Monthly Archives: June 2022

Catching up

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I’m at the Ohio Scottish Arts School this week, teaching with the amazing Corrina Hewat, the incredible Seumas Gagne, and the marvelous Sharon Knowles.  After two years apart we and the students are clearly delighted to be here, together enjoying one another and being with other harpers.  We are also grateful to be with the other arts – piping, fiddling, drumming, and dancing.  The week has been chock-a-block so I am catching up with you but not with an OSAS report – that might have to wait until next week.

In the interim, I wanted to share that I had an extraordinary opportunity!  I am honored to have been commissioned by the Learned Kindred of Currie to compose a piece to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It is entitled Steadfast and you can hear it here. 

The Learned Kindred of Currie support the arts and Scottish culture. I encourage you to read about them on their website.  And when you participate in a Scottish Harp Society of America event, you might see their banner or meet a Currie – be sure to let them know how much we appreciate their Steadfast support!

Another great trip!

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Well, I’m home again but have one more set of photos to share.  We had a wonderful time, lots of fun and laughs and tunes!  Last week we were nearly done but not quite, so here’s a little more:  Then it was time to come home.

The funky Edinburgh wall paper from my last night’s hotel, I never miss the beach! Another landscape, and the ultimate Edinburgh view – the Castle

David wasn’t finished! We went to Ballindalloch Castle, seat of the Laird of the Grant.  We shared tunes in the beautiful dining room, toured the house, the gardens, and the tea shop!  We (finally) got a group shot – happy harpers and harp appreciators!  Here I mixed in some other photos from before I left – a glorious sunset, the Queen’s Jubilee display from the Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, that breathtaking sky.  And another tiny sink – this one in the hotel I stayed in before my flight home.

You already know I love the sky in Scotland, so another look.  The tiny sink from St. Andrews. A shot of the port of Stonehaven.  Nearby is Dunottar Castle ruin.  We spent a lot of time going places, so the road deserves a shot!

It really was a fantastic trip with good company – I can’t wait to go again.  But this week is a turn around – because next week we’re at Ohio Scottish Games and Ohio Scottish Arts School!  I’ll be teaching so I will probably be back to my usual forgetting to take photos but I’ll try!

Scotland through Strings

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We met up as a group just after last week’s post and I’ve been posting to facebook but I know that not everyone is on that platform so I promised more here.  This week, just a collection of photos I’ve taking.  We’ve played harp every day and had a great time. We’re not done yet, so I’ll be posting a few more, but for now…

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We were in Perth and went to the very interesting Black Watch Museum – where I found sheet music and heard some tunes I know and some I didn’t!

Gratuitous waterfall and mountains as well as Wade’s Bridge which I always love seeing!

I found historical harps in Fort William’s small but mighty museum after watching the magical viaduct for approaching trains and a couple of gratuitous nature shots.

While in Skye we were intrepid travelers, even in the face of pelting rain and gusty winds – which lead to beautiful rapids. We got enough clear to see Portree and the Tongadale Hotel – that was reel-y fun to see.

On Skye, the weather made us all want to sing sea shanties about being caught in a storm! But it lead to great views, including the Old Man of Storr who was hiding in a cloud. and my impression of a sheep…

Back to the (much drier) mainland for Fort George, some wildlife, an amazing sunset and another harp!

Since we’re not done yet, there could be more – I’d love to hear which photos you liked and what you’d like to hear more about!

And so we prepare

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I’m really excited to be in Scotland!  David will get us started on our trip soon but until then, I’ve been visiting friends and seeing the sites that have always seemed not quite important enough to have fitted in before.  Boy was that dumb!

So this week (and next) rather than my usual wordy posts about practicing or playing or theory or technique – mostly photos of lovely days out!  The weather has been exceptionally hospitable since I’ve arrived (although I’m expecting more “authentic” weather soon – you know, “fine, soft days”).  And to be fair, up to this point, I’ve not had a harp in hand, so I’ll get caught up on that soon – for now, I’ve been indulging in other pleasures!  Hope you enjoy these as much I as I enjoyed experiencing them!

Clockwise from top left: entry to the Scottish National Museum of Modern Art; Dean Village and the Water of Leith Walkway; yummy hot chocolate (no cocoa for me!); a lovely day for a walk; and an interesting restaurant sign that could be considered enticing…maybe!

Scotland photos before harping 1

Clockwise from top left: Whale in Dundee; V&A and it’s facade meant to recall the cliffs of Arbroath; part of a work by Barbara Hepworth;;sometimes the best art is a mashup of nature and nurture, proto-whisky (barley in a field); and although I’m not really interested in flowers, these poppies really caught my attention

I’ll do my best to occasionally stop gawking at the wonder around me and take photos – and I’ll post them on facebook throughout the week – so keep an eye out there if you’re of a mind to. I’ll also post some more here next week. 

Until then, I’m itching to play – how about you?