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By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer 10:30 AM Friday, November 6, 2009

Grab a brown-bag lunch next week and find out if music really does aid digestion.

Harpist Cinnamon Peppo returns to play the First Fridays Concert Series at Middletown’s First United Methodist Church today, Nov. 6. Peppo played in the same series last year.

Like any other musical instrument, the harp takes practice to master — and a little muscle power too.

“If you practice, you can learn it, and you need strong arms to carry it,” she said with a laugh.

Peppo said a harp weighs about 85 pounds — but even that is light compared to the price tag — most harps go for $15,000 to $30,000.

So when Peppo decided at age 10 to take harp, “It was big investment and a big commitment,” she said.

Peppo, who lives in Dayton, studied harp with the late Joan Seymour of Fairborn, who Peppo said was the premier harp teacher at the time. Peppo doesn’t recall exactly what it was that drew her to the instrument, but she knew she was in for the long haul.

Now she divides her time between weddings, receptions and a concert with the Dayton Philharmonic orchestra.

“It’s definitely well worth it. There are not many harpists around, so we’re in demand,” Peppo said.

For the concert Friday, she’ll play a mix of classical and pop songs, plus some Broadway tunes. And sometimes she gets requests for tunes one does not normally associate with a harp.

“I’m more traditional, but I get requests for ‘Stairway to Heaven’ by Led Zeppelin. Sometimes it comes off better than you’d expect,” she said.

Complimentary coffee, tea, hot chocolate and homemade cookies are provided. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a lunch. The concert is sponsored by a grant from the Middletown Community Foundation, the Barnitz Fund, and the congregation of the First United Methodist Church.

The next scheduled First Fridays concert is the Clarion Brass Quartet, Dec. 4.