Hi everyone

O am considering the harp as 2nd instrument for 6 year old DD. She has been playing piano for a year, had her prep test earlier on in the year and is starting work on jazz g1 now. She seems to show a keen interest in music.

Was thinking of introducing this after Xmas (perhaps as Xmas / birthday present as her birthday is just after Xmas) if she takes to it.

Any advice from parents on this instrument would be greatly appreciated as I know very little about the harp but appreciate the music I hear being played on it.

Thanks in advance.

Is there a harp teacher near you? Harp teachers are few and far between and it would definitely be worth researching this before you make any decisions.

What does your daughter think about learning the harp? Has she tried one or seen one being played?

Harps come in various sizes and for a 6 yr old, you would almost certainly need to start with a lever harp.

Just wait till she's on a full size one and you need a whole big car to fit it in. The girl at orchestra used to have to get picked up early as it took so long to get it in the car and she had to squeeze into the tiny space that was left! Even a smallish cello is dictating the car we have. Violas and saxes were a LOT easier to manage! Seriously, it is worth thinking about the size, unless she has a burning desire to play the harp.

I used to know a girl who played the harp and it was wonderful. But, as has been mentioned, you'll need a vehicle that can transport it. Also, when it needs repairing or servicing (or whatever harps need) you will probably have to travel quite a way for this unless you are particularly lucky - I know that the harp in question had to go to London every time it needed something doing to it. Beautiful instruments, of course - I'm not surprised your daughter is attracted to playing one

It is a beautiful instrument, but you have to know what you are potentially letting yourself in for!

I agree that at 6, she would start with a lever harp. Lever harps are pretty affordable and will fit in most cars without a problem. Some people stick with a lever harp all their lives, because of the music they want to play. But if you are thinking of it as an orchestral instrument, then you'll need a pedal harp. That means a car with a big boot and lots of money - and a future of lugging it about to concerts etc.

Unless money is no object, I wouldn't choose a harp without a clear indication from your daughter that she is really keen. Mine nagged me for 9 years before I relented. She started on the piano and when we were looking for a second instrument I was very keen for her to have a more sociable instrument and she chose the violin. My daughter's teacher has regular harp groups that meet and play together, so she does play with others, but she never plays the harp at school because she goes by train.

Before you make any decisions, I would do some homework in terms of finding a potential teacher. Much easier in some parts of the country, I imagine. Try phoning Pilgrim Harps on 01342 893242 or Affairs of the Harp on 01727 872372 who keep lists of teachers. They can also advise you about hiring a harp, which I would strongly recommend before deciding to buy.

Don't want to put you off - I haven't regretted the decision to let her learn the harp - but it is not something to be undertaken lightly.

Thank you all for your advice / comments.

I hadn't thought about the size of the instrument and carting it around so this has been a useful exercise.

As far as teachers go I have found one not too far away from where we live (NW London).

The cost worries me - but it is a beautiful instrument and definitely unusual and that is what attracts me. DD is interested because we had a harpist at a family wedding last year and she was fascinated by it. However I won't know for sure if this is an instrument for her until I take her to have a taster session with the teacher.

Any suggestions for an unusual orchestra instrument if this one doesn't work out?

I didn't think about size when 12 year old daughter brought home a baritone saxophone. One of the staff from the music service tried to warn me She didn't want to go into a junior ensemble so opted for the sax no one else wanted to play.

Sometimes on Saturday morning when I'm dragging it out of the house at 8am I wonder why I ever let it happen. I've changed my car recently and I was very concious of size and whether bari could be transported in it.

I don't think you can predict which instrument is going to be "the one" that's needed in ensembles. My daughter was originally an oboist but there are lots of young oboists locally, she is in far more demand as a sax player.

What about Viola for your little one? As far as I can tell there are opportunities for young viola players.

Viola is a great instrument for ensemble opportunities, but if you think viola might be good for your daughter at some point I would suggest starting her on violin and then adding viola later... most people I know who started on viola without having played violin (including me) have sloppier technique than those who played violin and switched to viola later. I think this is partly because viola is a harder instrument to manage, so it's easier for a beginner to develop bad habits that will be hard to shake later... but also because violists have less competition and are therefore more likely to get lazy

If she likes the sound of viola it's fine to start on a viola of the correct size. Liz at Elida trading can supply good small instruments. Alternatively some players have a small violin restrung as a viola. I know a girl who played viola from about 8 (free lessons at school) and now is probably one of the best young viola players in the country.

My second son switched from violin to viola at 9 after a couple of years of begging for a viola. He hated the high squeeky notes on the violin.

My friend who teaches both says the only advantage to starting on violin now, that you can get good small violas, is that there's much more repertoire for the violin even in the earlier stages.

If she goes for the viola get a proper viola teacher, not a violin teacher who thinks the two are the same. Lots of teachers play both but there is playing and playing. Our viola teacher had a lot of polite remarks (and he was never anything but polite) about violin teachers who think there's no difference except size. He also taught violin a bit but it was not his main instrument and he referred to it as 'just a toy, really'!

I wonder if at the tender age of 6, indulging a child who has shown a superficial interest in an instrument is wise? Given the excellent progress on the piano, it may be prudent to wait a couple more years for their interest and musical skill to mature further before allowing them to take on a second instrument - harp or otherwise?

I take on your point but just want to encourage the interest as it's a beautiful instrument. Also, I know the school she goes to the workload really piles on in Year4/5 and 6, so she really has only 2 years to make the most of her spare time. After that it will be lots of homework every night on top of her usual after school activities (dance / swimming and drama).

I am still only at the thinking stage of this this but cost of lessons and instrument and car boot size may dictate I look for another instrument instead!

Perhaps, but the small violas that sound good and are priced reasonably are few and far between... and the lack of repertoire is another reason why I think those who have always studied viola (and of course there are exceptions) tend to have holes in their technique - there are gaps in technical level which have very little interesting repertoire.



The toy bit sounds just like my teacher! He was also primarily a violist, though many of his most exceptional students were violinists.

The thought that a kid of 8 no longer has spare time really saddens me.

I would definitely go for another instrument at this stage - and something she can play in an orchestra. Do you have anywhere near you where she could go to try out lots of different things and see what she likes? My daughters' secondary school is keen to encourage viola and double bass players. My three sisters and I each have one child who plays the viola, although in my case, my daughter has only been tinkering with it recently as a bit of a break from the violin and I'm not sure yet whether she'll want to keep it up. One of the others also started on the violin. The other two never played the violin first. Don't know which approach I'd recommend!

The double bass would be fun, but again not exactly small! At this age, she'd have to start on the cello, I imagine.

You could try Mini Bass

That is partially a function of parental preference, and partially a function of the school you send them to, I guess.

Mini bass looks brilliant!

Thanks the double/mini bass does look fun!

I'll have to find somewhere I can take her to try out and play with instruments before making a choice (if there eis such a place). To play it safe I will make sure I don't invest in an instrument until she's has a few lessons and showing a keen interest.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions please keep them coming I do appreciate them. I am new to the music scene as I don't play any instruments myself so your words of wisdom are most welcome!

If anyone knows of a shop / showroom in NW London that allows children to experiment with insturments then please let me know.

Herga music in the harrow are has a wide variety of instruments and I know that they've had days in the past (though this was a long time ago) where there were lots of different instruments about for kids to have a go on. I'm sure if you contacted them you might be able to try a few.
Their website looks pretty rubbish, but it does have contact details on it.
http://www.hergamusic.co.uk/

Worth checking whether your Local Authority's Music Service runs any taster sessions?

If not, can you get to Harpenden? If so, this might be of interest (cut & paste from their website - I'm not ).

"TRY ANY INSTRUMENT YOU LIKE AT HARPENDEN MUSICALE

Often a child or adult would like to start an instrument, but they are not sure which one. Now you can try any instrument you like at Harpenden Musicale, guided by our expert staff. The 1/2 hour session costs ?15, but this money is refunded if the Harpenden Musicale Instrument Trial and Purchase Scheme is used. To book a taster session telephone 01582 713333 or email Musicale at info@musicale.co.uk "

It not clear whether this lets you try one particular instrument for half an hour - or as many as you like in that time, but might be worth investigating.

They also seem to do a holiday course entitled "Music Activity" which is described as:

"Structured musical fun based on a theme for the week for 5 ? 9 year olds, encouraging children to think about taking up an instrument. Children will have the opportunity to try the Lyons C Clarinet and throughout the week children will make use of tuned and un-tuned percussion and recorders. There will be a presentation of orchestral and band instruments for the children midweek to which parents and family are warmly invited."

Might be too late for this year - and in any event, it sounds like the presentation bit might be of more interest that the rest of the course.

Finally, the LSO does a "Music Explorers" workshop for under 8s (next one is 1 Oct, 10-12.30) at which - amongst other things, the children get to try out instruments.

Ours have come to their instruments in a variety of ways, mostly nudged there by me. One liked the bari sax because it sounded like farting so I said he could learn the alto till he big enough for a bari, which he didn't want once he was big enough. One was set to learn the guitar until the teachers did a tasting session, one of the instruments being a violin which he was immediately smitten with. I did a certain amount of nudging towards the cello for the youngest as we have a really excellent cello teacher nearby. By chance he seems to have quite a flair for it but maybe he's musical and would have managed well whatever he had 'chosen'. They all play the piano as it's so useful apart from anything else. My point is that children take up instruments for lots of reasons, good and bad, and may wax and wane in their enthusiasm. 6 is pretty young to know what you're going to like and also young enough to nudge in another direction.

I also think that having no spare time at 8 is a real shame. It doens't sound much fun.

Bassoon is good if you like something a bit different. Not quite so hard to transport as a harp and little people can start on mini bassoon or tenoroon. My daughter has been playing for nearly a year and loves the fact that it is a bit different. Also makes nice deep farty noises if that appeals to the youngsters. She was asked to join the school band after only about 5 lessons. (although it was her 3rd instrument, so progress has been fairly fast)

Elder daughter has been much in demand since taking up tenor sax, but not really suitable for a child that young, but could move up to it from soprano or alto sax.

There are harp hire schemes where you could get a suitable instrument for some months - I taught a 6 year old on a Pilgrim clarsach, which has a very easy transition to pedal harp strings, but several makers have similar instruments and your teacher can advise. If you want to try a harp in London the place to go (by appointment) is Hollywell Music, which is near Blackfriars Bridge.

Thanks for that - will get in touch with them.


Thanks for the info. will bear this in mind...



Thank you not sure where Harpenden is but rings a bell so can't be too far. Will checkout the LSO website.

All this info. is very useful and greatly appreciated so thanks to all the contributors.

Just to clarify: This will be a second instrument which will be learnt for 2 years and then dropped when homework starts in year 4? If that's the case there is no point buying an expensive instrument like a harp unless you really do have far more money than most people need. You might as well either rent an instrument or go for a much cheaper instrument. I assume that this is some way of trying to tick extra boxes for scholarship applications, because it seems to be a bit strange to try and encourage an interest which you know you will stop in 2 years time??

Hi Flossie

The new instrument is not just for 2 years - I definately don't have spare cash to indulge my kids on these things. No, by the time she reached year 4 the workload at school goes up dramatically so it's easier if she expirements with a new instrument now as we have the luxury of lots of spare time. If she finds an additional instrument she geniunely likes now (on top of the piano) she will be more motivated to practice at a later stage (or at least I think and hope) .... having an additonal insturment would help with school applications no doubt and it's shown to help academicaly but as a person who doesn't play any instruments I would like to give them the opportunity to play and enjoy music as I think it's adds another dimension to their personalitlies and the people they become. (Does that make sense?).

I think this makes sense Between the ages of 8 and 13 (my free time wasn't limited until I was 14, thank goodness!), I experimented with swimming, dance, ice skating, tae kwon do, viola, piano, and various academic extracurriculars for varying periods of time. The swimming, dance, ice skating, and tae kwon do (in other words, everything athletic ) were dropped at various points before I started high school as I decided they weren't pursuing, and that I wanted to focus on music and the academic things. It is true that the money my parents put into all the activities I no longer do was wasted in a sense - but luckily we were in a comfortable enough financial situation that this wasn't a huge problem (of course, most aren't so lucky) and I think I'm better off for it because I was able to find what I actually enjoy. I agree that it's easier to find motivation to continue something you have already started when things get busy, as opposed to trying to start something new. When I was 11, I decided to start taking proper viola lessons because it seemed interesting enough and I didn't have anything better to do. Soon enough I was "hooked" and I've kept with it for many years now despite increasing academic commitments because I knew it would be worth it... but if I hadn't started then and someone had suggested the idea a few years later while I was in high school, I'm sure I wouldn't have believed that I had enough time for it.

I would second the advice about the size of the instrument. My son wanted to learn a brass instrument and the brass teacher at school let him try various instruments. He picked the bass trombone (he wants to join the swing band when he gets to the Senior school) and knowing nothing about it we said yes.... I'll just say that it fills the boot of a Hyundai i10 and all his other bags have to go on the back seat..

As for homework and two instruments. Our son does trombone practice before school (we leave the house at 7.45) and piano after his homework. He knows that if he wants time to play with Lego, he has to be organised and get both done without messing around. He has a notebook and pencil in the car so that he can do his homework in rough (we have a 30 minute drive) and then he only has to copy it out neatly when we get home.

It does help that the only after school activity he does is Cubs on a Friday night so he always has time to play and relax before the evening meal. I've taken the view that childhood is a time for play and that you have the whole of your adult life to learn Judo or swim or dance for pleasure. Obviously, if you have a great talent then it's different, but if you're only doing it for fun, then you have 60+ years to do it, but you only have a few years to climb trees and play with Lego.

Thanks. I'm glad you're not intending to start her off on an instrument and then make her quit when homework starts. To my mind, having an opportunity then getting it snatched away from you just as you start to develop can be worse than not having the opportunity in the first place.

Could you take her to an orchestral concert or something over the summer? You may find from listening that particular sections or instruments in the orchestra attract her attention more. It's also worth playing classical music in the house (e.g. on the radio) and seeing if she likes particular things.

Size of instrument is particularly important for younger children, because not all instruments come in smaller sizes...