Spokane Harp Circle members play and learn together; some provide music therapy | Spokane - The Spokesman-Review

Every month a group of harpists gathers in a north Spokane church to play together, mentor each other and learn new techniques, as Nina Culver, freelancer for The Spokesman-Review reports.

Harpists LuRicka Kougl, left, and Barbara Heckenlively, members of the Spokane Harp Circle, play the harp at Trinity Baptist Church.
Photo: Nina Culver / The Spokesman-R

Though it’s called the Spokane Harp Circle, members come from all over, including in Colville and Coeur d’Alene.

The group was launched about 15 years ago by harp performer and teacher Nancy Davis. Harpist LuRicka Kougl joined the group in 2009 and hosted the monthly gatherings in her home for a few years. “I had to move furniture to accommodate 13 harps,” she said. “You share with each other musical experiences and learn to play in a group.”

The group plays together for the first hour or so, then works on new techniques during the second hour, said member Barbara Heckenlively. “It’s a mentoring type experience,” she said. “The beginners are included and we all play together.”

Members also can perform solo at the gatherings. It’s a good way to get used to performing, Heckenlively said. “You want to get these experiences as you learn because it builds your confidence,” she said. “Most of performance is courage. You have to have courage.”

The group is led by professional harpist Kim Davidson...

It’s possible for a listener to be so in tune with the music that their heart rate slows to match the tempo. Kougl said it’s something she and her fellow harpists have to be aware of as they play, particularly when they play for the sick or the elderly. “It does have a physical effect,” she said.
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Source: The Spokesman-Review