Harp Instruction

Teaching

• Vancouver Academy of Music, 1987-2002
• Adjunct Professor of harp, UBC since 1985
• Douglas College, 2002-2003, Vancouver Community College, 1987-88
• VSO School of Music -  2011 -
• VSO School of Music - 2022 and currently - giving group online harp master classes with Lani Krantz
• International Harp Workshop, Italy, July 2012
• Canadian International Summer Harp Institute, 2013, 2014
• Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra harp coach
• VSO Institute harp coach
• workshops and master classes for BC Harp Society and other teachers (topics: orchestral technique, injury prevention, preparing to perform)
• Video master class for harp students of Gianetta Baril’s at Mt. Royal College Conservatory in Calgary from UBC Telestudios, January 2007
• Tour to New Zealand, March 2007: Auckland: master class, U. of Auckland for students of Rebecca Harris, workshop for Anna Dunwoodie and Lisa Williamson, teachers’ forum, four private lessons in Wellington for students of Carolyn Mills
• Tour to Asia, October 2008: master classes in Beijing and Shanghai
• master class - McGill University, Nov. 2010 (part of OSM Standard Life Competition)
• Guest clinician and instructor at Pacific Harp Institute in Seattle 2007, 2008
• instructor at Island Mountain Arts Festival Celtic Harp School 2004, 2007, advanced class
• Orchestra Techniques article published in Teachers' Forum of American Harp Society Journal, Summer 2002, second edition on Harp Spectrum web site, and in Nederlands Harp Bulletin, Zomer 2008 Jaargang 21 #2
• Harp Column magazine - several articles published
• Articles on technique published in New Zealand Harp Association Newsletter April 2007
• organized and hosted master classes and concerts given by Judy Loman, Nancy Allen, Sunita Staneslow, Alys Howe, Alison Austin, Sebastien and Sayo Lipman, Susann Macdonald, Erica Goodman, Verlene Schermer, Aryeh Frankfurter, Gianetta Baril, Willy Postma, Natalia Shameyeva, Ann Yeung, Alice Giles, Alexander Boldachev, Sivan Magen, Baltazar Juarez

Private Instruction

• Elizabeth has a home studio for private instruction. Please email evolpebligh@gmail.com for more information or to book an appointment. Only students who practice regularly and come prepared for their lessons will be accepted.

Students

• Former private and UBC students include: Rosanna Chiu - https://rosannachiu.com/, Alys Howe (National Youth Orchestra of Canada) https://alyshowe.com/, Joy Yeh http://www.joyyeh.com/, Albertina Chan (VYSO harpist, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Senior VYSO Concerto Competition, 3rd Prize in American Harp Society Competition) http://cordei.ca/albertina-chan-harpist.html, Nadia Kim (VYSO harpist, Senior VYSO Concerto Competition), Andrew Chan (National Youth Orchestra of Canada) http://www.andrewchanharpist.com/, Lani Krantz (National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Principal Harpist with Island Symphony https://www.lanikrantz.com/), Blanche Olivar, Mehlinda Heartt http://www.harpistry.com/, Esther Cannon (Senior VYSO Concerto Competition, 2007, Concerto Competition winner, TWU, 2011, Noelle Kelbert (Kiwanis Fraser Valley Festival Award: most promising harp student - senior or intermediate division, May 2011), Samantha Ballard, finalist in OSM Competition 2019 and arranger of video game music for harp https://www.youtube.com/c/samanthaballard, Renee Qin https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB7zEuIE_6NzttXcQqCN5FA, Hayley Farenholtz (Winter Harp), Nathania Ko, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8G99hzXYYXEgL6Wf19GSmA, Madison Dartana (National Youth Orchestra of Canada 2023), Hebe Kelly (Edith Lando Scholarship for Gifted Youth), Tara Burnell (Concerto Competition Intermediate VYSO), Eileena Fan (First Prizes in Great Composers series http://www.gccseries.online/2019/02/eileena-fan.html), Helen Ye (prize winner in various competitions), Jiaxian Chen, gold medal winner in Young Artists category at CIMC competition 2022-23, and many others
• Elizabeth helps harpists all over the world solve problems in orchestra parts, now publishing some of her editions on http://www.harpcolumn.com and https://harpcolumn.com/music/all-music/categories/artists/elizabeth-volpe-bligh/

My Philosophy of Teaching

• creative thinking
• musicality
• problem-solving
• rock-solid rhythm
• understanding of harmony
• intelligent and creative fingerings
• correct style and phrasing
• relaxed, injury-free playing
• stress management, anxiety reduction
• preparation for auditions and performances

Some references that I use:

• Barry Green's Inner Game of Music
• Dr. R. Norris's Musicians' Survival Manual
• J. Lieberman's You Are Your Instrument
• Eloise Ristad's A Soprano on her Head
• Neumann's Baroque Ornamentation
• Phil Perkins' The Logical Approach to Rhythmic Notation
• Philip Johnston’s The Practice Revolution, and Not Until You've Done Your Practice
• Kaplan’s Practicing for Artistic Success
• Dr. Carrol McLaughlin's Dr. Carrol's Power Performance
• Beatrice Schroeder Rose’s The Harp In The Orchestra
• Bonnie Blanchard's Making Music and Enriching Lives
• Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code