Fairy Reel

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 100 total)
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  • in reply to: Looking at Colleges #166513
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Furman University in South Carolina is good (though I know out of your range!) maybe look into Fordham or NYU? And Boston University, Rutgers, Belmont University (in Nashville)….I suppose

    in reply to: Playing Harp and Secondary Instrument #108622
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Dear Nancy,

    I started off my music career by playing piano, which I still love and believe prepared me immensely for playing the harp. Since I began studying the harp seriously, however, I dropped piano lessons to concentrate solely on the harp. I can still play piano, and I have no idea where I would be with my music if I hadn’t begun with piano. That being said, I have recently begun the violin! I sound absolutely horrible and am absolutely thrilled.

    –Fairy

    in reply to: Harp Feature with Concert Band or Large Wind Ensemble #61314
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Hey,

    I’m going to sound crazy, but last year I played a Sousa march with a Wind Ensemble, “Easter Morning on the White House Lawn”. The part is for harp or piano, and while the harp isn’t very prominently featured, it’s a nice piece. Standard Wind Ensemble affair.

    Hope this helps!

    in reply to: Harmonics #159432
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Hey,

    If you are still having trouble, you can try marking the harmonic spot on the string with white-out. I’ve met harpists who have been playing for years who still use this for hard-to-hit harmonics.

    Good luck!

    in reply to: Thoughts on Swanson Harps #74847
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Me, too! When I upgrade to a Concert grand I really want to go Swanson!

    in reply to: Flute/Harp Repetoire #110725
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Thanks a million, everyone, for your advice! (And sorry I spelled ‘accepted’ as ‘excepted’–it’s been a long week!)

    I’m looking forward to researching and playing all the wonderful pieces you all have listed. I’m also looking forward to starting ensemble work! A new door is opening for me!

    Hope you all are having as fun a time in general as I am!

    (And good luck Zoraida, with your program in October! Wish I could hear it!)

    Have a good weekend!~~~Fairy

    in reply to: Music you personally dislike, but still respect #110744
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    I have to say I tend to find most ‘Classical’ music boring unless I’m playing it; for instance, I tend to flip past it on the radio. I do however really enjoy classical music when I really sit down and listen to it, like at a symphony, recital, ballet, etc.

    For the most part, though, I like

    in reply to: Discrepancy in Eleanor Plunkett #110750
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    See, the thing with Irish songs is that, one, a lot of the songs have been passed down orally. Actually, I don’t think O’Carolan’s songs were published during his lifetime (don’t quote me on that and correct me if I’m wrong).

    Something you really have to keep in mind is that both versions–actually, all versions mentioned in the above posts are someone else’s arrangments. It’s what THEY thought was nice; what someone else thought worked. The phrase in question is not a drastic melody change all things considered, so really there is no right or wrong.

    I do love this piece, I must say! When I play it I’ve arranged it my own way entirely; it’s more fun, I think.

    Happy harping!–Fairy

    in reply to: Finally ready to buy a harp! But… #166760
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Ok, isn’t the Ogden short? I’d look into a Prelude or a Troub before the Ogden if you’re serious about approaching pedals.

    And personally, I don’t like Ravennas. But that is just me.

    You’ll love it. I’d definitely book an appointment, as this is also a great time to start picking out sheet music. Have fun, ok? Be excited! Jump up and down! Welcome to our crazy world.

    —Fairy

    in reply to: Harp Emergency! #166660
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    You could apply for the Mr. Holland’s Opus grant, for starters. I know a girl who recently recieved a harp courtesy of that.

    There are so many grants out there! Just remember: Google is your friend. Surf the web, and you will be flabbergasted at the amount of money out there. It’s crazy.

    And, I know how you feel. Easy up, darlin’, and try to upgrade to a nice Prelude before you jump into Pedal mode.

    in reply to: Open Hand Question #86680
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    That is so annoying. You go from octaves hurting, to spanning a 10th with no problem, and then you start over-extending and you wish for the days when an octave was as far as you could go.

    My teacher has me play opens with the 3rd and 4th, but primarily the 4th. Otherwise you don’t get the full effect of the sound.

    in reply to: Best Way to Move my harp cross crounty #148119
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Car is good. Just remember: don’t leave it in a hot car for more than an hour TOPS. A harp cannot handle extreme temperatures.

    If you don’t have the whole kit and kaboodle of the column cover, base cover, etc., slap on the dust cover and surround with quilts and pillows under the three pressure points. How often do you move your harp?

    in reply to: Celtic music #162765
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Please be very, very careful with the Sylvia Woods books. There are often several versions to different folk songs, and usually one is more accpeted than the rest, and quite often the Sylvia Woods version is not the popular version I thought I was getting. For instance the song listed as “Shule Aroon” (Siul Arun) in the SW Irish Book is not what you would hear at an Irish festival, etc. I try to steer clear of Sylvia’s things; they tend to be pretty ubiquitous but I have a much easier time of just reworking piano arrangments for the harp. Usually Mel Bay Irish books are good.

    One of my favorite books that I use all the time is Kim Robertson’s Celtic Solos book. Some Scottish, some Irish, some orginial,

    in reply to: Which would you choose? #110928
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    What an awful choice to have to make! I’ve been saving up for two years to get a lovely and compact lever harp, but I would never be able to play that exclusively. I’m upset enough that my harp playing has so detracted from my piano–I can’t imagine choosing (once I decide upon a new lever model).

    in reply to: Is it my ISP or…? #110882
    Fairy Reel
    Participant

    Same here. Over and over and over again. Oh well.

    Sorry to here that you were so ill–thrilled that you are feeling better!

    Best wishes, Fairy

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 100 total)