About Us

My name is Sylvia Woods, and I am the owner of the Sylvia Woods Harp Center. I've been selling harps and harp "goodies" since the 1970s.

I started learning the pedal harp while I was in college. Soon after graduation I moved to the lever harp, and have specialized in that instrument ever since.

I wrote my first book Teach Yourself to Play the Folk Harp in 1978, and it has become one of the best-selling beginning harp books for players of both lever and pedal harps. Since then, I've written about 30 other books of music for the harp.

In the November/December 1999 issue of The Harp Column magazine, I was named one of the 45 "Most Influential Harp Forces of the 20th Century" along with people such as Harpo Marx! Their citation reads in part:
"There is perhaps no single person within the Celtic harp community that has inspired so many as Sylvia Woods . . . effectively launching the folk harp boom of the 70s, 80s and even 90s. . . . While Woods may not herself have created the folk harp industry, she certainly can be credited with having shaped and molded it to its present form."

My passion is helping people learn to play the harp. Whether you're a total beginner, or a professional, I'm here to assist you. I'm happy to offer advice on which harp might be the best for you (or your students), and which books are appropriate for your playing level. Feel free to contact me with your questions. I'm here to help!

I've been selling harps and harp products through my mail order catalog since the 1980s. In 1992 we opened a large "brick and mortar" store in Glendale, California. After 18 years of being one of the largest harp stores in the world, in 2010 we closed the retail store and moved the business back to my home. Since almost all of our orders come through the internet, this new business model allows us to serve the greatest number of customers with the best possible service.

If you're in the Southern California area and would like to come and see the harps, please feel free to make an appointment. We usually have between 20 and 30 harps on display. I personally assist all of the harp customers, and will be happy to educate you about harps, and play the wide variety of harps in our La Crescenta showroom. We also offer free I've Always Wanted to Play the Harp workshops once a month. So come on by and give harps a try!

If you'd like to read even more about my history, check out the About Sylvia page.

Thank you very much for your business and your friendship.

- Sylvia Woods

Click the arrow to hear my welcome message.