Jenius Creations

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  • Say what?

    Many people think that learning by ear is either very difficult or very pedestrian. Some think it is very difficult because the one or two times they have attempted it, it seemed much harder than just reading dots from a page. Some think it is pedestrian because folk music is often taught by ear and is mistakenly believed to be less complex or of lower difficulty than other types of music. People who go down either or both of these trains of thought are mistaken and they may not have an appreciation for the challenges of learning by ear.

    Learning by ear can be very difficult, especially when you’re new to it. Being in your first learning by ear workshop can feel a lot like being in a coffee shop in Bratislava – you can hear the language, but it’s all a mishmash of sound – it means nothing to you, although you recognize it to be speech (trust me – I’ve been in that coffee shop – they are speaking a language, but not one that I know!).

    One mistake many people make is to think that learning by ear will be easy. It seems that it should be – after all, you know how to play the harp and your know how to listen. Or do you? Do you know how to listen to the music so that you can learn it?

    It is important to listen to the music carefully – and frequently. When I am learning a new tune, I will typically listen to it at least a couple of hundred times (I think it’s about 1000 times, but I usually lose count). The other people in my car only wish I was exaggerating. It is only then that I have heard it enough to have found the tune (and separated it from the harmonies and variations), found the pieces of the tune (the phrases, patterns and other elements), and begun to remember those pieces and how they are linked together. This is especially true if I’m learning a tune from a fiddle player or a piper – they play very fast – I have a hard time listening that quickly!

    After all that listening, there’s still a lot of work to be done. We’ll get to that another time. But for now, be gentle with yourself, especially if you’re just learning to learn by ear. Take whatever time it requires (and if you’re paper trained, remember how long it took you to become proficient and then quick at sight reading! Be honest!). And enjoy the new vistas on the music, learning it by ear affords you.

  • Are we there yet?

    In less than six weeks we launch Harping in the Highlands and Islands! I was already excited, but now, it’s palpable. I am really looking forward to seeing the beautiful scenery (I’m partial to water, but I also like towns, mountains, fields, valleys (straths and glens!), people…yup, pretty much all of it.

    I have been working on the tunes we’ll share – arranging, re-arranging, and re-re-arranging until they are just right for the people that will be with us. We will be a small but merry band. And I am especially proud of the traveler who will be learning not just the music but also the harp! She’s intrepid and I’m so excited to have her along with us. I think she’ll help us focus on the wonder of our gifts. You know how it is when you’re learning tunes – you sometimes forget to revel in the joy of making the music – but I expect we’ll stay grounded.

    I am also sorry that so many of you couldn’t join us this year. It has been a challenging time for so many people. I wish I could take you all. But never fear – everything will come around – and soon. So keep watching this space – we’ll go again next year and I hope you’ll join us. If you’d like to go then, please send me a comment letting me know when in the year you’d like to go (we’re still in the planning stages for next year but are considering more summer times – so if that’s a better time for you, just let me know and I’ll see what I can do!) .

    We’ll be posting photos and comments as we go, so be sure to check in. And I’ll be back next week with more about playing and the amazing music of Scotland.

  • Practicing can be a pain in the…

    Many of us play the harp (or any instrument for that matter) for the pleasure it brings us, the joy we can share, and for the relaxation it affords us, especially in tense times.

    And because so many of us play for fun, we often play only in fits and starts, sitting down for the two minutes we’re waiting for the microwave to beep or the few moments between putting the last load into the washer but before the previous load finishes in the drier.  They are stolen moments.

    And unfortunately, because they are stolen moments, we are sloppy with them – we plop on the bench, grab the harp, and blast through whatever piece of music comes to mind.  We don’t prepare, we don’t breathe,and  we don’t assure our posture is good, our backs straight, our heads up, lengthened through the spine, relaxed but composed.  We’re too busy trying to bang through the tune!  We don’t have time for all that posture stuff.

    Well, we need to make time for that.  Improper sitting, poor posture, slumped spines, feet not on the floor, craned necks, tense hands contribute to two potential outcomes – one hurts us in the short term (“gink” your back because you sat twisted?) and the other hurts us in the long term (if you always practice that way, you will have practiced yourself into a habit which you will have to work hard to reverse).   And we don’t want practicing or playing to hurt our backs or to become a pain in the neck (or lower!).

    And when it comes to posture, you must be vigilant.  You don’t want to lose the bubble on how you sit, either at the harp or at your desk, the dinner table, or while schlumped on your couch watching television.  Be mindful of your posture and know how much core strength you actually possess (or should that be corps strength?). 

    Many of us, especially those that are no longer adolescents, have much less core strength than we think we do.  It will help your playing if you strengthen that core by getting some exercise.  Strengthening your core helps you protect your back from everyday chores including lifting, twisting, and bending.  It will also help you sit better and for longer when you play.  Look at those harp players you admire – they have phenomenal posture.  Why?  First, they have practiced it, and second, they spend so much time on that bench that they must have the posture needed to maintain sitting and playing for so long. 

    You don’t have to become a pilates instructor or an exercise fanatic to achieve these gains.  Just work some of the basic abdominal exercises we have all learned over the years into your day.  You will feel better, be able to hold yourself up to play longer, and have better posture while you are playing (even if you plop down to play).  You will be being kind to your back as well.  What’s not to lose – the crunch is on.*

    *All material provided within this blog is for informational and educational purposes only, and in no way is any of the content on this website to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this blog. This is not medical advice, nor is it meant to replace the advice of your medical care provider. Exercise at your own risk, learn appropriate exercise technique from a professional, and use good judgement when exercising.

  • Inspiration in the form of happy exhaustion!

    So, I’m back from Oberlin, stuffed full of great tunes from the Ohio Scottish Arts School.  Its always a rugged treat to go there in the summer.  Rugged because having that much fun is hard work – but I’m up for the challenge!  In addition, its just worth looking forward to – old friends, new friends, seeing each other develop and grow as musicians.  And the excellent teachers – role models all!  I hope you’ll consider participating next year – the diverse playing levels and styles, the brilliant faculty, the environment – all contribute to an excellent learning experience whether you’ve been playing for a year (like the first time I went) or for 30 years (like some of the participants) you’ll have a wonderful time and learn more than you knew needed learning!

    Colloden Battlefield – can you imagine how  powerful it would be to sit here and play??
    But now I ‘m home, head full of tunes, lots of good tunage – can’t wait to share!  And better still, its crunch time – I’m really excited to be heading to Scotland in the not too distant future!  I have all kinds of tunes to share there – old ones, new ones, some with simple arrangements, some with arrangements that are a little challenging – and all that will stick in our travelers’ heads because they’ll be forever tied to our incredible tour and the places we’re going. 
    I’m also excited that we’ll have great things to share here.  I’m sorry you couldn’t all go with us – hopefully as we share our journey here, you’ll be envious enough that you’ll join us next year!  Keep watching this space!  And drop me a note when you get a chance.

  • Gone Harpin’

    No tidbits this week – I’m at the Ohio Scottish Games judging the Harp Competition and then participating in the Ohio Scottish Arts School in Oberlin Ohio.  I’m learning a ton of new stuff and sharing a little as well.  I look forward to “seeing” you next week!

  • In the good ol’ summer time

    Its Summertime!  As I mentioned last week, its also time for summer camps – especially harp camps!

    I hope you’re going to join me in PA in August.  But if not, I hope you’re going to get to one of the other learning opportunities available for adult learners at all levels of harp performance.  Or that you’ll be able to get to one of the conferences such as Somerset Folk Harp Festival or HarpCon.  And I hope I’ll get to meet you at some of these events!

    But one of the downsides to all this is also an upside.  Its summer, our schedules seem to be more free and there are plenty of opportunities to play.  And this is where the downside comes in – if you have a sudden ramp up in the amount of time you’re playing you are exposing yourself to the potential for injury.  Not good – it totally cramps your practicing and playing!

    It is also when we’re learning so many things that we start tweaking our own play and that too can sometimes lead to injury.  If you get a great tip – how you sit at the harp, the type of seat you use, the shoes you wear (and not just if you play pedal!), the geometry of your hands, arms or shoulders – all of these great ideas and tips will be NEW TO YOU!  Therefore you must incorporate these changes slowly into your practice.  Don’t modify your sitting position and then practice for 2 hours in this new position – you’ll greatly increase your probability of injury. 

    And it doesn’t have to be so noticeable – simply changing the type of music you play (going from all traditional tunes to reading classical off a page for instance) can also open you to potential injury.
    Athletic trainers suggest you implement changes like these about 10% weekly. 

    Being a musician, regardless of your level of performance requires physical conditioning – you’re asking a lot of your body.  So, just like runners or boxers, you must, as a musician, remember to warm up, cool down, stretch and stay strong and fit for the long haul.

  • Harp Camp

    I am very pleased to have been invited to teach at Lever Harp Camp again this year.  So, if you’re in the mid-Atlantic region (or you like to travel!) join us for our 15th year.  Harp Camp will be August 19, 20, and 21 in South Central Pennsylvania – easily accessible to harpers from anywhere and at any level.  I am excited to be teaching with Director Kris Snyder as well as presenters Marianna Nystrom and Lucy Stevens.

    The award winning instructors of Harp Camp strive to provide a highly personalized, fun-filled, supportive environment where lever harp players at all levels extend their technical skills and enhance their appreciation for this historic instrument. We also work on building a healthy sense of self-esteem – encouraging our attendees to try new things and give them an understanding of the skills necessary to reach individual performance goals. In addition, MHTP Graduates have the potential to gain 6 CEUs for participation.

    The format is tailored to you:
         No frustration of either information that you aren’t ready for, or waiting for people with less experience to understand what is being presented.
         We are offering three tracks: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced…each workshop you take will be geared toward your proficiency and comfort level.

    These three days will be filled with creativity and fun.  Workshops this year will include:
    * Putting on Airs (learning by ear): demonstrating the processes of learning-by-ear and working with an Air
    * Practice Makes Me with Sticky Wickets: getting the best from the time you have and confronting common issues
    * Improvisation from Composition: demonstrating a variety of improvisational techniques and methods for converting compositions into improvisations

    In addition, MHTP graduates may attend optional presentations covering analyzing music for appropriateness for CMP work/how to change the selection for use; organizing binders for best flow; how to move from piece to piece and how to move from key to key.

    We’ll spend time on mechanical issues that come with the harp: changing strings, adjusting levers. Games, Creative and Directed Ensemble and age appropriate activities are included!

    If you have always wanted to try the harp without the commitment, we will have rentals available and a separate novice track designed to give you the optimum experience of trying the harp – with no strings attached!

    Harp Camp has a capped attendance policy – this allows our class sizes to remain small- giving our attendees the personal attention for our instructors that they deserve.

    For more information go to http://www.jeniuscreations.com/Harp_Camp.php (or write me a comment/question).

  • The excitement is growing palpable as we move closer to September and the Harp in the Highlands and Islands Tour.  September is rapidly approaching but not fast enough for me! I was disappointed that the spring tour was incomplete due to technical issues but we leave on the autumn trip on 6th September with a  full complement.  We’ll be spending an entire week – eight days and seven nights –  on a customized tour of the Scottish Highlands and Islands seeing some of the places you’ve played about and learning tunes along the way!

    As described in previous posts, this tour will go through some of the most beautiful scenery to be seen anywhere and includes the Isle of Skye, the western Highlands, the Spey valley and Cairngorm Mountains. Each day we will learn a tune or add to our harp lore. Our travelers will be great fun with broad diversity – some brand new to the harp and others further along on their musical journeys.  I’m certain they will all enjoy this trip. And their travel logistics are greatly improved and simplified with a lovely small harp awaiting them in Scotland.  We can all travel with light hearts, without fear of the airlines careless handling of our sweet investments.

    This intimate tour will consist of four travelers. This very small group size allows flexibility so each day David can show us the very best Scotland has to offer as well as those special things that can’t be planned. Along the way I’ll share tunes that match our travels, experiences, and mood (to learn more about David and me, see the earlier posts and check out the website).
    We leave in just three months.  We will post while we are there – I can’t wait to share our trip with you! 

    I’m sorry if you’re not one of the lucky few who are joining us this year.  If you become enchanted (or just plain envious) while you read our posts, never fear.  We are planning on making the trip again next year – so you could join us then and see breathtaking Scotland over the arm of your own small harp! Just let me know – drop me a comment here or send me an email. I am so looking forward to sharing this incredible opportunity with you! For details and more information go to http://www.jeniuscreations.com/Harp_Tours_of_Scotland.php.

    Until then, keep practicing, consider which are your favorite tunes and join us next year to learn more!  And I’ll keep posting tidbits here – just to contribute to your harp development.

  • Ohio Scottish Arts School – OSAS at Oberlin

    Are you planning to attend the 32nd Annual Ohio Scottish Arts School in Oberlin OH from 26th June – 2nd July, 2010????

    I sure hope so!  This is a fantastic opportunity.  You might get to see more of the world famous Ohio Tartan:

    But also, regardless of your level of experience – from beginner to master, OSAS has something to offer you!  Much of this information is directly from the OSAS website: http://www.ohioscottishartsschool.com/home_files/osas_harp.htm. Here is a little bit about what you can expect:
    All Students are expected to bring their own instrument – it would be hard to study for a week without a harp!
    The Scottish Harp classes will focus on:
    • Basic harp technique for beginners and intermediates
    • Repertoire at all levels, including tunes for competition sets
    • Scottish style, including ornaments, lilt, and dance types

    In addition, there are excellent students.  In addition to being great harpers of various levels of proficiency, they are very friendly and convivial.  You can look forward to not only the excitement of “pick up” evening jam sessions in which you have the chance to develop accompaniment patterns and learn more tunes but also the verve of spending that much time with other people who are as crazy about playing the harp as you are and who love the repertoire as much as you do!

    You’ll study Scottish dance music, airs, and songs, focusing on ornamentation, Scottish style, accompaniment, and learning by ear. In addition there are lectures, practice time, and playing in sessions. Classes really do cover everyone from beginners who have played for a few months, intermediates, and advanced players.

    If you’ve been to OSAS before and you haven’t signed up I hope you do so soon before the course fills up.  And if you’ve never been before – what are you waiting for? 
    But hurry, registration closes 4th June – that’s not too far away. 

    Hope to see you there.  If you have questions that can’t be answered by the website, post me a comment and I’ll do my best to answer you or put you in touch with someone who can!

    See you there!

  • Goal setting

    Well, it’s about the middle of the year – that time when most of us are looking at our calendars and wondering how it could possibly be nearly June! But, clearly it is – the honeysuckle is blooming, the birds have more to say than the news media Talking Heads, and its getting a mite warm.

    So, back at the winter holidays did you write down your goals for this coming year? They didn’t have to be big goals – could have been to learn one new tune every month, or to teach at least one favorite tune to someone else so you could play it together, or to master rolling chords down smoothly, or to practice at least a little each day, or to actually count when playing, or — as you can see, the list of goals is nearly endless.

    I’m sure you headed my suggestion and did write down each of your goals. At this near midpoint in the year, it is the perfect time to review those goals and assess your progress on them. Are you making progress? Did you forget about some of them? Is one of them really giving you a hard time? If you’ve captured your goals and if you review them periodically you have the basis for a self tune-up or the makings of a good lesson with your tutor or the potential to take a private lesson when one of the “names” comes into town to give a workshop.

    In addition, as you review your goals and your progress, make needed modifications. Goals are not chiseled in stone – this is a good opportunity to identify which of your goals was too easy, which are going to take more time than you initially thought, which goals were burning bright in the winter but now are not so attractive (yes, you can break up with some of your goals – just be sure you don’t break up with every goal!). Note the modifications you make to your goals and in an interval (maybe at the next solstice?) review and adjust again.
    And remember that this grand goal setting is essential to see progress, but just as important is the small goal setting you need to do each and every time you sit down to practice. Be sure that those small daily goals will align to help you meet your big goals so that you are able to see progress.
    And don’t forget to set and meet the goals to enjoy playing the harp and to share your gift with others.