Harp Quest,
Anyhow?
|
|
What on Earth is a
Harp Quest, Anyhow? |
The Millenium Harp Quests were started by John Lozier of Harping for Harmony. To find out more about the organization, you can visit the website at www.harpingforharmony.org.
Harp Quests are a way of getting harpers to play in public, to help educate people about harps of all kinds and just to spread good will in general through harp music. To complete a quest, you have to play at a minimum of 25 different spots within a specified amount of time. Not surprisingly, the Millenium quests began at the turn of the millenium, and were so successful that they've been continued each year since. This year, if you declared your quest by St. Patrick's Day '02, and finished it by the end of December '02, you got a special award of a lap harp, along with a personalized medallion. And there's nothing like the thought of a new harp (however small) to motivate harpers into action!
You can pick your own theme for your quest, at whatever level of challenge you feel up to. Some people did street corners or parks in their neighbourhood; other people visited specific sites throughout various counties in their state or province (everything from wineries to haunted houses).
My personal 2002 Harp Quest Declaration was as follows:
" I, Tanah Haney, declare that I will pursue the title of Millenium Bridge Harper of Southern Ontario, by playing at 25 locations on or beside various historic bridges and locks in Southern Ontario, Canada. I plan to pursue this quest between the Spring and Fall of 2002, with the ultimate goal of having my quest complete by the end of the year. "The Quest was completed on November 20th, where we visited the last 3 bridges (#26-29). My husband, Mark, was my official photographer and companion during the quest, and took photos at all 29 locations. In addition, we got a few signatures, kept a log, and occasionally even dragged some friends and family along for the ride. The harps used were my friend Cindy Ellen's Noteworthy (seen in all the Perth & area shots), and, after July, my own new Stoney End Esabelle Cross-Strung (seen in all the Peterborough & area shots). The little harps were ideal for the quest, as they were light and portable. The flexibility they lent us led to playing in all sorts of places one wouldn't normally expect to find a harp - as you will see from the pictures!
To see our favourite photos from the quest, go to the Photo Gallery.
Click here to see a chronological log of all 29 Harp Quest locations.