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Christa played a great set on the 4th.
Saul- no lights, no orchestra in the pit; instead, the winds were in the balcony. For added drama, the platform built for the harpists was a bit too tiny for most performers and Sivan Magen solved this by pushing the harp forward so the front feet were off the platform and held the harp back until the very end. As for the piece – it had some fine moments, but perhaps didn’t quite hold together compositionally throughout.
I’m back, and nearly caught up on sleep. It was a great success, in my opinion. The format was basically workshops/lectures/masterclasses in the morning, concerts from 1;00 ’til… Your favorite, Heidi Lehwalder, was a delight in everything in which she participated. Alice Giles really shone in both her masterclass and Salzedo’s Concerto for Harp and Seven Winds. As I’m gathering my thoughts, I think I should be rewriting the lyrics to a Gilbert and Sullivan patter song – there are so many highlights to mention. There was a lot of repertoire either new, new to the US or rarely heard that thankfully shied away from the type of pieces that treat the harp so violently and unmusically. With one concert devoted to choir and harp and another to harp and dance, we had some unique and satisfying concert formats to enjoy.
A few more highlights auditioning for song lyrics: stagehands in kilts, Salzedo’s studio replica, Elizabeth Volpe Bligh remembering to tune her maracas before her scintillating performance of Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, the inclusion of silliness – from Deborah Henson-Conant’s “In the Wings” to the “Are We Having Fun Yet” performance, the impromptu Aficionados concert, Celso Duarte padre e hijo, concerto heaven, and of course a great community of harpists with whom to enjoy it all.
I feel bad that you’re here all alone with a question, Kay, so even though I don’t have much of an answer, I wanted to chime in to help you get started. With a student who starts young and is serious, there is a definite end date for most teachers, and that is sending the kid on to college, so in theory, a student could start at age 7 and continue until age 18. There are exceptions – I know students who began lessons with, or switched early to a conservatory-based harp teacher and continued on with that teacher in college. I’m currently teaching a former student for the summer break, even though she studies with someone else at college. My experience as a student: I spent 9 years with my first teacher and moved on to someone else 2 years before college.
For an adult student, if the relationship is strong, the lessons can continue on for as long as the student wants.
I feel bad that you’re here all alone with a question, Kay, so even though I don’t have much of an answer, I wanted to chime in to help you get started. With a student who starts young and is serious, there is a definite end date for most teachers, and that is sending the kid on to college, so in theory, a student could start at age 7 and continue until age 18. There are exceptions – I know students who began lessons with, or switched early to a conservatory-based harp teacher and continued on with that teacher in college. I’m currently teaching a former student for the summer break, even though she studies with someone else at college. My experience as a student: I spent 9 years with my first teacher and moved on to someone else 2 years before college.
For an adult student, if the relationship is strong, the lessons can continue on for as long as the student wants.
I feel bad that you’re here all alone with a question, Kay, so even though I don’t have much of an answer, I wanted to chime in to help you get started. With a student who starts young and is serious, there is a definite end date for most teachers, and that is sending the kid on to college, so in theory, a student could start at age 7 and continue until age 18. There are exceptions – I know students who began lessons with, or switched early to a conservatory-based harp teacher and continued on with that teacher in college. I’m currently teaching a former student for the summer break, even though she studies with someone else at college. My experience as a student: I spent 9 years with my first teacher and moved on to someone else 2 years before college.
For an adult student, if the relationship is strong, the lessons can continue on for as long as the student wants.
I was right there with you with the bare feet when i played it last summer. If pedal accuracy wasn’t enough of a reason to “wear” my most sensitive soles, the hollow floor that amplified ever step I took sealed the deal.
Hey, Zach-
Ask Kathleen – she performs this beautifully. I have her info if you don’t. Hope all’s well!
DianeFrom the perspective of a teacher, specifically about worrying that your teacher won’t know how hard you worked:
We can hear and see hard work through the nervous mistakes. If in last week’s lesson a student and I focused on a particular mistake to be corrected, and I see that job was done, a new mistake where there wasn’t one last week won’t detract.
When nervousness derails a student, that can be a topic for a lesson. Since this usually happens at the beginning of a lesson, I remind them that sitting down cold and expecting their best performance is unrealistic. If warming up directly before a lesson is impossible, look at that first pass through last week’s material in the lesson as a warm up. Cut yourself some slack: go slow, if it is newly memorized, use the music, and take the time before playing to gather your thoughts about this specific piece or passage.
Another Salzedo model owner here, deeply in love with it! This is purely unscientific, but I have a theory about the projection and clear bass sound. It seems that the widest part of the soundboard sits just a bit lower than on a 23. I noticed this visually, too, with Salvi Apollo’s, which to my ears, provide the same wonderful projection and, shall I say, oomph. Like Vince, I do have to sit rather high to play it, but I don’t feel overwhelmed or overpowered by it.
I believe it was Miss Chalifoux who taught the opening notes of Chanson dans la nuit as “Blueberry huckleberry pie.”
My 4 against 3 is PG-13: pass the goddamn butter.
Funny how many food words get us through rhythms!
I believe it was Miss Chalifoux who taught the opening notes of Chanson dans la nuit as “Blueberry huckleberry pie.”
My 4 against 3 is PG-13: pass the goddamn butter.
Funny how many food words get us through rhythms!
I believe it was Miss Chalifoux who taught the opening notes of Chanson dans la nuit as “Blueberry huckleberry pie.”
My 4 against 3 is PG-13: pass the goddamn butter.
Funny how many food words get us through rhythms!
