Pamela's music: Uplifting, joyful, comforting

One day I was at an art fair selling my CDs, showing the harps we make and sell, and playing harp for people who requested it. A man told me, "I was a first responder on 9/11, and I'd like to hear your 9/11 song." I agreed to sing it for him-with a bit of trepidation since the lyrics state that peace and love are my response to the threat of terror. When I finished, he said, "I've heard a lot of songs about 9/11, but none of them means as much to me as your song does. I want to play that CD where I work. There are a lot of people who need to hear this song." He works at the Pentagon.

A young man came toward my booth at an art fair. He wasn't my usual type of customer; he wore a heavy-metal t-shirt and ripped jeans and had more body piercings than I could count. He approached me and said, "I think your music is amazing! I want to tell you something: I was in a coma last year, and my mother played your music for me. I heard it, and I remembered it.

From a note I received: "I purchased your Abundance of Time album last month. It's a wonderfully healing gift and has brought tears to my eyes many times, especially the song about Gretel Bergmann. I am almost 70 and remember the Second World War through the eyes of a child. Born of German parents, the song speaks to me, because I have not yet forgiven the Germans for the horrors they allowed. Your words help me to heal. Thank you.

A woman approached me and said, "I teach music in grade school, and I taught all 400 children at my school your song 'You Have a Gift.' I especially like the chorus: 'You have a gift, you have a talent, you make a difference with what you can do...' I asked each child to draw a picture of the gifts they bring to the world. We made a huge collage of the pictures and put it in the school hallway.

I have been reading this list for years, and don't speak up often, but this is too important. Public compliments and heartfelt thanks go to Pamela Bruner for the instructional materials she produced. They are simple, easy to follow, and more complete in explanation and visual demonstrations than the other two harp lesson products I had tried to learn from.

Someone here once said that it took her 11 years to make any real headway in playing the right note right. I counted myself in that camp -- until buying Play the Harp Beautifully. Suddenly it all came together and confusion became clarity and struggling endlessly is past tense. I get it!

Pamela does not assume anything. She explains with detail and clarity the important fundamentals, without being tedious or boring. The other instruction materials are also taught by people who are themselves extraordinary harp players, but the difference is, it seems, they have forgotten what it was like to know nothing about thumbs.

Pamela's explanations, along with patient demonstration of technique, songs, and practice exercises, are great for developing comprehension, coordination, and effortless body and mind collaboration to play the right note right every time. The songs she includes are enjoyable accomplishments, presented in sensible order. None are too difficult for the lesson they belong in.

You have made all the difference, Pamela, in my playing the harp beautifully. I would not have given up but, if not for your teaching method and materials, I would have remained limited and blaming myself. Thank you for opening this wonderful door to music.

Talia