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  Principles of Playing
     General
    Teaching in a group

  I. Basic Knowledge
     1. Sitting position
     2. Holding the Plectrum
     3. Plectrum style
     4. fingers-style plucking
     5. Our notes' sings
     6. Tuning
     7. Qualities of sounds

  II.  Playing
        General
    1. Contents of playing
        a) Playing one string
        b) Playing two strings
        c) Playing accompaniment
    2. Creativity
         a) General
         b) Composing
         c) Composing board
         d) How to improvise
         e) Imp. with drawing
       f) Progressing   
       
  III. Music pieces
         Go to the Pieces...

The New Music Educational Project • My Ancient Harp • Playing [Creativity]

Progressing
As we finish building the instruments long ago, the students may be less excited about the program, because we enter a more difficult stage of the program – learning how to play.  After a maximum of one month of teaching the fundamentals of playing there is a need to start setting goals for the performances, and this adds some excitement to the program and focuses common goals for playing together in the concert.

There is no need to wait for the end of the program and the final performance.
It is recommended to work out a piece or two for every meaningful occasion, ceremony or a holiday, and try to perform in school ceremonies and events.

Therefore we make a distinction between pieces prepared throughout the program for occasions such as holidays, and pieces prepared gradually for the final concert at the end of the program.

In the “small” performance, for example for a holiday, we can prepare three pieces:
1. An ensemble pieces (composed and improvised by the students).
2. An obligatory piece, such as “Neima" - Oriental Tune.
3. A holiday song. The song is sung by a few of the students (or a soloist, or played by the teacher) and the other students accompany:

The Tree's Holiday Song

In the final performance for the school and parents at the end of the program the following program may be suggested:
A piece or two for an orchestra, composed by the students.
A chain improvisation piece (see improvisation).
An obligatory piece: “Neima Oriental Tune” and a solo piece for an instrument accompanied by an orchestra such as: "Frere Jacque".
A piece composed by one of the students and arranged and adapted with the help of the teacher (Orff instruments may be included).
A percussion piece using the back, side and front of the Ancient Harp.
An orchestral piece with a soloist (the soloist may be the teacher), for example "Spanish Malaguena".
To conclude, a song or two sung by several students (or soloists) accompanied by Ancient Harps orchestra. The audience and/or parents may be invited to join in on this final piece). 
 
Additional suggestions:
If the school is involved in a central subject, it is possible to prepare some pieces connected with this subject. It is possible to perform a play or/and musical story in which every character has a musical motif composed by a student/s. The music is played as the text is acted out or read.
The program can also focus on ethnic songs, settlement songs, songs about Israel etc. Such programs can be used in school ceremonies. In addition, birthday songs may be played on students’ birthdays.

Our programs

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