Joyce Brooks joked she must have been "demon possessed" to think she could learn to play the harp in her 70s.

Now, the retired educator plays the harp weekly as part of the orchestra at Brainerd Baptist Church.

"I haven't perfected [it]," she said, "but it's not as hard as I thought it would be."

Brooks, 74, said she was teaching piano lessons part-time at Brainerd Baptist School when she learned of the church's new instrument.

Marty Hamby, a former student of hers and the orchestra director at the church, told her the church was going to buy a $23,000 harp - with money received from anonymous donors - and asked her if she would like to play it.

Brooks agreed and studied under teacher Betty Spencer at Cadek Conservatory of Music. They played together for Brainerd Baptist Church's Christmas Eve service at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

Brooks, once a member at Brainerd Baptist but more recently a member of Ridgedale Baptist, was asked to play the harp every week at the Brainerd church.

Brooks said she had played the piano since age 5 and in high school played the flute and other instruments, but had never touched a harp.

"I thought it was pretty," she said. "I just thought the opportunity wouldn't present itself. It's also very expensive. It's not something you pick up and take home."

After high school, Brooks said, there was little time for anything but the piano. In fact, her first job, she said, was teaching piano.

Brooks was a classroom teacher for a number of years at Missionary Ridge Elementary and also had stints as assistant principal at Barger Elementary and as a Hamilton County Schools supervisor. She retired in 1998.

From 1999 through 2009, she taught foundations of education to students who wanted to be teachers at Chattanooga State Community College.

Then came Hickory Valley Christian and, eventually, the harp offer.

Brooks said she doesn't know how long this stint will last, but she was clear she wasn't playing the harp as practice "to be an angel."

Contact Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6497.