Mel Bay presents Harpsicle Harp Method, Book 1
Darlene Walton has been actively performing music since her first solo at the age of three. Since then, music has been a big part of her life. She studied piano for twelve years, violin and organ for six years, and some guitar thrown in to spice things up. At the age of sixteen she started her church musician career, and has played either piano or organ almost every week since. Darlene has been a piano teacher and choir director for many years, and in 2001 she added harp teacher to her resume.  As part of a gospel group called "Shine", Darlene helped produce and write an album with all original music and lyrics, which the group performed at many venues. More recently Darlene has made two solo harp CDs. The Harp and the Rising Sun contains popular tunes and some Celtic music. Her second CD, Quiet Praise, features solo harp versions of gospel favorites. Darlene was also featured in a Sentimental Reflections DVD.  At present, Darlene works as the Showroom Manager for Rees Harps Incorporated. She stays busy composing music and rehearsing with her eighteen piece HarpsicleTM Harp choir. She has performed two times at the state of Indiana Inaugurations for Governor Mitch Daniels, plays at the Neo-Natal Intensive Care unit and in the Dialysis unit at a large Cincinnati hospital. She also plays for weddings, dinners, funerals, art shows, festivals, and many other venues.  Darlene loves teaching both private and group harp lessons and piano lessons. Taking the stress out of learning to play an instrument is Darlene s greatest gift to her students. For Darlene Walton the harp has been a major blessing in her life. She says it's a lot more fun than piano and she wishes she had started playing it back in fifth grade when she first fell in love with the harp s beautiful mellow tones.