Fundraising for a Harp for David

We are fundraising in order to be able to purchase our 15 year old son, David, a harp.

David has been learning harp for 5 years and, having obtained Grade 8, is now working towards his diploma. Although quite modest about his achievements, we believe that he is a pretty talented musician. As well as harp he plays flute (and was recently accepted into the National Youth Orchestra of Wales), piano and composes his own music. This year he entered a piece that he had composed for the harp into the annual Commonwealth International Composition competition, and was not only shortlisted, but went to on be the overall winner of the Award. David lives for his music and our house is never quiet!

For the past few years we have hired a harp annually but are reaching the point where it is not possible to hire a harp of the standard that David needs to progress. His harp teacher has told us that ideally David requires a full-sized (47 string) pedal harp with an extended soundboard. By this stage most serious students (or their parents) have purchased their own harps, but we have never been in a postition to do this with student instruments costing around £17,000 new.

We have agreed hire of a privately owned harp for the coming academic year, but the owner will then require the harp back, and David will be without an instrument.

We do not want to leave David without the means to play the instrument he loves so have been looking at second hand harp options. Although significantly cheaper than buying new, the cost of a suitable second hand harp (+ travel covers and transport trolley) is still likely to be around £15,000. David's grandparents have offered to give him his inheritance early, and pledged £10,000 towards the purchase...

We are also applying to several grant giving organisations (although often harp is excluded from the list of instruments they're willing to help fund the purchase of), and have been successful in the past getting help paying for David's music lessons and harp hire costs...

But no one person/organisation will be able to help us raise the £5,000 needed to make David's dream of owning a harp a reality. Hence this fundraiser. 

We are aware that there are many other more worthy causes. But we believe our son's talent is worth support, and hope that a few of our friends out there will think so too.

If you'd like to support us in supporting him, and are able to spare a few pounds, we'd be very grateful.

We might even organise a little party with a mini-concert as a thank you if David does manage to get a harp this year!