First Harp Recital

[Molly]

Hi everyone! I will be giving my first recital next month, which is so exciting! We have a lot of family, friends, and coworkers that will attend, so it is not feasible to host the recital at our house. So, we have opted to rent out a local recital hall for the evening and provide some small bites and drinks for our guests. It is not unreasonably priced, but it will cost us some money to host this event.

My question is, my teacher had suggested inviting some of the teachers and other harp students from the music school, and while I’m absolutely okay with them attending, I am wondering if we should request a cash contribution from each of them to attend, since this is a private event we are hosting. I am unsure how to handle this situation since it is not really a “gig”, but it’s not exactly just a “party” either. It is a performance. What is all of your opinion on charging outside guests for this event?

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

You can set it up as “pay what you wish” or “donations for expenses gladly accepted.” How much food you are serving could make a difference. It is customary to serve punch, beverages, cheese and crackers, cookies and bars, etc., certainly if you are selling tickets. You could sell tickets at a low price, $5-10 to cover costs. Or, you could also say that donations will be divided between expenses and a favorite charity. I don’t know what your intentions are. I’ve always presented recitals as professional events, no matter who is attending. If this is not meant to be professional performing, then you have to eat the cost, as they eat the eats. It does cost money. I really don’t have an answer. People get offended by anything one does. I had someone get irate once that AHS members didn’t get in free, even though it was not a chapter event. As people are handed programs, someone could say, here is a donation jar to help cover costs. Or, just say, admission by donation.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

You can’t say “free-will”donation, because then people see the word “free” and think it is free!

[Molly]

Thanks for the replies!! Since this is my first performance, I wouldn’t say it’s a professional one. Even though I am performing. But it’s more like a showcase. I’ll probably just pay to host everything, just as I would pay to host any other party or event I was inviting people to. I did find another venue that is willing to let me use the space for free, so that will help offset the costs as well. I’ll probably give them a donation for letting me perform there but I’ll probably front the costs for small bites and some drinks.

[balfour-knight]

Hi Molly,

It might be good for you to let them know that you have just purchased a new harp, and that a harp always needs strings. I assume that you will be playing your new Prelude for this recital. I let it be known that a donation to my harp string fund will be greatly appreciated! A donation jar or container is always set out for this purpose. This is for my no-charge charity events, of course. Like Saul and other professionals here, we generally contract the event for a fee and then the folks in charge of the venue sell the tickets and collect the fees.

Wishing you all the best when you play this recital!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

[Molly]

That is a great suggestion, thanks Balfour! I will be playing my Prelude at this recital, her first maiden performance with me!

I dont want to seem cash grabby for something that I am inviting people to, as it seems more like I am hosting people than putting on a professional event. I don’t see what the harm could be in setting out a jar for people to contribute if they wish, but I’m torn on it.

[balfour-knight]

Molly, how did your recital go? Hope all is great with you.

Harp Hugs,
Balfour and Carol Lynn

[Molly]

Hi Balfour! It isn’t for a couple weeks yet. I am feeling a bit unprepared because I haven’t been able to get a lesson in a few weeks as my teacher has been having performances all month, and I’ve been traveling abroad for the past week. Plus I contracted covid as well, so I haven’t been able to get much meaningful practice in. I am very much nervous about it and hope I will be able to perform well.

[balfour-knight]

Molly, so good to hear from you. Here’s wishing you all good thoughts for getting through everything at this busy time of year!
Holiday Harp Hugs,
Balfour and Carol Lynn

[Molly]

Thank you, I will be sure to update when I’ve had my recital! Practice is coming along well and I should be able to confidently play my repertoire with minimal hiccups (as much as can be expected, anyway)

I hope you and Carol Lynn have a wonderful holiday season! Are you doing any holiday performances this year?

[balfour-knight]

Hi Molly,

Thanks for asking–I am doing a full Advent/Christmas concert at a small Methodist church in our area, on Dec. 11 for their 11:00 a.m. service. They have asked me to play piano, organ, and my Dusty Strings FH36S lever harp. The organist of that church and I will also play a couple of harp/organ duets. This is wonderful for me to do in retirement, as I can totally pick which pieces and carols to play for them, no pressure! After years and years of hectic, frantic holiday seasons, this is great! I have friends here who are still under that kind of pressure this year, and I really feel for them. Some years, I would have concert harp performances on all the Sundays of Advent, plus Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! There were even weddings and funerals during that busy time, to add to the mix!

It is wonderful that musicians are now able to resume making music, though, and I think that is one reason why it seems so busy this year.

Wishing you and yours peace and joy this holiday season,
Balfour and Carol Lynn

[Molly]

How wonderful! December 11 is right around the corner. I am so happy that you are able to perform the pieces that give you the most joy. I am sure that you have played those pieces many times, so you can probably sit back and just enjoy playing your instruments. My teacher is playing concerts virtually every weekend this month, and I imagine she is under a lot of pressure as you said. I really feel for her as well during this time. I haven’t seen her at all in weeks!

Best of luck to you in your performance, and have fun!!

[balfour-knight]

Thanks for all your good wishes, Molly! It will be just one week from today, ha, ha! It really is great to be able to play for people again after the pandemic messed up all of that. I do not have the technology, nor do I want it, to do anything virtually. I need a visible, actually present audience, so I can feel their reactions to my music. That is the greatest blessing!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

[Molly]

Balfour, how did your performance go? I realize it was just a few days ago!

I completely understand what you mean with the live audience. It is wonderful to have that feedback. I have a love/hate relationship with it, as I have intense stage fright and I feel it would be less stressful for me to do virtual performances, but you do miss out on the audience’s reactions which is such a wonderful part of playing for people.

[balfour-knight]

So good to hear from you, Molly. My concert went beautifully! I was a bit nervous two days before it, but I went to the church and practiced for the concert on Saturday, and had a wonderful time playing with Mike, the church organist. We spent almost the whole day together, and he and I played some harp/organ and piano/organ duets which we created the arrangements of. Saturday was so much fun that I ended up very relaxed and full of the Christmas spirit on Sunday for the 11:00 concert! In addition to the duets, I played solo harp, piano and organ, each for about 20 minutes, so it was a full concert. The church was almost full to capacity, and everyone said that we played all of their favorites and MADE their Christmas. It truly is “the most wonderful time of the year!”

Wishing you the best for your recital, too!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

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