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4.6 Compositi<strong>on</strong> and Commissi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Compositi<strong>on</strong> is an historic part of <strong>the</strong> harp<strong>in</strong>g traditi<strong>on</strong>, but <strong>on</strong>ly 12 resp<strong>on</strong>dents to<br />
<strong>the</strong> survey have been commissi<strong>on</strong>ed to write new music. The Arts Council has funded<br />
three compositi<strong>on</strong> projects by two harpers <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> last five years.<br />
The Arts Council could encourage more harpers and harper-composers, as well as<br />
festivals, ensembles, promoters and o<strong>the</strong>r composers, to come forward with <strong>in</strong>novative<br />
proposals for new commissi<strong>on</strong>s, both small- and large-scale, for all three types of harp.<br />
A series of premieres of new Irish compositi<strong>on</strong>s for harp and harpers would have <strong>the</strong><br />
added benefit of rais<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> profile of c<strong>on</strong>temporary Irish harp<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Recommendati<strong>on</strong><br />
4.6.1 It is recommended that <strong>the</strong> Arts Council encourage <strong>in</strong>novative proposals<br />
from <strong>the</strong> full spectrum of <strong>the</strong> arts sector for <strong>the</strong> commissi<strong>on</strong><strong>in</strong>g of new<br />
works for all types of harp.<br />
4.7 Harp affordability<br />
The affordability of harps was highlighted <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2004 report, Towards a Policy for <strong>the</strong><br />
Traditi<strong>on</strong>al Arts, and it has featured str<strong>on</strong>gly aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> this research.<br />
A beg<strong>in</strong>ner harp for a small child can range <strong>in</strong> cost from €165 (Callan 14-str<strong>in</strong>g baby<br />
harp, <strong>Ireland</strong>) to €315 (Harpsicle Harps, USA), but when a student quickly graduates<br />
to a larger Irish lever harp, with <strong>the</strong> necessary full complement of str<strong>in</strong>gs (34–36),<br />
prices for new <strong>in</strong>struments are <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> range of approximately €3,000 upwards.<br />
Similarly, an early Irish harp can cost <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong> of €2,200 upwards.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>vestment required <strong>in</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> harp <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ireland</strong> (<strong>on</strong> top of pay<strong>in</strong>g for less<strong>on</strong>s<br />
and travel to less<strong>on</strong>s) naturally <strong>in</strong>hibits <strong>the</strong> number of who will take up <strong>the</strong> harp, and<br />
this is an <strong>on</strong>-go<strong>in</strong>g source of c<strong>on</strong>cern for harpers.<br />
Harp rental<br />
The situati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ireland</strong> is as follows:<br />
• Cairde na Cruite has five Irish lever harps to rent at €50 euro per m<strong>on</strong>th;<br />
• HHSI has 14 early Irish harps to rent out at €35 per m<strong>on</strong>th with a €150<br />
deposit;<br />
• The Irish Harp Centre has 78 harps of difference sizes for rental. It costs €30<br />
per m<strong>on</strong>th for a 26-str<strong>in</strong>g harp, €40 for an <strong>in</strong>termediate harp (29-31 str<strong>in</strong>g),<br />
and €55–60 for a 34-str<strong>in</strong>g harp. Deposits range from €100 to €200 euro;<br />
• Irish lever harp rental schemes are also available from some harp-makers,<br />
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