Jenius Creations

Blog

  • Travel can break your harp – car

    If you’ve been playing for more than about 15 minutes you know that people frequently want you to play in any of a number of places. And there is no limit to where people would like you to play – the tops of mountains, just below the low tide line, or inside the walk-in freezer! This, of course, requires that you get your harp there.

    These are exciting opportunities to play and no one want to disappoint their friends (or clients) so you will need to get your harp to the even. But a car can be a very dangerous place for a car. A wise harper* once told me that you should never leave your harp anywhere you wouldn’t leave an infant. And it is wise advice, even though it is unlikely that your harp will toddle off!

    Picture1But what does that mean? It means you need to remember what your harp is made of and how it’s put together. Harps are (typically) made of wood which is a natural material which is joined by glue (which can soften with heat) and finished (typically) with a finish (which could crack in cold).

    • keep it out of the direct sunlight. Remember how much of your car is windows! This is especially important in the summer
    • keep it at a comfortable temperature – remember that your harp can’t sweat like you can so keep it temperate
    • protect it from bumps, bangs, and potholes.  The soft case will help protect it but be sure you avoid harp points inside the car
    • don’t leave your harp in the car (overnight or on the road)

    Of course, it’s your harp so you in the end you have to make the decisions. I find that it’s better to make cautious choices than have to get a new harp!

    * Kris Snyder told me this the first time in when I was first learning to play!

  • But what’s next?

    If, like me, you have listed learning more tunes as one of your goals this year, you may be casting about for ways to select those tunes you are going to spend your precious time, sweat, and tears on. How do you select new tunes? Here are four ways to chose what to learn to play: Picture1

    1. Listen, listen, listen – learn those tunes you enjoy listening to. I decided that I had to learn pedal harp simply from hearing a gorgeous piece of music on the radio!
    2. Learn what’s on offer in workshops that come to your area. This is especially important if you live in moderate to low harp density areas. Get to every workshop you can, especially if they are few and far between.
    3. Comb through books and sight read for gems. This is good both for finding new tunes and to practice your sight reading.
    4. Host a tune swap. What could be better than learning new tunes? Learning new tunes inside a party! It is great to learn from a friend.

    Unless you are preparing for auditions, learn any tunes you like – especially if you like the sounds of them. And be sure to really get the tunes down – don’t just get a passing familiarity.  Really get in there and wear it! And with all these sources you’ll have plenty of tunes to select!

  • Harpa 2015 Scotland!

    This year we are planning the first Harpa tour of Scotland! We will go through some of the most beautiful scenery to be seen anywhere and this trip will allow you to experience the majestic splendor of Scotland. We will leverage our Harp the Highlands and Islands tour and build in some fantastic concerts. We have a diverse group of musicians and I can hardly wait to hear us! graphicWe will start in Edinburgh and head out to Perth and from there we’ll begin nearly two weeks of exploring, enjoying, performing, jamming, and sharing! And all the while, you will enjoy the unspoiled beauty of well-known sites and off the beaten path sights you didn’t even know about.

    Beth Kolle is the Arranger in Residence and Sue Richards is our Concert Mistress.  Here’s a little sneak peak of the itinerary:

    May 17th – Collect at Edinburgh, on to Perth (overnight)

    18th – Tour to Wick via Glencoe and Loch Ness (overnight Wick)

    19th – Ferry/Coach tour to John O’ Groats (overnight Wick)

    20th – Wick to Elgin via Dunrobin Castle (overnight Elgin)

    21st – Walking tour of Elgin, rehearsal and performance for CLAN Cancer Support (overnight Elgin)

    22nd – Drumnadrochit and free time in Inverness (overnight Drumnadrochit)

    23rd – Urquhart Castle returning to Drumnadrochit for rehearsal and then performance (overnight Drumnadrochit)

    24th – Lossiemouth via Aviemore Mountain day tour (Overnight Elgin or Lossiemouth – tbf)

    25th – Moray coast, return to Lossie Baptist Church (LBC) for rehearsal, church dinner and performance (Overnight Elgin or Lossiemouth – tbf)

    26th – Via Pluscarden Abbey to walking tour of Forres, rehearsal and performance at Forres Heritage Centre in Tollbooth Courtroom (overnight Elgin)

    27th – Royal Deeside tour (overnight Elgin)

    28th – Splits into two groups for Ballindalloch and Distillery tours with floating concert at Ballindalloch (alternate halves) (overnight Elgin)

    29th – Return to Edinburgh… share good byes

    As you can see from the itinerary have four confirmed venues for Concerts.  Each of the venues is looking forward to the fundraising opportunity!

    Hope you’ll join us for this unique tour and opportunity. Contact me if you are interested or want more information.

    Send your deposit as soon as possible to guarantee a seat. The balance will be due 20 March 2015. A single supplement is available if you like.

  • Keeping track – it’s still January

    I know you have goals. You may call them goals, resolutions, objectives, but it doesn’t matter what you call them. What is important is that you have a direction in mind and that you have some idea how you are going to get there. And the easiest way to know if you got there is to be able to see your progress.

    We often state our goals in squishy words. It is easier, but it creates so much angst. How do you know you are better? Are you sure you’ve developed your (insert objective here)?  You do have to track your progress to be sure that you have made some.  This is especially true for those dark days when you cannot remember how far you have come.  So, here are 5 ways to make track your progress so you can see you are getting somewhere:

    Picture1

    • Make it measurable – select something countable.  Number of tunes, minutes of practice, days of work, whatever measure will help you verify your progress.
    • Make it visible – it’s all well and good to feel you’re getting there, but seeing it for yourself really helps.  You can mark a calendar, keep a journal, make a wall chart, use an app, build a spreadsheet – how it appears is not nearly as important as that you will use it and look at it.
    • Make a baseline – record yourself now and put that aside. At the end of the year record yourself (this works best if you do the same piece of music).  Now listen to the two recordings to determine if you have met the goal. You will be able to see (or in this case, hear) that you have come of the baseline.
    • Make it manageable sized bites – you’re not going to achieve each goal in one go so break them into steps that you achieve in each practice, each week or month, or some other segment.  Then you can track those steps to see progress.
    • Make time, but not too much time – don’t let tracking your goal become the thing that takes up all your time. Tracking is just a tool so you can stay focused and motivated – so you can keep moving forward.

    Give it a go – track your progress and see how far you come!

  • Goals for 2015

    It is January – a new start to a new year. And of course, it is resolution time. We all know that resolutions are simply goals wrapped in festive paper. I always entreat you to set goals so I thought I’d share some of mine for 2015.

    Because I want to succeed I have selected a small number of goals that are SMART. By that I mean the goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timed. I have structured my goals to meet these criteria – otherwise how would I know when I got there?

    I have established three goals for my harp life. That might seem like a small number but these are just for my harp life and I have other goals for other parts of my life.  In addition, I’d rather have three completed goals than a larger number of goals that are languishing, uncompleted and weighing me down.  And I’d rather reach for the stars and touch them than be caught up trying to figure which star to reach for first! Picture1

    Goal 1 – Learn at least one tune per month. This is attainable and realistic given the competing pressures on my schedule, I will definitely know at the end of the year if I have learned 12 tunes (by learn I mean prepared through performance, not just knocked one back at a workshop).

    Goal 2 – Practice reading at least 5 minutes per day. I find reading music increasingly challenging while I’m playing and my sight reading skill has dropped. I know the only way to improve my sight reading is to practice. This will improve my capability as a teacher, an ensemble member, and just to broaden my horizons as a musician.

    Goal 3 – Book at least one new type of gig. This is me looking to expand how I look at performing. So, just booking more weddings is not the point here, but rather to seek out new types of performing or types of event at which to perform. Because the rest of my life can sometimes get in the way of my harp life, I have set this goal low but will be delighted if I can break through to more.

    What goals have you set for yourself for 2015?

  • It’s that time –

    It’s winter and the holiday season.  We’re all typically in demand at this time – nothing says winter holidays like having a harp at your festive event.  The question sometimes is what should you play?  We all know that holiday music can get a little wearing, especially later in the season and if it is non-stop.

    What do you like to play for parties?  Which holiday tunes to do you include?  Any you specifically leave out? Are there any “everyday” tunes you you opt out of the set?  Anything you play specifically for your family or tunes you only play for gigs?  I’d love to hear what you’re playing – let me know in the comments!

    And until then, keep practicing!

  • Don’t confuse your bloopers with everyone else’s highlights –

    I saw this quote a while ago and it grabbed my attention.  It really points out an activity many of us do – often without thinking or questioning.

    You’ve been there – you are performing – at Carnegie Hall, at a local festival, in your church, for your cat – and you make a “unintended jazz improvisation”, an out of mode musical variation, an exciting opportunity to explore the entirety of the scale, a mistake!

    In your head this diversion is accompanied by a cymbal clash, a thunderclap, and an accusatory glare from everyone within earshot.  You replay it in your head in a heart wrenching loop – you focus all your energy in reliving the moment. You play it in slo-mo.  You play it over and over and over.  You reconfirm all your fears that you are not a good harp player.

    Picture1But then you make the real mistake – you point out to yourself that (insert your Harp Hero here) never makes those errors.  Your Harp Hero is perfect – you have never heard a wrong note emerge from HH’s harp!  It is not possible!

    The mistake you make is to replay your blooper reel incessantly with the occasional quick glance to focus on someone else’s highlights reel.  You fuel your inner narrative that you are not now, nor will you ever be, as good as (insert Harp Hero here).

    This is pointless and silly and you need to stop!  Next time you are in the presence of a Harp Hero – really listen.  It was incredibly freeing the first time I heard (and did not dismiss) my Harp Hero’s musical diversion – it helped me see that we are alike.  Ok, we are separated by years of experience and practice – but underneath all that – we both have bloopers and highlights –

    So the next time its Bloopers Showtime in your head, make some popcorn and watch your “Funniest Home Videos”.

    Then practice and gain experience – because you never know whose Harp Hero you might be!

  • Happy Thanksgiving!

    Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    Picture1

  • Close your eyes…give me your hand

    Most harpers have some concept of the (likely romanticized) history of the harper – an important contributor to life in the home of the Laird, carrier of news, stories, lore, and intrigue, and provider of music for all events and perhaps for everyday living.  Likely you know that at some point harping was an excellent profession for the blind – a job that didn’t require being sighted to be excellent.  And of course, we have the Rory’s in history.  We are ever so slightly proud of that heritage.

    So why then, do I so often hear, “Oh, I have to look!” or “I can’t play without seeing the strings” or some variation on these?   I’ve also hear, “I’ll make a complete mess of it if I don’t look!”Picture4

    And you know what I’ll say to that – you simply need to practice to play without looking!  There are so many reasons to play without looking:

    • Candle light/poor lighting
    • Power cuts
    • Outdoor, dusk weddings
    • Poor or changing vision

    But if you practice playing in low or no light situations you will see a number of improvements:

    • Your body will know where the notes are (and will learn that better than if you are always looking)
    • You’ll be more confident in a number of situations (listed above)
    • You don’t have to remember to carry a light (of course, this assumes you don’t need the music stand!)

    If you need a little nudge to start playing in low light, start by practicing at dusk by natural light – and let the night come.  It will be very gradual.  You’ll learn this way that you can in fact play with little light.

    Don’t get discouraged – you had to learn to play by looking – and this is no different…and enjoy – you’ll impress your harp friends too!

  • Get some exercise – three good reasons

    As the winter comes, we want to burrow in, swaddled in sweaters, nursing steaming cups of lovely tea.  And we’re likely, given the chill, to get some practicing in which is good given that ‘tis nearly the season and we’ll be asked to play more often.  The days are shortening, the nights getting deeper.

    It would be easy to crawl back under the duvet, to snuggle in to our beds.  But all that snuggling and all that nestling needs to be combated.  For your general health and well-being you need to get a little exercise and some fresh air*.  And a little exercise and fresh air won’t be amiss in your playing either.

    We’re not talking about running a marathon or training for the World’s Strongest Man competition.  You can just go for a short walk to gain a benefit.  There are three good reasons to get a little exercise this season:

    Picture2

    1. The simple act of taking a walk outdoors in the winter will help lift your mood.  Evidence suggests that even 10 minutes of sunlight a day can help stave off seasonal affective disorder.
    2. A little time outside can invigorate you (and thereby, your practicing).  Think of it as a little wake from your potential long winter’s nap! A short walk can enhance your energy (again directly contributing to your practicing).
    3. A little extra exercise will also help exorcise those extra cookies that appear in the season and allow you a small measure of perceived virtue! And everything you do to take care of yourself will be reflected in your time at the harp.

    So use these three good reasons to get a little light exercise outside, even as the winter deepens and the cold settles in – you’ll be glad of it when you sit at your harp – to practice, to share or to perform.

    * Of course, this is not medical advice, nor should you pursue this approach if it is in direct contradiction to advice received from your physician.  This post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Duh.