Aloha!
My name is Celia Canty and I’m pleased you’ve found my harp music business, Heavenly Harps, formerly Heavenly Harps of Hawaii. Music has been my life’s calling since I first started playing piano at age five. I’ve been very blessed to be able to share my music with others since college, whether it be as a public school & university music educator, youth chorus conductor, community choral conductor, special event performer, harp teacher, or hospice harpist.
I received my BA along with my Teaching Credential in Music, followed by a Masters Degree in Music – Piano Performance, all in the early 1980s. I started my harp studies while in college as well and continued for several years after graduation, when the world of “gigging” for hundreds of special events augmented my harp experience and education.
When I moved to Maui and lived there for 17 years, I had a performing harp business, and still have that business here in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. On Maui I gained experience in providing the perfect “score” of music for each special event for which I played–over 3,000 of them! I am proud to have been, for 15 years, first-call harpist for Four Seasons Resort Maui.
I also was introduced to the world of therapeutic music when I started playing for the local hospital for a few years. Now I play for Providence Hospice of Medford, Oregon.
I play the glass armonica (Benjamin Franklin’s invention) as well and feel connected to the tones of the 100% quartz crystal that resonates in this instrument as well as in crystal singing bowls. I incorporated all of these ethereal sounds in combination with my harp and duo partner’s flute into my first CD available on this website.
My musical path took me through many years as a public school & university music educator, youth chorus conductor, community choral conductor, special event performer, and now hospice harpist. All of these experiences literally play into the breadth of my understanding in providing the perfect “musical score” for any special event for which I now perform.
As in any arena of life, there is no substitute for quality, experience, knowledge, finesse, and elegance. These qualities sound through the music I create whether for a wedding, vow renewal, or memorial service, for concerts and special events, or for hospice and the other therapeutic music I provide. [For more on the therapeutic aspect of my harp life and business, please visit my other website by clicking here.]
Born and raised in California, I attended California State University, Sacramento as a music major and received my B.A.in Music. I continued my education there and received a Masters Degree in Music with an emphasis in Piano Performance.
I began harp instruction in my 3rd year of college and throughout my college years and for several years after, I took harp lessons from MaryLee Dozier-Hicks who had her harp degree from Eastman, as well as with Peggy Brown, one of Northern California’s premier performing harpists. My goal was to continue to improve my technique and build my repertoire. I continue to play both my piano and harp publicly and privately.
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EDUCATION
Whether you’re planning to celebrate the wedding day you’ve always dreamed of, hold an intimate vow renewal at a resort, host an amazing event for your corporate party, or create a warm and loving memorial to a loved one, my music can enhance the experience for all.
My specialty is sensing in the moment the particular needs of my clients and providing music that forever becomes a part of your lasting memory of the special occasion, whether that be a wedding, vow renewal, celebration of life, or corporate gathering. My repertoire focuses on the lovely and accessible classics and the most beautiful popular love songs, standards, folk songs, and sacred tunes, as well as music improvised when the moment calls for that as well.
I know how to fine-tune the music to suit your ambiance, your requests, your minister, your age group of guests or employees. As in any arena of life, there is no substitute for quality: experience, knowledge, finesse, and elegance. This quality sounds through the music you will experience when you hire me or my duo with Rogue Valley Symphony flutist, Debra Harris.
As in any arena of life, there is no substitute for quality, experience, knowledge, finesse, and elegance. These qualities sound through the music I create.
HEAVENLY HARPS
My husband, Lloyd, and I moved to Maui in 1996 and lived there for 17 years until moving to Ashland, Oregon in 2013. I built my harp business on Maui – Heavenly Harps of Hawaii – and played for over three thousand weddings and events in the islands. I am proud to have been, for fifteen years, the first-call harpist for the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea – Hawai’i’s only Mobil Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Resort. That alone speaks of the quality I consistently provide to my clients, whether they are getting married or holding a corporate event. I was fortunate to provide service numerous times at Makena Resort, Fairmont Kea Lani, the Kapalua Ritz-Carlton, Royal Lahaina Resort, the Resorts on Lanai, private homes, clubs, spectacular beach settings, even a sailboat! I continue to provide music at a wide variety of venues in Southern Oregon and Northern California.
I play both a 35-string lever (Celtic) harp and a full size, gold symphonic pedal harp. The lever harp works beautifully for hospice, small-scale outdoor events, and intimate events, as it’s more easily portable and maneuverable in the space conditions of all sorts of venues wherein a patient may be. I also own a large size gold symphonic pedal harp that turned 100 years old in 2013. This beautiful instrument allows me to project a harp’s full rich sound to a greater number of people at increased distance and gives me the flexibility to provide my clients with a much wider variety of repertoire played with musical integrity.
I also have the ability to sing while playing and offer this additional service when requested.
My deep love of music and dedication to quality and integrity of the complete music-making process sets me apart from other harpists. I own a large size gold symphonic pedal harp that’s just shy of 100 years old. than would be possible with a smaller harp. I can do this with or without the aid of amplification and this kind of harp gives me the flexibility to provide my clients with a much wider variety of repertoire played with integrity.
OTHER MUSIC EXPERIENCE
While on Maui, I was a harpist with the Maui Symphony Orchestra for four years, performing with them as the need arose for harp. I also conducted the Maui Symphony Chorus for four years until I and a team of three others founded Maui Choral Arts Association in 2003, the umbrella organization of the Maui Concert Chorus and Maui Youth Chorus. I also taught the College Chorus and other music classes as a part-time Lecturer at University of Hawaii Maui College campus.
The experience of programming – for Maui Symphony Chorus and then for nine years as Artistic Director of the Maui Choral Arts Association combined with the experience of performing personalized “musical scores” for each special event that I played harp gives me a distinct advantage when “programming” any special event for which I play here in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon.
My musical path took me through many years as a public school & university music educator, youth chorus conductor, community choral conductor, special event performer, and now hospice harpist. All of these experiences literally play into the breadth of my understanding in providing the perfect “musical score” for your special event.
GLASS ARMONICA
One of my favorite instruments is the glass armonica. It is a rare and beautiful instrument. In 1987, I was privileged to acquire from Gerhard Finkenbeiner himself my glass armonica, and I’ve continued to play it more and more since then. I am fascinated by its legendary connections to Atlantis, as well as that it’s made of 100% pure quartz crystal, to which many healing connections have been made, especially by the inspirational late Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, M.D. in his book Sounds of Healing.
I was able to include the glass armonica, as well as singing crystal bowls, in various combinations with harp and flute, creating a magical ensemble for my CD Inner Quiet – Journey Inward.
As captivating as the sounds of her harp are, they are almost eclipsed by her glass armonica and its strange, brief history. ~Jerome Kellner, Maui Island Weekly~
HOSPICE
One Christmas Eve I fell and seriously damaged my knee and had to go to the emergency room at Maui Memorial Hospital, my first time ever for such an experience. I was so touched at the tireless work of all who assisted me, especially on Christmas Eve!, that I wanted to give back and found a way to do so: by volunteering to play harp monthly in the Pacific Cancer Center at Maui Memorial Hospital; occasionally I even played in the Intensive Care ward. It became one of the most meaningful music-making opportunities for me! I became further blessed by this opportunity as it opened the door for me to play for Providence Hospice here in Southern Oregon/Rogue Valley area, which I continue to do since joining with them fall of 2013.
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