Harp Column Blogs: Laura Byrne

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 school to pursue a career in music, and Duke students graduate to pursue other career goals, but all continuing with advanced harp studies.
I am so proud of all of them and my private students too, who continue to progress in their harp journey.

I have so many excellent colleagues I had the pleasure of working with and I enjoyed some outstanding performances. It was a joy to play "Faust" and "Carmen" with the NC Opera as well as the "Nutcracker" with the NC Ballet. In addition to some choral and chamber orchestra concerts, I had a rare opportunity at Duke to premier a new composition for harp and voice. The piece was written for soprano Leda Scearce by her husband composer Mark Scearce. It was a pleasure to work with such a brilliant singer and composer bringing "Bright Star" out for its' debut. There were other special performances this year and I enjoyed every one of them, but it was the people who made them wonderful. Music isn't always easy, we all have bad days, hard times, and gigs that are anything but fulfilling; in spite of that, I truly savored the music this year and felt great joy in my harp playing.

This year was difficult for me but made better because of some very fine people and very dear friends. Life is not just about how great you play, how many CD's you sell, or whether you hit your career goal, but it is about other more important things. The past year had many challenges that I fought and found solutions for, and met some extraordinary people along the way. They say when you make it through a hardship you really appreciate your blessings. And I am very thankful for my family, their health, for great work, and precious old and special new friends. I hope 2012 brings you health, happiness, and joyful harp experiences!
Happy New Year!

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 is not always easy when there is such enormous pain and grief being expressed. This is going to be a hard performance for me personally. As I start preparing myself emotionally, I drive to Duke Chapel making a few wrong turns along the way.
Sensitive to the importance of this day, I wanted to play well for myself and for everyone else. More importantly, I wanted my music to be soothing, healing, and a symbol of gentleness, grace, and strength.
I chose a baroque prelude finishing with a special duet with a soprano
"Ave Maria" by Bach-Gounod.
The service began with the "Lacrymosa" from the Mozart Requiem,
I played again accompanying the choir to Rutter's "The King of Love My Shepherd Is". The majesty of the music in the enormous cathedral was powerful. I must admit, it was hard not to be affected by the music, I was very moved.
For the rest of the service I did not play again and was able to experience the Memorial with everyone in attendance. I looked out to the sea of faces, Duke Chapel was packed. The sermon took us back to the brutal violence of the terrorists' attack against America.
The memory of that terrible day seared into our very souls, the images engraved in our minds and hearts. The agony of the violent deaths of 2,977 innocent lives lost is profoundly painful. The anger and the outrage at such brutality was felt deeply by Americans and still burns in our national psyche. How could someone do such a thing?
And yet in response to such brutal violence,a fervent desire to protect our country and our freedom bore powerful patriotism. There was also an outpouring of compassion for the families of the dead, the wounded, and those who will forever live with the physical and emotional scars of that day. Our common humanity bound us together as a people and a country, despite our differences.

Remembering 9/11 is a sorrowful experience, and yet serves as an opportunity to grieve and honor our loved ones and our heroes.
The courage and sacrifice of our first responders, our policemen, our firefighters, is heroism beyond measure and will never be forgotten. The sacrifices of our military who have served and continue to protect our country will also never be forgotten.

The rest of the service was rich with meaning, beautiful music selections sung by the choir and beautiful prayers for healing and peace. It was one of the most dignified and eloquent memorial services I have ever played. As musicians, we know that music has the power to move people to experience deep emotion. It is especially powerful when that emotion is so deep and so strong that there are no words to express it. I was so pleased and honored to be able to play my part in this Memorial as a harpist, as an American, and give from my heart to those who came to remember 9/11.

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 had flown to see Judy Loman perform and teach master classes at the Saratoga Harp Colony. It was wonderful to meet her again and tell her what an enormous inspiration she has been to me and so many others in the harp world. While observing the master classes, several of my colleagues and I nodded and smiled in recognition of the many universal truths and familiar phrases we were hearing in her teaching of the fine points of harp playing. Regardless of style or method, she expounded on the importance of sound quality and projection, musical expression, and great musicianship. There were some outstanding student performances as well as fabulous performances from Liz Hainen, Kim Rowe, Nancy Lendrim, and Judy Loman herself, who remains one of my greatest inspirations.

In reviewing the past year, I have to admit 2010 was a better year for me as a freelance harpist and there were some memorable performances that I enjoyed. I had a lot more gigs this year and surprisingly an unusual streak of weddings where the brides insisted on getting married in the rain. Thankfully, these zany rainy gigs were neutralized by the more meaningful concerts I played with my musician colleagues throughout the year. The Opera, the Saint-Saens "Fantasie" and the "Christmas Oratorio" in Duke Chapel were especially meaningful for me this year.

In spending time with my old friends, it was interesting to share our life experiences both personal and professional, and compare notes on the important things we had learned through our many trials, tribulations, and triumphs. Serious illnesses, lay-offs, financial hardships, teenagers, tyrannical conductors, and crazy work situations were common threads. These threads were also woven together with the joys of motherhood, great performances, beautiful conductors, supportive colleagues, and new opportunities.
We savored the paradox all the more after recognizing we had survived the hardships and earned un-forseen strength and wisdom from it all. "Life is not always fair" on this we all agreed; but it is how you handle its' injustices and find meaningful success in spite of it that defines who you are and what is true in your life.

Despite the serious challenges my family experienced in 2010, I celebrate my friendships and count them as one of my blessings.
The new year always brings hope and optimism around the world, and I look forward to a better year in 2011. I am truly thankful for my opportunities, my students, and the support of my family and friends.
I hope 2011 brings you joy and happiness, health and prosperity, and a few friends to share " a cup of kindness" with and celebrate the true meaning of "Auld Lang Syne."
Happy New Year!