by Harmon Jolley
posted July 27, 2008
In a summer of high gasoline prices, quite a few vacationers have elected a “stay-cation.” They’ve stayed close to home and enjoyed local sites. Bob Elmore was right when he used to say on “Backyard Safari” that there’s fun to be had in Chattanooga, right here in your own back yard. Others have not strayed from home at all, and just enjoyed being at home and not being on-the-go for a while.
A group of folks took another type of alternate vacation this past week – what I call a “play-cation.” Twenty musicians gathered for the seventh annual Jan Pennington Gray Harp Camp. The harp camp attendees came from six states. All age groups and levels of playing ability were represented. The diverse group of students included a physical therapist, a psychiatrist, and a professor of Scottish literature and history.
Jim and Jo Pennington host the event each summer at their farm. Both are former music instructors, and are active in local music groups. The harp camp is an on-going living memorial to their daughter, Jan Pennington Gray. Jan was an accomplished harpist who passed away at the young age of 29 following a battle with encephalitis.
The brochure for the harp camp includes a brief biography of Jan titled “A Legacy of Love.” She had many talents including gardening and candle-making. One of her greatest joys was playing for patients and families at Memorial Hospital. Jan also taught and encouraged other harpists. Wanting her spirit of encouragement to live on, her parents established a scholarship fund for harpists and began hosting the annual camp.
Principal instructor for the harp camp was Cynthia Lynn Douglass. Ms. Douglass is nationally known as an expert on the Celtic, electric, and cross-strung harps. She teaches workshops across the country, and has ten solo recordings to date. In the spirit of Jan Pennington Gray, Ms. Douglass requires that each of her harp students play the instrument in community service settings such as hospitals and nursing homes.
Laura Elder, local instructor and Director of the Chattanooga Harp Ensemble, also taught classes at the camp. Her father, Eugene Ward, returned this year to serve as Master Chef, with Jim Pennington preparing breakfast. A harp camp family from Venezuela baked bread for the event.
Each day of camp began with the option of a Pilates class to keep students physically and mentally prepared for playing the harp. Campers could choose classes in the fundamentals of playing or in advanced skills. The guest clinician taught classes in arranging, in Celtic and Arabic styles of playing the harp, and how to play with emotion.
Jo Pennington shared that a new studio had been built for this year’s camp. She said, “They have such a good time – no age barrier. There were “jam sessions” every night.” Thirteen of the campers stayed overnight at the Pennington farm. On Friday evening, a Scottish ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”) was held. This originated as a social gathering in Ireland and Scotland. For the campers, it was a time of sharing of songs, poems, stories, and playing together.
On Sunday, July 27, as the final event of the camp, the students participated in both morning worship services of First-Centenary United Methodist Church. Some of the music selections included “Alleluia,” “Morning Has Broken,” “Dulaab Nahawand,” and “The Ash Grove.” The pastor thanked the ensemble, and commented on the heavenly sounds of the harps.
Thirteen of this year's students had attended a previous camp, and one has participated in all seven. "That's the best recommendation," said Jo Pennington.
If you would like to know more about the Jan Pennington Gray Harp Camp or about learning to play the harp, please contact Jo Pennington at jo@harpscholar.org. For information or to apply for general training and therapy harp scholarships, please visit http://www.harpscholar.org
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