Dianna Woodley, founder of Angel Harps will award two specially designed lap harps to the Music Therapy Center of California (MTCC).

The Music Therapy Center of California was selected to receive the awards because of their music therapy work and dedication to serve special needs children.

MTCC will accept the custom built Blevins lap harps at the Angel Harps annual benefit concert on May 16, 2010 at St John’s Episcopal Church in Chula Vista California.

Dianna Woodley said, “Our goal is to get harp music therapy to as many special needs children as we can. The Music Therapy Center of California has a similar goal and we are thrilled about this award.”

Founded in 2003, Angel Harps is a 501.C3 non-profit organization whose proceeds go to provide healing harps for children with disabilities.

The Angel Harps mission is to provide physically and emotionally challenged individuals with the opportunity to heal through harp therapy–and to promote the health and strength of a community by addressing the physical and emotional needs of the less fortunate in low income areas.

Based in San Diego County, the Music Therapy Center of California (MTCCA) was founded in the fall of 2003 with the goal of bringing quality music therapy services to children with special needs through the use of music therapy strategies.

Julie Guy and Angela Neve, co-founders of the Music Therapy Center of California, will accept the award on behalf of their organization.

Featured performers for this year’s annual benefit to raise funds for therapeutic harps for children with disabilities include Kathleen Hartshorne on the Irish Lever Harp and Elivia Melodey playing Singing Crystal Bowls. During intermission, special healers will also offer services by donation.

Sixth Annual Angel Harps Benefit Concert on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 3:00pm. The annual Angel Harps fundraising event will again be hosted by St. John’s Episcopal Church on 760 First Avenue in Chula Vista, California.

Support the Angel Harp’s mission and enrich the lives of special needs children through direct donation or contact Angel Harps to learn how you might help.

Above: George Ohnesorgen, Dianna Woodley, & Julie Marsh at the Benefit Concert & Awards Ceremony

Chula Vista High is part of the Sweetwater Union High School District which is one of the nation’s fastest-growing school districts according to the New York Times.

Dianna Woodley of Angel Harps has a special place in her heart for the school district her kids attended–but it is the kindness and generosity of the CVH neighbors that makes it a special school and community.

Angel Harps had its humble beginnings in Chula Vista. It is a city that continues to support efforts to help improve the quality of life for Chula Vista High students and the local community.

Dianna Woodley and Angel Harp fans look forward to seeing more exciting news from these lap harp recipients in the future.

Angel Harps received this harp donation from Julie Marsha who found us while researching healing harp music therapy on the Internet.

This lovely 34 string harp was at least forty years old and unfortunately had suffered damage over time. The harp sound board was broken at 34th string.

Angel Harps happily fixed the sound board and had it refurbished and converted into a 33 string harp. It was thrilling to be able to award another harp in 2009 to the Chula Vista School for Creative & Performing Arts.

We thought you might enjoy listening to Marachi Chula Vista performers as you continue learning more about their accomplishments.

Harps were part of mariachi and there are many different regional differences in the harps used in the different countries where mariachi originates.

Many people are not aware that harps were one of the original instruments of mariachi but fell into disuse. The use of harps in mariachi is experiencing a resurgence–in part because of the programs such as the Chula Vista School for Creative & Performing Arts.

The accomplished Mariachi Chula Vista has hundreds and hundreds of event performance experience and has earned a reputation as one of the best student mariachis in the country.

Mariachi Chula Vista also shared the stage with notable talents that include Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, Mariachi Sol de Mexico, Mariachi Los Camperos, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, and Mariachi Internacional Guadalajara, Mariachi America.

Formed at Chula Vista High School in September 2001 by Mark Fogelquist, Mariachi Chula Vista has toured throughout the United States appearing at numerous festivals and educational events such as the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

In the United States more than 500 public schools now offer mariachi as part of the curriculum but the Sweetwater Union High School District was credited as one of the nation’s fastest growing school districts and a leader in mariachi because an astonishing 13 of the district’s 20 junior high and high schools (including Chula Vista High) now offer classes.

Mariachi Chula Vista has appeared at the Kennedy Center and was featured in the New York Times Mariachi article.

The Chula Vista School for Creative & Performing Arts group has won numerous awards including:

• 1st Place, Viejas Mariachi Competition (2004 )
• 2nd Place, Viejas Mariachi Competition (2005 )
• 1st Place, Mariachi Spectacular (2006)
• 1st Place, Battle of the Mariachis (2006)
• 1st Place, Battle of the Mariachis (2007)
• 2nd place, Mariachi Spectacular (2008)
• 2nd place, Anaheim Mariachi Festival (2008)
• 1st Place, Open Division Mariachi Spectacular (2009)
• 1st Place, Overall Mariachi Spectacular (2009)

Angel Harps was proud to learn that Mariachi Chula Vista plans to release their first album in 2009.

Learn about Mariachi Chula Vista or watch Mariachi Chula Vista at their performance at the Kennedy Center (July 2009).

Christine Michaela Richards was selected as the lap harp recipient because of her hard work and dedication to the Greg Rogers Elementary School special needs students.

The school is known as Rogers Elementary School and is part of the Chula Vista Elementary School District.

The elementary school is committed to providing a successful, safe, challenging, and nurturing educational experience, while promoting the joy and importance of learning for all children attending the school.

Angel Harps agrees with the Rogers Elementary School slogan which states, “Each child is an individual of great worth.”

Dianna Woodley said, “We are so pleased to have been able to award the lap harp to this amazing teacher so that the special needs students can benefit from healing harp music therapy.”

Who knows? Perhaps the magic qualities of the Angel Harps will enchant some of these children to become harpists.

Angel Harps thanks Christine Michaela Richards for her hard work and hopes that this lap harp will take her teaching to another level and enhance the classroom experience for all the special needs students enrolled in her classes.

Located in Chula Vista, California this middle school serves grades 7-8 in the Sweetwater Union High School District.

Veronica Markesis oversees the Special Education Program and Carolina Zimmermann (Administrative Assistant at Castle Park Middle School) reports that the students like to take turns playing the harp.

Above: Castle Park Middle School Awarded a Blevin’s Lap Harp

They each have a unique way of playing the lap heart and the beautiful music they play has a soothing and calming effect.

The other perk of the unique lap harp is that it also gives the students a break from their work which helps them to focus and stay interested.

We were happy to hear that even though each student plays the healing harp differently, the music is always pleasing to students and staff alike.

Rosie was born in Chula Vista on December 15, 1991, and as a Down’s syndrome victim, she faces many medical challenges.

Her mother was serving on a committee at Castle Park Middle School when she met Dianna Woodley and first learned about Angel Harps.

She felt that the Angel Harp lap harp would benefit her daughter and so applied for consideration.

Rosie’s instructor graciously agreed to write a letter of recommendation explaining just how the young girl would benefit from harp music therapy.

It was with great celebration that Rosemarie received her unique lap harp.

Above: Rosie Hernandez proudly shows off her Blevins lap harp awarded to her by Angel Harps.

Rosemarie loves her harp and plays it everyday and the healing harp has helped her in many ways.

Today she continually smiles –and the great thing is that she also spreads that joy to others.

Rosemarie’s mother had this to share with Angel Harps:

Rosemarie attended Allen Ann Daley Elementary School in Bonita, where she was in the special education program.

At that time I was on the committee at Castle Park Middle School where I met Dianna.

She told me about her Angel Harps organization and that she was giving one away, so I had asked her how I could apply for one.

I even had Rosie’s teacher write a letter on why Rosie would benefit from an Angel Harp.

Rosie was thrilled when she received her harp.

Rosie loves her harp and plays it everyday–and plays it from her heart. The lap harp has helped her in so many ways.

She will not let anyone touch her harp and she won’t take it to school because it means so much to her.

I really appreciate everything that Dianna has done for my daughter, Rosiemarie.

My daughter loves to talk, loves music and to watch her movies-plus she has lots and lots of friends.

Rosiemare is now 16 years old and she currently attends Castle Park High School.

She has a lot of medical issues and so she is sick quite often. But she has a smile all the time, whether she is sick or not.

Our sweetheart makes everyone laugh and we call her our “angel from heaven.”

Rose