60 minute slot.
Each student has their own allocated day and time slot.
For students attending 22 lessons per year there is some flexibility. For instance if you were due to attend lessons on (for example) the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month in a particular month, you could sometimes negotiate to come (at your usual time) on the 2nd Friday.
Due to my busy timetable of students, I’m afraid I’m not able to offer flexibility for 33 lessons per year (weekly, term-time) students.
If students are ill or have suffered a bereavement or family crisis and are therefore unable to attend a lesson, I offer a catch-up lesson on a catch-up day. Catch-up days for winter 2026 are 10th November & 21st December. Please note, I don’t offer catch-up lessons for lessons missed due to other reasons such as holidays, school trips or attending birthday parties.
Please note, I don’t teach during the month of July unless by special prior arrangement.
After the initial trial period (see below), please provide 4 weeks notice if you wish to end tuition.
PAYMENT STRUCTURE
Students beginning to learn with me for the first time pay on a pay-as-you-go basis, for the first 4 or 5 lessons. After this period, if students are wishing to continue studying with me we switch to a regular monthly payment. I split the payment for the calendar year into 12 equal instalments. I base my fees on the Musician’s Union recommended minimum rates.
2026 lesson Prices
30 minute individual lesson £22.00
45 minute individual lesson £33.00
60 minute individual lesson £44.00
Participatory arts fee
For students wanting to join in with the various concerts, story-telling events etc throughout the year, there is an optional additional monthly fee of £2.37 (two pounds and 37 pence). This helps me towards the cost of hiring halls and also goes towards my (otherwise unpaid) time spent running the group sessions etc. Please note, this fee is entirely optional and students are able to join in with the group events whether or not they choose to pay it.
Harp Rental
Don't be put off because you don't yet have an instrument. I often have small harps suitable for beginners available for my students to hire at reasonable rates. Unless otherwise specified, you as the renter are responsible for ensuring the instrument is appropriately insured with a specialist musical instrument insurer. I suggest Jack Hayward Musical Instrument Insurance. I will ask for proof of insurance. You are also responsible for the cost of replacing any strings that break: but I would be happy to fit these for you.
2026 harp rental prices
Please note that harp rental is only available to my own students. I do not rent harps to the general public. Which harps I have available to rent at any given time can vary quite a lot.
£29.75 per month: 26 or 27 string lever harp (= small clarsach. Easily portable & suitable for beginners. Some of the harps I have available are fully levered, others are partially levered. Either works well for a beginner.)
£39.75 per month: 34 string lever harp (= standard full-size clarsach. Levers on every string. Suitable for intermediate/advanced students)
£44.75 per month: 40 string lever harp (= large lever harp. Suitable for students wanting to be able to play a wider repertoire, using a bigger range of pitches.)
£49.75 per moth: classical pedal harp (only rarely available)
Tips on Harp hire and Buying a harp
You will probably want to have a few lessons before you launch into investing in an instrument.
To make this easier, I have a few instruments that I am able to hire out to my students directly.
I'm afraid I do not offer a hire-purchase scheme. I obviously have a limited number of instruments, and sometimes all my instruments will be out on loan, so it's good to know that harp hire may also available through (amongst others):
the Clarsach society
Clive Morley harps
Hands on Harps
Camac Harps
Purchasing a harp
Do speak to me first before 'diving' straight in and buying or hiring a harp, as I can suggest which model to go for and perhaps whether it's a good idea to pay that bit extra and get levers, and if so, which ones. I once had a teacher who suggested to me that if ever I was asked the question "How much does it cost to buy a harp?" then the best response was to answer, "Nothing like as much as it would if you were to buy a really, really good violin."
Now, this is undoubtedly true, but then how many of us are in the market for a Stradivarius?...
So take a deep breath before clicking on any of the links to harp-makers' websites below. However, there is some good news:
Firstly, you don't have to buy initially, you can rent instead, and some makers even offer a hire-purchase scheme.
Secondly, there are good quality second hand instruments available.
Thirdly, unlike in the past, there are now some budget instruments. Whilst these are never going to be of the sound and build quality of models coming from harp-making studios with a history dating back through the generations, they do not claim to be. And they do fill a gap in the market for an instrument for beginners. Whilst these harps may have fewer strings, and therefore repertoire can be limited, students are still able (importantly) to develop their technique and musicality, and have fun learning tunes, ready to move on to a different instrument at a later stage.
Fourthly, it is worth bearing in mind that whilst this whole process may begin to feel comparable (in stress and potential outlay) to the purchase of a car, unlike your new car, if you choose well, your harp will probably last your lifetime, and well beyond it.
Before you launch into the websites below, you will want to have a think about whether you are looking for a clarsach or a pedal harp. There are some differences:
Clarsachs are the traditional instruments of Scotland and Ireland. They are smaller than pedal harps and have fewer strings. They often produce a beautiful, resonant, ethereal sound. To change key on the clarsach you use levers. Whilst many different styles of music can be played on the clarsach, they are most often played as solo instruments, or paired with voice, or paired with another instrument (such as drum or tin whistle or fiddle), or together with other clarsachs, or as part of a ceilidh or folk band. A full-sized clarsach will have 34 strings. Beginner instruments may have fewer strings. In order to be able to play a good variety of tunes, look for an instrument which has at least 26 strings. More advanced players will want more strings. In terms of the size of the frame of the instrument, there is no 'standard' size. Different harp-makers produce different sized instruments, so check out the dimensions and weight of the instruments and look for one which you think will suit you (or your child). Some instruments have in-built internal drop-down stands, or detachable legs so you can adjust the height. Be aware that you can also adjust the height by simply placing your instrument on top of a low stool or box, although then you will need to remember to take that with you when transporting your instrument.
Pedal Harps are larger harps which make use of foot pedals in order to change key (to obtain or cancel sharps and flats). The tension of the strings is usually (but not always) greater on a pedal harp, and this produces a different tonal quality from the clarsach. The pedal harp is a very versatile instrument and many different genres of music can be played on it. A full-sized pedal harp will have 47 (or occasionally 46) strings. Children harpists will often play on a smaller pedal harp, with fewer strings, perhaps 40 or 44. All pedal harps are quite bulky and heavy, and in order to transport a pedal harp you would need to have (or borrow) an estate car or a small van. In an estate car you would need to fold down the back seats in order to fit the harp in. You will also need a special trolley for your harp, and although most harps will come with a dust-cover, you will probably also want to have special padded outer covers to protect your instrument during transit. Most teachers will allow their students to play the teacher's own harp during lessons, to avoid the need for the student bringing their own instrument along on a weekly basis. However, the student might need to sometimes take their own harp around and about - for example for concerts or for orchestral rehearsals. All pedal harps will need servicing from time to time, and more regularly if the instrument is played very frequently and taken about a lot. Some students begin on a clarsach and then move on to a pedal harp (or learn pedal harp in addition to the clarsach). However, this is not to imply that the pedal harp is more 'advanced' than the clarsach. It it not. It is more to do with the styles of music the student wishes to play and the type of group they would ideally like to play with. For example, if you wish to play in a ceilidh band, you would probably, in the first instance, choose a clarsach. If you want to play in a symphony orchestra, you would need a pedal harp.
Whilst professional orchestras would always require harpists to play on a 47 (or 46) string instrument, it is worth noting perhaps, that it is only some advanced solo repertoire and some orchestral music that makes use of the very top and very bottom strings on the harp, and thus it is perfectly possible to play a huge range of music on a slightly smaller (and both more portable and significantly cheaper) pedal harp. Even many of the advanced pieces that do use the extremes of the range can often be adapted to suit a smaller instrument without too much difficulty or loss of musical sense and style. Some youth and amateur orchestras would still welcome a pedal harpist (especially a youngster) on an instrument with less than 47 strings.
Concert Grand Harps are instruments that have an extended soundboard: that is that the base of the soundboard is enlarged and curved. This gives a big, rich sound, and is preferred for orchestral work. However, good performers will also be able to produce a lovely full sound even on an instrument with a regular 'straight' soundboard.
Try looking for beginner harps at:
www.handsonharps.com
www.harpsicle-harps.com (Sometimes these need to be imported)
www.morleyharps.co.uk
For more advanced students wanting A Clarsach:
www.niebischandtree.co.uk
www.starfishdesigns.co.uk
www.norrisharps.com
For more advanced students wanting a pedal harp:
www.holywell.co.uk
www.morleyharps.co.uk
www.wales.camac-harps.com
Sources of Second-Hand Instruments:
www.jack hayward.co.uk look for the register of available used harps (updated regularly)
www.morleyharps.co.uk
www.clarsachsociety.co.uk (look under 'instruments for sale')
www.niebischandtree.co.uk (look for 'used harps')
GDPR Statement for harp students:
THIs IS How I use Your Data
As your harp teacher (or potential harp teacher) I am committed to protecting your information and privacy and to complying with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.
For Visitors to this site:
No personal data (such as names, addresses, e-mail addresses or dates of birth) is inputted into this site, and therefore no such information is stored. The website does however use essential cookies to enable the site to function. Further cookies (for instance, for analysis) can be opted into, if desired, by clicking the relevant boxes in the cookie banner.
For Potential Harp Pupils who Contact me via e-mail or phone to make an enquiry:
How I store your information and what I use it for:
I keep a (paper) record of the conversation and/or I keep e-mails in a folder in my inbox, for a reasonable period of time, in order to i.) be able to answer the initial enquiry, ii) be able to answer any follow-up questions, and iii) potentially be prepared to deliver the required service to the customer, if desired.
Any contact from me would only be in relation to that specific enquiry.
What information do I store (for a reasonable period of time):
Examples of information I would keep for a reasonable period of time include:
* name of potential pupil (and parent, if applicable)
* contact details of potential pupil (telephone number; e-mail address)
* a brief note of any particular musical interests and/or previous musical experience
* a brief note of your availability e.g. ‘would be available for lessons of Thursday evenings’
How long I store your information for:
Once I am clear that the enquirer does not require my services I delete the record.
For Harp Pupils who commence lessons with me:
How I store your information and what I use it for:
I store your information as notes (on paper) and I also might occasionally keep e-mails from you. I use your information to enable me to provide a service to you, for instance by contacting you to organise changing lesson times. I may also use your information to send out invoices, payment details or timetables. I may occasionally forward you information from other sources, specifically in order to help provide you with the required service: for instance, I may send you a link to a website showing a harpist playing a tune that you yourself are considering learning, to help your learning. I may also use your information to invite you to our harp school concerts and events. With your consent, I may also store your e-mail address and phone number in a ‘group’ so that I can easily send out messages that pertain to the whole harp school (e.g. a reminder of an upcoming group rehearsal) rather than purely to you personally. In such instances I endeavour to use the BCC function of my email to avoid your e-mail address being shared. Please note, in line with safeguarding best practice, under 18s should not email or telephone me directly, and if they do, I will not respond to them but will instead communicate with their parent or guardian.
What information do I store (for a reasonable period of time):
Examples of information I would keep for a reasonable period of time include:
* your name
* your contact details (telephone number; e-mail address)
* a note of your usual lesson day and time
* a list of any musical goals you have set yourself, and progress towards them
* hand-written notes (by myself) briefly outlining what material we have covered previously
* basic financial records, as required for tax purposes, (of monies owed and paid to myself)
How long I store your information for:
I store any detailed information (such as your telephone number) until 3 months after you cease to be studying harp with me and business is concluded and any monies owed paid.
Beyond the three months, the detailed information is deleted. If I am requested (by a leaving student), to keep in touch with them, I am happy for them to do this if they are over 18. Please note, safe-guarding best practice precludes me from keeping in touch with ex-pupils who are under 18.
Beyond the 3 months, some (abreviated) details will remain in my financial record keeping, as a line in my books, to enable me to keep basic records as required for tax purposes. This would look like this: ‘teaching fee: surname of client, amount paid’. Further, depending on method of payment used, and any reference that may have been given by the client (e.g. when doing a bank transfer), these same abbreviated details may also be retained on my bank statements. I will also retain the signed GDPR form.