Classical & Jazz Harp Lessons for Beginners to Advanced Level

This 1-on-1 personalized online course is designed for harpists at all levels, from beginners to advanced students. The substance of the course will depend on the skill level of the student. All students should expect to spend a portion of the lesson time on technique – exercises and etudes – with the remainder of the lesson devoted to repertoire.  

Beginners will learn the fundamentals of hand and arm position, finger action, and fingering of melodic and harmonic intervals. More advanced students will focus on scales and arpeggios. Music theory is an important aspect of playing the harp, and all harp students will be coached on essential music theory fundamentals.  Repertoire for beginning students will be chosen by the instructor. More advanced students can choose their own repertoire with the instructor’s approval.

About the Instructor: Christa Grix has over 35 years of experience teaching harp students at all levels, and studied under the renowned harpist Lucile Lawrence, collaborator with Carlos Salzedo of the Salzedo method of playing the harp. Christa Grix fell under the spell of the harp during her first lesson at the age of 16. Two years earlier, she was transfixed by a live jazz performance at her high school.  Those two events form the foundation for her career. Christa Grix has the rare gift of understanding how to play both classical and jazz harp, making the transition initially from jazz rhythm sections to symphonic string sections effortlessly. Contracted to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for more than 30 years, Christa has been privileged to work under some of the best conductors worldwide, including Leonard Slatkin and Neeme Jarvi. She has traveled through Europe, the U.S., and Canada as a harp soloist and as a clinician at major conferences and festivals.  

Christa has 4 recorded albums with the label Freefall Music – Christa’s Presents (2014), Moonlight on Snow (2012), Cheek to Chic (2002), and Freefall (1996). She is also an on-air development host for Detroit's WRCJ-FM, researching, writing, and producing educational spots that highlight the many connections that exist within both jazz and classical music spheres.  She has made both international and national appearances, including performances in Ontario, Washington, France, Czech Republic, Mexico, and at the 2011 World Harp Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia.