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Thank you Balfour and Carol Lynn. Sorry, when Covid hit I completely stopped and haven’t looked at this site for months. Your answer is helpful as that’s about what I have been charging. Thanks again. Sharon
I’ve had a Samsung 12.2 (less expensive than Ipad) for 2+ years. Page is almost the size of a normal sheet of music. Good for elderly eyes. I use MobileSheets to scan in the music. It is good in full sun as well as lack of good lighting. Highly recommend it (or similar) as I was carrying 5, 2″ binders to weekly restaurant gig as well as other background music gigs. Fantastic for organized set lists also. I couldn’t live without it! However, I am cautious and don’t want to depend on electronics totally so do carry the binders and a music stand in the car. I have a tablet stand for the tablet.
Have tried several pedals to change pages but find they all seem to have problems so just tap a finger.Hi Jerusha
Here are the songs I play (in no particular order)with arrangers.
I have noted key when it is two or more flats as I know many lever harpists do not tune with 2 or more flats.
Habanera for Jose Eb Song I wrote for the owner of the restaurant
Don’t cry for me Argentina – Sylvia Woods
Latin Folk Song Medley – Duermete mi NIno, Arroz con Leche, Mulher Rendeira, Canto del Pilon. my arrangement
Pescador de Hombres (Lord you have come) Angie Bemis
Maleguena – Louise Trotter
Cien Anos – my arrangement but not out of copyright so I don’t share.
Danza de Luzma – Alfredo Ortiz
El Condor Pasa Ab – my arrangement
Pena de los Amores my arrangement but not out of copyright so I don’t share
Camanito, probably still under copyright
Besame Mucho – don’t remember but could probably find it
Solomente una Vez (You belong to my heart. arr Lou Ann Gramann
Juanita – Eb -my arrangement
La Paloma- Eb – my arrangement
Ceilito Lindo – Louise Trotter
La Cucaracha – my arrangement
La Jesucita – my arrangement
Amado Mio – my arrangement but still under copyright
Juventud Antiguena – my arrangement
Love me with all your heart (Cuando Calienta el Sol – still under copyright – my arrangement
Any of the old folksongs not under copyright I would be happy to share. Others you should purchase from the harp arrangers. Otherwise, find piano music to purchase and then arrange it for harp which is what I have done in many cases.
The Mexican restaurant where I play has a clientele of 40% Latinos, 40% Caucasian,with the other 20% being Filipino, Chinese and Japanese. I play a lot of general pops and show tunes as well as some light classical. I don’t play this entire list above in one 3 hour evening as it would be a bit much for a general audience.
Good Luck and let me know how it goes.
SharonThank you so much Jessica. Answers I have received have given me more confidence (or at least knowing the questions to ask) which is a big plus. Have also made a “friend” of the music director of a very prestigious catholic church in the area. He is extremely helpful.
Thanks again so very much everybody.
SharonSylvia, I can’t thank you enough. What a fantastic reply – even with suggested tunes. This is a wonderful help and I shall get myself to a Catholic church. Also, it is helpful to know (Balfour-Knight) of the similarity to Anglican. I feel more confident I could do this now and as I play in Mexican restaurant each week (Yes, curious, a Celtic harp in a Mexican restaurant???) a large number of the people who contact me are Catholic. Many, many thanks. Shaorn
A bit late to be answering but DO learn What Child is This as it is also Greensleeves. A wonderful “year round” song. Sharon
I am interested in what is being charged for an hour of playing in a retirement/nursing home in Northern California. Have no idea and can’t seem to find out what they pay other musicians (guitarists, singers, pianists and such). I do volunteer playing frequently at one very large institution and for one charity but am interested in doing some other gigs for recompense.
Thanks everyone for your ideas. I’ll hit the craft stores as soon as Halloween madness is over and see what I can do.
Although not Catholic I have played them at the insistence of parents who hear me in a restaurant. I do need someone to cue me in (and out) though. I play classical and a lot of O’Carolan and it seems to work. Have found the church music directors very helpful in all cases.
I have been playing at a local restaurant for 4 years. I always put out a tip jar. Tips vary from a low of $7 in three hours to almost $50. I set out a nice glass jar/vase with some colored glass blobs in the bottom to make it more stable and “salt” it with 3 one dollar bills. Also put out cards (from which I’ve received additional gigs) and CD’s. Don’t sell many CD’s. To put this in perspective, the average price of a dinner here is $15.00 – not a high end place. All restaurants (I’ve done others too) in California seem to expect you to put out tip jars.
I have it in conjunction with my “umbrella” policy for houses, cars, etc. Check with your personal insurance person. Less than $10 per year.
Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I have a peak stand and it is great but a bit too big and heavy for this situation. The Anderson looks fabulous but again fairly heavy and much too high a price for me to pay for what is really a volunteer/charity gig. I’ll definitely look into the others as soon as I can. Thanks again – Great to have voices out there to offer assistance. Sharon
I started at 65 and am now 77. I play a regular restaurant gig and lots of other events. It helped that I already played piano and could read music. Encourage this person!!!!!
Do any of these policies also cover liability? Harp falls over on young child (who shouldn’t have been there in the first place) – string breaks and hits someone (repeat). Perhaps I am overly concerned but so far have only seen policies that cover the instrument itself.
I play once a week for dinner – 3 hours at a small (44 seat) restaurant in the S.F. bay area. Average is $100 with what they pay me and tips, plus the occasional CD sale. I also get a free meal and all the wine I want (which is not much if you want your fingures to keep working properly,…) Not a lot of money but advantages are that it keeps me practicing and learning (and arranging) new music and from the exposure I have gotten additional more highly paid gigs. They are also very accommodating as I am out of town and out of the country frequently so not available every week.
