A new digital conference and competition, One Pedal Off, has announced its 2021 conference schedule. The conference will be held online July 30–Aug. 1. Presenters include Joseph Rebman, Noël Wan, Lara Somogyi, Jess Garland, Charles Overton, and more. We caught up with the conference organizer, Kristina Finch, to learn more.
This is the inaugural One Pedal Off Digital Conference. Tell us how the conference got started, and what inspired this year’s programming.
The One Pedal Off conference has been stewing in my brain in one form or another for about 10 years. I have long been inspired by the harpists in my generation—by their resourcefulness, adaptability, and persistent advocation for the evolution of our amazing instrument. Personally speaking, my career has benefited greatly from the advice and expertise of my closest harpist friends. They are the people I turn to when I don’t know how to handle a professional situation, need a push in the right direction, or need a sounding board for my newest crazy idea. It is in these relationships and personal gains that I found the inspiration for the conference.
What are some highlights of the schedule to check out?
We have two separate Zoom streams that will run throughout the weekend (July 30–Aug. 1). One will house the live content: presentations, masterclasses, and our feature performances. The second will run from 10am-4:30pm on Friday and Saturday, featuring pre-recorded performances from our 10 amazing presenters. There’s a little something for everyone here and truly too much to list here, but performances by Brandee Younger and Katherine Siochi are certain to be conference highlights.
How can listeners access the conference?
There are two levels of registration available, Live and On-Demand. Live Registration ($75) will grant you full access to the two Zoom streams from July 30–Aug. 1. On-Demand Registration ($100 or +$25 for Live registrants) will grant you access to all of the conference content, both live presentations and pre-recorded performances, for two weeks after the end of the conference through a password-protected website. Registration is available through our website.
What do you hope to share with harpists through the One Pedal Off Digital Conference?
Now, more than ever, it’s important that we support one another. I think it’s so easy, especially in the harp world, to feel isolated. But the reality is that there is a huge and vibrant world of amazing harpists who each have something unique to offer our community. My aim was to provide a platform to showcase the knowledge and skills of a few harpists who I greatly admire for their authenticity, kindness, and success. It’s my hope that this conference will provide people with practical tools that they will be able to implement and adapt into their own careers, as well as introduce them to some of the most exciting young players in our community.
For more information, visit the One Pedal Off conference website.
