Admin overload... again

22.55 and I have just finished SOME (not all) of my very overdue admin.

I think I much prefer getting blisters.

At least it means I'm actually playing the harp instead of catching up on the never ending admin.

(BTW that's not a picture of my desk. I'm too embarrassed to upload an actual picture of my desk/chaos/madness)

According to the Daily Telegraph - "Having a messy desk makes you 'more creative'..." Yeah, right. Doesn't give me more time to do what I want to do which is PLAY MY HARP, not bloody admin.

blisters.. again!

I've been learning a new piece which has a long passage right in the top octaves.

Combine that with a couple weeks of orchestral work and I now have a bruised 4th fingertip, remnants of a blood blister on my thumb and a puffy blister on my second finger.

ARGHHHHH!

Interview with Daphne Boden

Daphne Boden was the special guest at the 2013 UKHA Christmas party.

An influential harp teacher in the UK - and member of the board of Directors of the World Harp Congress, talks about her harp life with Cecilia Sultana de Maria

Grab a coffee and enjoy!

how to get a concert harp into a small hatchback

I scream each time I watch this - I defy any harpist not to watch this without screaming!!!

Epic scene getting harp into a small car from 0:58 seconds in.



I have got a harp into a small hatchback back in my pre-college days before I learnt to drive and had to rely on lifts. However we took the front passenger seat completely out and then (CAREFULLY) lifted the harp in so that it went in backwards with the pedal end into the foot well of the passenger side.

I used to regularly get taxis and then the overground train to gigs, which shows my age as I'm sure you certainly wouldn't be allowed onto a train with a harp now. I even ended up locked in the guards van once (with my harp) on a train from London Victoria to Canterbury.

Ahh... those were the days!

Winter wonderland

God bless Ray Pool... and his brilliant Winter Wonderland book!



Every harpist should have this book for playing at Christmas parties.

I'm also a great fan of Ray Pool's harmony book "3's a chord" which is an excellent book for teaching.

UKHA fundraising cards

The United Kingdom Harp Association is celebrating 50 years in 2014.

It's run by volunteers and relies on members to keep the organisation thriving.... so if you are a harpist in the UK and are not yet a member please join and support this organisation!

It's for any harpist - whether you are a student, professional, harp business... basically anyone who loves the instrument and has a keen interest in all things harpy. We are a nationwide association covering the whole of the United Kingdom

You can also support the UKHA by buying a set of these fundraising greeting cards; beautiful images from UKHA members to celebrate 50 years of our organisation.  They are only £5 per set of 4 cards, and the cards are really good quality and can be bought online here

Silly season

Well the silly season has well and truly arrived. I did my first orchestral Christmas concert on Sunday... yes the 17th November!! The earliest time in the year I have ever played "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" sitting on a stage next to a 13 foot snowman.

A bizarre end to a manic week of concerts with the RLPO of Debussy La Mer, La Valse, Ravel Alborado del Grazioso, a recital with my good friend (and gorgeous soprano), Anna-Clare Monk and a couple of solo harp childrens school workshops thrown in for good measure.

My music stand is bulging with music to practice for the next month and I'm on the Barroca and vitamin tablets already to get me through the season.

A countdown of Britten Ceremony of Carols, Nutcracker Cadenzas, Carol concerts with the RLPO,  Raymond Briggs' The Snowman children concerts and a Harp Duo seasonal spectacular recital thrown in for good measure.

And according to the Daily Express, we are due for 100 days of snow!!!!

Bring on the Mince Pies.

Sheila Bromberg & The Beatles

Interview with Sheila Bromberg, who played harp on the Beatles track 'She's leaving home'. With Ringo Starr on the One Show.



A lovely article about her and her session work here

Why are harps harp shaped

Very interesting article by Jon Butterworth in The Guardian and fascinating to read about it from a physics point of view.

Also in the article are links to a research paper by Chris Waltham on harp design and construction.

For the less scientifically minded the images of the harp soundwaves are fascinating.

link to The Guardian article is here

La Source

Wow - Alisa Sadikova - (9 years old) playing La Source by Zabel with real musicality.

It's a really hard piece and she makes the huge stretches in the middle section look really easy, I don't know how she does it with her small hands. 

Brilliant !!!