Molly O'Roark| Harpist|Teacher|Composer|

Teaching Philosophy

Harp Pedagogy is a dedicated passion for me, and the art of teaching is an ever-evolving process. As a teacher, my main goal is to inspire creativity and energize my students to become thoughtful and dynamic musicians. As a harpist, I believe a firm foundation in healthy harp technique that is tailored to each individual hand/finger-shape is key to productive harp learning and physical progress, as well as, incorporating music theory knowledge into to early note-reading acquisition which helps to build skills of greater musical understanding and memory stamina.

I believe in the importance of finding works that can be enjoyable for the student while also encouraging their musical and technical education. I love using metaphors and stories when I teach—a technique particularly effective for younger learners. I highly encourage the idea of “performance” over “perfection.”  Making a mistake is inevitable and temporary, but connecting with an audience and communicating a feeling through music is achievable and long-lasting.