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Elizabeth Ely

Elizabeth Ely has played the harp all her life.  Her mother, Kathryn Ely, has unquestionably been her predominant teacher.  Not remembering a time when the harp was not a part of her life, Elizabeth received her first blister, from overdoing it, when she was three years old.

Personal experience has shown that there are many different ways to learn.  The interactive and teamwork approach of her mother's teaching worked very well.  However, not all teachers work this way.   Elizabeth writes that "for me personally, I continue to play the harp in spite of my Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance, not because of it...I lost touch with the joy I once felt."

Re-inspiration came for Elizabeth after university when she began performing on cruise ships.  She explains that it was there that "I learned hands on, pun intended, to blend the beneficial classical training I had gained from my mother with the art of entertaining.  Music did not have to experienced only on the concert stage.  I was surrounded by other performers who played the music people wanted to hear.  It was presented in a fun, comfortable, more interactive way.   Different people are moved by different styles and types of music.  By playing a mixture of popular and classical music, I feel I have finally found my niche.  It feels right."

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