Ideas for expanding gig repertoire

Log in to your Harp Column account to post or reply in the forums. If you don’t have an account yet, you’ll need to email us to set one up.

This topic has 7 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 5 months ago by onita-sanders.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

Author

Posts
November 5, 2011 at 3:57 am #147038

daniellethetexasharpist
Participant

Hi everyone,

I am just starting out to gig more regularly and am looking for some easy ideas to add some variety to my gig repertoire.
I currently have a lot of classical selections, some Jewish (from Sunita Staneslow), some Celtic/folk songs, and a few more modern pieces by Andres. I’m not a big jazz or rock person, but thought some Broadway songs might be nice?
Do any of you have ideas or books you would recommend for some variety? I can improvise off of melody/chords, so maybe there would be some inexpensive fakebooks that would be helpful? I’m hoping not to make this a big outlay…harp music can be expensive!
I’d love to hear any and all ideas you might have!

Thank you!

November 5, 2011 at 2:43 pm #147039

onita-sanders
Participant

When I first started out playing in a restaurant, Harvi Griffen suggested that I have commited to memory at least 40 selections and build upon that.

November 5, 2011 at 5:38 pm #147040

patricia-jaeger
Member

Regarding , remember that from December 26 through 31, music stores as well as other retailers, seek to reduce inventory on which they would be liable for taxes. Fake books might be reduced considerably – think 30 to 50%- during that time. A very useful one is The Classical Fake Book published by Hal Leonard Corporation. Not only excerpts from symphonies, but waltzes, short pieces by Debussy and others, are included, as melodies with chord symbols, so useful for those who improvise on the harp.

November 8, 2011 at 5:34 pm #147041

patricia-jaeger
Member

Danielle, adding some country-western pieces to your repertoire makes a nice change, and your audiences will really sit up and listen if they hear such catchy melodies as Duelling Banjos, Last Date, The Homecoming, Steel Guitar Rag, and so on. Louise Trotter of Houston TX is the foremost exponent of this style on the pedal harp and whenever she plays these arrangements of hers, people gather to marvel at her fleet fingers. If you go to http://www.louisetrotter.com and browse her music and CDs you can find those compositions on her recordings such as Scenes from the Southwest,

November 8, 2011 at 6:20 pm #147042

Jerusha Amado
Participant

Patricia,

These are some great ideas!

November 8, 2011 at 7:15 pm #147043

daniellethetexasharpist
Participant

Thank you so much for your ideas! Keep them coming! 🙂

November 11, 2011 at 4:01 pm #147044

daniellethetexasharpist
Participant

would any of you recommend some Disney classics? Or would that be more limiting depending on the venue?

November 15, 2011 at 3:58 pm #147045

onita-sanders
Participant

Just thought I would expand a little on your follow-up post.
Author

Posts