AHJ, Vol. 5 No. 3, Summer 1976

International
Harpweek 1975
by Patricia John
The Sixteenth International Harpweek, under the
direction of Phia Berghout of Holland and Maria Korchinska
of England, was held in Maastricht, Holland,
August fifteenth to August twenty-fourth of 1975.
Maastricht is situated in the south of Holland close to
the borders of Germany and Belgium. The surrounding
countryside with rolling, wooded hills, is a popular resort
area. Maastricht is an old city, typically Dutch with
its canals, cobbled streets, small shops and squares, but
also a large city with many modern buildings and an
economy built on trade and industry.
Lodging for participants of Harpweek was in
Bemelin, which lies a few miles distant from Maastricht,
in Europa Huis, a large rambling white structure built
originally for an ecclesiastical retreat. Europa Huis is
now used as a meeting center for various large, organized
groups. The building, set among graceful old willow
trees that tower above its roof, has a curved gravel
drive with two entrances from the public road which are
marked by white pillars set with carriage lamps. There
is a wide terrace set with easy chairs in which we all
lounged when the sun was hot and we had a free
moment. Daytime recitals, lectures and discussions were
held in the small recital hall of Europa Huis; the evening
recitals were held in the Maastricht Conservatory in
Maastricht. Our meals at Europa Huis were served in a
large dining room with tall windows overlooking the
terrace. There was a well appointed general sitting room
available for us as well as an airy, well-lighted game
room overlooking an emerald green playing field just
below. Beyond the field ran a small brook behind which
rose the wooded hills. Each of us had his own small private
room with windows looking out over the hills, or
onto the small community of Bemelen, which is the
smallest recognized community in Holland with its 340
inhabitants. The road to Europa Huis wound among the
hills past elegant homes in hidden gardens, down
through cobbled streets to the crossroad where the old
communal well still stands, no longer with water in its
depths, but with bright flowers filling its old rope-held
bucket.
I arrived at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam at 6: 15
in the morning, August 15th, after a night's flight from
Houston expecting to be very tired, but the night had
passed easily. Being awakened in the morning by a
charming air hostess with orange juice in her hand for
We offer a fine range of handmade Harps based on
traditional designs, but incorporating best modern
techniques and materials. The models vary in size from
the three octave "Ballad" to the "Celtic" with over four
octaves.
Illustrated is the "Celtic Traditional de Luxe" with
artist hand-carved original Celtic design in gilted
"pokerwork."
"IRISH AIRS FOR THE HARP"-Harp Instructions and Thirty­
Three Airs arranged by E. O'Gallagher@ $3.75 Post Free.
"SIX AIRS FOR THE HARP" by Carolan from the Bunting
Collection @ $1.50 Post Free.
THE CALTHORPE COLLECTION-37 IRISH AIRS and
SONGS, many of them award-winning arrangements. Arranged
by Nancy Calthorpe for the IRISH HARP@ $8.00 Post Free.
Write for our free catalogue to:
WALTONS'
DUBLIN 1, IRELAND
2-5, North Frederick Street
HARP EXPORT DEPT.
42
AMERICAN HARP JOURNAL