A harpist’s guide to setting up shop in a new city

Transitions in life, like transitions in music, can be tough. Whether you are just out of college and building your harp business, or a new job takes you away from your established harp life, relocating is not easy. I know! I’ve moved twice in the past five years, and have some ideas that may help your next transition go more smoothly.

Before Moving

Share the News in Person

Your colleagues and students need to hear about your move from you, rather than through the grapevine. Tell people about your upcoming move in person or at least over the phone. I love emails or texts, but sharing big news in person shows you respect your colleagues and care about your students. If you have any recurring gigs, be sure to recommend possible replacements. Carefully plan how and when to talk with your current students. If they are really young, I prefer to tell the parents over the phone first and then talk with the student and parent during the last few minutes of a lesson. This way parents are not blindsided and can be ready to deal with any emotions or fears their child expresses about this change. (In my experience many kids take the news better than their parents.) Reassure everyone that you will help them find a new teacher.

Update Your Online Presence

Once your upcoming move is public knowledge, it is time to update your location on websites, online directories, and social media. Run an internet search on yourself to make sure you update everything. If you have a personal website, update the search engine optimization settings (SEO) and submit your “new” site to search engines directly. I recommend updating your location online before your actual physical move. Did you know it can take Google between four days and four months to update search engine results for a website? Plus brides and event planners are usually looking to book musicians months in advance, so the sooner you show up in searches in your new market, the better.

After Moving

Make Harp Friends

Your fellow harpists are going to be your number one source for gig referrals and new students.

Your fellow harpists are going to be your number one source for gig referrals and new students. It is vitally important to get to know them and let them get to know you. Take a lesson with the local university harp professor and the local orchestra harpist if possible, or invite them for coffee or lunch. Join the nearest chapter of the American Harp Society (AHS). I now live geographically between two AHS chapters, so I joined them both. Go to chapter events first, then volunteer to run for office, or offer to give a recital or workshop for the chapter. No chapter? No problem. It is pretty simple to reinstate an inactive chapter or charter a new one. It only takes six members and some paperwork—what a great way to meet your new harp neighbors. Attending local orchestra concerts, university recitals, masterclasses, and chapter events are great ways to not only keep learning, but also support fellow harpists and meet new people.

Mind Your Manners

Once you’ve made new harp friends, it is important to ask about the going rates for weddings, events, and lessons in the area. Nothing dries up referrals from fellow harpists faster than charging cheaper rates that undercut the market. Also, if you know who referred you for the work, be sure to thank them.

Say Yes!

Consider accepting gigs that might have been a hard pass in your previous busy life. Why? Some work is better than no work, plus you might stumble upon some surprising benefits. Accompanying a high school choir might lead to new harp students. Performing with an amateur community orchestra could help you learn new repertoire in a low stress environment. At a church gig you might meet and impress the person who does local musician contracting. You will likely meet some interesting people who hire or recommend you for future gigs. You just never know.

Get Creative

If your new area has lots of harpists; lucky you. Chances are you will quickly start to get work if you follow my first three post-move tips. In areas with fewer harpists where harp isn’t on people’s radar you will have to get out there and show them how cool the harp is. Farmers markets, yoga studios, bridal gown boutiques, hotels, libraries, your imagination is the only limit to finding places to perform that might lead to more work. I’ve been known to offer barter agreements with other small businesses that could not otherwise afford to hire a harpist. I’ve been paid in clothes, hotel nights, even yoga classes for gigs. As long as the monetary value for the goods equals what I would charge for the gig, it is a win-win in my book.

Score New Students

Reach out to other instrumental lesson teachers at pre-college music schools or large private studios and offer to accompany their students on recitals. Many piano accompaniments for beginning string repertoire can be easily edited for the harp. Those beginning violin students may have siblings that fall in love with the harp, and your audience already understands the value of music lessons. Let your new harp teacher colleagues in the area know you are accepting students. If you get an inquiry from a harp student that wants to change teachers, be sure to pick up the phone and call (not text, not email) their current teacher to find out what is going on. Making sure all the parties involved are aware of the situation is the ethical thing to do, and, in my opinion, no student is worth upsetting your colleagues.

Embrace the Free Time

Less work equals more time for things you might have been putting off in the past. Now is a great time to submit an article to your favorite publications, learn new repertoire, publish your compositions or arrangements, brush-up those audition excerpts, record some YouTube videos, overhaul your website, organize your music library, take new publicity photos featuring your new surroundings, or anything else you’ve always wanted to do. I took a short vacation after our last move, and it was a brilliant decision.

Building any business takes time. Stay patient, be persistent, and go get ’em! •