My Harp Story - by John Lozier
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I discovered the harp In 1991, when I traveled with three agricultural scientists to Pariaguan, Venezuela. Our mission was to visit cattle producers in the vast Orinoco plains. My colleague Bill Bryan, a pasture agronomist at the West Virginia University College of Agriculture, had spent several years in the area. I was chosen for the team because I had good Spanish language skill.
I was also studying for a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, motivated by environmental concerns (sustainability, organic production, appropriate technology…).
A self-taught musician from early life, I had been old-time fiddling since the mid-1970’s. In Venezuela I carried a harmonica, which helped to “break the ice” when visiting farms.
It was in Venezuela that I discovered widespread use of the harp in traditional folk music. A trio of instruments (harp, cuatro and maracas) performed with or without a singer. A typical setting for live, acoustic performance would be a caney del arpa (harp hut) such as pictured here.
I was captivated. Upon returning to US I obtained a used harp and began teaching myself, with cassettes from Alfredo Rolando Ortiz.
Not long after returning from Venezuela, I inquired online for other harpists interested in Latin American traditions, and well-known harpist Sue Richards referred me to John Kovac, a harpist and harp maker in Front Royal, VA. John had discovered the harp while in the Peace Corps in Colombia. In 1994 I undertook formation of Harping for Harmony Foundation (HHF) as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in West Virginia.
John Kovac had a preference for the Paraguayan style, while I favored the llanero style of Venezuela and Colombia. This slight difference did not prevent us from collaborating for many years to promote and sponsor live performances of traditional Latin American harpists. {This developed into what I called the Baquiano project, named after the trail guides herding cattle in the plains of Venezuela and Colombia.}
From John I learned how to construct simple harps with certain Paraguayan features. I built several small harp kits and carried them to El Salvador in 1994.
{John passed away in 2022. He was a very devoted performer. He made a practice of playing several times a week at local restaurants and other venues in the vicinity of Front Royal, VA. From the mid-90’s on, John and I co-sponsored countless performance events with Latin American harpists. He traveled with me to Venezuela in 2006.}
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In subsequent years I traveled widely with my harp, at home and abroad, and also hosted many harpists in Morgantown WV and adjacent states. Below I’m citing some dates and events …
These travels and events evolved into what I call the Baquiano Program, its purpose being to promote traditional live Latin American harp music to new audiences in North America.
(under reconstruction - Russia 1995; Haiti 1997; Venezuela 2005-14; Colombia 2014-present).
1991, Discovery of the Harp in Rural Venezuela
1992, Building Harps from Scratch
1994, March, My First Visit to the Irish Spring Festival in the little town of Ireland, West Virginia.
1994, July, Travel to El Salvador, first publication of Harping for Harmony Newsletter
1995, March, Sue Richards at the Irish Spring Festival.
1995-2015, Regular Annual Events at Irish Spring Festival
2001, April, Remembering Portadown, Northern Ireland
2002, April 10, Harps among the Maya or Southern Mexico and Guatemala
2003, October 23-24, Folk Harp Workshops, Coffee House Concert with Castlebay Duo
1999-2000 - Millennium Harper Awards…
2003-04 - Camp Horseshoe
2005 Venezuela, visiting Adolfo Cardozo, professor of agriculture and singer-songwriter
2007-08; Venezuela (summary 2005-11, joropo music with many links)
2009-10 - trip to Venezuela, harp lessons with Goyo Lopez
2011-12 - trip to Venezuela, guest of Elvis Piñero
2013-14 - trip to Bogota and Arauca, Colombia; Harp study with Hildo Ariel Aguirre Daza and others
2015-16 - host for US tour by harpist Sergio Nicolas Aguirre, son of Hildo Ariel
2017-18 - host to US tours with various harpists
2019-20 - host various harpists in US; travel to Arauca, study with Hildo Ariel and others
(a work in progress 12/31/2022)
The Millennium Harper Project awarded honorific "titles" to many harpists who declared live harp "quests" between 2000 and 2008.
ARPATUR ... ARPATUR, Venezuela 2005, ... Colombia 2014
harp-making ...
school programs...
international projects: El Salvador, Russia, Haiti, Cyprus, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia
John's Journal ...
Other projects: Ronald McDonald, Honduras, Academia, Nicolas 1, Pedro, Nicolas 2, Geronimo, Silvio ...
Almost Heaven Harp Circle has been meeting monthly since ... date.
Carolina Vega, May 3-5, 2019 (Press Release)
Carolina Vega is a graduate of the prestigious music school, Academia Llano y Joropo, in Bogota, Colombia. She has launched a professional career that includes the Celtic and world harp repertoire as well as her native traditions of Colombia and Venezuela.
November 7, 2019, 7 PM, Nicolas Carter Concert - Parkersburg, WV
Thursday, November 7, 2019
7:00 PM 8:00 PM
Parkersburg Arts Center(map)
Parkersburg Arts Center
725 Market Street,
Parkersburg, WV 26101, USA 304-485-3859
info@parkersburgartcenter.orgParaguayan Harpist Nicolas Carter - Concert, Morgantown, WV
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
7:00 PM 8:00 PM
Morgantown Church of the Brethren464 Virginia AvenueMorgantown, WV, 26505United States (map)
November 8, 2019, 7 PM, Nicolas Carter at Beaver Falls, PA
Friday, November 8, 2019
7:00 PM 8:00 PM
Christ Presbyterian Church
828 Blackhawk Rd (Rt. 251)
Beaver Falls, Pa
(map)
