SOTA INTERN REPORT >>>

On the corner of North Meridian Street and West Stewart Avenue sits the quaint Enchanted Harp. It is one of a few harp shops in the Northwest.

Right off the bat you will notice its eloquent atmosphere and, if you are lucky, one of the workers will be playing the harp.

The harp, as you know, is a multi-stringed instrument much like a piano, but is played perpendicular. It is a beautiful instrument most often found at classical or Celtic music concerts, but sounds cool in jazz and pop rock songs. In fact, I have seen an electric harp played in a heavy music performance.

The Enchanted Harp carries a variety of harps - pedal harps to electric harps and everything in between. They also have a wide selection of used harps that, from what I saw, are in fantastic shape.

Why do I care about harps?

True, I don't know how to play the harp. But, I'm thinking of taking lessons. To my delight, Enchanted Harp offers lessons. It is only $25 for a single, half-hour lesson. If you are interested in monthly lessons (four weeks a month) the prices ranges from $80-$160. I think those are reasonable prices to learn how to play such a unique instrument.

Colin Nelson, a friend who resides in Paris, told me all about her experience with the harp. "Harp is more easy than people think," she says. "Actually, it's like the piano - one string for one (do re mi ...). There is different type of color to recognize which one is which. The red string equals do and fa is blue, the rest are white. Playing the sharps is more difficult to do because you have to press something with the foot. Everybody can play it. I started at 6. I chose this instrument when I was 6 years old because I wanted to do like the princess."

Enchanting.

ENCHANTED HARP, 210 N. MERIDIAN, PUYALLUP, 253.770.0550