• Program Description

    Blake’s Harp program was established and designed to allow students to learn the harp either from a beginner level or to continue studies from one of Hillsborough County’s Arts Magnet Middle Schools. The program provides students with small group instruction while providing our orchestras and bands with harpists of sufficient technical and musical skills to play the harp parts that are required in full orchestral and band works.

    Students are provided highly individualized and thorough instruction along with weekly lessons, chamber music, harp ensemble and a comprehensive overview of all facets of harp playing.

    Faculty

    John McColley, Director, Harp

    McColley Headshot

    Contact: john.mccolley@hcps.net

    John McColley’s playing has been described as “exciting and engaging,” and “eye-opening to the sounds a player can extract from the harp”.  Born and raised in the Bay Area, John is the adjunct professor of Harp at the University of Tampa and the Director of the Hillsborough County Public School Harp Program.  He is so grateful to be performing and bringing the music he loves back to his amazing hometown.  In addition to his teaching, John is a freelance musician throughout Florida; he can be heard playing this season with the Barefoot Trio, St. Petersburg Opera, Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Windband, and many other top tier ensembles in the state.  In the past, John has played with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Philharmonic, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and the Lakeland Symphony to name a few.  John holds a Masters of Music from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Bachelors of Music from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music where he studied with Janet Harriman and Jody Guinn, respectively.  John is incredibly thankful for his community college beginnings at St. Petersburg College with harpist Anna Kate Mackle.  As a life enthusiast, John also enjoys painting with oils, cooking with his wonderful wife Paige, walking his dog Wolfgang, and spreading love and happiness through his music.


    Audition Requirements
    Once you have applied, you will receive an email with step-by-step instructions for your audition!

    Preference is at least one year of harp, piano or string instrument; note reading ability will be tested.