HARP MASTERY®
WINTER GETAWAY RETREAT
Friday, February 19 – Tuesday, February 23, 2027 | Kissimmee, Florida
With your hosts, harp happiness expert Anne Sullivan and special guest instructor, flutist Joan Marsh
This year, for the first time: a retreat for harpists and flutists, together.
What if you had five days to do nothing but play?
Sounds good, right?
And what if you could play your instrument and get one-on-one coaching, and spend quality time with a small group of musicians who were doing exactly the same thing?
Oooh. Even better.
Now imagine you have five days to concentrate solely on your music, alongside other like-minded harpists and flutists, in warm, sunny Florida in February.
Now we're talking.
That's what the Harp Mastery® Getaway Retreat is all about. I'll be hosting a small group of harpists and flutists who want to do exactly that — focus on their playing for a few days, in the perfect environment.
This is the ideal opportunity to not only escape with your instrument to soak up some sunshine, but also to pep up your mood and your playing when they likely need it most.
What's New This Year
For years, this retreat has been a harpists-only escape. This year, it's opening up — and I couldn't be more excited about it.
I've invited my longtime duo partner, flutist Joan Marsh, to join me as guest instructor. Harpists and flutists will each get dedicated, one-on-one coaching time on their own instrument — and then we'll come together for what I'm calling Duo Lab: structured time built specifically for harpists and flutists to explore playing as a pair.
Whether you come with an established duo partner, come solo and discover new ways to collaborate while you're here, or simply want to be part of a retreat that's expanding what "playing together" can mean — this year's retreat is for you.
Meet Your Hosts
ANNE SULLIVAN
Anne is a professional concert harpist, educator, and the founder of Harp Mastery®, where she's spent over a decade helping adult harpists fall back in love with their playing. A Curtis Institute-trained harpist and principal harpist of the Delaware Symphony, Anne has hosted Harp Mastery retreats for years — and this one is close to her heart in a whole new way.
JOAN MARSH
Joan is a lifelong professional flutist with more than 40 years of teaching experience. She holds music degrees from the University of Delaware and Temple University, where she studied with the legendary Murray Panitz, and has performed as a frequent substitute with the Philadelphia Orchestra and as a member of the Delaware Symphony and the Bethlehem Bach Festival Orchestra. Joan holds the Music Teachers National Association's highest designation of Master Teacher.
In 1986, Joan and Anne founded the flute and harp duo SPARX — a partnership that has earned both national and international acclaim, and one that's shaped how Anne thinks about collaborative playing ever since. This retreat is, in many ways, an invitation to bring that same spirit of partnership to you.
What makes a Harp Mastery® retreat unique?
I believe there are two things that make our retreats so special — and bring back many repeat retreaters year after year.
One is the environment. This isn't just about learning your instrument. This is about being with other people who love learning, playing, and talking about music just as much as you do. It's a pretty heady atmosphere — and this year, with two instruments in the mix, it's about to get even richer.
The other is the people. While every group of retreaters is different, I can say with confidence that all of us — students and coaches alike — come away from the retreat with new, enduring musical friendships. Our retreaters are special people.
What a Day Looks Like
Here's a look at how the five days unfold. Mornings are for skill-building and learning, midday is yours for practice, coaching or relaxation, and evenings bring us back together.
Friday
Arrival and Welcome
- Arrival
- Welcome Meet and Greet
- Dinner
- Evening Workshop: Let's Get Started — Setting Intentions
Saturday
Focus on Connection
- Morning Warm-Up: Double Duty Warm-up (harpists & flutists together)
- Skills, Drills and Thrills — breakout sessions: At the Harp / At the Flute
- Workshop: It's Time to Align - What Playing Together Really Means
- Lunch, then One-on-One Time / Free Time
- Duo Lab: First Duets
- Dinner
- Daily Review + Game Night
Sunday
Focus on Balance
- Morning Warm-Up: Double Duty Warm-up
- Exploration and Experimentation — breakout sessions: At the Harp / At the Flute
- Workshop: Rehearsal Strategies: Setting Expectations and Smart Communication
- Lunch, then One-on-One Time / Free Time
- Duo Lab: Finding Your Blend
- Dinner
- Daily Review + Mini-concert
Monday
Focus on Removing Roadblocks
- Morning Warm-Up — breakout sessions: Stretches for Harpists / Stretches for Flutists
- Workshop: Creating a Duo Repertoire that Works for Both of You
- Live Monday Warm-Up
- Lunch, then One-on-One Time / Free Time
- Duo Lab: Performance Ready
- Dinner
- Retreat Wrap-Up and Takeaways
Tuesday
Morning Departure
Breakout sessions run at the same time in separate rooms, so harpists and flutists each get focused, instrument-specific coaching before coming back together.
Who This Retreat is For
- Harpists who want dedicated, focused solo time
- Flutists who want dedicated, focused solo time
- Existing harp-flute duos ready to grow together
- Musicians curious about collaborative playing, even if you've never tried it
- Anyone who wants to bring a spouse or musical partner along — see below!
Where You'll Stay
This year's retreat takes place in a private house in Kissimmee, Florida, with 12 bedrooms — some with one bed, some with two — so you have options for how you'd like to stay:
- Come by yourself for some true getaway time
- Bring a spouse or companion who'll simply enjoy a few days in Florida while you play
- Share a room with a musical partner — we offer a discount for two retreaters who choose to share
Every room has its own en suite bathroom. Beyond the bedrooms, the house has a pool, a hot tub, a game room, and plenty of space for us to spread out — for individual practice and for playing together.
The Details
- Dates: Friday, February 19 – Tuesday, February 23, 2027
- Location: Private house, Kissimmee, Florida
- Group size: Small and intimate, harpists and flutists together
- Instruction: One-on-one coaching, instrument-specific breakout sessions, and Duo Lab collaborative sessions
- Accommodations: Private en suite rooms, single or shared
Immerse yourself in a few days of focused harp playing, personalized instruction, and community in sunny Florida. Join like-minded harpists to elevate your skills and refresh your spirit.