The Harp

Playing the harp requires great physical coordination so a performance can be like walking a tightrope. But Alice Giles is exhilarated by its limitless palette of tonal variations.

Everyone has an instrument that resonates with their personality, and my parents were understanding enough to let me explore until I found mine. As the youngest of three sisters in what might be termed a bohemian artist family, our entertainment was self-generated. This included playing music together rather than listening to it. I was playing the recorder and reading music at three, and messing around on the piano. A tiny violin came as my fifth birthday present, and I spent hours improvising on that. But as soon as I started lessons on any of these...