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Thank you for your thoughtful posts Carl and Alicia. I just found out
about it this week, and didn’t confront her clearly because it stings a
little and I try to stay detached especially with critical issues. I
did make those hints and I hope it was not taken as socially rude as
Alicia suggested. I really like my student and appreciate her sincerity
in correcting her technique. I’m not entirely clear about feeling a
student belongs to a teacher because I don’t relate to my students in
that way. If one of my students is exploring a skill, and I know a
harpist more experienced than me in that skill, I love to set them up
with a lesson together. It’s rewarding to share professional resources
with students, giving them a chance to network and learn. I do value
respectful behavior between teacher and student.Since graduating it has become more clear every day the need to let go
of feeling entitled to anything beyond our control. Those of us who
have paid our dues and received diplomas that state we “are entitled to
all the privileges pertaining to this degree” soon realize that life is
a bit more complicated than that. Being trained through the graduate
level often requires investing tens, if not hundreds of thousands of
dollars and all the blood, sweat and tears of our young adult lives. I
spent 16 years in college and grad school, receiving two masters and a
doctorate all in music, and leaving with a boatload of student loans.
Many of my peers have left music by the wayside, but I am thankful to
live in a good area now, and realize it takes time and patience to find
people who can use our skills. I love my little studio of harp
students, and have found a recent opportunity to help it grow. I wish
more people could understand exactly what our years of training allow
us to contribute to students, since it often requires the same number
of years as law school and medical school.Your situation is terribly difficult, and I don’t know the answer. I
would suggest that you list your professional harp credentials,
education, and experience in your profile on this website. You could
also include the types of harp employment you are seeking. This is one
of the best professional harp sites on the web and it gets a lot of
traffic. If conservatories and universities in your country are similar
to mine, then the dean and the administration gets the final say on
everything. I try to avoid conflict whenever possible, instead finding
ways to sincerely compliment people and put them at ease. Sometimes it
helps a situation, sometimes not.dear julieanne , i am really astonished that there is somebody care, and very thankful that you aswered me deeply from your heart, really thankful, but the problem that i dont have my own harp, and dont live in the city where is the harps in the conservatory, i live in another city, i need to travell about 6 hours there and back to my city 3 times per week, when i start to practice i feel my head is turning around from the bus, any way thanks god they allow me to practice , but i am obliged to quarrell with that teacher every time she meets me, horrible. and as you know harp its not piano, so they like the harp but also like to practice instrument they have, and harp is very expensive…………………………………………………….
Your situation sounds very complicated, so I’m not sure if I can be of
any help, but I will try. It sounds like you do not have the option of
negotiating with her or improving the situation. Can you find harp
students who have no dealings with this teacher? You probably wish to
teach at the conservatory, but private teaching may be rewarding as
well. If
orchestras are off limits, are there any opportunities playing chamber
music?Music is a difficult profession most places, so I am sharing with you
the solutions I use for my own life. The traditional opportunities are
usually locked in rather tight, and there is tremendous competition
when a slot opens up. There is simply more supply than demand for high
level professional musicians. Teaching students of all ages from the
community provides many musicians with a livelihood. Students who are
studying as recreation, not professionally, can sometimes be taught in
groups which can really help us earn a living. Creating a chamber
ensemble with flute, strings, etc. can give you the opportunity
to play a great deal of important repertoire.Please don’t give up on the harp because of difficult people you meet
in your profession. I just moved from a difficult environment into a
better one. Change can be good if you can’t find a way to work around
the obstacles. It is wise to not waste time and energy on negative
people. From time to time it is necessary to have some employment
outside of music to pay the bills, but we can still always keep our
music profession going on the side. Then sometime in the future when
opportunity comes, we can be ready to meet the challenge! Please know
that many (if not all) musicians encounter people who make them feel
like giving up hope, but that doesn’t mean there is no hope. I wish you
all the best in your struggle to survive professionally, and wish I
could find something to say that could encourage you. I know for me,
focusing on the reasons I love the harp and finding ways to share that
love with other people is what gives me purpose, hope, and inspiration.Just to save a few clicks, the direct link is: http://www.quinlanroad.com/newsandviews/currentupdates.asp?id=526 .
Que tal Carlitos:
Hace aproximadamente como 1 mes atras te deje un mensaje en el espacio que tienes para
Zabaleta made good recordings of the Saint-Saens and Reinecke. I don’t
like the Reinecke as well. I would like to hear the Widor Chorale et
Variations. Why don’t you play it, Elizabeth? I have Salzedo’s markings.I believe most of Andres’ Espices
can be played on lever harp and they contain some technical and
rhythmic challenges. Alfredo Rolando Ortiz’s books are quite
challenging and represent an important harp tradition. There does need
to be more advanced art music written for lever harp. I’m planning to
place a request in the American Composers’ Forum publication for challenging new art music written for lever harp, and plan
to write a sonata for lever harp.Just for the record, Heidi Lehwalder’s all-Salzedo recording was
nominated for a Grammy for best performance equivalent. Nancy Allen’s
was nominated for best production. Now Sara Schuster Ericsson was
nominated for a best performance grammy. The only harpist who may have
won one was Alice Chalifoux’s recording of the Debussy Danses.Of the harpists I have seen and heard perform live, Heidi Lehwalder was
far and away the best and most exciting, especially in the Caplet
Masque of the Red Death for harp and string quartet. It is unfortunate
for us all she does not have more cds available, if any are at all. She
also made an outstanding recording as a member of the Orpheus Trio,
which included the Debussy Sonata and the Ravel Sonatine, in
fantastical performances.That is a good response. Some of these issues and question come up as
one auditions for higher education, and encounters audition
requirements, and then, after enrollment, jury requirements, graduation
requirements, competition requirements, debut requirements, and so on.
And then may come the chance to shape those requirements. None of what
I said has any bearing on playing what one wants or likes/loves to
play. It is about more external and abstract considerations.I also forgot to mention the Quatre Caprices Diatoniques by Alexandre Tcherepnin, first-rate classical pieces for lever harp.
I am presently composing something for lever harp. I can recommend
Anonymous’s Variations on a Theme of Mozart, edited by LeDentu or
Megevand. Also, Salzedo’s pieces in the Art of Modulating are all
diatonic and adaptable.
