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Jan attracts students from the entire southeast as well as Central Florida. Students travel on a regular basis from Gainesville, Merritt Island, Rockledge, Lakeland, Clearwater, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, Eustis, The Villages, Deland, and other locations to study with Jan. She requires all students to learn standard classical harp repertoire and theory, but she also teaches arranging and improvisation.

Several of Jan’s students have been finalists in the national competition of the American Harp Society. Unlike talent contests, pageants, or local music evaluations, the AHS competition is judged by harpists who are considered at the top of their field. The repertoire is demanding and the standards are extremely high. Only a handful of contestants are accepted to compete after submitting audition tapes.

One of Jan’s students, Haley Rhodeside, captured first prize in the seventh annual Space Coast Pops Young Performing Artist Competition in June 2003. Although she was the youngest participant at age eleven, she took top honors out of a field of 31 contestants in various instruments. Haley also won second prize in the statewide Mt. Dora Young Artist Competition in 2005. She was one of only eight contestants selected to compete in the Intermediate I Division of the national competition of the American Harp Society in Los Angeles in June, 2005, and was a fifth place winner.

Two of her students have also been prize winners in harp in the Young Artist Competition at Rollins College, Winter Park, FL.

Jan Jennings studied harp for seven years with Marie Mellman Naugle in Harrisburg, PA. Mrs. Naugle was a student of Marcel Grandjany. The technique that Jennings teaches is the French method. Although classically trained, Jan also excels at playing “pop” and improvising. Her solid technique and improvisational skills led her to win first prize in the Lyon & Healy International Pop & Jazz harp competition in 1988.

Students' Comments:

“I am so grateful for the suggestions you gave me at the recent private lesson [at the Beginning in the Middle Seminar] on how to improve my harp technique. I can already see and hear a difference!”
Julia Dobson
Culpeper, Va.

“I can’t even begin to thank you for everything you’ve done for me these past four years. You really turned me around as a musician. Had it not been for your constant effort and encouragement, I doubt that I’d still be playing today."
Lillian Langford,
(currently a student at Emory University)

“Thank you, as always, for your tremendous impact on Lillian. I can’t imagine her accomplishing what she has without your marvelous skills as a teacher and mentor.”
Mary Kay Langford (mother of Lillian Langford)
Lakeland, Fla.

“I feel so fortunate to study with you. You are the best musician I have ever known and a great teacher! You are patient, but demand excellence.”
Vicki Garcia
Clearwater, Fla.

“Thank you for all that you have done to help me play the harp better. I really like having you as my teacher because you make me feel like I am always playing for a performance. Thanks again for your thoroughness, enthusiasm, and willingness to give of yourself to benefit others.”
Elizabeth White,
Rockledge, Fla.

School Programs:

In addtion to private lessons Jan presents programs at elementary schools.

Here are samples of the students' artwork:

National Harp Events:

Jan is also sought after as a teacher for national harp events. She is quoted as a harp teacher in a new book, “SIGN ME UP! The Parents' Complete Guide to Sports, Activities, Music Lessons, Dance Classes and Other Extracurriculars,” by Stacy DeBroff, published by Simon and Schuster.

Jan has presented workshops, master classes, concerts, and private lessons at the following events:

Florida Summer Harp Seminar, Winter Park, FL (1994)

Harpfiesta, American Harp Society Southwestern Regional Conference, Houston, TX (1997)

Lyon & Healy International Jazz & Pop Harpfest, Pacific Grove, CA (1997)

Beginning in the Middle harp seminar, Williamsburg, VA (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)

International Society of Folk Harpers & Craftsmen national conference, Galveston, TX (1998)

Beginning in the Middle West harp seminar, Santa Rosa, CA (1998)

Professional Perspectives harp seminar, Orlando, FL (1999)

Florida Harpers and Friends Workshop 2000, Ormond Beach, FL (2000)

Harp in Sacred Liturgy conference, Huntington, NY (2000)

Somerset Folk Harp Festival, Somerset, NJ (2001, 2004)

American Harp Society national conference, St. Paul, MN (2002)

Lyon & Healy International Jazz & Pop Harpfest, Salt Lake City, UT (2004)

June Harp Escape regional mini-conference, Ft. Myers, FL (2005)

Eastman School of Music, Practical Harpist seminar, Rochester, NY (2005)

Lyon & Healy Teacher’s Conference, Chicago, IL (2006)

Harp Feste at St. Gregory's, Boca Raton, FL (2007)

Lever Harp Teacher's Symposium, Boiling Springs, PA (2007)

Midwest Harp Festival, Tulsa, OK (2007)

Jan Jennings led a panel discussion with other nationally recognized harpists (left to right) Louise Trotter, Barbara Brundage, Jan Jennings, and Ray Pool at the 2002 American Harp Society national conference.

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