At different stages throughout my life I have played the harp at rest homes and retirement villages. This was something I got into while my mother was working at a rest home / hospital here in Christchurch. I had just started to learn the piano at age 15, and as we didn’t have one at home, I was allowed to go to mums work on a Saturday and tinker on their piano for hours on end.

I had no audience at the time, but the people working at the rest home told my mother that they could hear me play and that they rather enjoyed it. I kept on playing pretending they couldn’t hear me.

Because I played the harp, which has always seemed mysterious and unusual to a lot of people, it was inevitable that I would be asked to play at this rest home. I remember feeling very nervous and making a few mistakes, which made me feel worse, quietly cursing myself for having said “yes” to playing. I was incredibly shy and lacking in confidence during those years, and this was one of the best things I could have done to start getting over my inhibitions.

The elderly and nursing staff seemed to really appreciate and love the music; they couldn’t hear any mistakes if I made any. I realized that by just turning up, and the fact that I had made an effort to come and do something for them was enough; it bought something fresh into their environment and helped them to connect to old memories and feelings.

Since then there have been a few more times, some good and some not so good experiences with playing in public, be it at rest homes, weddings, and other occasions.

When I finally, and only just in the last few years, decided I was going to make harp music my career, I starting playing in front of an audience every opportunity I got. A few years ago, I was working in an office for a community nursing bureau, that ran a rest home / hospital and hospice as well. As these buildings were on the same premises, I would take my harp there during my lunch breaks and play for the patients while they were having their lunch. Some of them fell asleep at the table! I took this to mean that they felt relaxed by the music. Again staff, patients and visitors enjoyed it, and gave me lots of compliments, which in turn gave me the boost that I needed to keep on going.

Having now played at quite a number of rest homes to date, I realize that most of the time the elderly just love harp music, especially when I play music from their “courting” years. I have come to love these songs myself, as they are so much cleaner and clearer than some of the songs that come out today.

In recent years I have started looking into healing music, and have acquired a book of healing music written for the harp. This book includes some findings on researches done into using harp music in different keys and modes. Eventually I would love to be able to become a harp therapist and work with the sick and elderly as well as in mental health. Unfortunately there are no courses for this in New Zealand, so I am putting this on hold for now as I may have to do one overseas.

In the meantime I will keep playing at rest homes, mainly a bit of actual harp music, followed by the old favourites (arranged for harp) which the audience likes to sing to.

Sample Music

Danny Boy
Elanor Plunkett
The Prayer
When Irish Eyes are Smiling

IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND ARE IN CHARGE OF ENTERTAINMENT IN A REST HOME / HOSPITAL IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, AND YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO COME AND PLAY, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. REFER TO MY PLAY LIST FOR SOME OF THE SONGS I USUALLY PLAY.

Play List for Retirement Homes

A SUMMER PLACE ACROSS THE UNIVERSE ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT AND I LOVE HER AND I LOVE YOU SO A WHITE SPORT COAT (AND A PINK CARNATION) BRIGHTEST AND BEST DANNY BOY DIANA GREENSLEEVES I BELONG TO GLASGOW IF YOU EVER GO TO IRELAND ISLE OF INNISFREE JESU, JOY OF MAN’S DESIRING JESUS LOVES ME KUM BA YAH LET IT BE ME LOCH LOMOND LOVE ME TENDER MARIE’S WEDDING MISS ROWAN DAVIES MORNING HAS BROKEN MY HEART WILL GO ON MY LOVE MY OWN TRUE LOVE (TARA’S THEME) NEVER MY LOVE PACHELBEL’S CANON PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES IN YOUR OLD KIT BAG QUE SERA. SERA

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD RETURN TO ME ROSE OF TRALEE SANTA LUCIA SCARBOROUGH FAIR SEND IN THE CLOWNS TAMMY TENNESSEE WALTZ THE PRAYER THE ROSE THE SPINNING WHEEL THE WAYWARD WIND THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS TIME TO SAY GOODBYE (CON TE PARTIRO) TIP TOE THRU’ THE TULIPS WITH ME UNCHAINED MELODY WATER IS WIDE WHEN IRISH EYES ARE SMILING WHEN YOU AND I WERE YOUNG, MAGGIE YESTERDAY   PLUS VARIOUS IRISH AND SCOTTISH TUNES PLUS ANY SPECIAL REQUESTS, PLAYABLE ON A CELTIC LEVER HARP