Harp Olympics: Stage 4 book by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo: Note Spellers

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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.

The final book in the Harp Olympics Series, Stage IV, includes more technical studies than the previous volumes and the student should expect to stay with this book a little longer than the others. In Stage IV, the student studies advanced four-finger arpeggios and chords, directional placing, trills, glissandi and scales, harmonics, and étouffés. In the Games and Drills section, students study complex key signatures, chords, scales, and rhythms. Stage IV also includes a lesson in pedal technique with practice pieces. The Solos section includes some pieces requiring pedals, which are not suitable for lever harp.

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.

"At the completion of Stage IV, the student will be at the level of the many fine books of etudes, studies and compositions already in existence in the harp repertoire."
---Susan McDonald and Linda Wood

Solos in Stage IV include:
Sonatina (Zamara)
Variations on Ar hyd y nos (Corri-Dussek)
Valse Isabel (Rogers)
Theme and Variations (Naderman)
Variations on God Save the King (Boscha)
Etude in F Major (Godefroid)
Sonatina (Bochsa)
Waltz of the Flowers Harp Cadenza (Tchaikovsky)
Perpetual Motion (McDonald)

Susann McDonald
Pedal harpist Susann McDonald studied at the Paris Conservatory and was the first American to receive the Premier Prix de Harpe. Her teachers included Marie Ludwig, Lily Laskine, and Henriette Renie. Susann has performed, recorded and arranged many important works for harp. She is also an influential teacher: a former faculty member and former chair of the harp departments at the Juilliard School, the University of Southern California, the University of Arizona, and California State University at Los Angeles, she has also taught master classes throughout the world. She has also served as the artistic director of the World Harp Congress and is the honorary president of the Association Internationale des Harpists, Paris.

Linda Wood (Rollo)
Harpist and teacher Linda Wood holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Redlands and a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California (USC). Her numerous honors and awards include the World Harp Congress Award of Recognition for Service to the International Harp Community (2002), the Distinguished Alumni Award (Univ. of Redlands, 1987), to name a few. She has published over 15 volumes of music and teaching materials for the harp and is co-owner and publisher of Music Works-Harp Editions with Susann McDonald.

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Harp Olympics: Stage 4 book by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo