Nicolas Carter has experience as an educator and offers a variety of educational workshops suitable for schools, conservatories, harp organizations, conferences or festivals. The workshops and seminars can be tailored to the proficiency level of the participants.
For information about Nicolas Carter's concerts and workshops at 2009 Harp Festivals:
Somerset Harp Festival July, 2009
Big Sky Harp Festival July, 2009
Workshops for Students (Grades 3-12)
Nicolas Carter partners with music teachers to offer programs that work to enhance the delivery of music education in schools. Students are taught the skills and encouraged to create their own compositions develop through a series of improvisational exercises. Under the guidance of Nicolas, various student improvisations are woven together to form coherent and complete compositions for performance.
Nicolas Carter has been a teaching artist with Classical Traditions. Nicolas worked with classically-based string orchestra teachers and students in the Minneapolis public schools to create new modes of string music teaching and performing. The program was wildly successful in identifying the ways that folk and classical string music teaching and performing complimented each other and culminated with a student performance at MN Orchestra Hall.
Lively, age-appropriate presentations provide a positive and an informative introduction to the cultures being presented. Active audience participation is encouraged.
From the Heart of South America: Paraguay
Discover one of the least known cultural treasures of South America. This lively presentation encourages a more in-depth understanding of the lifestyles and traditions of the people of Paraguay. Paraguayan harp music, colorful slides, entertaining puppets, and traditional folk dances illustrate the cultural richness of this tropical country. Volunteers from the audience act out a mini-drama with the puppets and learn a traditional folk dance.
Postcards from South America
Travel through different regions in South America. Join a "carnaval" dance in Brazil, play the maracas and other percussion instruments, order cafe con leche at a cafe in metropolitan Argentina, and see slides of breathtaking landscapes from each country. This performance combines live music with puppets, slides, and dances in an engaging performance that will expand your understanding of the people and traditions of Argentina, Boliva, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Navidad (Christmas)
South of the Equator, Christmas is celebrated in the summer. This presentation illustrates how Christmas is celebrated in Paraguay. Featuring traditional harp music, liturgical dances that tell the Christmas story, and the creation of a Paraguayan style nativity scene complete with tropical branches, typical ceramic figures and seasonal fruits.
Latin American Harp Rhythms
This popular workshop is designed to introduce the exciting rhythms and musical forms of Paraguay and other Latin American countries. Nicolas shows how to play these syncopated rhythms in an easy way. Open to all harp players young and old, as well as observers, who just want to know more about this wonderful music.
Syncopation Workshop for Harp Players
Syncopation is the focus of this hands-on workshop. You do not need to be able to read notes to learn to play. In fact, most professional Paraguayan harp players learned by ear, are masters of improvisation and develop their own arrangements by using techniques never written down in theory books. Although there is a vast repertoire of Paraguayan music, very little was written down until recent years. Nicolas will teach you a basic syncopated rhythm with the right hand playing a 6/8 time signature while the left hand plays 3/4 time (like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time).
Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Syncopation available.
