Christine Whelan FEO, July 21, 2022, VOL. 3 ISSUE 24
Carol Farrar began calling Stevensville her home in 1989. “Prior to that, I was a Niagara Falls girl growing up, a little bit of Port Colborne until I was six, so definitely a local girl.”
She enjoys a life now, that she says is the best of both worlds. “It’s a lovely spot in Stevensville. I live in a very rural, wooded area, and yet, I can be on the QEW in ten minutes, going to Toronto, going to Niagara, going to Buffalo, wherever things are happening. I can be in the forest, in the seclusion, but I can also step out and go see a band,”
“I didn’t find the harp. The harp found me.”
Carol comes from a musical background. “My mother gave me piano lessons. I grew up playing guitar since I was thirteen. I was in the high school band. Did a little bit of clarinet work with the New York Symphony for a very brief time.”
But when she commented about her childhood thoughts of playing music for a living, “It seemed to be something that was very elusive. I always thought that was for rich people, and we weren’t. But my mother took me to the Niagara Community Concerts which were at the NFCVI School (Niagara Falls Collegiate and Vocational Institute) when I was a kid. And I remember these two men with tails and double harps on stage and that made a huge impression on me.
“And then, later on in my late teens, my mother took me to the Royal York. There was a woman who was playing the harp for the afternoon tea that day. I was just mesmerized by this instrument.”
The final tipping point of inspiration came to her in 1994. “A friend of mine, as a parting gift, gave me a tape of Loreena McKennitt, a harpist from Stratford. She became world famous. But at the time, she was just busking in the market in Toronto. So, I got to see her as well and I was immediately fascinated with it. And I just had to play the harp.”
At this point, with a light laugh, she reminded me of where she lived, surrounded by trees, in rural Stevensville. “And how am I supposed to get a harp and a harp teacher? I thought. I had no clue.”
“So, I made a New Year’s resolution, which I usually never do, to somehow get a harp and learn to play. I just decided it.
“Within three weeks,” with another laugh, “I had a local harp teacher and I had a harp sitting in my living room.”
I had to ask her to repeat that. She did. And she explained.
“I called the Niagara Symphony and found out there was a teacher just down the road, in Chippawa. And she rented harps. So, I took lessons from her.” Carol added, “Sadly, she has since passed away.”
Then continued, “All I wanted to do was play Greensleeveson the harp. I thought if I just accomplish that, that’s all I need to do.
” I started learning more and after about a year, a friend of mine said, ‘Oh, you’re playing at my friend’s wedding.’ And I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ And the wedding happened to be at the Old Mill in Toronto. So, talk about a crazy first gig because that’s a very famous spot! I was very nervous.
“After that, other people started asking me to play. I played at cafes a little bit and I played at this wedding and that wedding. And then the phone kept ringing.”
“I was driving to work for my day job one day and I just realized, I have a business. It happened to me!
“So, since 1994-95, I have probably played for a couple of thousand weddings by now. Along with the wedding ceremonies, I also play wedding cocktail reception background music after the ceremony. I’ve done corporate work, I’ve played for hotels, I’ve played for afternoon teas, I’ve done Christmas parties. This all just happened to me.”
The harpist added that she’s played a few concerts but is steering away from that venue now.
To promote herself, Carol has a Facebook Page. “I’m also on the preferred list for the Vintage Inns in Niagara-on-the-Lake. I’ve done a lot of work for the Prince of Wales Inn. Once you’re on that list, the brides go through it. There’s been a bit of word of mouth.” She also gets referrals from officiants she works with for the weddings.
About this summer, Farrar reflected, “It’s been an interesting time, catching up after the pandemic.”
Carol offered an inside peek at the effects on weddings these past couple of years. “These poor people who have had to postpone their weddings, one was four times. When they finally got married, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. These poor people tried so hard to get married.” She told the story of how, each time there was a postponement, and then a new date — another attempt — she would keep that date open for them. Again, with empathy, “It took four times.”
While Farrar is playing catch up, she says there are some new gigs, too. “I just did a Victorian-themed backyard party yesterday. I dressed up in costume and played in the back.”
Carol shared that, typically she is booked quite a bit ahead of time for weddings and events, but it’s not always the case. “If I have a date free, I will book shorter notice.” For example, “There was this couple who were eloping and they wanted to book for that Tuesday.”
Harps have come a long way.
“I’ve created two different Celtic bands. We played, as a trio, at some local venues. I played with an electric harp. Three of my four harps are fully amplified. I can plug one in and push the sound out into a large room for say, a cocktail party or a reception. I’ve got a very edgy looking harp that I stand up to play. This is the one I’d use in the band.” The harp is very versatile.
“There’s pick up on every string. My latest one has a little light shining down on the strings when I play at night. It’s also made out of carbon fibre, the material that the Tour de France bikes are made out of. While my big harp is about 50 pounds, this new one is about 17 pounds.”
Stories
Carol shared a handful of remarkable stories. “I’ve played some hotels, in the lobby. I remember, one day these weary travellers came in. While they were checking in, I was playing. You could see their stress just leave their faces. They would look over at me and smile. I love when the harp makes people happy. That’s how I love to give back”
In another story, “I was playing for a man who was pretty much deaf but for some reason, the tones of the harp got through. He hadn’t heard anything in a long time, but he could hear the harp.” It was an emotional moment for both Carol and this man.
And a third story shared, “A woman was terminally ill and she wouldn’t release, so the family hired me to come play the harp for her, at her bedside. Soon after, she passed. That was also a very moving experience.” Carol admitted that people associate the harp with Heaven.
“The harp affects people when they hear it. Just the look of it and the sound of it, it’s a mesmerizing and magical thing. Kids will come up to the harp and stare at it.”
When looking forward, “I would like to do more afternoon teas, play in hotel lobbies. I like playing background music for backyard parties, as well as weddings.”
Messages from Carol
When asked if she had a message for the community, Carol offered one for musicians and one for their audiences. “I run into people all the time who say things like, ‘I wish I’d learned how to play the piano.’ and I say, ‘Why not start now?’ When I started playing the harp, I was 32 years old. My message is, to follow your passion and it’s never too late to start something new. Ok, so you’re 60. So what? If I started playing the harp when I was six, I probably would be better at it. But I didn’t. I started when I did, and it’s worked out pretty well for me.
“The other message is, support live music as much as you can. We musicians would look pretty silly sitting there with our instruments without an audience.” It takes both parties to create the magic.
As far as being a teacher, Carol says she’s too busy playing to teach these days. “But there are online teachers. Lessons can be taken by Zoom now.”
To contact Carol with any questions and to book her for an event, you can email her at harpniagara@hotmail.com
For more about Carol Farrar, check out her website: www.harpniagara.com
Photo provided by Carol Farrar
