There is something about autumn in Nova Scotia that makes me want to bring the camera along. The changing leaves, the light through the trees and the quiet beauty of the lakes offer so many little moments worth keeping. Pairing those scenes with harp music is one of my favourite ways to share a bit of home with you.

I’ve gathered eleven of my favourite videos featuring autumn in Nova Scotia. These are all original harp compositions, with music that leaves room for warmth, friendship, memories and reflection. You might enjoy watching a few with a cup of tea, or discover a piece you would love to bring to your own harp.

For those looking for something to learn, I’ve arranged the selections by level, from beginner through late intermediate. Wherever you are in your harp journey, you are welcome to simply settle in and enjoy the music and scenery.

A gentle place to begin

Hand in Hand

Beginner • 26 strings or more

Hand in Hand is a lovely place to start this autumn visit. With its connection to friendship, the title invites the thought of sharing a walk and enjoying the season together. It is also the most approachable piece in this selection for newer harpists.

If you would enjoy some guidance as you learn, there is an accompanying video course. You can work on the piece with me, then return to the performance video for listening and inspiration.

Watch Hand in Hand | Explore the sheet music | Explore the video course

Áine’s Dream

Elementary • Large harp

Named for Áine, the Irish fairy queen associated with summer, light and the sun, this piece brings a little of that light into our autumn collection. I like the thought of carrying the warmth of summer with us as the season changes.

Áine’s Dream offers elementary harpists a chance to enjoy expressive playing on a larger harp. A companion mini-lesson is also available if you would like help exploring the left-hand patterns.

Watch Áine’s Dream | Explore the sheet music | Watch the mini-lesson

Music for friendship and reflection

By Your Side

Early intermediate • Large harp

Autumn can be a season for drawing closer, making time for the people we love and appreciating their steady presence. With its theme of friendship, By Your Side belongs comfortably here.

Enjoy the video as a small pause in your day, or consider learning the piece to share with someone special. Sometimes instrumental music gives us a way to express something that is difficult to put into words.

Watch By Your Side | Explore the sheet music

Moments in Time

Early intermediate • Large harp

The autumn colours never stay quite the same for long. Perhaps that is part of what makes us stop and notice them. Moments in Time brings a sense of nostalgia to this collection, making space for memories while inviting us to appreciate what is here today.

For harpists, this can be a thoughtful choice when you want to give your attention to expression and the way a musical phrase unfolds.

Watch Moments in Time | Explore the sheet music

Someday

Early intermediate • Large harp

Someday holds feelings of longing and hope, a combination that seems at home in autumn. There is the wistfulness of saying goodbye to summer, along with the possibilities of a new season.

If you are learning this piece, let those two feelings guide your interpretation. There is room for tenderness, but also for a sense of looking ahead. The score includes easy lever changes.

Watch Someday | Explore the sheet music

Quiet Reflection

Early intermediate • Large harp

I had the sheet music for Quiet Reflection ready for a while, but I was waiting for the leaves to change colour so I could include autumn scenes at the lake in the performance video. I’m happy to finally share the music and those scenes together.

This was the last piece I composed for my Áine’s Dream album. Listen closely and you may recognise references to three other melodies from the album, woven into this final composition. I’ll leave those little discoveries for you to find!

Written in F Mixolydian, with two flats and no additional lever changes, the music feels grounded, restful and thoughtful. If you already play When Morning Comes, the two pieces also flow naturally together as a performance pairing.

Watch Quiet Reflection | Explore the sheet music

Among the autumn trees

Sunlight Through the Trees

Mid-intermediate • Large-harp and small-harp versions

Light can transform an ordinary patch of woodland into something that makes you stop in your tracks. Sunlight Through the Trees invites you to linger with that image and enjoy the meeting of music and nature.

This is also a useful choice for small-harp players browsing the collection. There are versions for both larger harps and small harps with 19 strings or more, bringing the same autumn inspiration to different instruments.

Watch Sunlight Through the Trees | Explore the sheet music

From the Treetops

Mid-intermediate • Large harp

The autumn leaves take their place in the video for From the Treetops. It is a chance to look up, enjoy the colour and spend a little more time with the season before the branches are bare.

For those ready for a mid-intermediate piece, the score includes easy lever changes. Let the title and imagery spark your imagination as you find your own way of shaping the music.

Watch From the Treetops | Explore the sheet music

Poetry, memory and the comfort of music

Set the Echoes Ringing

Late intermediate • Large harp

Poetry has inspired several of my compositions, including Set the Echoes Ringing. Its Mixolydian sound adds another musical colour to this autumn selection.

The title offers a lovely invitation to listen to the harp’s resonance: the sound that remains after a string has been played, and the way one phrase seems to answer another. For more experienced harpists, it is an opportunity to explore how you let the music ring and breathe.

Watch Set the Echoes Ringing | Explore the sheet music

Should You Go First

Late intermediate • Large harp

Inspired by a poem by Albert Rowswell, Should You Go First brings a more personal, reflective moment to this collection. Autumn can stir thoughts of people we miss, and music can offer a gentle place to spend time with those memories.

Whether you listen or choose to learn it, allow the music some space. This is a piece to approach with care and feeling.

Watch Should You Go First | Explore the sheet music

No Friend Like Music

Late intermediate • Large harp

I like ending this collection with No Friend Like Music. Also inspired by poetry, this Mixolydian composition has a title that speaks to something many of us feel: music is a companion through changing seasons, both in nature and in our lives.

The score includes moderate lever changes for players looking for a more involved project. For listeners, it offers one last chance to enjoy the autumn scenery and the company of the harp.

Watch No Friend Like Music | Explore the sheet music

A little autumn to return to

You don’t need to watch all eleven videos at once. Choose one that catches your attention, take a few quiet minutes and enjoy a little autumn in Nova Scotia with me.

If a melody stays with you, perhaps it will become your next harp project. Or perhaps these videos will simply be a place to return whenever you would like some music, colour and a moment of calm.

Which piece would you choose for your autumn listening?

Discover more in your music,
Anne