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David Harp's Specialized Low Cost Projects

The money David makes from his corporate work allows him to use his experience in both psychology and music education to create specialized low cost programs for those who most need them.
David, unfortunately, does not have the time (or budget) to present most of these programs himself (except for some close to his home in Vermont). But many can be taught by volunteers using David’s training methods, and require no musical expertise on the part of the person presenting them — only the desire to help others!

Please Note: We are always seeking both sponsors for these programs,
and places that need them!

Nursing Homes

Benefits include the respiratory enhancement and stress-reduction effects of the harmonica (in a recent pilot study a group of frail elderly residents increased their aerobic capacity by an average of 36 percent in only six weeks of harmonica playing, with anecdotal reports of decreased use of anti-anxiety medication).

The programs are taught using David’s book Better Breathing Through Harmonica as a training manual. His children’s video Make Me Musical is also used, since it is both an easy way to teach the residents to play (just turn the video on) and most nursing home groups love watching the kids! David hopes to complete a specific training video for those presenting nursing home programs within the year.

(Left) Katherine derived pleasure and benefits from the time she learned to play at age 92, until her death at 97. It’s never too late!

Schools

Like David’s corporate events, these K-12 presentations teach age-appropriate cognitive psychology skills using the harmonica as a teaching tool. When his time and travel restrictions permit, David enjoys teaching these in person. He sometimes works with up to 1000 children in one day! Lessons for groups of any age can also be presented by an interested parent, teacher, or older child, using the appropriate books, videos, and tapes or CDs.

To learn more about David's use of the harmonica for teaching psychological skills in school settings, you might like to view this article, which discusses peer pressure, drug and alcohol awareness, violence prevention, and other applications.

David's newest school program is an age-appropriate adaptation of his successful adult program, Blow My Blues Away! The school version uses much of the material described in the article of the previous paragraph, but is aimed at helping children to deal with the fears and angers of our post 9/11 reality.

(Below) Following a workshop, David leads a group of middle schoolers in a presentation for the community.

Hospitals

As in the nursing home presentations, hospital use of David’s programs include the respiratory enhancement and stress-reduction benefits of the harmonica.

When possible, David likes to teach groups of doctors, nurses, aides, and respiratory or rehab therapists to use his innovative methods.

Many health care organizations also take advantage of David’s regular corporate presentations.

(Right) David shares a train riff with his late harmonica buddy Darryl (“One of the bravest men I’ve ever met!”). The use of a harmonica “rack” in the style of Darryl’s idol Bob Dylan allowed Darryl to play a little bit of harmonica in spite of his MS.

Hospices, and Camps or other Facilities for Chronically and Terminally-Ill Children

David has a great interest in hospice and similar organizations, since a near-death experience in college and a workshop on Death and Dying by the great thanatologist Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross shortly afterwards changed his life. His subsequent work with mentor Dr. Charles Garfield in the Shanti Project and workshops with Stephen and Ondrea Levine deepened that interest.

Once again using the harmonica as a device for teaching cognitive psychology, David loves to provide tools for people who know that they are dying (we all are, but not all of us know it), and those who work with them...