Listen up (I'm on my soap-box here) harpists have being doing pretty amazing things with the instrument for a very, very, very long time. Alice Coltrane (1937-2007) anyone? You just have to watch Harpo Marx (1888-1964) in action on YouTube to know that he was pretty awesome in his day, and is still awesome now!!
The harp does not need "re-inventing", nor is it a "girlie" instrument. There are plenty of guys out there playing harp.
It's a pretty damn cool instrument that can do rhythm, melody and bass and just about anything else you can think to do with it too. It's no longer unusual to see a harp in a band, and being played in just about every genre of music.
We don't need to re-invent the harp, we need to discover what is already out there.
(I'm off the soap-box now!)
I was blown away when I saw these videos of Zeena Parkins online. She is an awesome musician, doing some incredible things musically - it just happens to be on a harp. :-)
and here she is with the brilliant Björk
and here she is talking about contemporary music using graphic scores
and excerpt of piece with percussion
Monday, 9 June 2014
Thursday, 5 June 2014
Can't get enough of Alexander
So here's the thing... back in December 1999 I had an accident which left me with whiplash injuries in my left arm pit, across my chest and up the back of my neck. I was bed bound for over a month, and couldn't play my harp for several months and only started to vaguely get back into light gigging about 6 months later.
I never went public with my injuries as I was (probably quite rightly) worried that if anyone knew, I wouldn't get booked for gigs anymore. It was just about ok to not be available for gigs for 6 months and yet not get completely forgotten about on the freelance scene.
I suffered from weakness in my left shoulder for nearly 10 years and an occasional 'ticking' which was intermittent nerve pain across my chest and also up the back of my neck, usually not at the same time. The weakness was separate from the nerve damage, and I am thankful that my nerve pain was intermittent and not continuous.
I eventually learned how to deal with it (ibufrofen and a complete relaxation both physical and mental), and became assiduous in having correct posture and technique in my harp playing, because the only way I could play was to have no stress on my neck, shoulders and arms. I had weakness in my left shoulder, but it didn't affect my playing in my left hand. It was a bit weak for the first couple of years but I managed to hide that with the types of gigs I took on.
I did absolutely no exercise of any form until about 4 years when I took up running. Haven't managed more than 10k yet, but still for me that is pretty epic.
Then last summer I joined a gym. I can now proudly do an hour in the gym and use all the weight machines. They might be on the lowest setting, but for someone who has for the past decade never carried a heavy bag or put any strain on my left arm/shoulder it is a revelation. I feel I have finally got control over my body again after all these years! I am no longer supporting an injury. I can take those weights on my left arm and shoulders.
Q. So how have I managed to continue earning a living playing the harp all these years?
A. Alexander technique. Drummed into me whilst I was a teenager learning the harp.
Lower back in, shoulders down, chin down, lift the head. Posture, posture, posture.... and ibuprofen for when the nerve pain occasionally kicks in.
I never went public with my injuries as I was (probably quite rightly) worried that if anyone knew, I wouldn't get booked for gigs anymore. It was just about ok to not be available for gigs for 6 months and yet not get completely forgotten about on the freelance scene.
I suffered from weakness in my left shoulder for nearly 10 years and an occasional 'ticking' which was intermittent nerve pain across my chest and also up the back of my neck, usually not at the same time. The weakness was separate from the nerve damage, and I am thankful that my nerve pain was intermittent and not continuous.
I eventually learned how to deal with it (ibufrofen and a complete relaxation both physical and mental), and became assiduous in having correct posture and technique in my harp playing, because the only way I could play was to have no stress on my neck, shoulders and arms. I had weakness in my left shoulder, but it didn't affect my playing in my left hand. It was a bit weak for the first couple of years but I managed to hide that with the types of gigs I took on.
I did absolutely no exercise of any form until about 4 years when I took up running. Haven't managed more than 10k yet, but still for me that is pretty epic.
Then last summer I joined a gym. I can now proudly do an hour in the gym and use all the weight machines. They might be on the lowest setting, but for someone who has for the past decade never carried a heavy bag or put any strain on my left arm/shoulder it is a revelation. I feel I have finally got control over my body again after all these years! I am no longer supporting an injury. I can take those weights on my left arm and shoulders.
Q. So how have I managed to continue earning a living playing the harp all these years?
A. Alexander technique. Drummed into me whilst I was a teenager learning the harp.
Lower back in, shoulders down, chin down, lift the head. Posture, posture, posture.... and ibuprofen for when the nerve pain occasionally kicks in.
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
It's life Jim... Live Long and Prosper
Q. What's better than Spock playing the harp?
A. The Harp Twins playing the theme tune to Star Trek
A. The Harp Twins playing the theme tune to Star Trek
It's all white...
What is it with white Budin carbon fibre single action harps? I suddenly come across two of them on the web in one week.
Latest edition of Harpers Bazaar magazine has a "Marie Antoniette" style fashion shoot by Karl Lagerfeld with the model draped over one.
I can see why they didn't go for the real thing....
One of Marie-Antoniette's harps - this by Naderman
Latest edition of Harpers Bazaar magazine has a "Marie Antoniette" style fashion shoot by Karl Lagerfeld with the model draped over one.
I can see why they didn't go for the real thing....
One of Marie-Antoniette's harps - this by Naderman
Hot harp
What a beauty, and yes I am referring to the strangely levitating Lyon & Healy, although Jayne Mansfield is not bad looking either!
Might have to order a framed one of these prints this for my harp picture collection. Shame about the saxophone spoiling the picture 😀
Might have to order a framed one of these prints this for my harp picture collection. Shame about the saxophone spoiling the picture 😀
Thursday, 24 April 2014
Harpologie
Having just done a review for the Harpologie Series by
Sabien Canton in the the latest UKHA magazine, I've just found a nice video trailer online.
The video is in German, but it does the job!
Harpologie, and Harpolgie 2 are extremely
useful books for anyone teaching beginner to intermediate level harp. Each book
comes with a play-along CD, which is quite a rarity for beginner harp students.
What makes these books invaluable as teaching aids is the fact that not only
are the pieces themselves well thought out and structured from a harp playing
point of view, but the quality of the compositions and the production values of
the backing tracks are exceptional. Witty and fun accompaniments which manage
to lift the spirits of both student and teacher! The first book is aimed at the
beginner (2nd finger only) to approximately grade 2 standard. The
second book is approximately grade 2 to 4 standard. The play-along tracks come
in several versions for each piece. Some have a half (studio) tempo, and then a
full speed version. I have found these books useful to use in lieu of
sight-reading at the end of a lesson. Although aimed at the early levels, they
are especially good for anyone who struggles with sightreading up to grade 5
level. Originally published in Dutch, the books have been translated into
various European languages. My books are in French and the CD is in Dutch, but
nonetheless these 2 books are always my most used books in my teaching bag. I
ordered my copies very simply and quickly through Le Magasin de la Harpe . Highly
recommended.
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
A Child Like You
Only a couple of weeks to go to the premiere of "A Child Like You" at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on the 2nd May at 8pm.
It will be my first time playing harp with a brass band, and it's a real privilege to be playing with a band as amazing as Foden's Band! The piece features my wonderfully talented soprano, Anna-Clare Monk who will be singing and narrating.
"A Child Like You" is a 15 minute work written by Andy Scott for Soprano voice/narrator, harp and brass band and will be the centre piece of the first half of the concert on the 2nd May in Manchester. It will then be performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the South Bank on 6th July, and at the Concert Hall in Glasgow as part of the Commonwealth Games celebrations on the 2nd August.
If you can come along to any of the dates to support this project that would be brilliant!
It will be my first time playing harp with a brass band, and it's a real privilege to be playing with a band as amazing as Foden's Band! The piece features my wonderfully talented soprano, Anna-Clare Monk who will be singing and narrating.
"A Child Like You" is a 15 minute work written by Andy Scott for Soprano voice/narrator, harp and brass band and will be the centre piece of the first half of the concert on the 2nd May in Manchester. It will then be performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the South Bank on 6th July, and at the Concert Hall in Glasgow as part of the Commonwealth Games celebrations on the 2nd August.
If you can come along to any of the dates to support this project that would be brilliant!
brave new world
OK fellow harpists..... what is this?
I think.... it's a Budin carbon fibre single-action harp (I saw a couple of black ones in the Budin shop in Paris a few years ago) with some Do-It-Yourself colour changing LED strips stuck on the edges of the soundboard.
But I may be wrong....
Carbon fibre lever harps are now available in the UK and although they are an interesting harp which would have some really useful purposes being extremely light and able to use in almost any temperature etc, it's currently at a £6,000 price tag for a 36 string harp.
I think.... it's a Budin carbon fibre single-action harp (I saw a couple of black ones in the Budin shop in Paris a few years ago) with some Do-It-Yourself colour changing LED strips stuck on the edges of the soundboard.
But I may be wrong....
Carbon fibre lever harps are now available in the UK and although they are an interesting harp which would have some really useful purposes being extremely light and able to use in almost any temperature etc, it's currently at a £6,000 price tag for a 36 string harp.
Monday, 10 March 2014
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)
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.
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