The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) harp club program was founded by Alexis Lyon in 2017, with an afterschool harp club at John Muir Elementary. Under Alexis’s continuing guidance, it has since grown to include daily harp lessons for 35 children at three elementary schools. MCMF has provided a rainbow of Harpsicle Harps for the harp club programs.
Students with their Harpsicles
The goal of the harp club is to have children learn this beautiful instrument in a gentle teaching environment and to help children access the inspiring world of music. Playing the harp and being part of the harp club has become a source of joy and pride for many of the children. When they took a field trip to the symphony, they excitedly told the harpist that they also play the harp and requested that she play the songs they know!
The music curriculum includes any songs that inspire and interest them. They have particularly enjoyed learning pop songs, anime songs, Disney songs, as well as simple harp songs written by Diana Stork. Her compositions ‘Fairy Door’ and ‘Dragon Kite,’ are consistent favorites! Improv, song writing skills, and beginning music theory are also included. One girl described improv as “playing what’s in your heart.”
The children perform at school events, including talent shows, winter celebrations, parent nights, and graduations. They have performed in the local community at venues such as Grace Cathedral, SF Jazz, Café International, and the Hayes Valley Holiday Stroll. They also love playing for their teachers and playing for the friends on the recess yard.
This year, they recorded their songs at the Women’s Audio Mission (WAM) so that they and their loved ones can enjoy their music. Upon being given a CD with her music on it, one child exclaimed that her dad would be so proud of her, because he wasn’t on a CD when he was in kindergarten.
Many of the harp club students have expressed interest in continuing to play the harp once they graduate to middle school. We are currently working on expanding the program so that students can continue with the harp.
Harp students performing at Grace Cathedral