THE OLYMPICS BOOK SERIES
These comprehensive books by master teachers Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo provide everything needed for a young beginning harp student. Each volume is divided into “Work-Outs” (or exercises) for technique, “Games and Drills” which are similar to note spellers and rhythm workbooks for note reading and musicianship, and “Solo Rounds” which are easy progressive pieces. Each weekly lesson should include pages from each section, as well as work on memorization and improvisation. “Marathons” at the end of each book serve as a review of all the material covered, and include a certificate of completion. The exercises and drills are presented in ways that are fun to play, and the whimsical illustrations of bears throughout keep you smiling as you learn. The books can be used with either a lever or a pedal harp. There are only a few pieces in the more advanced books that require pedals. These can be skipped or modified for students with lever harps. These books cover many subjects often overlooked in other beginning books, such as parts of the harp, replacing strings, signs and symbols, and how to deal with problems such as blisters. Each volume is from about 80 to 100 pages, spiral bound. We highly recommend these comprehensive books for any child learning the harp.
STAGE III
The fourth book in the Harp Olympics Series, Stage III, introduces the student to four-finger rolled chords, four-finger pivots, arpeggio cross-unders, as well as basic pedal technique, étouffés, and trills. Students advance in harmonics, placing, and sliding. Many scales are included to enhance the student's playing ability. In the Games & Drills section, exercises boost the student's understanding of major & minor triads and scales, inversions and music terms and symbols. Primary chord progressions are introduced and the student improves in sight-reading.
As with all of the Harp Olympics books, qualifying Marathons at the end of each book will serve as a review of the material covered and be an incentive for the student to progress to the following stage. A special certificate is included, signifying a certain level of accomplishment, to be given to the student upon completion of each book.
Solos in Stage III include:
In the Month of May (Behr)
Petite Berceuse (Hasselmans)
Pastorale (Ascher)
Il pleut, il pleut, Bergère (Folk Song)
Cradle Song (Mozart)
Dreams McDonald)
The Carousel (Rogers)
Humming Song (Schumann)
The Song of the Heart (Gael)
March of the Soldier Boy (Rogers)
Allegretto (Bartok)
Shepherd's Dance (Rogers)
Fantasy (McDonald)
Silent Night (Gruber)
All pieces edited or arranged by Susann McDonald or Linda Wood Rollo.
Save $5 by ordering the Set of Four Books: Preliminary, Stage I, Stage II, and Stage III for $94.80.
Click here to see short bios of Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo
