Category Archives: Summertime

Practice Boot Camp – Five weeks to better!

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May is the “gateway” month – the last month to prepare for all the summer harp fun you’ve been planning. Workshops, competitions, gatherings, schools – there are so many opportunities to meet new people, learn new music, have more fun. And there are also so many opportunities to hurt yourself – carrying your harp more than usual, straining your brain, working your fingers, arms, back and legs!

So let’s use this month to tune up for the long summer. By building a stronger practice over time, you’ll be able to make more progress in your practice time.  And because you’ll be stronger, you’ll be able to get more from all the events you’ll attend.  Each week we’ll add a new stretch, a technique, and a new practice element focus you can be ready to learn, laugh, and love your harp! Let’s get started*.

Stretch – Breathing.  Stand with both feet on the floor, weight balanced between them (you can also do this sitting with your weight evenly distributed). Keep yourself lifted, head up, back comfortable and straight, shoulders relaxed. Slowly draw in a deep breath into your abdomen, hold for a moment and then slowly let it out. Do this 5 times. Be relaxed and enjoy the deep breaths.

Technique – Intervals. Be sure to watch your fingering. Progress, in your favorite key and scale through the second, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, octave, ninth, tenth, and back down. Go slowly and carefully. No buzzing, no misses (errors), even pace, smooth transitions, and mind your hand and arm position and that your wrists are in a neutral position.  No tension!  Keep your shoulders down and your head up. Start with each hand and when these are good, go on to both hands. If this is too easy, place your hands and then close your eyes. Still too easy? Start with your eyes closed to find the start point. Do not accept “good enough” – this isn’t for your teacher, this is for you – do your best. Not getting what you expect? Slow down more.  Go only as fast as you can do it correctly.  Do not move faster than you can go accurately, do not rush. Enjoy the beauty of the tones, the feel of the harp against you, the experience of producing amazing sound. And don’t get upset if you can’t do it perfectly – remember – we’re practicing…and you’ll get better with practice!

Practice element – Sitting. This week practice approaching the harp and sitting on the bench. Don’t just flop onto the stool! Lower yourself gently and in a controlled manner. No hands. Ensure that you’re sitting up straight and relaxed. Both feet flat on the floor, weight distributed across your hips. No twisted spine. No shoulders around your ears. No wrapping your feet around the legs of the bench. No rolling your hip forward. Now, stand. No hands. Sit and stand five times – slowly, controlled, relaxed. If you’re not able to do this five times, do as many as you can and work your way up. When you’ve done that, reach for the harp and pull it back like you’re just learning – straight toward your nose before pushing it off to your shoulder. Again check your posture. Set your timer for some random number of minutes and begin to play something you know fairly well. When the timer goes off, check your posture and make any needed corrections. Practicing your posture will allow it to become automatic so you don’t have to think about it when you’re playing!

Slow and steady wins the race as they say – if you don’t feel like you are doing well, keep at it for the week – you will see improvement. Next week, we’ll add another stretch, technique and practice element.  Leave a comment and let me know how you get on!

*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!

Summer Plans 4

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Cromarty Harp Village

So this week, we’re stretching to include summer all the way to the equinox!

And to include a slightly broader view of workshops.

I cannot recommend Cromarty Harp Village* highly enough!

Cromarty is in the Black Isle – yup, you read that right – it’s in Scotland (and where better to learn Scottish music?). It is a village on the Moray Firth and while the village is captivating and interesting, the Harp Village is even more compelling.

The Cromarty Harp Village will be held 22 & 23 September at The Old Brewery. This is a two-day workshop (and if you’re going to go all the way there, you might want to spend a little more time – you could organize to learn more or just sightsee!)

There is such a broad trove of talent – the instructors include innovative harpers Rachel Newton (www.rachelnewtonmusic.com) and Cheyenne Brown (www.cheyenneharp.com) along with the irrepressible Corrina Hewat (www.corrinahewat.com) all leading a special weekend of harp workshops and sessions. It will be a magical weekend of tunes, songs, accompaniment ideas and tips to recognize the distinctive gifts you bring to your instrument. And – there is a workshop for beginners taught by the wonderful Issie Pendlebury (www.isbelpendlebury.com). The workshops are very reasonably priced and out of towners can also organize accommodation (book early to be sure you get in – the Brewery is a lovely venue and that includes the accommodations!).

I think the best thing about Harp Village – beyond the great venue and the amazing instructors – has to be meeting and making friends with harp players I would never have met otherwise. I am so fortunate to have remained in contact with a few of my classmates which is not only fun but also so encouraging to know harp players from other countries but with shared experiences.

For more information and to register go to: http://www.cromartyartstrust.org.uk/the-harp-village.asp

* as before –this content (less commentary) has been unceremoniously lifted directly from the Cromarty Arts Trust Harp Village website.

Summer Plans 3

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Harp Quest continues in 2018

Ok I’m a little biased on this one.  I am delighted to once again be teaching with Kris Snyder as we continue on our Harp Quests!

After a number of years of Harp Camp, last year we moved to pursuing our Harp Quests.  We are looking forward to this year’s journey – we know those that participated last year enjoyed it because you told us so!  And 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 23rd year and a new Journey with our harps – becoming what we’re meant to be.

This year’s Quest will be focused on Looking Ahead.  Our Quest will be easily accessible to harpers from anywhere and at any level and our focus will be a short and intense experience that we will each take with us into the coming months and years.  We may not appreciate all we 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 occur in the beautiful and bucolic valleys of South Central PA 27 – 29 July.  The setting is pastoral and relaxing – just the thing to learn and grow and go a little farther on the road we travel.

Kris and I will be your Guides 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!  We will work to expand technical skills and exercise our brains and as always, we will work on building healthy self-esteem, encouraging ourselves to try new things.  We’ll start where each of us is and build on that to develop a better understanding of the skills necessary to continue going and growing.  We’ll work individually and together experiencing three days of creativity, sharing, and fun.

The Quest is limited to only 10 spaces, so everyone gets personal attention, time to learn their own way, and has the space to flex their musical muscles. Interested in having a spot? For more information or a reservation form, Contact us.

Summer Plans 2

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Somerset Folk Harp Festival

Not long after OSAS – many of us gather again at the Somerset Folk Harp Festival*. Somerset has become a “must go” event for harp players! It is an amazing 4-day conference celebrating the diversity of music, talent and experience of the folk harp world. Whether you want to focus on one style or type of music, solidify some specific skills, or try out something new, there is something for you. The breadth of workshop offerings is sure to expand your musical horizon. The Exhibit Hall is the best harp and music shopping under one roof you’ll find anywhere on the East Coast. There are daily concerts that will inspire you. I strongly suggest that you plan to come for the whole festival but if you can only swing one day – do it! There are loads of registration options.

Somerset is coordinated by Kathy D’Angelo and is pulled off by a small but mighty band of people.  But what makes it such a good way to spend your time? Well, I think they answer this well in a section entitled – What is the Festival Like? And the answer is – it’s awesome! It is like a three-ring circus, a harp feeding frenzy, a family re-union, and your wildest harp dreams come true! You get to meet and talk with and play with other people who are also addicted to harp. There’s time to swap “war stories” “craziest wedding stories” and “why I started to play the lever harp” stories. There are loads of good harpy things going on but the one thing that really makes the Festival so great is all the other harpers there! You will have an instant group of best friends at the Festival – including the stars of the harp world. You will find that you can talk with icons just as easily as you would talk with the other harpers in your harp circle. No matter what your level of harp experience, you will be welcomed most warmly and drawn into the family!

And – did I mention the Exhibit Hall? There’s loads of stuff to try, read through, buy, dream about, plan for, and take home including harps, CDs, sheet music, doo-dads, jewelry, artwork, music stands, carts, and more. And then there are the concerts which are designed to give you a diverse and broad exposure to the non-pedal harp world. There’s Celtic of course, but there’s also lots of other ethnic music, early music, classical, jazz, popular, and many sorts of harps including Paraguayan harps, bray harps, cross-strung harps, wire strung harps, double strung harps, harps with other instruments, and more! Diversity everywhere!

The workshops are incredible and span a wide range of levels and interests. Some of them are really substantive and challenging – some will pique your curiosity – some will inspire you to play better and some will be an occasion to let your hair down. The worst thing about the workshops is that you cannot take them all.

You do need to pace yourself! Somerset is held in Parsippany NJ 19 – 22 July and all the details are available at: http://www.somersetharpfest.com

*once again – all this content (except my gushing and comment) unceremoniously stolen directly from the Somerset website.

Summer plans 1

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Although we’re still whinging on about the snow and cold, it’s already April and summer is fast approaching! This month I’ll highlight some of my favorite summer activities. If you want to attend any of these events, you’ll want to get a jump on it so you’re sure to get a place. Few things are worse than being excited to attend a workshop only to find out that it is sold out! I will present them in calendar order. These are events I really enjoy and have learned a lot from. There is no affiliate marketing (i.e. kickback) only the potential benefit of possibility of running into you at one of these events!

Let’s start with the

Ohio Scottish Arts School*!
This is the 40th Anniversary of the Ohio Scottish Arts School! (you also have the opportunity to help celebrate this momentous anniversary here – donate $40 for 40th Anniversary)

OSAS has been an excellent hub for meeting the greats (and future greats) of Scottish Harp in the US and UK – some as instructors, some as students (and later as instructors). It is a fun and intensive week. The (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. Every day you study Scottish dance music, airs, and songs, ornamentation, Scottish style, accompaniment, and learning by ear. Each day there are lectures, practice time, and playing in sessions. If you play the harp, there’s a class for you! Classes are available for beginners (who have played for a few months), as well as intermediate and advanced players.

In the evenings there are activities (and snacks!) and you can always join (or start) a session. The harpers have become spoiled by the students of Ringgold Middle and high schools who prepare and share a lovely mid-week Tea – an event to which we all look forward!

OSAS is a fun, exciting workshop chock full of stuff you want to know.  Some participants have been coming for years.  And, lest you think this sounds like summer camp – it is!  But with a delightful twist and students – kids and adults – really enjoy the week.

Of course, perhaps the most important thing to know is who will be teaching – and this year has an outstanding line up (again!). Sue Richards organizes and is the coordinating teacher (www.suerichards.net), Gillian Fleetwood is coming from Scotland for a second year! (gillianfleetwood.com),Seumas Gagne returns after a few years away doing amazing things! (www.seumasgagne.com/), and me! I am delighted to be teaching at OSAS again this year and to be working with such exceptional people! I keep pinching myself over my good fortune.

The 40th Ohio Scottish Arts School will be held June 23-29, 2018 – don’t miss it! For more information and to register go to http://ohioscottishartsschool.com/. See you there?

* except for the occasional comment, all this information (including the photos) is unceremoniously lifted from the OSAS website

Checking in at the midpoint

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It’s July and we’re about half way through the year. It is a good time to check in and see how we’re doing. While it is a good exercise to review goals, it is also an excellent time to review other important things. Especially those that we take for granted and think are taking care of themselves! Let’s start with….Posture!

Your posture really is the core of all your playing. That’s not just a play on words. Being able to hold yourself upright and to keep your arms up but relaxed, your hands in an appropriate position, and keep your core tight all take work. Are you ready for that work?

There are numerous resources available providing methods for strengthening your core. By incorporating appropriate exercises to strengthen your core you’ll be able to sit up straight with good balance for as long as needed with less fatigue. That means that your next long background gig will be easier. And your long practice session will definitely be easier to sit through. Your core works while you’re sitting and supports your back and your hips. A strong core will also help you avoid curling into the harp while you’re playing which can cause strain on the neck and increasing the possibility of injuring yourself. It also will provide you with the stable base from which you can build your good technique.

Of course, a strong core will also be good for you away from the harp assuring your balance and stability are better whether you’re carrying your harp or walking down the street. Strengthening your core isn’t just sit ups! Spend a little time online to learn ways to get stronger so you can play as long as you like!

* I am, of course, not an exercise physiologist or a physician – but you already knew that! Consult your physician before undertaking any exercise program.  Don’t do any of this if your physician tells you not to.  Seek specific advice from qualified individuals.  This information is presented for educational purposes only.  It does not replace or substitute professional advice from your physician, certified trainer, or any other health-care professional.  Use of the information on this site is solely at your own risk.  Don’t be daft – get the right help and don’t hurt yourself!

 

Going to Grandfather Mountain

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Yes, I was just away for the Ohio Scottish Arts School – where we had a fantastic time and learned so many great tunes. I can hardly wait to get them solid (although right now they are chasing each other around my head, so we’re not there yet!).  But now, I’m away for the Harp Competition at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games at MacRae Meadows.  On Friday, I’ll be teaching a workshop.  And the big show – the Competition – is on Saturday 9th July (contact Moire for more information: moire22@yahoo.com).  This is a Scottish Harp Society of America (SHSA) Sanctioned Competition and I’m delighted to have been invited to judge.

I’m very excited to be going – such a beautiful setting and it should be a lovely day.  I’m also looking forward to a unique Grandfather Mountain competition – I’ll be learning to play Lochaber trump.  Come out and play – compete or play for comments – either way you’ll learn a lot and have a great time!  See you there?

Plan your work – work your plan

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Whew! Now that we’re back from Harpa and all the focused preparation for that, it would be easy to think that it’s time to slack off. Or because it’s summer we could argue that it’s a good time to chill a little. Or because it’s Wednesday, we could convince ourselves it’s ok to take a break. There are plenty of reasons to rationalize that we don’t need to work at practice. But these are exactly the sorts of time when reapplication of focus to practicing is precisely the right thing to do!

No matter what your level of play is, no matter how much you only play for amusement or play only as a profession, practice is still work. And like the work you do in your day job or the work you do around the house, your practice will go better if you make (and adhere to) a plan!

What should you plan to do? Well, you already know. You might not want to do it, but you know what your plan should include. Your plan needs to include elements that assure

  • that you know how much time you intend to work
  • that you spend your time effectively
  • that you don’t practice mistakes into what you know
  • that you learn new material
  • that you distribute your time across the things you love doing (playing things you already know?), the things that aren’t so much fun (etudes?), and the things you just don’t want to do (metronome?).

Be sure your plan includes all the necessary work.  These things may not happen every time you sit to practice, but having a plan assures that you remember to work on things over time.

Once you have a plan – make sure you actually work that plan!  Don’t go through the exercise of making a plan and then leaving it in a drawer.  Write it down – and keep it near your work place practice spot.  Set yourself up to succeed by checking it each and every time you practice so that you are always moving forward. Occasionally review your plan to make sure it is still pushing you toward your current and long term goals.

Do you have a practice plan? Do you use it?

It wouldn’t be summer without OSAS!

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The summer really gets started with the Ohio Scottish Arts School or OSAS, presented by the Scottish American Cultural Society of Ohio at Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH. Each summer, for one week, the residents of this small college town get the joy of nearly continuous harp music (as well as pipe, fiddle, and dance music with drumming too!).

This year marks the 39th OSAS and it will be held June 24-30, 2017.  Really enhance the experience and kick off with participation in the Ohio Scottish Games the 23rd in Wellington, OH.

Coming to OSAS can be nearly a pilgrimage with some participants returning annually! The days are filled with learning tunes from stellar instructors in the aural tradition, lectures from those same instructors on other related and fascinating topics, and a little processing time to relax or practice. It’s harpharpharp! The evenings are filled with fun with the others jamming and sharing tunes we’ve learned, enjoying the evening air, snacks, and each evening also has a special event – the Instructor Concert, the Variety Show, every night, something wonderfully different and all OSAS.

If you’ve been to OSAS before, you’re calculating how you’re going to get there this summer. If you’ve never been to OSAS before – you cannot conceive how much you are going to learn, how much fun you’re going to have, how much you are going to bore your non-OSAS friends with stories when you get home – for months! You will laugh, you will work hard, you will have a great time, and you’ll start counting down to your next OSAS experience the day you get home.

For all the details go to http://ohioscottishartsschool.com/

  • Photos shamelessly stolen off the OSAS website – I’m always having too much fun to stop and take pictures!