Category Archives: Summertime

Summer’s a comin’

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There are so many things to do in the summer! And so many of them occur at the same time that you probably need to do a little calendar management, just so you can get to as many events as possible.

I’m excited to be thinking about all the fun things on offer this summer – especially the ones I’ll be participating in. I hope you’ll look this over and consider joining me for at least one of them!

  1. Harpa!

If you’re not already signed up, you don’t have much time – we start next week, 7 – 15 May. (OK, if you seriously want to go to this, please email me immediately, because, we’re already leaving!). If you can’t turn on that thin a dime (which would be almost everyone on the earth), you might want to start planning to come on the 2020 Harp the Highlands and Islands trip (more on that soon).

PS – watch my Facebook page and the Harpa FB page – I know we’ll post lots of fun photos while we’re in Scotland!

  1. Ohio Scottish Games

Stolen directly from the Games website: OSG will be held June 22, 2019 and there will be loads to see and do…but why would you when you’ll want to get there early and be at the Harp Competition all day long!?!?!

This games was established in 1977, and is presented by members of The Ohio Scottish American Cultural Society of Ohio, an organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of their proud Scottish Heritage and ancestry. OSG highlights traditional dance, music and athletics of the ancient highland games.

And this year, Ohio is hosting the US National Scottish Harp Championship TM and I’m so excited to be one of the judges. If you’ve never been, it’s worth coming out – hear the train, meet new (to you) harpers. It’s a tradition! They also have all the other cool festival stuff like food, athletics, pipe bands, classic cars, and loads of vendors. But you won’t care if you miss that – because you’ll be at the Harp Competition! Go to https://www.ohioscottishgames.com/competitions for more details.

  1. Ohio Scottish Arts School

Once you’ve been dazzled by the competition (or delighted by your performance in the competition), you can head right over to OSAS. I’m so looking forward to teaching this summer. OSAS is celebrating 41 years of educating artists in the traditional music and dance of Scotland.

Again, shamelessly stolen from the website: The Scottish Harp classes will focus on basic harp technique for beginners and intermediates. repertoire at all levels, including tunes for competition sets, and Scottish style, including ornaments, lilt, and dance types. We will study Scottish dance music, airs, and songs, focusing on ornamentation, Scottish style, accompaniment, and learning by ear. Afternoons will include lectures, practice time, and playing in sessions. Classes will be available for beginners who have played for a few months, intermediates, and advanced players. And we’ll have a delightful Tea presented by Ringgold Harp Ensemble, a highlight!

I’m so excited to be teaching with the incomparable Sue Richards as well as the stunning and delightful Rachels – Rachel Hair and Rachel Clemente (an OSAS alum!).  There is probably no other place you can go to learn so much so quickly and s-t-i-l-l have a great time.

  1. Somerset Harp Festival

Somewhere on the Somerset website it says, “Play the Harp better” – and boy oh boy, will you! I am so pleased to have been invited to teach here and will be even more thrilled to teach with Donna Bennett.

Together Donna and I will deliver the Creativity Tools to Improve Practice & Performance workshop – and we’re building on some previous work teaching skills, tools, and techniques that bring the creativity secret to your music. We’ll show you how to use creativity tools and techniques to practice and play better, arrange more, compose, perform – however you let your creativity out! More Info

And I’ll be teaching a workshop we’ve entitled Sounding Scottish in which you will learn how to make your tunes sound more Scottish. I’m going to leverage all the stuff I’ve learned to date (especially while in Scotland!) to each specific elements and techniques to ensure your tunes sound Scottish. I’ll teach a tune (or two!) to learn and practice all the good juicy stuff that will highlight the tune’s authentic self. More Info

  1. Harp Quest

Harp Quest is a great opportunity to teach with my friend Kris Snyder in idyllic southern Pennsylvania.

We have moved from summer camp to pursuing our Harp Quest. And we are looking forward to this year’s journey! We have so much fun putting it together! As with any Quest, we each have a different journey as we seek to learn what our harp is there to teach us. Plan to join us for our 24th year and a new Journey with our harps – becoming what we’re meant to be.

This year’s Quest will be focused on Planning Ahead. As always, our Quest will remain easily accessible to harpers from anywhere and at any level. Our focus will be a short and intense experience that we will each take with us into the coming months and years – perhaps not fully appreciating what we have learned until much later. But secure in knowing that we will get there – each of us. And we’ll get there together!

The Quest will be August 16, 17, and 18, 2019 and we are looking forward to a very personalized time of sharing and learning. We will have fun, support one another, and work together to get as much from our lever harps as we can get! Because a quest is pretty intense, we will fill up fast, so be sure to get your reservation in.

So you can see that it’s going to be a busy summer – hope you’ll come spend some of it with me! Let me know what you’re planning to do this summer – in the comments below.

Planning ahead – for the Somer(set)

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I’m very excited to share that I will be teaching at this year’s Somerset Folk Harp Festival in Parsippany NJ!   I’ll be presenting a workshop on my own.  And even better – I’ll also be co-teaching another workshop with Donna Bennett! It just gets better and better – two workshops!  Yea!! There will be more than 100 workshops and I’ll be in great company with an amazing pantheon of presenters!

In case you have missed it, the Somerset Folk Harp Festival is amazing. It is a 4-day conference that celebrates diversity in music, as well as the talent and experience of the folk harp world. It provides a great opportunity to do what you need to move forward, whether that is to focus on one type of music, or to solidify specific skills, or try out something new. There are opportunities to learn new things in every–single–session! And the Exhibit Hall – yikes! It’s jammed with harps and music and accessories and stuff and more stuff…so much harp shopping in one room!

The festival begins on Thursday and runs through to Sunday. I will be teaching Friday afternoon. First up is a workshop called Sounding Scottish from 1:30 – 3pm. This will be a hands-on workshop, for all levels of play. We’ll be working and learning by ear. And yes (don’t worry), there will be paper too! Here’s the write up so you know what you’re getting into:

Love Scottish music? Wondering how to make your tunes sound more Scottish? Scotland has captivated people for hundreds of years and inspired composers, artists, and authors. In this workshop you will learn specific elements and techniques to ensure your tunes sound Scottish. Jen will teach tunes to apply and practice those techniques and use images, video, language, sounds, geography, myths and legends of Scotland as muses to provide inspiration for your own take on the music.

And then, in the very next workshop session, Friday from 3:30-5pm, I will be working and teaching with Donna! This will be so much fun!! We’ll be teaching Creativity Tools to Improve Practice & Performance. This is also an all levels (including companions!) hands-on workshop exploring your creativity – and you know we are all creative, so bring on the companions! Here’s what you’ll find in the workshop description on the website:

In this workshop, you will learn the skills, tools, and techniques that bring the creativity secret to your work as a musician or a teacher. Find out how to actively apply creativity tools and techniques to improve your personal work processes and your overall approach to harping. These tools can prepare you for projects and gigs, regardless of your level of accomplishment or years of experience. Jen and Donna will give you techniques to help generate better ideas and expand your arrangements and repertoire without adding to your learning load.

If you haven’t looked yet, the hotel is already available and there is a lot of information already available on the Somerset website. You can also register at the early bird rate until 1 May (which is a really good approach – not only do you get a lower rate, you get your summer planned!). The registration includes all the workshops you can fit into your day, entry to the Exhibit Hall (otherwise known as Harp Shopping Nirvana), tickets to the concerts (where you will see and hear Harp players you probably always wanted to see in concert). If you can’t make it to all four days, you can register for individual days too (Kathy has thought of everything!). To register, you can go here.

I hope you’ll come along to the Festival – and come to my workshop! Will I see you there?  If so, let me know in the comments below. Hope I see you there –

It’s August – stay strong!

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It’s stinkin’ hot. It’s boiling! It’s August. And you know what that means? It’s nearly Autumn!

Cooler days. Clearer skies. Longer nights. And, oh yeah, the winter holidays are coming. Whether you have a house full of family for Thanksgiving or if you have booked a full schedule of holiday party gigs – you will need to be ready. And now is the time!

Let’s face it, no matter the reason you play, it is easier to play if you are ready – and if you feel ready. Nope, this is not another post on practicing. Rather, let’s take a broader look. The mere act of sitting and bringing the harp to you requires an element of strength, stamina and self-possession (read balance – but didn’t that string of S words feel good to read?!).

Most of us are not about to build and keep a rigorous workout routine. But, what if it helped you to play better, longer, with less fatigue? Then it would be worth it!

Now, I’m not a physician, a physiologist, or a physical therapist*. Ok, really, the word “physical” may actually cause me to break out into hives! But, a little bit of physical exertion could make all the difference in being able to practice (or perform) for as long as you like at each sitting – without your back hurting, feeling exhausted, or falling flat before your time is over (any of which is embarrassing).

So, what should you do? Well, first, consult your physician – no doing stuff that’s not good for you (or worse, stuff that’s contraindicated for your condition!). Assuming you are well enough, consider adding a few things to your day. All of them are brief. Any one of them may help. If you’re an overachiever, you could try adding all of them!

  1. Go for a walk. Walking is good for many reasons. It’s a gentle exercise. You already know how to do it. You probably already have the shoes. Head out for 30 minutes. If you’re a total couch spud or have a condition, start where you are and build up to 30 minutes. Research suggests that 30 minutes a day will be enough to help you become more fit. If you’re not sure what to do, there are loads of programs available online that can suggest an appropriate buildup and level of exertion. Don’t want to walk outside?  Go to the pool and walk there (pool walking is easier on your joints and – did I mention that it’s hot?  it’s certainly cooler to walk in the pool!).  Or you can get on a treadmill. Walking is good on many levels – good for your heart, works your body, gets you some fresh air. It can also give you a chance to clear your mind. And it can be part of your practice – the rhythm allows you to think about your tunes with an active metronome.
  2. Stretches. I’ve talked about stretching before [here and subsequent weeks] and it bears repeating. But I wont’ – click the link and read those!  Stretching helps you recover but also helps overcome the stultifying sameness of sitting all day (even if you’re sitting at the harp!).
  3. Calisthenics. If you’re of a certain age, you might remember calisthenics from PE class. No, it doesn’t require a lot of equipment, space, or time. Just some exercises that help make you beautiful  and strong (from the Greek kali – beauty and sthenos – strong).  You know all these – pushups (full on, or from your knees, or against the counter or wall – it’s not a contest!  Do what you can); squats (like you’re sitting on a chair but not using your arms or moaning on the way down or up); jumping jacks; crunches or planks; and maybe some arm curls and extensions, and a few back rows. You don’t have to be all CrossFit about it! Just move and work a little everyday. That will help you become stronger which will improve your harp playing and may impact other parts of your life too (carrying laundry? groceries? moving your harp? A load of things will be easier). You can put these all together – walk to the park and use the playground equipment to exercise – or you can also do them as they fit into your day – just as long as you fit them in!

It does help to add these activities to your journal so you can see how you’re coming along – to see your strength improvements (and if you wall off the wagon – you can see by how much – and how quickly you came to where you were before your wagon departed…and how quickly you can get back on it!). Noting it in your journal will also help capture when you notice the impact of this to your playing – as well as when you notice you just feel better.

You don’t have to be a gym rat or an aerobics bunny to benefit – but your playing will tell the story of how you are staying strong!

*as always, I am not a health care provider – check with yours before beginning a-n-y type of exercise or before changing what you are already doing! 

Do you smell that? Ten ways to make it through the Dog Days of Summer

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It’s summer. Ok, it’s epically hot (or maybe it’s epochally hot) – after all, it is August. One might argue that it is most augustly August. One thing is for certain – it is one of those times in the year when it is challenging to get motivated to do work.

I get it. It’s a bit of a lull – school hasn’t started, the holidays are forever away (ha!), everyone is on vacation or wishing they were on vacation – and working hard just is not appealing. And these are the Dog Days of summer. Despite all this, we don’t want to our playing to stink – to smell like something left over from the Dog (days ????). So maybe take a moment for something better – take time to smell the roses.

Huh? What does smelling the roses have to do with playing the harp? Nothing. And everything!

When it’s too hot to even think about sitting down and doing the work – maybe you need to not. Maybe it is better to take the time to smell the roses (of your harp playing) if only to remember why you even do the work. After all, if you aren’t motivated, you’re not going to get much work done anyway. And a lot of us do this for fun (even though it can be work) – so it’s important to, on occasion, remember what it is you enjoy about it.

Maybe you need to give yourself a mini-vacation to beat the heat.  If you do need a vacation – here are ten ways you can give yourself a little break, to take time to smell the roses here at the height of the dog days:

  1. Just start playing – then see what comes of it. I get it, simply getting started is difficult. Because – ugh. Even with the air conditioner on, you are facing sticking to the bench, sweating on the soundboard, having your fingers feel tacky on the strings. So, maybe, just sit down for 10 minutes. That’s quick enough to be done before the sweat starts to drip. Just feel your harp, hear the sweetness, and smell the wood….
  2. Rest when you need it. As I mentioned above – school will be starting, and the holidays are coming – and you’ll be inundated with life before you know it – so set this time aside to get a little rest.  It will help you enjoy being at your harp to practice so much more when you’re ready to start up again.
  3. Make a list – so you don’t forget what you wanted to do. Especially if you are resting – that doesn’t mean you’re not thinking. Use the rest time away from the harp to think – about what you are playing, what you’d like to be playing, what skills you need to work on (really – be honest – are your arpeggios smooth and flowing? Are your glisses accurate? You know what I mean – there’s always something that needs work!). Capture that in a list so you can be focused when you are ready to buckle down after your break.
  4. Replan. We were very careful to not set goals this winter but you have had half the year to progress – are you on target? You can take this time to evaluate if you’re doing the things you think you need to do to make progress to get when you’d like to be.
  5. Indulge yourself. Yes, this could be pack it in and get a cookie. Or you could simply play what you want – play things you know well, or things you haven’t played in a while, or things that just make you smile.
  6. Switch it up. Switching up can take a number of forms – you could turn your practice “upside down” (do all the activities backwards – end with exercises, start with polishing). You could take your practice in 10-minute segments throughout the day. You could practice at some other time of the day than you usually do. Just do something different to help you bring fresh perspective to your playing.
  7. Take a walk. I know, I’m always telling you to go for a walk. So maybe actually do it this time!
  8. Read a book. You can learn so much away from the harp. There are prose books about the harp (have you read Tree of Strings? Or Pentacle: The Story of Carlos Salzedo and the Harp?) and about music (have you read Lies My Music Teacher Told Me?). Learning new things might help you learn your music more quickly, or better, or just bring a new feel to your playing.
  9. Go shopping – buy some new music! Take yourself out for a music spree. Buy some new downloads or some sheet music – having something to look forward to will be fun.
  10. Smell the roses – literally! Buy yourself some flowers for your harp room! Brighten up the space. Enjoy the scent and sight while you’re playing. Try to play the flowers (make an improv that reflects what you see, what you smell, how you feel). Alternately – find some while you’re out walking.

No reason to let the Dog Days of summer be the dog doo days. Smell the roses, treat yourself gently, and enjoy the time when you maybe don’t feel like playing. What other things do you do to help motivate yourself through these doldrums? I’d love to hear from you – I can always use new tips to avoid slacking.

OSAS 2018!!

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Having too great a time at Ohio Scottish Arts School 2018 – the 40th Anniversary to spend too much time writing!  Here’s a quick snap of some of the goings on*.  So delighted and privileged to work with such fantastic and talented people.  Pinch me – it’s totally real!

Snaps of Ohio Scottish Arts School 2018 – 40th Anniversary. Teaching with Sue Richards, Seumas Gagne, and Gillian Fleetwood.

Start planning for next year!

*Special thanks to Therese Honey for many of these photos!

Harp the Highlands and Islands Trip 2018 Wrap-up

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Well, we have completed another Harp the Highlands and Islands Trip.  We’re all still basking in the glow of the fun times and new friends we developed while we were in Scotland.  And of course, we’re all weathering the shocked feeling of returning to “real life”.

We did have a great trip – good weather (for the most part), wonderful venues visited, joy and celebration together with new friends and old.  It was a blast!

Here are a few more photos that help capture the fun we had:

This is perhaps my favorite bathroom in all of Scotland – come with us next time to see it for yourself! We enjoyed visiting Glenfiddich Distillery – they give a really good tour.

The sky is always breathtaking and we enjoyed the brief stop at Fort George before heading to Cawdor Castle but Clava Cairns were also a hit!

We were privileged to have our harp event for the day in the magnificent dining room of Ballindalloch Castle. More sky – because, well, just look at it!

On the last day there, even the sky looked sad – and we pass the Edinburgh sign, going the other direction…can’t wait ’til the next time!

Wish you had been able to come with us?  Well, don’t despair – we’re already planning the next trip – watch this space for updates.

Boot Camp Week 5 – Five Weeks to Better

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Well, you made it – Week Five of Boot Camp! You should be proud of yourself and your hard work. This gives you a foundation to keep building your practice and to refine it to meet your needs. Those needs will likely change as you develop as a harper, but the fundamentals stay the same. So, keep at it and finish strong!

Stretch – Small Shoulder Rolls are relatively easy, but because we use our shoulders more than we know, you might be tighter in the shoulder than you’d expect.* Begin by sitting (or standing) upright, head up, shoulders down. Place your right fingertips on your right shoulder and your left fingertips on your left shoulder with your arms in front of your chest. Your elbows should be close to your waist. Now, rotate your arms to the outside and “draw circles” with your elbows. Keep your head up. Take your time – go slowly and carefully. If your shoulders are tight, this may be challenging. Repeat three to five times. This stretch can be performed before, after, and during your practice.

Technique – Dall-ing. Not Daaaahl-ing, Dall-ing.  Don’t roll your eyes, I can make up words if I need them! Dall is the Gaelic word for blind – and if the harpers of old could play without seeing, you can play without looking. Yes, it can be scary but, as with everything – if you practice it, you will get better at it. And since most people are primarily visual, giving your other senses a chance to be in charge will change your perspective and will improve your playing whether you’re looking at the harp or not. To practice Dalling, simply close your eyes – and keep them closed! Start by playing scales – make your initial placement and then close your eyes and play. Pay attention – where are your arms? Where are you stretching? How far do your fingers need to move? Once you’ve got that down (and after all – you’ve been playing scales – they’re so easy you can do them with your eyes closed!) move on to the intervals we did in week one (first left hand, then right hand, then hands together). And once that’s easy, move on to playing tunes you know well. All the time you’re playing, you are training yourself to listen, to feel (the strings on your fingers, the harp in your arms, the stretch or bend in your elbow) all those things tell you something about where you are on the harp. Don’t get discouraged – you can do this!

Practice Element – Taking the time. We are all busy. And we sometimes have difficulty cramming all the things we think are important into our days. And its easy to let practicing slip away. Or to get time, but to give our practice short shrift by just playing and not doing mindful work. All of those get in our way. Start by being honest about when you will practice and how much time you have practice. Do not get impatient and want to be able to play something immediately, if not sooner. Or get wrapped up in the illusion that someone else is performing better, faster, stronger than you are. Or be confident that you’re not getting any better. Acknowledge what that amount of time will mean to your in terms of how fast you will be able to prepare new material – and accept that. work from where you are, with what you have to achieve what you want. Give yourself the time to make things happen – in your own time.

Boot Camp – Five Weeks to Better is coming to a close. But the work continues. Keep practicing – do the things that help you move forward and enjoy the journey. At this point, you’re ready to take on the summer! Enjoy it – and let me know what you do and how this Boot Camp helped you be prepared!

*Remember that I’m not that kind of doctor, so please be careful, work within your own abilities (which isn’t to say don’t stretch yourself but also, don’t hurt yourself!). Be careful and only do what you can do. This blog pro­vides gen­eral infor­ma­tion about trying to stay health and other sub­jects related to playing the harp. All the con­tent pro­vided in this blog, and in any linked mate­ri­als, is not intended to be, and should not be con­strued to be, med­ical advice. If you have a med­ical con­cern, con­sult with an appropriately-licensed physi­cian or other
health care worker. Never dis­re­gard pro­fes­sional med­ical advice or delay seek­ing it because of some­thing you have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a med­ical emer­gency, call your doc­tor or 911 immediately. The views expressed on this blog and web­site have no rela­tion to those of any academic, hospital, practice or other insti­tu­tion with which the author is affiliated. Don’t be thick – these are just suggestions – take care of you!