DID YOU KNOW THAT…………
The harp seems to have originated from the plucking of the hunter’s bow. The oldest references made to the harp date back to 4000 BC in Egypt and 3000 BC in Mesopotamia.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…………
The harp is the only stringed instrument to have its strings perpendicular to its soundboard, as opposed to instruments like the violin and guitar, whose strings are parallel to their soundboard.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…………
The harp has been used in Ireland as a political symbol, and has been/is used on flags, coinage, stamps and even on their famous Guinness beer.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…………
In South America, the Paraguayan harp is mostly played with the fingernails.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…………
The pedal, or concert harp has six and a half octaves (46 or 47 strings), weighs about 80lb (36 kg), is approximately 6 ft (1.8 m) high, has a depth of 4 ft (1.2 m), and is 21.5 in (55 cm) wide at the bass end of the soundboard. The notes range from three octaves below middle C (or the D above) to three and a half octaves above, usually ending on G.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…………
The mechanism for the double-action pedal system, as seen on a concert harp, was invented by Sebastien Erard in 1810.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…………
Harpo Marx was a self-taught harpist, who was known to use his pinky during playing.