By Erin Pottie -The Cape Breton Post

ST. ANNS —Some were beginners, some were advanced harpists, but all in attendance for the Cape Breton Harp Festival shared one thing in common: A love for the strings.

“One of our presenters yesterday (Sunday) was talking about the three different types of music the (harpists) seem to be responsible for,” said Cape Breton Harp Festival organizer Jenny Tingley, a harpist of 20 years. “One was sleep music, one was happy music or dance music and one was lament.”

“(People) usually say well isn’t that lovely — it’s so lovely to listen to, it must be very relaxing. Sometimes it is and sometimes it’s just plain hard. You can play your little fingers off and you can play lively tunes and people still say — it’s so relaxing.”

Over a dozen harp players demonstrated the powerful emotions of the stringed instrument during a workshop with Scottish musician Catriona McKay, Monday, as part of Celtic Colours week.

A day earlier some 30 beginners showed up for a introduction class, which according to Tingley shows the popularity of the instrument in the local area is growing.

Johanne Lebreux of Sydney River, who bought a harp two-and-a-half years ago, said she wishes harpists such as McKay could spend a month in Cape Breton.

She and many others in attendance decided they will get together to practice and encourage each other.

“What happens is when you have workshops like this you’re so excited that your going back on your harp, you get everything out and you start practising again,” Lebreux said. “That’s the beauty of having things like that.”

McKay of Scotland, 33, said she began playing the angelic instrument at age 13. She said as a child she waited a long time for harp lessons.

Monday, she taught a tune to a class of 12, which they played in sync before the lesson was over. She said it’s always amazing to hear so many harps performing together.

“You’ll find this with a lot of harp players, you just know,” said McKay of why she chose the harp. “I’m still thirsty for it, I’m still hungry for it. I didn’t get to do what I wanted to do and then when I got to do it, I was like ‘Ya this is everything, plus more.’”

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