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I think it is probably a question of neutrality, as a name has connotations that would possibly limit appeal as much as enhance it. Suppose Lyon & Healy had named their harps after presidents, or historical figures, like Boss Tweed, Tammanny, or movie stars, like Gable, Lombard, Chaplin, Swanson—oops, we have one of those!
All I can say is that if I invested all of my income from composing into a grant for a performer, it would amount to .
If I use the harmonics to tune octaves, they are tuned pretty normally. I am getting great results with my Korg ca-20 with a clip-on pick-up. The only string it doesn’t get is the 7th octave C. But I mostly use the Orchestral Tuner, though the batteries don’t last as long. I don’t go more than 5 cents sharp or flat at the top and bottom. The harp sounds quite sweet tuned exactly, actually, like ice cream, and if I flatten the bass it sounds more like sour cream. I happen to love sour cream, but the tones are more focused on pitch.
My question is, does the order of tuning help the tuner hear better? Should I go in a circle of fifths in each octave, or tune one pitch in octaves? Going by scale is definitely the slowest.
I just remembered that my first gig was in a department store, at the perfume counter, I think. You might try local stores.
You are in a tricky position. Contacting the harpists who have jobs and asking to sub is a way to get known, but you will have to expect to audition for them first. Less than five years is a very short term of study, to be honest, and you may not have quite enough repertoire yet. Customers may easily stay two hours over dinner and dessert. The kind of place I would think you could play in is a coffeehouse or cafe, very casual, and you might consider doing open mic nights in such places to get experience. One thing you want to be able to do is not look like you are depending on your music to play. You want to be able to read it so well, that you only have to glance at it from time to time, and be able to smile and look around the rest of the time. Your playing should be smooth and rather effortless. The pay tends to depend on the size of the place, how many tables, the pricing. You will need to get tips.
I think if you look again, you will find she is referring to the Deuxieme Ballade by Loukine. You might want to learn the solos by Henri Busser, which are available. You can order the Loukine, if you really want to.
I think if you look again, you will find she is referring to the Deuxieme Ballade by Loukine. You might want to learn the solos by Henri Busser, which are available. You can order the Loukine, if you really want to.
I think if you look again, you will find she is referring to the Deuxieme Ballade by Loukine. You might want to learn the solos by Henri Busser, which are available. You can order the Loukine, if you really want to.
That’s great that you are advancing rapidly. Using contest lists as a guide for repertoire can be a trap. Many times they will ask for pieces you might never normally do on a professional recital. What you play says as much about you as how you play it. At your age, you should begin forgoing the repertoire by harpists and learning to play as much music by serious composers as possible, I think.
I would recommend Handel’s Theme and Variations, and Concerto, and the Harmonious Blacksmith. Beethoven’s Variations. The Spohr Fantaisie would be excellent. Debussy. The Faure Impromptu. High-quality transcriptions of the masters. Stuff like that.
I’ve seen it in libraries, but couldn’t read the tablature. I think, as you say, the Mudarra is the only one that mentions harp, and Sam Milligan has it in Medieval to Modern.
Wallace McManus appears on recordings by Charlie Parker, so he must have been in studio work and/or jazz. The list doesn’t differentiate between married and maiden names, so it is a little confusing in some cases.
