Praising the Lord with the Harp

Erin has been playing the harp since 1999. It all started when her mother, who has always enjoyed harp music, ordered two harp CD’s by sisters, Dena and Joanna Marini. Included with the CD’s was a brochure about Marini Made Harps - harps made by harp maker, Alex Marini. Several months later, Erin's mother ordered the Marini sisters newest CD titled “There is a Fountain.” Though Erin had never seen anyone play a harp before, she loved the beautiful, heavenly music played on this CD. It was listening to this recording that inspired Erin to want to learn the harp.

In October of 1999, for Erin’s 17^th birthday, her parents surprised her by purchasing a harp from Marini Made Harps. Erin’s first harp, a 31-string Gothic lever harp, arrived later that month.

After receiving her harp, Erin began learning the basic techniques of harp playing on her own by using some beginner harp books. Since Erin had some piano lessons several years before, it helped her as she learned to play the harp. Erin also prayed that the Lord would help her to learn well and to develop her own arrangements on the harp.

Erin was self taught for about a year and a half before taking harp lessons from a professional harp teacher - Rachel Ellins. Erin took lessons with Rachel for about 3 and a half years, and she learned a lot from her in learning to play the harp more skillfully.

Since then, Erin has continued to develop her own arrangements on the harp, and she now owns five beautiful lever harps in various sizes. Erin also owns a small 10 stringed Davidic Harp. Erin teaches harp and has given harp programs in her local area. As a ministry, she has gone into nursing homes, retirement homes, and hospitals with her harps, and has played by the bedside of very sick and dying people. Erin has also played for many weddings, funerals, and special events over the years. Erin's desire is to play music for the praise, honor, and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this, Erin only plays sacred music on the harp.

The Lord has enabled Erin to record four harp CD's at Altar of Praise Studio in Leola, Pennsylvania. Her recordings are titled Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (recorded in 2006), Blessed Assurance (recorded in 2007), This is My Father's World (recorded in 2009), and In the Presence of Jehovah (recorded in 2011). Erin has plans for more harp recordings in the future, as the Lord leads. For more information on Erin's recordings, please visit the Harp Recordings page.