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I have an 85E Concertino and a Thormahlen Swann. I jumped right back on the 85, which was probably NOT the best way to ease my fingers back into the whole thing. The nylons would have been much more forgiving.
Patience is NOT my best virtue, as I plopped Rumba on the music stand to give it whirl – OUCH! Hey, when that didn’t work out, I tried Chanson dans la nuit. Well, now I think I’ll take a hot roasting pan out of the oven and NOT use a pot-holder!!!
OK, I just have to keep reminding myself that SIMPLE is beautiful! One finger at a time and hopefully they will toughen back up fairly quickly.
I’ve been playing daily for 13 years now and I have missed my stringed friends! When I sat down the other evening and put my arms around my harp, it was like hugging an old friend! I just hope my schedule keeps easing up so I can spend more time with my friend as we get reacquainted.
Kay 🙂
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL . . . ! TRULY UNBEWIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree, it’s been awhile and NOT disappointing! Keep em coming David – you just kill me!
Kay
Hmmmmm, this makes me a bit sad. I can assure everyone that I have gotten my jobs on ability alone and not because I am blonde, female, or the color of my skin. I
If someone were to choose or not choose a musician for any of those reasons, then in MY mind, they are NOT someone that I would want to be hired by anyway.
Kay
Angela,
I HEAR YA! After my “Crash and Burn” with the community band last year, I was ready to throw my harp under a bus. BUT, I took a big step back and re-evaluated the whole situation . . .
Bottom line is ask yourself WHY you are playing the harp. Is it for YOUR enjoyment, do you want to play for others, do you want to play WITH others? Do you (as you said) just need a break?
You have apparently done very well with your harp so far and NOT having a teacher is neither here nor there. There are some amazing musicians who were/are self taught.
That being said, the encouragement and guidance of a teacher is priceless and MAYBE could help you with your situation. If you could find someone to Skype with you or even give you a bit of “Harp counseling” by phone, it might help.
I just hate to see you throw in the towel completely! Yes, you may have a little burn-out and that’s ok. Step away for awhile and give yourself a break emotionally as much as anything. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be the public performer. It just might not be your thing.
This is an instrument to be enjoyed by YOU first and if that’s what it gives you then GREAT. Don’t feel obligated to others . . . Your harp is NOT an obligation.
IF you really WANT to play for others, I would suggest the mind-set of “Play the music, NOT the GIG”. Get in the zone and block out your surroundings – let it just be YOU and your harp. I KNOW that’s easier said then done.
Good luck Angela and don’t be so hard on yourself! Just have fun with your instrument and if it’s not fun right now, no one’s going to (or should) give you grief for stepping away for awhile.
Kay
God be with you Basel! When you are able, please let us know how and where you are. My prayers are with you and your family that you will see each other again.
Kay
OK, things were good for awhile – now I’m getting notifications on my e-mail again. This is a BIT annoying!
Kay 🙁
I agree with Sylvia. I put it right in my contract that at the first sign of rain I stop immediately, cover the harp and run like a rabbit.
If it is at an area where you’re just in a place where you can’t stash your harp, just carry some “Painters plastic” (found in any paint store or Lowes etc.) and it folds up into a very small little bundle and you can stash it right under your bench. It will be great in a sudden rain event and then you can safely get your harp out of there.
So sorry this happened to you – I hope your harp will be ok.
Kay
Victoria,
I started harp when I was 47 years old and I will be 60 in March. It is NEVER too late to start and yes, you can even get an excellent teacher. My instructor was the former principal harpist at the Kennedy Center and she as well as most other professional harpist greatly encourage ANYONE to start at ANY age.
You will be as good as your ambitions will carry you! I have participated in 2 Master classes (Alice Giles and Yolanda Kondonassis) and yes, I was the oldest to perform. Everyone else was in their late teens/early twenties. Did I care? Heck no! I did well and it was a true privilege to be invited to participate. AND my instructor was there cheering me on the entire time.
A friend of mine started at 75 and she is now 84 and is a musical therapist playing at 2 hospitals and getting paid for it. SO, tell your friend to GO FOR IT!
The only limits are the ones that we put on ourselves!
Kay
Just curious about the age because (I’m 59) the older we get, sometimes I think we put more pressure on ourselves because we have the mind set that we’ve been around a while and we’re adults and things should just come easier to us. BUT, we need to cut ourselves a break and realize that our older brains sometimes take a bit longer to learn then when we were younger AND LIFE JUST GETS IN THE WAY.
SO, that being said, since you are the ripe old age of 24, you have a great advantage of those brain cells kicking in a bit faster than us who are older. I would suggest to just cut yourself some slack. This is a tough instrument and you’re still in the early stages and doing quite well. Set your goals high, do your BEST to reach them and be satisfied with where your best takes you. The road to success is FULL of obstacles, pot-holes, wrong turns and failures. It’s a LONG trip, so enjoy the ride and you WILL get to your destination!
The pieces that are a PIA . . . Just know that they are are part of life just like everything else. They just don’t make since right now, you don’t like them, but it’s all part of the process. Kinda like me and Algebra – HAD to do it, HATED it, STILL can’t find X and don’t care if I ever do.
Kay 😉
No Mia, I haven’t had THAT particular surgery done. Just spinal and cervical fusions. BUT, I have seen MANY women that have (before and after). The results are AMAZING and you will feel much better and you will be able to hold that harp in closer when all is said and done and NOT have it lay on top of you.
Kay
Mia
The doc that I work for does the “Reduction” surgery that I’m sure you are talking about. Believe me, the ladies INSTANTLY feel better! Even on the recovery table, they have commented that their neck, shoulder, and back pain are gone – REALLY!
That being said, I’m thinking that because of the situation, you can’t pull the harp into your body as close as it should be and therefore, it’s lying on top of you instead of resting against your shoulder. I understand that you must do this so you can reach the strings.
Rest assured my dear, that all will improve after your surgery and you will find a whole new way of holding your harp. DON’T push yourself AFTER your surgery. Give yourself the healing time that the doc advises you. You will be healing from the inside out and you don’t want to mess things up. Work on range of motion first!
Good luck to you and I’ve seen how this surgery has literally changed lives! You will be able to do SO much more.
Kay
