Clarissa Boden plays the piano, organ and tin whistle. But during the past year, she has gained more notoriety with a hodgepodge of goblets gathered from thrift stores.

Made up of 32 glasses in all shapes and sizes, Boden's glass harp produces sound as she runs her dampened fingers along their rims, applying just the right amount of pressure to cause the glass to vibrate.

"It's kind of a firm touch," said the 20-year-old Butler musician. "There can't be any oils on your hands or you don't get the vibration that you need."

Although an empty goblet's size, shape and thickness all contribute to its playability and unique sound, water is poured into each one to tune the note by lowering its pitch.

"They will go out of tune eventually. That can make practicing more challenging," Boden said, explaining evaporation necessitates adjusting the water levels every couple days.

By using mirror clips to secure her goblets to a board, Boden can transport the instrument to performance sites, which have included about 20 club meetings and churches during the past year and a half.

The wooden base can be placed on a table after Boden removes it from the plywood box made by her father and a couple friends from their church, Homeacre Chapel in Butler Township.

For ease of tuning on location, Boden uses a waterproof marker to indicate the approximate water line on each glass, adjusting as needed with help from her own ear and a tuning device.

Boden played a sampling of religious and secular songs Tuesday at the Saxonburg VFW, where about 36 members of the Saxonburg GoldenAgers were gathered for their monthly meeting.

Boden's sister Lydia, 22, also has taken up playing the instrument and performed with Clarissa in some of the compositions.

"They were as quiet as mice," said event organizer Bernice Hook about the audience. "It was really unusual for them to be that quiet."

"Some people say it sounds like a harp," Boden noted, listing flutes, bells and voices among the other comparisons her listeners describe.

In between musical selections, Boden spoke on the history of the instrument, which dates back to the 1700s in Europe.

Boden said most water will produce sound, with the exception of water with bubbles and soft water, which often lacks the necessary friction.

Boden said the cost of a glass has no bearing on the quality of its sound — and although a larger glass often produces a lower note, she can't always predict the sound of a glass without playing it.

"Sometimes the glass will surprise you," she said.

Boden taught herself to play the glass harp in 2007 after hearing an evangelist play one at the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Sarver. Although the instrument is easy to play compared to the others she has mastered, Boden is unsure if such ease would come for just anyone.

"I think it would be very difficult for someone who had no musical background to try to do them, because it is such a self-teaching instrument," she noted.

Although instrument designs vary among musicians, Boden created hers with 32 glasses arranged chromatically in rows to produce 2.5 octaves.

Boden said expanding that range is possible, but it would be difficult to find glasses that produce notes higher and lower than her current collection.

In the meantime, Boden is happy to perform with the instrument she has.

"I love sharing it with people: So many people haven't seen it," she said. "It's something I really enjoy doing."