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I initially grew up with no strict technique, so I just did what worked. Then, I started taking weekly lessons from a harpist who studied with Alice Chalifoux. She was very adamant about raising, and would always ask me to play something (usually, but not always, a chord) with and without raising, to hear the difference. My teachers now are not so keen on raising, though, and I feel my movements being contained a little more. Eventually, I think I will even out to be a compromise of full and no raise – it really does depend on the context of the piece and whatever is needed.
With regards to techniques like Salzedo versus Grandjany versus Renie etc., I think it is very valuable to have some exposure with at least more than one so that the harpist can choose which technique(s) best accomplishes the desired sound/effect of a certain passage.
In general, I prefer the sound of L&H over Camac for pedal harps, but when it comes to lever harps, I have the opposite opinion – I would personally go with the Camac Azilliz versus the Ogden.
I just got my Harp Column magazine in the mail today! I’m so excited! Hopefully everyone else will get theirs in the next few days.
The piece that took me the longest to really get really comfortable with was “Introduction et Allegro” by Ravel. I started learning it at the beginning of the school year last year, and that was basically the only piece my teacher and I worked on that year. This past summer was the first time I really understood and connected with the piece. I also improved it during the following fall and winter. I have just switched teachers this year, and I am working at improving my harp skills before going to conservatory, so if I were to have learned the piece now, I fell that I might get a handle on it faster. This is partly because I’ve been trying to learn lots of repertoire in the past 4 months and have attempted to learn each piece quickly, while still accomplishing the musical aspects of the piece (interpretation, tempo, accuracy, dynamics, etc.).
Depending on amount of time available to practice, I usually warm-up for about 30 minutes before launching into my solo pieces. There have been times when I have had to practice performing and beginning a piece without any warm-up because there would be no time for ample warm-up at the performance venue. However, I regularly do warm-ups because it keeps my hand in a correct and relaxed position as well as makes my hands warm so I don’t injure my hands or play with bad technique, similar to a dancer or an athlete.
I’m sorry to tell you this, but I don’t believe there is an opening in harp this year at Curtis… unless you’re talking about a different one than the one in Philadelphia. Bach, as you most likely know, is one of the hardest composers to play well. Maybe try a slow Alamande from the Bach-Grandjany etudes…but those aren’t very easy, either. Also, I don’t know why you have to record these pieces so soon…harp usually does not require pre-screens for music schools.
