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I never thought of having rituals or gifts for amicably departing students, though the imagination can certainly take flight at the thought of rituals for the oppositie situation. (Even when a student does switch to another teacher, I try to be philosophical about it. I like to stay on good terms with all my former students.)
I wonder whether the hotel would even allow a musical instrument to be practised, as it might disturb the other guests. If you do decide to take along a harp of any size, I would ask the ask the hotel about their policy before you go.
There definitely are teachers who feel most comfortable teaching certain levels of students. I have taught all levels, and it is certainly fun to teach advanced students whose technique is already in place and you can concentrate on making music. However, it is also very rewarding to start raw beginners and watch them blossom into fine musicians. You may be right that those who started playing the harp in their late teens find it easier to teach beginners, because we remember what it was like. If you are lucky enough to be a natural player who started young, you can still be a brilliant teacher if you analyze what you’re doing, communicate clearly, and teach for enough years that you can recognize problems quickly and have several
Wasn’t O’Carolan blind from the age of eighteen? I would think that would make it more difficult to play smoothly.
Remember that book “101 Uses for a Dead Cat”? We could publish a similar book “101 Uses for a Bad Harp”. Some possible uses: doorstop, garden gate, planter, wind chime, firewood, backwall for tennis practice, cheese grater for giants. Add some chapters for uses of bad harp bits such as bad harp strings, bad harp discs, bad harpists!!, bad harp music, bad harp rods, and you’ve got a book!
Maybe it is the same alien who imprisoned Kim for a few days so that she had to gnaw her leg off to escape so that we could all enjoy Harp Column again. Or..wait!! Do you think it was he who built the Satanic Troubadour??
Madam Butterball! I love it! Maybe someone could play “The Turkey” during an entr’acte. Perhaps there could be an inserted dance scene from “Duck Pond” to round out the evening. Perhaps the conductor could be Peter Maxwell Gravy…The score could be cut and basted… Cio Cio San would reconsider committing seppuku and instead offer a dish of underdone turkey to Pinkerton, upon which he chokes to death on the wishbone, and she gets to keep her son! What do you think? Does the story have legs…or drumsticks, that is?
The CD is called “Erica Goodman and Friends”. and it is a 1992 recording made by CBC Records. A label on the front says Musica Viva, and the number at the top right is MVCD 1054. Also on it are the Samuel-Rousseau Variations Pastorales sur un vieux Noel, The Hoffman Quintet in C minor, the ravel Introduction et Allegro, and the Milton Barnes Divertimento for Harp and Strings. It’s a great recording; one of my favourites! Along with the Amadeus Ensemble: Moshe Hammer, Barry Shiffman, violns, Douglas Perry, viola, Jack Mendelssohn, cello and Joel Quarrington, bass, Suzanne Shulman plays the flute and Stanley McCartney plays clarinet. All fabulous musicians.
Maybe this student would benefit from sight-reading exercises! If she’s really not motivated to do a lot of practising, then she should develop her reading skills so that it doesn’t take as long to whip up a new piece. Maybe have a duet session at the end of each lesson, in which she reads really easy parts which she is not ALLOWED to practise at home. You could treat this as a reward for good work. A side benefit: You’ll be working on ensemble skills at the same time. Her goal may be just to play the harp for her own enjoyment, so this might fit the bill.
I forgot to include Anna Dunwoodie’s contact information for any of you who wish to get these sight-reading books. It is anna.d at xtra.ca.nz.
I have just bought Volumes 1 and 2 of progressive sight-reading exercises by Anna Dunwoodie and Lisa Williamson in New Zealand. My students with the wonderful ears have really enjoyed working with these, and it has brought their eyes back to the page! They have no fingerings, so the student has to think before they start.
