Cindy Kleinstuber Blevins,
composer extraordinaire.

 

 

news

January 2010

Coming January 9th! — For the past two months Edie has been receiving such positive feedback from our grads and interns on her morning reflections that she's been posting in our certification program's private chat room, she's now agreed to share them with the world. Check back with us on January 9th to witness the launching of our new blog where you will be able to read and comment on them every day.

New Online offering from Bedside Harp — A dynamic online course offered through Bucks County Community College open to all harp therapists and therapeutic musicians throughout the country.

"Conversations on Ethics for Harp Therapists," is a requirement for Bedside Harp mastery level graduates, and is also open to anyone wishing to enhance their understanding of the responsibilities and challenges facing harp therapists working in healthcare today. In fact, we urge all who work for Bedside Harp in any capacity to enroll if you have not yet taken it. Highly interactive and thought provoking, this course received high marks from all who took it in its pilot form last winter. Many of them, in fact, believed it should be a required course for all adults from all walks of life.

If this is your first entry into distance learning, rest assured that our format will be very, very user friendly for everyone. The course will be run more like an ongoing discussion of the material we cover.

This fascinating, substantive course is highly relevant to your work. There will be lots of examples we'll discuss--most from real life dilemmas harp therapists have experienced. In fact, many times we'll begin a discussion by saying, "What would you do if...." The reflective paper at the end of the course will just be a summary of what you feel you got from this course of study. There may also be some exercises where you'll partner with another to discuss a concept or situation a little more in-depth. Should you not have computer access any week of the course, I would ask that you catch up on your postings and readings as soon as you're back online. Please note that we'll run the course over the period of 13 weeks, in order to give you a break midway so that you can catch up on readings and writings.

The Bucks County Community College Course code for "Conversations on Ethics for Harp Therapists" is WSMCE 4020 C30 and will run from January 4 through March 29, 2010.

Formal Course Description: A twelve week (24 hours) online conversation focusing on ethical issues harp therapists are likely to encounter. We begin with an examination of personal ethics and values, moving on then to looking at the ethics codes of our profession and other professions as well, to determine where conflicts and/or clashes could arise. Also involves discussions on projection, transference, counter-transference, boundaries, reflective listening, interactive speaking, and business ethics. Those continuing their mastery studies, will be required to watch the HBO movie, Miss Evers' Boys, after this course and before taking our next online offering, "Conversations on Research for Harp Therapists." Main text is The Ethics of Touch, by Ben E. Benjamin, Ph.D. and Cherie Sohnen-Moe.

Requirements include frequent (at least twice weekly) online responsive postings on discussion board, journaling, and a reflective paper at the course's end. This course is a prerequisite to all subsequent courses in the mastery level. Cost is $250.00 payable to Bucks County Community College. Registration deadline for this course is December 15, 2009. Register by calling Carol Mikulski, Executive Director, Continuing Education, Bucks County Community College at 215-504-8578. Upon successful completion of this course, students will receive a certificate from the College.

December 2009

Transforming the Healthcare Experience Through the Arts written by Blair L. Sadler and Annette Ridenour, has just been published. And within the section entitled, "Exemplary Arts Programs," is a beautiful 4-page spread on Bedside Harp, telling our story, quoting patients, pictures, even an excerpt from our Oath of Service!!

With compelling human stories, research-based evidence,and pragmatic advice, Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts takes readers inside the process of creating healthcare organizations that honor the best in the human spirit and uplift the healthcare experience for patients, family members,visitors and staff.

This book includes:

• 36 case examples of exemplary healthcare arts projects and programs
• Research findings showing how the arts decrease pain, reduce stress, improve mood and accomplish many other vital purposes
• Extensive listings of contact information for artists, healthcare organizations and arts in healthcare organizations
• A CEO's perspective on arts programming
• A practical guide for arts program implementation, and more.

To be included in such a book is truly wonderful news for all of us!

October 2009

In Memoriam:
Our dear Gladys Steward passed away Friday, October 2nd, 2009. Our thoughts are with her family and friends.

To read more about this extraordinary woman follow this link.

June 2009

Our groundbreaking stroke study has been granted final IRB approval! We'll start the clinical portion at Abington Memorial Hospital in late July.

Our dear Jan is back home, and we are so very grateful!!!

May 2009

photo by Jessica Kourkounis,
courtesy of WHYY

Listen to Edie on Tuesday May 26, 2009, 12:30 PM EDT, WHYY-radio's project: "Coming of Age," 90.9 FM in the Philadelphia area. If you miss the broadcast, listen to it online.

 

April 2009

Hi everyone -

Had a great Easter here in Baghdad. I assisted at a Sunrise Service of over 200 that we held on a helicopter landing pad at 5:30 am. It was wonderful to realize how much things have changed here in Baghad because just one year ago we could not have safely assembled that many people in one place. After the service I played my harp during the breakfast. Today is a good day and a sad day; our footlockers and my harp are being packed up to be sent home by sea back to the States. I'll see it again at the start of July! Looking forward to seeing you all very soon!

Chaplain (Pastor) Jan Koczera

February 2009

HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY, BEDSIDE HARP®! As if that were not news in itself, we are thrilled to announce that, beginning February 15th, we will be running our full programs out of our fifth host hospital, Saint Clare's Hospital, a Catholic Health Initiative facility, in Denville, NJ. Watch for unfolding details on this exciting news!

January 2009

It's official — we've moved!   We're still in the Neshaminy Medical Professional Center, but now we're in Suites 3-4, giving us more open space for our Library and Resource Center, our offices and now even — a real showroom!!! Starting next week, Leslie will hold her Tuesday evening Bensalem classes out of our new quarters, so we're all working like bees to get things up and running for that to happen. Click on thumbnail images below to see larger photos.

November 2008

Here are more rather extraordinary pictures of Chaplain and Bedside Harp intern harp therapist Jan Koczera and his Marie 24 harp in the palace in Baghdad! Click on thumbnail images below to see larger photos.

November 2008

We have proposed a brand new study that will ask the question, "Can the intervention of harp therapy in the earliest stages of a stroke reduce the residual effects of that stroke?"

In the United States, an estimated 731,000 strokes occur annually. Four million American stroke survivors are living today with the effects of a stroke. A recent study suggested that the early intervention of music may make a difference in reducing those lasting effects.

In the groundbreaking study we're about to undertake, we'll look at 30 patients between the ages of 66 and 85 who have experienced a stroke for the first time. We're hoping to be able to play, sing, and encourage them to sing with us within the first 24 hours of their admission to the hospital and at least every day, if not more frequently than that, of their hospitalization. More details follow.

October 2008

BEDSIDE HARP, known for setting the highest standards of excellence in the field of harp therapy, is proud to announce that its certification program is now exclusively college-based!!

Commencing with our Spring 2009 class, all of the classroom modules of our harp therapy certification program will be offered through the Healthcare Institute of Bucks County Community College's Continuing Education Department.

CEU’s for all professions are available for each of these modules. The College will issue Certificates of Completion to students as they complete each module. And as before, our mastery level graduates will be eligible to receive 10 college music credits for completing that level of study.

All of our certification classes will be held off-campus in our Great Room in Bensalem, PA.

There are additional changes as well. Modules II and IV, formerly three-day modules, will be expanded to four days, beginning with the Spring ’09 semester. This expansion turns our first level of certification into a 260 hour program of study. Tuition for each of these modules remains at $700.00 through our Spring ’09 semester.

Students may register for our first-level of certification classroom modules online at the College’s website at www.bucks.edu/con-ed or by calling them at 215-968-8409

June 2008

Major Jan Koczera, Chaplain, Army National Guard takes harp therapy to new heights. Our dear Jan heads to Iraq this month, taking the beautiful 24 string Marie therapy harp our generous and loving Bedside Harp community of harp therapist interns and grads presented to him at our holiday gathering. This, his third deployment to Iraq, will be the first that he will have a harp for healing both himself and those he will serve. Our prayers and hearts go out to him and to his wife, Kathy.

Photo by Michael Mancuso.

March 2008

Cindy Kleinstuber Blevins publishes her newest collection of wonderful music for all harps, Feast of Favorites, Vol. 1. (view music sample). Price: $28.95 plus tax and shipping. Call our office at 215-752-7599 to order copies.

February 2008

We have just published the long-awaited Supplement to Edie Elkan's Everything You Ever Wanted to Know book, the text we use for all of our classes. Over 120 pages of technical exercises, arpeggio runs, etudes, chord charts, rhythm riddlers, this Supplement also contains over 30 light classical lead sheets in the key of C. Melodies include: Caro Mio Ben, Cielito Lindo, The Great Gate of Kiev, The Happy Farmer, Harmonious Blacksmith, La Cumparsita and many more delights. Cost: $25.95 plus tax and shipping. Please call 215-752-7599 to place your order.

December 2007

We have raised enough funds within our group to send Jan Koczera off to Iraq with a brand new beautiful Marie therapy harp and a Colorado molded flight case.

We produced our first CD, "Holidays Live! at the Bedside", featuring the music of our grads and interns, as well as of Edie and Leslie. This CD is available for $13.95 by telephone order (215-752-7599).

Our first harp circle presentation at Abington Memorial Hospital is at 3PM on December 10th in the Lenfest cafeteria.

Edie Elkan achieved her Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) degree from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ. Her Capstone project, "The Edie Elkan Method of Learning Folk Harp as an Instrument of Healing," drew much praise from her two musician advisors as well as the academic review board that granted their formal acceptance of her project.

We released our "Oodles of Noodles" 4-CD set, the audio of a live workshop on noodling presented by Edie in November 2006. This CD set is available for $49.50 by telephone order (215-752-7599).

October 2007

Cindy Kleinstuber Blevins came out with her Fake Book 1 and her "Perceptions" book of 14 original pieces written in modes and exotic scales, both of which we will be using as materials for all of our Certification students. Price for Perceptions: $26.95 plus tax and shipping. Please call 215-752-7599 to place your order.(view music sample).

September 2007

Edie Elkan published her thesis, "The Edie Elkan Method of Teaching Folk Harp as an Instrument of Healing" upon which our teacher training and certification program is based.

Cindy Kleinstuber Blevins created her Bedside Lap Harp Compendium for our use in our Instructional Programs. Price: $52 plus tax and shipping. Please call 215-752-7599 to place your order. (view music sample1 and sample2).

April 2007

New Instructional classes will be beginning at Abington Memorial Hospital on April 18, 2007. There will be a free Information Session on April 12, 2007 at Abington Memorial Hospital from 5:30 to 7:00pm. Please call 215-752-7599 if you are interested in attending.

March 2007

We are thrilled to announce that as of March 1st, Abington Memorial Hospital, in Abington, PA will become our fifth host hospital - our first in Pennsylvania!! Watch for more details to follow.

January 2007

Bedside Harp and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton and at Rahway have just completed the clinical portion of a groundbreaking study which looks at whether a daily dose of harp therapy and/or remote intercessory prayer will shorten hospital stays of patients admitted with the primary diagnosis of either congestive heart failure or pneumonia. Look for our results in the coming months.

Edie Elkan has now put the finishing touches on a teacher training and certification program. These unique programs will train teachers how to teach instructional folk harp as a form of self-therapy -- using techniques which promote the freeing of one's self, increasing self esteem, and empowering the student. Stay tuned for exciting details to follow!