Photos

Four-year-old Tessa Jackson (center) got a little boost from phone books to play the harp Saturday in the lobby of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Jackson and Elizabeth Mitchell, 4 (right) were part of a group of Suzuki Harp students taught by harpist Bette Roth (left facing). Mitchell is Roth's granddaughter. Roth was at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, guiding a performance by her students ages 4-11. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. The students played prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Martha Robinson, 9, plucks the strings of her harp during a performance by students of harpist Bette Roth Saturday at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Roth and her students were at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. She led a performance by her students ages 4-11 prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Paul Binder, 7, had waited and watched Suzuki harp students play Saturday before a Symphony Lollipops performance and then he got a chance to take a turn at the instrument under the watchful eye of harp student Jordy Cole, 7, while her mom Annika Cole steadied the harp. Harpist Bette Roth Saturday at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Roth and her students were at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. She led a performance by her students ages 4-11 prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Harpist Bette Roth was at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, guiding a performance by her students ages 4-11. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. The students played prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Gensie Baker warmly wraps her daughter, Maya Baker, 7, as they listen to Suzuki harp students play before a Symphony Lollipops performance at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Harpist Bette Roth was at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, guiding a performance by her students ages 4-11. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. The students played prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Four-year-old Tessa Jackson warms up on her harp Saturday. Jackson and other Suzuki Harp students of harpist Bette Roth were at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. Roth guided a performance by her students ages 4-11. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. The students played prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Arynne Cole (right), 10, a Suzuki Harp student of Bette Roth performed with other harp students prior to a Symphony Lollipops concert Saturday at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Harpist Bette Roth was at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, guiding a performance by her students ages 4-11. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. The students played prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

Ava Nicoletti, 5, warms up on her harp Saturday with other Suzuki Harp students. Harpist Bette Roth was at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, guiding a performance by her students ages 4-11. But they weren't the only ones who got to try a hand at the harp. Children attending the Lollipops Symphony were able to pluck the strings during breaks by the Suzuki Harp Class of the Roth Harp Studio. The students played prior to the Symphony Lollipops: A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra performance. John D. Simmons - jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com