City transportation for pedal harps

[austin-macasieb]

Hello,
I am a student harpist (and owner of a Style 85 L&H pedal harp) who is moving to Boston, MA at the end of this summer in hopes to audition for Berklee School of Music.
Here is my dilemma;
How do harpists transport their harps in the city?

I understand most who live in busy cities such as New York, Boston, etc, do not have cars. So do harpists in cities move their harps about the street in order to transport them? Would you ever take your instrument on a city subway or bus? (The idea of that makes me very nervous, but if it is something that is done every day, I might feel more comfortable with the idea!)

Please leave a comment if you are or have been a harpist residing in the city. Any information is helpful. Thank you!

[Maya]

HELL NO! I’m Londoner and & no way would I take a pedal harp on public transport. It would be far too stressful & risky an experience. On busses, it would simply be impossible/not allowed. On the tube (subway), I would be terrified to do so for the following reasons: not all stations have proper disabled access so you can’t use those anyway, rush hour is brutal and too crowded in ANY city for a harp & people at rush hour (& in cities in general) are incredibly oblivious to their surroundings, trains often have gaps/aren’t level with the platform & the doors close quickly & violently.. I could go on but I think you get the idea.

As for walking it down the street, Boston has a lot of cobbles so it’s easier said than done. Also, there’s the whole crowded streets, oblivious people rushing everywhere etc. In some situations it’s feasible though.

I started a similar(ish) thread here: http://musicstand.harpcolumn.com/forums/performing/posts/60628 about the high cost and lack of practicality of running a car in the city. Using zipcars & other car rental services was suggested, as outside of harping, it makes little sense to drive anywhere.

At my conservatoire, if you need to transport a harp for part of your course, they will often do it for you or at least cover the costs of doing so. I’m sure it’s the same at most music colleges. However, I assume as you’re looking at Berklee, that you’ll end up playing a lot of gigs outside of your curriculum which you’ll have to fund.
Ultimately, I take taxis everywhere & find that most efficient. You don’t have to worry about parking, they pull up straight to your door + you’ll always have someone to help you move the harp.
Hope this was helpful!

[kreig-kitts]

Taxis are generally the way to go if the companies are reliable and have vehicles large enough. Many do. In Washington DC, taxi companies are not particularly reliable and often don’t show up when called. Livery services might be another option, which often have better service than taxis.

I’ve used ZipCar and still often do, though vehicle availability can be an issue. They don’t have many vehicles that will accomodate a harp and they can move vehicles around without notice, so the nearby vehicle you rely on might suddenly vanish or be replaced with one smaller. The basic annual fee is fairly small, so I’d suggest signing up anyway. Just don’t get one of the higher usage plans where you pay a minimum amount every month.

I wouldn’t think of my pedal harp on mass transit. The elevators (DC Metro stations are further underground than most city’s due to softer dirt or something) aren’t that large and often the elderly or disabled need them at the same time and an escalator is a YouTube video waiting to happen and be reposted on the Fail Blog. They’re also often out of service, requiring shuttle service from the next station. Finally, rush hours would just be too crowded. In Washington bikes aren’t supposed to be on the trains during rush hour, so you can imagine the looks a harp would get once the novelty wore off.

If you want a transit-friendly harp, I’d get a lap harp. Fortunately I hear Maeve Gilchrist just joined the Berklee faculty so there is a strong lever harp role model.

[kreig-kitts]

PS on ZipCar – You have to find and pay for parking while at the gig or whatever. As Maya said, taxis pick you up and drop you off, then they go someplace else and you don’t worry about it. Learn to pack light for gigs and load efficiently so you can get in and out of the cab in as few trips as possible. And of course tip generously. If you find a driver you like with a suitable vehicle, I’d ask for their card if that’s legal in the area (taxi regulations can be quite complex).

[Maya]

Adding to what Kreig said, if you can’t always get the same driver, in London we have a taxi company that through word of mouth, practically the entire harp community uses. You can call them up & say ‘I need car for one passenger & a harp’ & they know exactly which cars they can send. All the drivers also know how to get the harp in the back & are well practiced at doing so. Given that Boston has so many music colleges, I’m sure a similar firm exists. Once you get there, just ask around.

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