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 over 85 books and pieces of sheet 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 started selling harps and harp products through my mail order catalog in 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 I 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 me to serve the greatest number of customers with the best possible service.

In October of 2013, I moved myself and my business to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. If you're going to be traveling to Kauai, please feel free to make an appointment to come and see the harps . . . or just to say "hi!" I love meeting harp players when they're here on vacation. I usually have about 10 Dusty Strings and Harpsicle harps on display. If you're in the market for a harp, I'll be happy to educate you about harps, and play the variety of harps in our Kauai showroom.

If you're not in Hawaii, I'm happy to help you select your harp over the phone. You can leave me a message at 808-212-9525. Or, email me at sylvia@harpcenter.com. We ship Dusty Strings harps to you anywhere in the USA, and the Harpsicle Harps worldwide. I'm happy to help you choose the best harp for you!

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. (This message was recorded in the mid 1990s, but is still relevant today!)