Cindy Shelhart
Lead sheet expert Cindy Shelhart helps harpists move past the written page and make music they love with confidence, creativity, and freedom. A performing artist, composer, and educator, she’s known for making lead sheets feel easy, accessible, and (dare we say?) fun—for all harps, including double-strung.
Cindy created her signature framework, The Lead Sheet Roadmap, to help harpists go from “Where do I even start?” to “Hey, that sounds like me!” when faced with a page of just chords and melody. Whether they’re brand new to lead sheets or ready to level up their arranging skills, Cindy’s step-by-step approach gives harpists the tools—and the encouragement—to play real music their way.
She’s the author of the top-selling fake book Tunes to Go: 400 Tunes in Lead Sheet Format for the Harp, as well as multiple publications for double-strung harp. Her practical, musician-first approach has earned her teaching spots at national festivals and events like the American Harp Society, the International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen, the Somerset Folk Harp Festival, and The Harp Gathering.
Also a solo recording artist, Cindy’s albums Limberlost Angel and That Night in Bethlehem have been featured on public radio and podcasts. She’s proud to be the first double-strung harpist to win the U.S. National Scottish Harp Championship™—but no matter the harp, her mission is the same: helping harpists feel capable, creative, and confident at their instrument.
When she’s not teaching or performing, you’ll find Cindy watching British TV with her husband, sipping tea (English or French Breakfast—milk, please), or nerding out on trivia, books, and music theory. She’s still waiting for her letter from a certain wizarding school.
