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Hi John,
What a blast from the past. A friend pointed me to this site. I haven’t been harping professionallly for many years now. I followed Nancy Allen to the Univeristy of Michigan where I got a Masters in Music. Its a long story, but I ended up staying at Michigan and getting my Ph.D. in English. I am now a full Professor at Penn State University in State College, PA, where I live with my husband who is a Professor in the Department of History. My specialty is modernist American poetry and I’ve written some about the influence of modernist music on the poets I study.
Where are you? Are you still harping? Kate Krahl also went the academic route. She is a teacher of highschool History in Scarsdale, NY. She is married with two lovely kids. I’m not sure if she plays anymore these days.
My harp, I must admit, is gathering dust at the moment. Every once in a while, I get inspired to practice and play, but my professional life always seems to get in the way of a serious comeback.
I know that Suzanne made the move to Australia some years ago, but I don’t know where she is now.
Hi, Judy! I’m glad to see you are still in the business.
Wow, Aspen seems like a million years ago, doesn’t it? I still have lots of great memories, however.
Take care,
RobinCan’t really help you with what is causing the problem but I have known a couple of people with similar problems from different manufacturers.
Thank you for all the responses!
I am not planning on having a second lesson with her. I would rather have a teacher that is willing to let me experiment and use mabye a little of both methods. She also didn’t seem very willing to help me with experimental sorts of music (for example I wanted to work on Song in the Night by Salzedo [bad move, haha] for college auditions and she nearly fell over.)
I shall look around. Happy harping!
Cheers
Thank you for all the responses!
I am not planning on having a second lesson with her. I would rather have a teacher that is willing to let me experiment and use mabye a little of both methods. She also didn’t seem very willing to help me with experimental sorts of music (for example I wanted to work on Song in the Night by Salzedo [bad move, haha] for college auditions and she nearly fell over.)
I shall look around. Happy harping!
Cheers
Oh, that is one of my favourite songs!!
I know that website back to front, hahaha but thank you anyways!
You seem to be as obsessive as I am. It’s wonderful to talk with you because most people haven’t even heard of her and it’s such a shame. She is amazing. I am working on creating my own style of playing, like she has done.
Where did you see her?
That is so amazing!!!
What is your harp story?
I think that Joanna’s music could pretty much make flowers grow. What’s your favourite song??
I did not contradict myself, and please don’t remove my words from their context. It is very difficult to put these things into words in a succinct fashion. I apologize if I was not able to communicate my ideas in an ideal way that sounded fair, generous, or polite. It is not easy to do so in this format. Nor do I feel a requirement to please everybody. I simply tried to describe where I have come from and how it has informed my thinking. Whether you feel a statement applies to you and demeans or infuriates you is totally your choice of response. Not all people are held to very high standards, even within the same department. If you think you were held to a very high standard, then the statement obviously would not apply to you. Take responsibility for your perceptions rather than defensively blame it on someone else’s statement. The fact is, there is lots of music that is not of a high standard, just as much music is. That the standards taught might apply more to one kind of music than another is unavoidable. All conservatory students come out of the experience with attitudes molded by their education. Bear in mind, that the Salzedo method was developed in the background of pre-existing harp schooling, and therefore needed to be differentiated. In keeping it distinct, the perceived insufficiencies of other approaches may have been over-emphasized. Perhaps it was the wrong approach. That’s what happens in many such circumstances. I have encountered it in other fields as well. It should suffice to say once again, that Miss Lawrence and Mr. Salzedo were friends with Mr. Grandjany and had great respect for him. It was their students who could not seem to get along, and that does not need to be prolonged by attacks disguised as counter-attacks.
1. *hand position and how to use the muscles of the hand and arm
correctly, and posture.* this requires the ability to demonstrate, not
simply understand.2. tone production and maximizing the harp’s unique color palette
3. correct fingering for phrasing, articulation, and rhythmic accuracy
4. understanding and caring for the harp, how to move it, balance it when playing, etc.
5. knowlege of professional opportunities for harpists which are
actually a little different from other instruments. The harp
is unique, fulfills certain stereotyped rolls (which is has its mixed advantages/disadvantages), and has its own
community which is smaller and more integrated than say for pianists or
vocalists.Sometimes it is useful for it to be up, if it will then lead the 4th finger in. I think you should be conscious of how we actually do use the 5th finger for balance, ballast and initiation of movement and relaxation. You have tension in it, that’s why it’s up. There is a significant muscle underneath it, along the side of the palm, which is very developed and large in pianists. You must consciously relax it and the pinky will follow.
I’m a bit puzzled. It’s by applying standards that pieces fall into categories or genres. Each piece has its places. I’m trying to get across that we need to be sensitive to the characteristics of the pieces we consider and what they project. I’m sure there is a concert program possible that would set off La Source by Hasselmans like the jewel that it is, and when it is played brilliantly and melodically, it is a wonderful experience, just like a diamond on a bracelet. But what is the diamond set among? Poor design can render it garish and tasteless. The deeper we look into music, the deeper the understanding we bring to it, the deeper our interpretation. La Source, for example, is perfectly appropriate as an etude, and for student repertoire, and for concerts that are diversions and entertainments, or even background music. In a serious setting, where people are accustomed to the finest of classical music, it is less appropriate because it does not have deep structure or profundity, other than its beauty. But if you cleverly surround it with atonal music or something austere, its freshness may be breathtaking, perhaps.
I don’t think I’m trying to be oppressive, but suggest developing guidelines of choices, as critics, auditions and concert series with determined requirements will be encountered in one’s career. I do think that standards can be more than personal, and competitions tend to enforce standards by determining repertoire as agreed on by committee. Some consensus has to exist as to necessary or significant or important repertoire in support of
