Between day jobs, freelance gigs, teaching, babies and Chicago rush hour traffic, finding the time for all 4 members of the Chicago Harp Quartet is difficult to say the least. But, we were able to find 7 hours this past week for a marathon CHQ rehearsal and dinner...
Lets face it ladies (and gentlemen), playing the harp is a full body activity. Beyond the hand-eye-foot coordination required for getting through music like Renie's "Danse de Lutins", a harpist must also have a strong and healthy body to move and play their...
Because of the inevitable drop-off of students in the summer (uughghg), I pick up a seasonal life guard job. Yesterday was my first day back at the pool where I love to catch up on one of my favorite podcasts, Freakonomics. The episode was titled "When Willpower Isn't...
There was a time while I was living in Rochester completing my doctoral studies that I would take my Salvi Juno out and play for tips. Some days were lucrative, others not so much; there was one day that I literally made $4 after playing for 3 hours. I learned a...
Yes ladies and gentlemen... It's all part of the show!! Watch in awe (and horror) as an average-sized female in a gown attempts to unload and then transport an 88-pound instrument, a bench, and a music stand! Watch her open doors with only the fling of an arm and an...
GOOD LUCK!! A handful of my harp friends are taking the Metropolitan Opera audition this week. The last audition I took was for the Curtis harp studio after my masters. Although I was not accepted, and I thought my harp career was over, in a way I still felt like I...
Sometime during my 6 hour afternoon background gig (before the dress rehearsal and concert I still had waiting for me later in the day) I was playing one of my standards – Moon River. A wave of confusion swept over as I was rudely brought back to reality realizing I...
"Choose a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." - Confucius I talk with my harp friends all the time about how thankful we are that we don't have a mundane 9 am - 5 pm job. We can make our own schedule, our yoga class option is later than 6 am, and...
As I turned to move my harp cart to the side, I let go of my harp. Seconds later, the royal blue transport cover quickly came into my peripheral vision, the knee block heading straight for the curb. Why couldn't I catch it? Why did I let go? Why is this happening to...
-Why waste time doing practice that merely practices in your mistakes and doesn't turn your efforts into music? -Why does it take so long to make the notes sound beautiful? -Why can't your practice inspire you? Actually, your practice not only can be inspiring - it...
