About Mystic Strings Harp Circle
A harp circle is a gathering of harp players who meet regularly to play ensemble, network, try new things, and have fun. The Mystic Strings Harp Circle is just that kind of gathering. We are located in Chicago’s western suburbs. Several Chicago area harp circles meet periodically throughout the year. Mystic Strings is one of the few Chicago area harp circles that meets on a monthly basis.
Chicago Area Harp Community
Mystic Strings Harp Circle is part of a strong local harp community. Chicago is home to numerous professional, amateur, and hobbyist harp players. Harp teachers can be found from Evanston to Wheaton, Westmont to DeKalb, Vernon Hills to Oak Park, and other points between.
Mystic Strings Harp Circle is a chapter of Great Lakes Harpers and a sub-chapter of the International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen, known as the ISFHC.
Our History
In October 2002, our founder, Patrice Ribando, attended one of the conferences organized by Great Lakes Harpers. She exchanged information with a handful of people at the conference, found a Chicago suburban meeting site for the harp circle, and got everyone together. Initially targeting beginner harpers, the harp circle started out with 4 members. By January 2003, word had spread and we had doubled in size. By our one year anniversary, we had an official name and our membership had grown to 20 members. Our second anniversary has seen our membership reach 27 harpers. We still continue to grow!
Our Future
Mystic Strings Harp Circle looks forward to a bright future. In addition to our regular monthly meetings, we anticipate hosting one or two workshops per year. We’ve looked at the possibility of having a harp retreat. We’ve scheduled a nursing home performance and hope to do more. Members have begun to split into some special interest sub-groups of Mystic Strings Harp Circle to explore playing specific styles of music, IE. Christmas and Early Music.
Our continued growth comes from increased recognition in the Chicago area harping community. Our reputation as a fun, open, and nurturing environment continues to appeal to newcomers. The Mystic Strings Harp Circle philosophy recognizes that we all have different levels of ability and different musical interests. We recognize that each member brings something positive to the group and contributes to our future collective endeavors.