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Martha Gallagher includes blues in some of her workshops, and she is very good with beginners and intermediate harpers.
http://www.adkharper.com/For some reason, people always ask me “Is that a massage table,” when I am carrying my harp in its bag. MAYBE that is understandable when I am toting around my Merlin, but I get the same question when I am carrying a Harpsicle. Shrug – I guess that Leprechauns like massages too.
Yes, IHTP absolutely does. They give you some very simple patterns to follow to get started. The improvisations you’ll do by following the instruction are very simple — you are not playing jazz, by any means, but I was very happy with the skills I gained.
I am almost finished with my work in the IHTP (I am doing my internship hours now), so I can add a few details about how the IHTP is currently offered.
We had monthly teleconferences in addition to access to our mentor, and there is a one week required residency. This residency is offered in various locations around the world each year. There are at least two locations in the U.S, one in Japah, one in Australia, one in Europe, and probably many more than that. So you do have to do a little travel for IHTP, but it is minimal, and at least you don’t have to travel across the globe if you don’t want to.
I have gained quite a bit in my studies. As Alice said, it is a different way of playing the harp. In my internship, I spend about 80% of my time playing and improvising things that most people would call music (familiar songs and improvisations that sound like songs and tunes), and about 20% playing in strict reaction to what I observe in the room. Many people would not call this “music” at all, but in the situations where this is called, for, it evokes very clear reactions from the people you are playing for.
David was kind enough to allow me to post his letter on my blog, so at least it will be public somewhere, if not the bridal magazine.
I added two you tubes that bring the point home.
http://shannonschumann.com/blog/
Sorry for the plug; I’m new at the blog thing and kind of over-excited about it.
Shannon
This helped me:
http://www.harpcenter.com/category/change-harp-stringGood luck!
My personal experience corresponds to Sylvia Clark and Saul Davis Zlatkovski (although at my level, I think I need to go through something more like 500 times, instead of 5).
If I can prepare for my lesson by analyzing what I do well, and by articulating two or three goals or questions for my lessons, they are always much more helpful for me. The day before or morning of my lesson, I mentally review how the week has gone, and list the difficult spots for me – maybe it was making a certain passage sound the way I wanted, or maybe it was getting the fingering worked out in a certain section, or maybe it was something not related to my lesson, like trying to improvise in a certain style. I have always known, cognitively, that my teacher was my ally, but having questions prepared help me also know it emotionally.
HOWEVER – This is not the same as coming in with excuses for not doing well, though – for me, I have to have a problem-solving attitude, and I have to be able to know what I have done that hasn’t worked, so that we can find something that does work.
+++++++++
Sylvia Clark wrote on 5/30/10 After several years of lessons, one day my teacher spent the whole hour lesson on a 4-bar section of a piece. When I left, I finally realized that I wasn’t going to lessons to perform for my teacher. I was going there to learn how to practice. It’s sort of like a skating coach helping a student get ready for a competition (performance). After that, I felt more comfortable at lessons, thinking of them as a guide, rather than some kind of test.Saul Davis Zlatkovski wrote on 6/11/12 The key is your preparation.
I happen to own both of these harps.*
I like the Blevins harp quite a bit, but I *love* the Merlin. To compare, the Blevins spacing is a little wider than the Merlin, the tension is a little higher, and the tone is quite a bit brighter. The harp is well-made and very solid.
If I had to choose between the two, it would be an easy choice for me – I’d take the Merlin. But if I didn’t have a choice, and had only the Blevins, I would not be unhappy. It’s a good harp.
* no, I do not have a whole stable of harps.
I’m in a long distance relationship, and one of the harps is at my sweetie’s place – it’s just a coincidence that I happen to own these two particular models.OK, here’s the latest. I’ve flown three times in the past month with a Blevins Marie 24, slightly bigger than a Harpsicle. (Dimensions, from Blevins’s site: 36″ h x 8.5″ (soundboard width) x 19.5″ (front to back))
Absolutely no problems, even on the flight that was completely full. The flight attendants kept an eye out and made sure nobody crammed their suitcases in with the harp.
I am lucky to fly on the A list, and so I was always one of the first 30 people on the flight. I doubt that you’d have a problem unless you ended up with a B or C boarding pass, so I think it would be worth your while to pay the extra $10 each way for the earlybird checkin.
Good luck, but unless you have a last minute delay, I think you will be fine!
I have flown with a Harpsicle on Southwest several times in the past year. I had *one* problem, but otherwise
I second Tony’s comments. If you think of it as “Tai Chi Harping,” it helps a lot – or at least, it helps me!
I hate that people constantly ask me if I’m a massage therapist when they see me with my Harpsicle bag.
When I’m with my R harp, I can see it, but a Harpsicle? Who do I massage – midgets? Myabe cats.
