What does it mean to be a professional? Does your level of playing mean you are a professional? Does your quality of communication, interactions, website, flexibility, contracts, education, or your timeliness make you a professional? Exactly how do we put our best foot forward?

Going into the first rehearsal with your part learned so well that you can be musically flexible in the moment is something I’ve carried with me since my undergrad studio days, and honestly, it’s never steered me wrong.

Consider the people in your own life who you consider to be “pros” at what they do. They are most likely masters of their craft and also conduct their business with integrity, excellent communication, and a positive demeanor. They approach the endeavors within their careers with thorough attention to detail both at and away from the harp. Let’s explore how to be a pro!

At the harp

1. The music

Loose pages, missing markings, or awkward page turns can really slow things down in a fast-paced rehearsal. One of the simplest ways to look—and feel—more professional is to have your music completely organized before you walk in the rehearsal room.

Whether it is in a lesson, a rehearsal, a wedding, an orchestral performance, or any other kind of performance, the first step in being a pro is to assemble your music in a reliable and accessible manner. I once saw the music of another instrumentalist fall off a stand in performance because it was looseleaf. It’s a good reminder that the smallest preparation details can save us from the biggest onstage headaches. We have enough to worry about at the harp that we don’t need to be concerned with loose pages or inconvenient page turns.

Mark your harp parts thoroughly and clearly, and bring at least a couple of pencils to use during rehearsal. What’s worked really well for me is going in with everything already marked—cues, measure numbers, pedals, fingerings, or any other aspect that will help you deliver the most reliable performance. Leaving no marking to chance has served me well. If you engrave parts for others, clarity is everything—it’s genuinely the kindest thing you can do for your colleagues. Try to avoid overlapping markings, dynamics, tempos, pedals, any other notes or staffs, and do your best to be sure that your page turns land in convenient places. Space your measures and lines well. Make sure the music is in the correct meter with all beamings accurate. Add phrase markings. A clearly marked, clean score is the key to ensuring a professional musical performance.

Pro tips for prepping your music:

  • Mark measure numbers
  • Clearly label pedals
  • Cue difficult entrances
  • Test page turns
  • Have clips or flags ready
  • Keep at least two pencils in your bag
  • Have tape on hand, just in case

2. The homework

Before any orchestral, choral, or chamber music gig, consult numerous recordings and the score, if available. I find that this type of preparation puts me more at ease going into the first rehearsal. It helps me be flexible depending on what the conductor or ensemble needs. It also helps train my ear to different interpretations, a kind of differential learning that we all should be challenging ourselves to prepare by. I’ve found that going in with the music already in my ears makes everything feel so much more comfortable right from the downbeat.

Other types of flexibility needed at rehearsals include tempo variations, conducting pattern changes, or dynamic variations. We should be prepared so that these variations will not alter the execution of our playing. We can then foreshadow some of these changes in the moment, leading to a more fluent and comfortable performing experience. I’ve played a couple of concerts where the location of the harp was changed at the concert or the program order was changed, but because I frequently practice flexibility, this was not a problem. We know that harp playing can be very demanding, especially concerning pedal changes and other challenging passages. Going into the first rehearsal with your part learned so well that you can be musically flexible in the moment is something I’ve carried with me since my undergrad studio days, and honestly, it’s never steered me wrong.

If applicable, ensure that the music you are given is the correct edition. As old scores are re-engraved, especially orchestral harp parts, errors can pop up. Do your homework by consulting other harp parts or ask your conductor about your questions ahead of the first rehearsal. If you have done your listening, learning, and score-study homework, you can fully “trust in your preparations,” as one of my harp teachers taught me long ago. You will consistently feel prepared for your performances if you practice these habits every practice period. Being prepared is our responsibility as quality musicians, and it will ensure the best potential outcome for our performances.

Pro tips for doing your homework:

  • Listen to multiple recordings, consulting several different interpretations of the work
  • Practice flexibility
  • Study the score and mark cues
  • Double-check editions and notes

3. The look

You’ve probably heard the old adage “dress for success.” Even today, when dress is more casual in mainstream society than in any other age, there is still a practical and psychological truism in this maxim. Of course there are different variations of what is considered professional or casual dress, and when to implement either style. There are some tried-and-true approaches. Obviously everyone has their own style, but here’s what’s worked for me:

For a professional rehearsal or meeting of any kind, I dress business casual. If the rehearsal is for a performance at a church on a Saturday morning, for example, I may wear nice, dark jeans, but also nice shoes (not tennis shoes), and a blouse, polo and sports coat, or nice top (never t-shirts). If it is an evening rehearsal like a professional orchestra or chamber music rehearsal with a conductor or other musicians, refrain from wearing jeans, rather, nice pants and tops similar to the aforementioned. As a rule, business casual should not include light, stonewashed, or ripped jeans, tennis shoes, nor sweatshirts/hoodies. I play my best if I feel really confident in how I look, and this is how I put my best foot forward and dress for success.

Posture matters at professional engagements. As harpists we constantly work on our posture as part of a sustainable, healthy approach to our massive instrument. During tacit sections at rehearsal, I maintain good sitting posture, never scroll on my phone, and also maintain a focused and attentive demeanor. This is unspoken communication to your hosts and fellow colleagues. I played a gig recently where an instrumentalist was on their phone in a section in which their part wasn’t being rehearsed. Staying off your phone and keeping an engaged, attentive posture—even during tacit sections—communicates so much to your colleagues without a single word or note.

The discussion on posture extends to sitting in classes, rehearsals, meetings, lessons, and interviews. Psychologists agree that 55 percent of communication is body posture, 38 percent is the words we speak, and seven percent is our tone of voice. That is a lot of unspoken communication! I avoid hunching, slouching, arm crossing, and letting my attention wander. Awareness of how we appear in professional situations is paramount as we seek to put our best self forward.

If asked to stand up in an ensemble after a performance, stand behind the harp, not in front of it. Other musicians hold their instruments in front of them, and because we are not a soloist, stand behind your harp (like behind the knee block) when acknowledged. Lastly, it is okay to ask if there is a place at the venue to store your harp for multiple days of a gig. Be courteous! Don’t put pressure on your host for a storage place, be flexible on location at the venue if needed, make sure it works with your host’s schedules, and be sure to show plenty of gratitude for this favor.

Pro tips for looking competent and capable:

  • Dress for success
  • Have great posture
  • Be focused and attentive
  • Be courteous in all spoken and unspoken communication

Away from the harp

What about all the time we spend away from our instrument? There are three specific areas where we can improve our professionalism beyond the harp: communication, reliability, and congeniality.

1. Communication

I believe that the quality of our professional communication should be consistent and reliable within our careers, whether it is within emails, texts, phone conversations, or in person. I have turned down potentially cool gigs simply because the email was poor, like spelling, punctuation, odd or no salutations, or very few details were offered like their proposed fee. In my experience, when the initial outreach feels scattered, the gig itself often follows suit, so it’s always worth paying attention to those early signals.

If you are texting with your host, use professional email etiquette like correct punctuation, complete sentences, and capital letters. We all have received texts where we couldn’t decipher what someone was saying. It is too easy to rattle off a quick spoken text while leaving errors and room for misinterpretation. It’s amazing how much a little extra care in our messages reflects the care we bring to everything else we do.

Be sure to answer all of the questions posed to you the first time around and in a concise format. Also ask yours in a similar fashion. Reading carefully and responding to every question in one go is a simple way to make working with you feel easy and pleasant for everyone.

If you are booking a gig with a client who needs a contract, be sure to put all of your contact information and website on the contract, and spell out the terms of your performance as clearly as possible. Try not to make it too long and wordy, however, as this can be tedious to read and understand. If you maintain a website, I believe this same concept applies. Nicely proofread material in an easy-to-read format is more attractive and marketable than a cluttered website.

We should be gracious even if we can’t take a gig. We can still be thankful and use phrases like “Thank you very much for your invitation to play with such and such ensemble. Unfortunately I am not available, but I would like to pass a few names of trusted colleagues your way.” or “This looks like a wonderful program! I am unavailable on this date but please keep my name and reach out again if I may ever be of service to your organization.” Use key phrases that show flexibility, interest, and gratitude to others. They very well may contact us again in the future if we are helpful and thankful.

If you cannot accept a gig, try to refer the client to one or two other professional harpists and include their contact information. Not only does this help them out, but it is good form and karma to be as helpful as we can be to our fellow colleagues of all sorts.

Pro tips for solid communication:

  • Proofread texts and emails
  • Be clear and use careful wording
  • Have a crystal clear contract
  • Have a website that’s easy to navigate and understand
  • Be gracious in all communication
  • Provide reliable referrals

2. Reliability

What does it mean to be reliable as a professional musician? Does it mean doing a good job? Does it mean being on time? Does it mean being a nice person who is easy to work with? It means all of these things!

Reliability means that others can count on us for what they may need. This doesn’t mean that we have what they need, but it means that we make ourselves available to help them try to get what they need. For instance, I try to abide by the 24-hour rule: respond to a professional inquiry yes, no, or maybe, within 24 hours. This greatly helps out the client and in turn lets us serve as a reliable colleague.

Reliability means that we are always on time. Arriving early is essential at rehearsals, performances, and interviews. I operate under the rule that if I am not early, I am late. You don’t truly know about the probability of traffic, accidents, parking, or if it will be challenging to move your harp into the venue. Leave nothing to chance. A fellow professional shared with me that they knew someone who mapped out all of the coffee shops in town. They left so much time before an engagement that they would often arrive early, but this way they would have somewhere to go and work if needed. While it isn’t sometimes possible to leave so much down time before an engagement, it is worth booking our day schedules to make this happen if possible. We have all had experiences where we “cut it close” and felt uncomfortable until we were at the venue, our harps in place. I have not been late for a performing commitment. I have, indeed, experienced a couple of instances where traffic or an accident cut my time close because I didn’t leave enough extra time for my trip in the first place.

I am currently on a search committee, and one applicant arrived at 12:00 p.m. for their noon interview. Even arriving right on time can create a stressful few minutes for everyone—for the committee wondering who to look for, and for you, not knowing where to go. Giving yourself that extra cushion just removes all of that.

Asking clarifying questions before rehearsal—rather than in the middle of one—is such a gift to your conductor and your colleagues. It signals that you’ve done your homework and you’re there to collaborate.

Reliability means we are flexible in rehearsal or performance, and it means that we will give our best faith effort to modify our parts if needed or do what the conductor asks us to do. During an interview or meeting, it means having all of the materials that others need from us in hand and accessible when we walk through the door.

Pro tips to practice reliability:

  • Adhere to the 24-hour rule when corresponding with clients and colleagues
  • Always be early with plenty of time to set up for a gig
  • Be gracious and flexible
  • Be prepared for the job

3. Congeniality

Throughout my life, I find joy and connection through trying to live out another old adage: I try not to have met a stranger. I believe that being kind, engaging, gracious, welcoming, and eager within my professional (and personal) life shapes my experiences in much more of a loving way than experiencing my work as a series of transactions. I find value in thanking others for their time, service, or expertise, no matter how big or small the contribution. This comment or compliment may make someone else’s day a little brighter. It creates connections between people, and it is extraordinarily valuable. Some people might think the pleasantries at the start of a professional email are unnecessary, but I genuinely mean every word. And when I’m on the receiving end of that kind of warmth, it really does make a difference. If this is a part of your personality or value, keep pursuing this value. Sharing gratitude or graciousness or well-wishes of any sort can go a long way towards creating these connections.

One thing I’m always working on myself is listening more than I talk—really letting the other person feel heard. It sounds simple, but it genuinely deepens every professional relationship.

Lastly, I highly value the handshake or wave before and after gigs with my host, if they are available. This shows that I took the extra time to once again connect with them and am grateful for my opportunity. I send thank-you emails after the gig, interview, or teaching opportunity (or if appropriate, cards). The little details in life we attend to can say large amounts about our values.

Pro tips for solid social skills:

  • Exude a friendly and gracious demeanor at gigs, no matter the circumstances
  • Show gratitude to your hosts and clients
  • Send follow-up notes of thanks or compliments after the event
  • Be sure to properly say goodbye to clients after a gig, even when things are busy

Excellence, integrity, and confidence!

It can take time to become the professional we strive to be. Away from the harp, we practice clear communication skills, we practice being consistently reliable, and we practice being receptive and engaged. At the harp, we practice, practice, practice! Serving as a professional in our field takes on multiple angles. At the heart of all of it is a genuine love for what we do and a commitment to showing up fully—at the harp and everywhere around it.

One of my instrumental colleagues several years ago shared a story with me I will never forget. He was applying for a major leadership position at a university he already taught at. He really wanted the job. He went to the interview, sat patiently, and when the committee opened the door, he already had a smile on his face and was able to greet them by name. Prior to the interview, he went online and studied the faces of everyone in the department. He learned their names and what they did so that when he toured the department with the committee and saw someone he recognized, he could name them by name and know something about them. He took a stellar interview and won the position.

My dear Aunt Joanne has taught me for years: Luck favors the well-prepared. How can we raise our bar and reach our limitless potential? Our potential has no limits if we approach our lives every day with excellence, integrity, and confidence! •