Take a breath!

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There are few things less inspiring than an air that has no – well – air!  You hear them all the time – lifeless, soulless presentations of tunes that should make you feel something.  But when it’s through, all you fell is relief that it’s over.

Which story are you telling – the rich full one or the one that needs some air?


Don’t let your airs be like that!            

1. Make it breathe – phrasing is not something only to be marked on classical scores and then forgotten.  Phrasing is the breath in the music – make sure yours has some air! If you’re not sure where to put the phrasing, sing it (in the shower if you’re squeamish) – everywhere you need a breath – put one in the music!

2. Make it feel – airs are essentially a story.  And while many are songs and therefore come prepackaged with a story, you can always tell your own story.  Give it your take.  And make sure your audience can tell what the story is!

3. Make it lifelike – in addition to breathing, the story needs to shine through and the audience has to know what you’re telling them – assure that your arrangement helps tell your story – make it minor when bad/sad/not great things are happening, make it major when happy/good things are going on and make it funky if it starts to get boring!

4. Make it live – when you’re arranging the tune, make it have a life, don’t just repeat it relentlessly.  Put the arrangement together so that the story is supported – and be sure to bring your audience along for the whole tale.

Just these minor tweaks will make your airs breathtaking – and there’s nothing wrong with that!

Three great things that come from Getting Organized

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I don’t know about you but when someone says, “Play something for me” my mind goes blank.  I can’t think of a single tune I know.  And if by some magic I think of a tune, I can’t remember how it goes.  It’s as if that simple question throws a switch that leaves me unable to think!

This even happens when I’m practicing.  I think, “Play something you haven’t played in a while”.  Suddenly, I have absolutely no idea of any tunes I have ever learned.  Ever.   

So, I came up with a method to help me practice more than the few tunes on my mental music stand.  It’s not high tech, it’s not fancy, but it does work – so I thought I’d share it with you.

I have a recipe box for 3 x 5 cards with alphabet dividers.  For each tune I learn I write out the title on a card, and the key I tend to play it in (or the key I prefer – sometimes I remember to note why I like it in that key – it sounds better, it doesn’t require a lever change, etc.).  If I’m smart I also include the first few notes (at least in TAB but the dots are helpful if I can put them on there) and what I like to play it with in a set.

The cards are sorted in alphabetical order by title. To be honest they’re sorted in alphabetical order by what I call them (sometimes I think of the title in Gaelic not English, or vice versa). The point is to sort and store them so that I can find them.

In practice when I’m done working my exercises, learning what I’m working on, and polishing what needs shine, I close my eyes, reach into the box, pull out a card – and play that tune.

There are three things that I find amazing about this:


  1. I know WAY more tunes than I think I do (since I never remember that I know them).

  2. I KNOW way more tunes than I think I do (since I can actually play them when I randomly pull them from the box) – and if they are rusty, that’s ok, they shine right up with just a little time.

  3. I know way more tunes than I THINK I do! It is a strong visual reminder of my progress and accomplishment as a harper – proof that I’m growing and developing – it’s very reassuring.

You don’t have to make 3 x 5 cards – you could make a spreadsheet, a list, a “job jar” – anything that helps you remember to play tunes you learned a long time ago but might have set aside.  The random access also helps your stay fresh and enjoy the tunes.  The mini-tune-up the tune gets when you have to give it a bit of a shake also helps improve your memory. 

And hopefully you’ll enjoy amazing yourself!

The end is near!

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The end of the Competition season that is. I am still on the high from the US National Scottish Harp Championship at Ligonier Highland Games!  What a great comp – a huge pool of competitors, a well run competition, really close scores, a lovely venue, and I got to judge some incredible talent!  What more could you ask?!  Results will be in the next Kilt and Harp – so be sure you’re a member!

There are only three competitions remaining this year.  I’d recommend them all.  Go cheer for your fellow harpers:

Virginia Celtic Gathering and Highland Games, Williamsburg, VA
6th October
Judge – Candyce Dunham
More information and register: http://vacelts.org/harpform.html

Stone Mountain Highland Games, Atlanta, GA


20th October


Judge – Kelly Stewart Brzozowski


More information: http://www.smhg.org/Competitions.html



Central Virginia Celtic Festival and Highland Games, Richmond, VA


21st October Richmond Raceway Complex


Judge – me!

More information http://vacelticfestival.com

I wish I could be at all of these.  Please do patronize these competitions.  While Stone Mountain is venerable, Virginia is having a harp competition after a hiatus and Richmond is fighting to come back after a orgnizational disappointment last year. 

Of course, if you have questions, you can always contact me too.  I hope you have the opportunity to support these events!

A New ad-Ventura

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I am truly an East Coast Girl.  I will never be a West Coaster.  However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t visit as often as possible – I love to visit the West Coast – and I do as often as possible. 

You might be an Eastie like me, who loves to visit the West Coast, or you could be a Westie who’s looking for something-something fun – may I recommend the Seaside Highland Games in Ventura, CA?

You might be surprised – they don’t have a harp competition so what am I going on about?

Well, if you have the opportunity, it would be worth your while – because Harp is making its inaugural debut at the Seaside Games this year – http://www.seaside-games.com/harpGlen.php

The Harp Glen is being sponsored by the Clan Currie Society to introduce the Harp to visitors to this event. In addition to shedding light on the fabulous and rich history of the harp this event will showcase actual harps and harpers.

There will of course be harpers playing and more importantly, an opportunity for people to try and to learn.  Highlights of the two-day Harp Extravaganza include:

• Harp Ensemble performance
• Solo Harp Performances
• A Harp Ring/Circle
• Harp “Petting Zoo”
• Mini Harp Lessons

The Clan Currie Society, who is the Title Sponsor of the Scottish Harp Society of America’s US National Scottish Harp Championship, is working with the Seaside Highland Games to showcase the harp at this Harp Gathering event.

I hope if you are able you’ll support this new event – what a great time!

Never miss the opportunity…

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Performing can be such a terrifying word.  We’re never ready, the time’s not right, the venue is too small to bother, the venue is too large to be comfortable, we always have excuses.


I know.  I hear the excuses too.  And for those of us who have other things competing for our time, like the work of our day jobs, it is all too easy – seductive even – to believe our excuses.  We think the lack of singular focus gives us an out. 

But when you do step up, when you give yourself permission to take the chance, when you take the opportunity, inevitably you get reminded of one of the most attractive things about performing with your instrument – people do listen – and you do touch them!

Michael Tilson Thomas said, “The most important thing about music is what happens when it stops, what remains with the listener, what they take away. A melody, rhythm, some understanding of another person or another culture. The way those experiences add up, in the soul of a person over the years….You want to shake people even when they’re not listening to the music.”   And he’s right!

So, when you have the opportunity to share, and especially if you are offered the opportunity to play with someone else – do it!  Don’t let your fear get in your way. 

And by the way, it’s not about you.  Don’t focus on how you’re not good enough, or you haven’t practiced enough, or you’re not ready.  It’s about them – focus on the person that you will touch, that person that you don’t even know.  the person who, after hearing you will be brave enough to come up to you later and tell you how much they enjoyed it…and the person who loved it but didn’t work up the courage to come tell you so.

 

Revel in knowing that that little piece of the music has gotten to in to the soul of the person – and that you’ve shaken that person even when they are not listen to your music.  And be glad that you haven’t missed a fantastic opportunity.

2012 US National Scottish Harp Championship at Ligonier Highland Games

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Come to Ligonier Saturday, September 22, 2012 for the
US National Scottish Harp Championship

The Scottish Harp Society of America’s US National Scottish Harp Championship will be hosted at the Ligonier Highland Games outside Pittsburgh, PA and is open to all SHSA members. This year’s judges are the renowned Sue Richards and me (!). Rules and categories are available on www.shsa.org.  For more information on the 2012 Championship, visit:  http://www.ligonierhighlandgames.org/forms/LHG%20Harp%20Entry%20Form%202012.pdf

The day’s Official Schedule of Competition –

8:30 am Onsite Registration/Sign-in
9am SHSA Nationals Competition begins

After the competition there will be Workshop/Harpers’ Circle.

Special thanks to the Title Sponsor of the National Scottish Harp Championship of America – Clan Currie Society. The Clan has generously agreed to sponsor the National competition through 2014. It is especially rewarding to be supported by a clan with such an ancient and distinguished history of Gaelic poets and musicians.

Robert Currie, president of the Clan Currie Society, described this as partnership as a perfect fit, saying “The founders of our Clan were the celebrated MacMhuirich bards of Medieval Scotland and the instrument of the Bard was the clarsach.” The MacMhuirichs served for over 700 years as professional poets to the Lords of the Isles and later to the MacDonalds of Clanranald among other prominent Highland clans and families.

Over the past several years Clan Currie has sharpened its focus on the arts and not only sponsors our competition, but also has established an annual harp scholarship at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. To learn more about Clan Currie, go to: http://www.clancurrie.com/

Be sure to thank competition organizer Melanie Sandrock while you are registering, volunteering or audiencing!

Hope to see you there!

Let’s go to Edinboro!

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Nope, I didn’t spell that wrong – I mean Edinboro….  Pennsylvania….  USA. 
 
It isn’t often that you can get in on the ground floor of anything – but this year you can be at the inaugural Edinboro Highland Games Harp Competition! 

You know that I’m big on competitions – but I’m even more enthusiastic about launching a brand new competition! This event will be held 8 September.  Begin your competition weekend with some motivation – attend Kim Robertson’s concert at Cole Auditorium, 7:00PM. 

 

And on Saturday, it will be a full day of harping at the Pogue Student Center! I am delighted to have been asked to MC the competition. 
 
8:00AM Register for FREE workshops; Enter Harp Competition ~ $25 per entry

9:00AM Workshop: Healthways for Harpers (FREE)
10:30AM Workshop: Tricks of the Trade (FREE)
11:00AM Harp Competition Entry ENDS
11:30AM Lobby Harper rotation begins (FREE)
12:00PM Games Opening Ceremony on the Lawns (FREE)
1:30PM Harp Competition begins; JUDGE ~ KIM ROBERTSON
3:30PM Competition Awards Presentations
3:45PM Harp Circle (FREE)
 
And, LEWIS CREEK HARPS will be there.  And, Kim Robertson will have CD’s for sale all day.

 
Rules and entry information is available at http://www.edinboro.edu/events/highlandgames/harp.dot
 
Harp Competition Entry Fee: $25 at the door


 
I hope I’ll see you there!

The Happy Afterglow of Harp Camp

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One Creative Ensemble

This year’s Harp Camp – the 17th Annual – was fantastic! We had a great time. Our theme was “Music suits me to a Tea!” and we did some excellent things in that vein.  We focused on fakebooks this year, learning how to read them, how to use them to build repertoire, increase arrangement variability and as a launch point for new arrangements. Monica did a fantastic job with helping us get into our theme with an excellent craft and all our campers made themselves very fine hats for our Tea Party.

During Tea we took turns enjoying our light repast and playing for each other as “sonic wallpaper” to help each person get more used to playing for an audience, to try out some of the things we had learned, to enjoy each other’s music and to enjoy one another’s company.



Note our delightfully clever chapeaux and tea goodies.

We also had our old staples – Creative Ensemble and Directed Ensemble – to assure that everyone had the chance to grow and stretch – and practice their counting. And our usual sprinkling of games and activities that all contribute to our development as musicians – rhythm, breathing, counting, drawing, listening, and laughing!

Our campers all had a great time – and left tired and with their heads full – just like we like it!
 

Kris teaching “reflectively” –
 couldn’t resiste the image in the mirror!

Harp Camp is always fun and challenging with small groups (no negotiating your harp down long halls through throngs of people), plenty of one-on-one time with the tutors and with other campers.  I hope you’ll consider joining us next year – more information will be available on my website soon (and I’ll let you know here when to look).  Kris and I can’t wait!

Off to Summer Camp

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Harp Camp that is!

This post will be short – I’ve packed and gotten ready and I am leaving for southeastern Pennsylvania for Harp Camp. I am so excited – looking forward to a long weekend of great music, learning, and sharing.

We’ll be focusing on working with fake books as well as our usual collection of interesting, different, unusual activities to ensure a wonderful learning experience.  

I hope you’ll consider joining us next year!

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Corrina Hewat has sent me this – I hope you seriously consider participating in this year’s Harp Village in Cromarty.

The Harp Village 2012 will take place in Cromarty, Scotland. It will start Friday September 28 and runs through Sunday Sept 30th 2012. Tutors this year are Maire Ni Chathasaigh and Chris Newman, Corrina Hewat and Dave Milligan and the Duplets -Gillian Fleetwood and Fraya Thomson. They will perform in a Dazzling Duos concert on the Friday night. Harp workshops will be held throughout the weekend for all ability levels from beginners to intermediates and beyond. In addition, there will be a masterclass with Maire and Corrina on the Saturday night followed by a harp session led by the Duplets.

Application forms are now available from the website: http://www.cromartyartstrust.org.uk/the-harp-village-2010.asp 

What a great opportunity!