http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/ Harp Column Blogs OpenACS 5.0 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:56:40 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/rss-support/images/openacs_logo_rss.gif http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/ 126 48 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=25477924 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=25477924 Happy New Year to harpists around the world! I am so happy to welcome a new year with hopes for peace, happiness, and prosperity for everyone. As I reflect on the year 2011, I am so grateful for the fine music I was asked to play, the fine musicians I played with, and the wonderful students I had the pleasure to teach. It is always a joy to watch students advance, achieving their goals, and continuing their love of music on the harp. I had one student graduate from UNC and go on to graduate... Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:56:40 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=22693904 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=22693904 It is not unusual for harpists to be asked to play at funerals and memorials, I play them frequently. I am always affected by them and hope to provide solace and beautiful music for the service. But today is different, today is the ten year anniversary of 9/11 and I feel the grief coming over me again in waves of painful memories. As I loaded up my harp and gear I started getting my mind into "performance mode". To stay in "performance mode" and perform with deep emotion and stay composed ... Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:55:42 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=21960908 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=21960908 What a busy summer! No complaints, except, I have not had much time to blog :) This spring & summer has been full of great happenings.  I recorded my debut EP entitled "Prelude" with my amazing colleagues!  It's pretty incredible how music gets shared from blog to blog, site to site & to radio stations...it even landed over in Germany.  Who knew Mercedes Benz had a music blog? Not me.I was fortunate to work as the performing artist in residence at the Cicily Tyson Scho... Sat, 20 Aug 2011 02:38:07 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=17713909 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=17713909 I was very happy to be a part of this radio show, "Suga in My Bowl" on 99.5 wbai.  Joyce hooked the show up with some wonderful, wonderful music! She played some Alice Coltrane, Common, some of my music and lots of amazing and not often heard, Dorothy Ashby. Click to DOWNLOAD RADIO SHOW but hurry if you want it because I think the link expires on 3/15 :-) Joyce played some great D Ashby, and we called out Common & Kanye West because the liner notes to "Finding Forever" read that track... Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:42:46 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=17412906 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=17412906 Mahalia Jackson & Harpo Marx!  This is such a beautiful duet.  Listen—>> Guardian Angels Harpo apparently had Mahalia Jackson cracking up before this Columbia Records session in 1956.  Not surprising Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:57:10 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=15990910 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=15990910 I am always affected by the song "Auld Lang Syne", not because of the saccharine sentimentality it is "used" for when it is exploited in concerts and romantic movies, but for what it really means when old friendships are true. This year I had the opportunity to reconnect with some old friends and it was wonderful to see them. We picked up right where we had left off so many years ago, and it was great fun to spend some quality time with them again. We met in Saratoga Springs New York, where I... Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:50:04 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=13227957 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=13227957  Love everything about this shot.  John Coltrane loved the harp!  I was excited to find out that once, an interviewer asked Coltrane who his main influences were and his reply was: Ornette Coleman, Ravi Shankar & Carlos Salzedo!  I wonder whose harp this is in this shot.  It could use some clipping :D Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:32:04 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=11719905 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=11719905 Spring is here!  It seems that everyone has been working like crazy around here and harps are back in style (if they really ever left…).  Orchestral & chamber concerts, recording sessions, pop performances & tours, club dates and lots of harp students. It has been quite difficult to find a harpist here in NY to sub for anything lately.  It’s raining work and things are going great!! Or…are they? About a month ago, a dear friend and fellow harpist called and l... Tue, 25 May 2010 02:07:49 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=9088857 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=9088857 As I welcome the new year 2010, I breathe deeply in gratitude that the roller-coaster ride of 2009 is over. Even though the world was overflowing with optimism in January 2009, shock waves hit the economy as financial institutions crumbled, the stock market hit perilous lows, and businesses collapsed. The 2009 economy dealt a crushing blow to arts organizations and universities as endowments shriveled to a pittance of their former value, and corporate and charitable giving all but disappeared... Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:34:04 GMT http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=6529674 http://www.harpcolumn.com/blogs/one-entry?entry%5fid=6529674 It seems like forever since I’ve posted –I have been out of touch.Now, summer is half over already and most of the weeks have been harp-filled with performances, teaching, rehearsals and recording. While teaching at the Elyrica Harp & Flute Camp in Darien, CT, I’m taking this time away from playing the harp to reflect on the past few months, and look forward.This winter, I took a trip along with harpist Megan Sesma, to Guatemala as part of the Guatemala Harp Project. ... Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:14:35 GMT