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Welcome to our announcements section! Here you will find short announcements about harp events, performance opportunities, and new product releases by local artists. If you have an announcement about an event or product that would be of interest to Pacific Northwest harp players, please contact news@reigningharps.com for submission guidelines. 10/09 New CD from Healing Muses Benefits Nonprofit Mission. Patrice Haan of California writes to say: "I just received a box of the new CD which Healing Muses has made. I've been devoting myself to playing harp in hospitals in association with this non-profit for almost 5 years now. The mission of Healing Muses is to bring soothing live music, played on Celtic harp and wooden flutes, to Bay Area medical centers. The work is ever-more satisfying and moving. We play for chemotherapy centers, in family lounges, labs and waiting rooms and on various wards: surgery and post-surgery, cardiac monitoring, and most recently ICU. Recently I've been playing solo more often than not, and getting to do some room-to-room visits too. I have the pleasure of playing for patients and staff and families. Often people tell me their stories, sometimes they fall asleep, they cry, they hold still for a moment. I've experienced dancers and singers too; now, that's a lot of fun. While I've promoted the other CDs for Healing Muses (they're really really good!), this one is my special pet because I get to play all over it. Featuring repertoire from Celtic, American, Armenian and Sephardic traditions, it also includes two of my original tunes. All proceeds from CD sales benefit our work. I'd love it if you would check out "The Garden of Healing". We also have four other CDs on our website. To find out more, please go to www.healingmuses.org, click on "Sample Music" where you can listen to sound bytes. There is also an order form there which you can download." New CD from Celtic Muse. Jennifer Pratt-Walter writes to say, "Dear friends, Celtic Muse (Jennifer Pratt-Walter and Valerie Blessley) are very pleased to announce that our newest joint recording, "Crossroads," has finally arrived! This album was born from our love of both Celtic and Scandinavian traditional music, with the actual Crossroad being the ocean that carried people from both sides, blending cultures, arts, and music and dance traditions. In this CD you will find some familiar tunes, such as "Skye Boat Song" and "The Parting Glass," several spirited Celtic jigs, and some unusual or eclectic pieces such as a wildly improvisational "Willow Bark Flute" and some choice haunting and tragic ballads. Valerie and I also composed our own unique versions of what the term "crossroads" meant to us, both musically and in imagery and feelings within us. Music textures, modes, and tempos form a lovely spiral between the Celtic land Scandinavian lands, with branches of new music reaching outward from the center. Featured instruments include two Celtic harps, flute, recorders, large and small kantele, pennywhistle, willow bark flute, and Appalachian dulcimer. CDs make an excellent gift for the holiday season: they are easy to wrap and mail, the music can be easily transferred to your personal listening devices, it's never too small or too big, is calorie-free, and it never goes out of style! Our earlier recordings "Wind and Wood" and "Merry and Bright," plus Jennifer's "Ancient Realms" and "Ancient Muse," and Valerie's "Northern Light" are also still available. Soundclips can be heard on CD Baby and Amazon.com. Pricing: One CD for $15, two for $28. Larger orders, plus wholesale orders are also available. For more information, or to order recordings, write Jennifer at Lyrica@comcast.net or Valerie at Blesses@pacifier.com. Thank you for your support of Independent Artists, and for buying locally made items!" Holiday Harp-a-thon. Calling all Puget Sound HARP teachers, students, amateurs and professionals, old and young! You are invited to participate in the HOLIDAY HARP-A-THON, an amazing 12-hour fundraising event benefiting Seattle Children's Hospital. The Harp-a-thon will occur from 8 am to 8 pm on Saturday, December 12 at the Sound Cafe at Seattle Children's Hospital. Can you or your students volunteer 20 minutes of music? A lively lineup of musical artists is planned -- with harp and guitar, harp ensemble, harp and accordion, harp duo and harp soloists already at the ready. There will be two Dusty Strings Ravenna 34s, two Troubadours, and two pedal harps on site most of the day, but players are certainly welcome to bring their own instruments. The Harp-a-thon's purpose is to raise funds for uncompensated care at Seattle Children's Hospital. When insurance doesn’t cover treatment, when benefits are depleted, and when families cannot afford insurance, uncompensated care funds are available to help sick children in our area ... no matter what. Last year, SCH provided more than $65 million in uncompensated care for area children. Harp-a-thon musicians will collect money for this cause by gathering pledge-per-hour donations and cash gifts -- your sponsors can even buy a song dedication! There will be fun prizes for 1) the person with the most individual pledges gathered, and 2) the highest total pledges. It's a worthy cause, and a great reason to practice (wink, wink), and a fun public service project open to the whole harp community! Here are links to the Harp-a-thon flyer and pledge form. Contact volunteer coordinator Leslie McMichael for details and schedule at 206-898-4972 or leslieharp@comcast.net. Harp-Friendly Session in Sultan! Matt Haverly of Sultan WA writes to say that he is hosting an Irish music session in Sultan, generally on the third Sunday of the month, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. As a harp player himself, he assures us that these sessions are very harp-friendly and he would be thrilled to see more harps and harpers there. For those of you in Everett or along Highway 2, or up in the northeast corner of King County, this would be a great way to get some session playing experience. For more information or for details and directions, contact Matt at sultanirishmusic@live.com. Focus on Youth and Master Classes. Elizabeth Volpe Bligh writes to remind us of these opportunities at the World Harp Congress in Vancouver BC in 2011. She wants to make sure that the information goes out early enough that the applicants have enough time to learn the repertoire and have a good chance to be accepted. The Focus on Youth deadline is June 15, 2010, and the information is posted on the web site www.worldharpcongress2011.com. Information on financial aid is on www.worldharpcongress.org. The Chair of the Focus on Youth Committee is Gianetta Baril. The master class details will be posted on the web site soon, but the repertoire and teachers are as follows: Isabelle Perrin (Bernard Andrès: Absidioles, Elegie, Duke or any Epices); Karen Vaughan (Britten: A Ceremony of Carols (we will provide the choir)); Jana Bouskova (anything Romantic or classical); Marie-Pierre Langlamet (Hindemith Sonata, Spohr Fantaisie, CPE Bach Sonata, Mozart Sonata, or anything they want to play for her); R. Murray Schafer/Judy Loman (The Crown of Ariadne - Ms. Loman and Mr. Schafer will choose which movements to work on). To apply, candidates must submit two identical recordings (CD or mini-disc) containing the repertoire of the desired master class. All performances at the Master Classes will be chosen from the recordings submitted. There can be no changes of music without specific permission from the Master Class Committee. Any changes must be followed by a second recording. If candidates wish to apply for more than one master class, they should send two separate CD's of each class's repertoire. The Chair of the Master Class Committee is Kaori Otake. Her contact information will be posted on the Master Class page of the web site www.worldharpcongress2011.com. Yet Another Scam. Judith Cummings wrote to warn others of a scam that targets harp (or other music) teachers. The individual claims to be seeking harp instruction for foreign-born children over the summer while they are visiting this area. One of the clues is they ask for a lot of instruction hours, and want to pay in advance. (Eventually they need a refund, which you pay from your own account, and then of course their check or money order turns out to be bogus.) Best to ignore any such inquiry! BSO Harpist Retires.
Here is a link to an interesting story about the retirement of Ann
Hobson Pilot, the first African American woman to play with the Boston
Symphony Orchestra, and their harpist for the last 40 years. Composer John
Williams has written a special harp piece for the occasion and there is a
sound clip available (it is, as they say in Boston, wicked hard!): 200-Year Old Sonata for Pedal Harp! Reigning Harps reader Elizabeth Paine found handwritten manuscripts by Danish composer Peder Schall whose works have never before been published, and has transcribed and edited a sonata for the enjoyment of modern harpists. This sonata is 17 pages long and would have been composed around 1800 for single-action pedal harp. This will be a great recital piece for intermediate to advanced intermediate pedal harpists of all ages. This new work can be purchased as a PDF download at www.thevirtualharp.com and will be available in printed form in a few months. For more information, please email Elizabeth at thevirtualharp@gmail.com. In Memoriam. With sorrow we inform you that Sue Shaffer, of Ocean Shores WA, passed away on September 13 after a long battle with cancer. Sue was an active harper who played for her church in Ocean Shores and who enjoyed encouraging others to take up the harp; her friend Peggy Nunley wrote: "she gave me a wonderful gift and that was the harp. If it wasn't for her, I would never have had the courage to try to learn to play." Sue attended the Crystal Mountain Folk Harp Festival and was a delightful addition to the retreat, always full of fun and sharing her love of music despite her illness. Our condolences go out to her husband Grant. The family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Marsha Rivkin Ovarian Cancer Research Center, 801 Broadway, Suite 701, Seattle, WA 98122. Has Anyone Heard of
a Rondolin? Valerie Marcotte of Victoria BC sent in this amazing
link: Virtual Harp Circle. Barbara Dixon of BC, a faithful Reigning Harps reader, is also co-moderator of the Virtual Harp Circle, a Yahoo Groups mailing list that is large, friendly, and especially helpful to beginners. Barbara invites anyone who is interested in more details or who would like details on how to join to contact her at beejdixon@shaw.ca. (Barbara also designs and sells very cool decals for harps... check out the choices at www.harpdecal.com. ) Handy On-Line Chord Finder. Here's a useful (and free!) tool that helps identify or spell chords, and also plays them so you can hear what they sound like. If you go to http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/piano/, there are lists of triads and extended chords, and also different scales (including modes). It is designed for piano players but is very handy for harps... I got the link from www.jazzharp.org, which has a great on-line newsletter. Magical Strings Celebrates 31 Years of Celtic Yuletide Concerts. The Celtic family ensemble Magical Strings brings their 31st annual Celtic Yuletide Concerts to performances throughout Puget Sound! Combining lush and gorgeous Celtic-flavored holiday music with singing, dancing, juggling, caroling, storytelling, and more, the Celtic Yuletide concerts are staged annually by three generations of the Boulding family and friends. The concerts are gala events, with music that features Celtic harps, hammered dulcimers, violins, cello, whistles, concertina and more; they have become an eagerly anticipated Northwest holiday tradition for people of all ages. Magical Strings will be joined by the Raney Irish Dancers, juggler virtuoso Thomas Arthur, vocalists Mark and Colleen Raney, Irish flute player Hanz Araki, and more—in an unforgettable celebration to kindle the light of Yuletide. Check the Calendar for dates, beginning November 29 and continuing through December in locations around the Pacific Northwest. Another New Book from Laurie Riley. "More Roads Lead Home" is a sequel to All Road Lead Home, the continuing adventures from Laurie's journals describing life at home and on the road as a touring harpist in a motorhome with a dog, two cats, and harps! $13. Available from Laurie at 715 232nd St. SE, Bothell WA 98021-9306 until October, then it will be at the online store at www.laurieriley.com. Congratulations to New SYS Members. Three students of Patricia Jaeger have been accepted into Seattle Youth Symphony this fall: Thy Huynh, harp, Joshua Morales, viola, and Kirk Roa, violin. 9/09 Happy Announcement from Katie Cashatt. Harper and fiddler Katie Cashatt, formerly of Seattle and currently of Vancouver WA, writes to say "We are happy to announce the arrival of our baby boy, Diego Joaquín Maximiliano Díaz-Cashatt! He had a rapid and easy birth at home on August 26, 2009 at 3:35 am. He weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and measured 22 inches long." All our best wishes go out to Katie and baby Diego, as well as to big sister Carmen Diaz-Cashatt and proud dad Erick Diaz! New Featured Harp Music. There are two new tunes on the Reigning Harps web site for all to share. This fall's featured selections are the group tunes from last June's Crystal Mountain Folk Harp Festival. One is an Irish tune that is a favorite on the harp: Down By the Salley Gardens. The other is also an Irish traditional tune that was used as the melody for a song all Puget Sounders should know: Acres of Clams. (For those of you who have PSFHS Harpers' Songbooks in the three-ring binders, please print these out and add them to your books to keep them current.) To see, hear, or print these arrangements, click the Featured Harp Music button, and follow the directions. Enjoy! Samhain Harps at Galway Traders. The friendly folk at Galway Traders in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle will host a free harp performance on November 1, 2-4 pm, to welcome in Samhain (the Celtic New Year). If you are a harper with a confident repertoire of at least four tunes (songs and stories also welcome) from the Celtic countries (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, Isle of Mann), and you would like to volunteer to play for this year's event, please contact Diane at zawamoss@seanet.com for more information. Highland Games Info Addendum. Apologies for not having complete information last month on the Highland Games harp competitions... we failed to report Rebecca Garcia took second place in the Enumclaw preliminary Intermediate competition. Also, we want to thank our judges by name: Molly Baukham and Becky Fox in Bellingham; Seumas Gagne and Laurie Riley at Skagit, and kudos to Seumas Gagne for handling all the judging at Enumclaw, as well as for presenting a wealth of information to interested onlookers in the harp tent!
Rare Harp Found in Dumpster! Carol
Levin sent a link to a New York Times article regarding a very valuable
antique harp that was discovered in a garbage dumpster... enough to send
shivers down the spine of any harp player. See the article at: Harp Player Census. Elizabeth Paine is conducting a census of harp players. She wrote to the internet's "harplist": "I took a guess earlier today that there are probably fewer than a million harpists worldwide, and that put a burr under my saddle (so to speak), so I am now on a mission. Please visit my website at www.thevirtualharp.com, specifically the "Where in the World are You?" post, and put your first name, last initial, city/state and country in the comment box for that post. Or you can send me an e-mail to me at cross_harps@yahoo.com. Just please don't do both. If you send an email, please put HARPIST COUNT in caps in your subject line so I don't miss it. Please pass this message along. Tweet it, put it out on Facebook or MySpace, etc.--anything to get the word out. Thanks for your help! This will be an ongoing project, but I will post updates as it goes along." Seattle Area Harp Repair/Regulation. Robyn Tarbet writes to say that after many years of private harp regulation and repairs, she will be retiring from working with harps for the time being (and also mentions that she has enjoyed helping so many area harp players and will miss doing so). Thanks Robyn, for all your excellent work. I did some investigation to find out what alternative harp services are available, and found that John Saba and David Haxton at Dusty Strings retail shop in Fremont can and do work on both Dusty and non-Dusty harps, but that there is quite a long waiting period due to the volume of work they handle. Please contact Molly Baukham at Dusty Strings (206-634-1662); she can help evaluate your harp's situation and determine the best course of action for your particular needs.
New Books from Laurie Riley. Four new
books are now available from Laurie Riley: Dusty Strings News. The final printed issue of the Quarter Note, Dusty Strings' print newsletter, was mailed out in August. From now on, all the news about happenings at the music shop and school will be on-line. The website at www.dustystrings.com has been revamped, with more information that is easier to access. Check it out and enjoy! Also note the sign-up box for the new Dusty Strings Email List, where you can ask for the regular monthly announcements plus additional notices tailored to your specific interests. And finally, note the new harps... the new FH34 and FH36H all-solid models are available now! The FH34 is replacing the FH32 and has the same strings as the Ravenna 34, but has a FH32-style body with the new "hybrid stave" back (a rectangular body with facets added to the upper corners for a more comfortable, "stave-like" feel). The FH36H is the replacement for the FH36B; everything is the same except for, again, the hybrid stave. Dusty Strings Symposium Registration Open. The 8th Annual Dusty Strings Seattle Folk Harp Symposium will take place November 6-8, 2009. Instructors include Nicolas Carter, Patrick Ball, Shira Kammen, Seumas Gagne, Laurie Rasmussen, Kim Robertson, and Beth Kolle. Workshops, concerts, jam sessions, and socializing for three days, all for $225. All the details and a registration form are available at www.dustystrings.com. 8/09
Thoughts from Big Sky. Harper Tasche
posted a description of his experiences at July's Big Sky Harp Festival in
Montana to the Yahoo Groups "Harplist". It was one of the most complete
I had seen written about the festival, so I asked his permission (which he
kindly gave) to reproduce it in Reigning Harps for those who were unable
to attend. As it is quite long, it is posted on the
Articles Page, and is well worth the time it takes to read! Also, if
you would like to see some of the fun that happened at Big Sky, Judy
Aslakson (formerly of Oregon, now of "wherever the RV takes us")
graciously gave permission to link to her slideshow of photos from the
festival... take a look at: Crystal Mountain Photo Gallery and Video. For those of you who attended June's Crystal Mountain Folk Harp Festival, or for those who didn't and are simply curious, there is a gallery of photos available for viewing now at www.pugetsoundfolkharpsociety.org. These photos show a sampling of our happy campers, our harps, our beautiful surroundings and wild weather, and our musical activities. And to hear a snippet from our traditional Sunday morning reading session (when we go around the circle and each chooses a tune from our PSFHS Harpers' Songbook for the group to play together) check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWeQs14rGls. Silverdale Harp Circle Forming. Interested parties who would like to participate in a daytime/weekday harp circle in the Silverdale WA area are encouraged to contact Susan Miles at Soupymiles@aol.com. Please type "Silverdale Harp Circle" in the Subject line. New Music Book from Harper Tasche. "A Folk Harp Going Places" is Harper's newest offering for 36-string harp, and includes a wide range of styles and moods. For the first time, Harper has written for a harp tuned in E-flat; there is one piece in G, and one in F, but the rest really do need E-flat tuning with full levers. When you hear his exuberantly chromatic cakewalk "Best Foot Forward" you'll know why! (There are no lever changes required while playing.) This music is all from Harper's CD "Provenance." The book is $17 plus shipping and applicable taxes, and is available at www.harpcrossing.com. Small Harp Music Available for Download. Harper Tasche's "A Small Harp Speaking Dreams" for 26-string harp (to low C) has returned after a long absence. Each of the five pieces of music, paired with the full-length article or essay which appeared in the original book, is now available for electronic delivery at $3.75 apiece. Send an email to Harper at harper@harpcrossing.com and tell him which titles you would like (After Askadalen; An Indefinite Road; The Ash Grove; Mark's Farewell to Whidbey [voice and harp]; Spinning Star) and he'll email the PDF to you as an attachment upon receipt of your payment via PayPal, check, or money order. Highland Games Harp Competition Results. Congratulations to everyone who participated in this summer's Highland Games harp tent circles and adjudications! In the Bellingham Preliminaries, Jonny Kosaka took first place in Beginners, Timmy Kosaka took first place in Intermediates, there were no Advanced competitors, and Eileen Warr-Marti & Annie Bishop took first place in Harp & Voice. In the Skagit Preliminaries, all competitors were in the Intermediate class; Diana Beaumont took first, Molly Baukham second, and Jason Kies third. In the Enumclaw Preliminaries, there were no Beginner competitors, Tim Smith took first in Intermediates, and Janna Bisceglia took first in Advanced. In the Competition Finals, Jonny Kosaka won the Beginner class, Timmy Kosaka won the Intermediate class, and Janna Bisceglia won the Advanced class. Our thanks to all the volunteers who helped make these competitions possible, to the harp tent coordinators, and to the judges. Bring A Friend to Wells BC. As there are still spots left in some of their summer workshops, Island Mountain Arts has put together a last minute summer promotion - the 'Bring a Friend' promotion! Enroll with a friend and both receive 10% off. To register with a friend simply quote the "Bring a Friend" promotion (only applies to new registrations). These apply to a number of courses including the three harp tracks: Beginner Harp with Neil Burnett; Intermediate Harp with Sharlene Wallace; Advanced Harp with Sunita Staneslow, all August 11 - 15. Note that the beginner class, usually taught by Lori Pappajohn, is being taught by Neil Burnett. More info can be found on the website www.imarts.com. New CD for Zeke Hoskin. Bellingham's Zeke Hoskin writes to say "As everybody who knows me knows well, I'm not a harp virtuoso. I did write one piece of flashy harp accompaniment, which I nailed in one take (the thirteenth, or thereabouts) on my album Lethal Reprieve. I'd hate to expect anybody to buy the whole album for one cut (the rest of the album is of course excellent and hugely entertaining and witty and has some hellacious good guitar on it, but no more super-harp), but now it is available for download cut by cut at Amazon and (soon) CDBaby and (probably) most other big music download sites." After some editorial questioning, Zeke confirmed that the name of the "super-harp" cut is Eagleharper. He also explains "They can buy the physical CD from me or CDBaby, but CDBaby takes plastic and I don't. I do have a web site, www.zekehoskin.com, where many of my lyrics and a few non-CD-quality recordings live. CDBaby only has my studio album, I have several less formal ones. I also sell sheet music, or at least I offer it for sale." Thanks for the announcement, Zeke, and the entertaining conversation... and congratulations on the CD! MHTP Modules 2009-2010. The Music for Healing and Transition Program has released a schedule of training modules for the coming year. Five modules will be held between September and May at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way WA. If you are interested in becoming a Certified Music Practitioner, trained to provide therapeutic music at the bedside, contact Carole Glenn (Washington Area Coordinator) at 360-779-6110 or cglenna1@aol.com. She can provide you with more details and information regarding training schedule and other requirements. Another New Article at Harp Spectrum. There is an interesting article posted at the Harp Spectrum web site at www.harpspectrum.org about the possibilities of harp distance-learning. A number of teachers describe their use of Skype to teach students who are not able to attend in-person lessons. Olympia-Area Harp Players. Diane Butler of Lacey WA is seeking to organize a meet-up for Olympia-area harp players. All levels and all styles of harping are welcome... the idea is to get contact information for a supportive group that might be interested in regular meetings, harp circle, etc. If you live in the greater Olympia area and would like to be included, please contact Diane at dbbwa@earthlink.net. Congratulations to Leslie McMichael. Leslie McMichael was recently invited by 4Culture, the cultural services agency for King County, to join the 2009 Touring Arts Roster. Leslie's original score for the silent classic PETER PAN is performed live on three harps with film screenings, and she was accepted to the juried directory showcasing some of the region's most diverse and talented artists and ensembles available for touring. World Harp Congress 2011. Just a reminder that the World Harp Congress will be holding its conference in Vancouver BC in 2011. The organizing committee under the able leadership of Elizabeth Volpe-Bligh has been working hard to bring this international gathering to Vancouver. They have a web-site up and running, check there often to find out the latest: www.worldharpcongress2011.com. Currently there is a form available for applications for presentations and concert slots... it's not too early to be planning ahead for this exciting event! New Articles on Harp Spectrum. The amazingly informative (and locally produced!) web site, Harp Spectrum, has just posted three new articles: "History of Latin American Harps" by Dr. Alfredo Rolando Ortiz; "The Eighth Pedal - Fact or Fiction?" by Mike Parker; and "Replacing the Strings" by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo. You can find links to these (and more) on the front page at www.harpspectrum.org. Victory Review Goes On-Line. Victory Music, which has supported the Northwest acoustic music community for many years, has made the decision to publish their monthly Review as an internet e-zine only (though they will still print one paper issue per year, in May, for Folklife). Victory is a great resource for learning about local open mics, recording artists, concerts, etc., and you will be able to access the Review on-line at www.victorymusic.org. New Concert Venue in Seattle. Greater Seattle AHS Chapter president, harpist and organist Mark Andersen, has received an appointment as Artist in Residence and Music Director to Daniel's Recital Hall at 5th and Columbia. The hall was formerly the First United Methodist Church sanctuary and it houses one of the finest pipe organs in the Seattle area, built in the American Classic style by Austin Pipe Organ Company of Hartford, CT. He will be playing a total of 14 concerts there this year. These concerts will be free to the public through a grant from the National Council for the Arts. The restoration and conversion of the building are being done by Kevin Daniels, CEO of Daniels Development. They are building the new skyscraper on the adjacent property behind the Ranier Club. Kevin is very arts-minded and the new recital hall will be a wonderful venue for harp programs. Mark reports that the acoustics there are absolutely fabulous! For more information see www.danielsrecitalhall.org (click Calendar for a list of noon-time concerts). Mystery Harper Revealed. An internet discussion about an unnamed "amazing harp player" brought to my attention information on the current activities of Luke Brechtelsbauer. Those of you who were attending harp circles and festivals in the Seattle area six or seven years ago may have met Luke; he also was a regular busker with his harp at the Pike Place Market until he left town (to attend Clown College in California). If you remember him, you may be interested in this link: http://www.harpkit.com/Merchant2/laptest.htm. The second "testimonial" is a letter from Luke telling of his adventures with the harp, there is a picture of him (with harp) in full clown regalia in the circus, and a more recent video link showing that he can still play the strings off that well-traveled lap harp! New CD for David Michael. Port Townsend harper David Michael has received great reviews on his new CD, Within, that he recently produced with long time friend Benjy Wertheimer. The music, for Celtic harp and esraj (a bowed Indian instrument), has been called an "improvisational masterpiece". Released on the Wertheimer's Wolf Cub label, Within may now be purchased online from CD Baby. If you don't want the CD package, you can download an mp3 of the whole recording for just $9.99 (as well as sample clips) at http://cdbaby.com/cd/bwdm. The selections on this CD were recorded as live improvisations using the ambient space of "the Cistern," the incredible sonic environment of an empty 2 million gallon underground reservoir in Fort Worden State Park (in Port Townsend, Washington). National Public Radio dubbed this space "the greatest musical instrument in the state of Washington," with a reverberation cycle of over 40 seconds. For more information on David, see his web site at www.purnimaproductions.com. Konghou Article Available. Joyce Rice, who oversees the always interesting Harp Spectrum website, reports that a new article on the Chinese harp, konghou, from ancient times to today, is now available. Joyce combined information from two of today's foremost konghou players, Joy Yu Hoffman and Ping-qiu Yue, into an article that is "both informative and poetic". See this and many other fascinating harp articles at: www.harpspectrum.org Latest Internet Harp for Sale Scam. Thanks to an alert harp seller who recognized a scam when she saw one, we have this latest example of how dishonest people try to cheat honest harpers! Note all the telltale signs (wanting "change" from an overpayment, wanting it via moneygram, involving a "shipper agent"). Ignore all such inquiries! "Good to hear from you, Thanks for your prompt mail. I have been able to convince my client to pay that amount, he would like some recent pics too. My client has agreed to make out payment in a cashier check of $6,400 which is a refund payment of a cancelled order earlier made by my client's wife who is his marketing rep. Due to company policy this check has to be made out in this amount to you, because company policy only allows a refund payment on one cashier check. You are therefore required to deduct your cost price $1,200 and send the balance of $5,200 to my client's shipper agent in the US via Western union money transfer or moneygram transfer for him to be able to offset shipping charges and acquire space in time for shipping ." PSFHS Picnic. With the cooperation of the most amazing weather, the Puget Sound Folk Harp Society's annual potluck picnic was a huge success. Fifteen happy harpers spent the afternoon enjoying the sunshine at Ravenna Park, sharing delicious food contributions which ranged from healthy lentil salad and veggie tray to decadent cherry-peach pie and chocolate cake. After socializing and munching, harpers gathered around a ground tarp for a fun jam/harp circle, with renditions of everything from O'Carolan to the Beachboys! Thanks to Eileen Warr-Marti and Beth Kolle for securing the site and organizing the event... watch this newsletter for next year's picnic and join the fun! Local AHS Chapter Launches New Web Site. Congratulations to the Greater Seattle Chapter of the American Harp Society on their new web site at www.ahsseattle.org. There are already many interesting features, including events, a photo gallery, chapter history, and more!
New CD from Harper Tasche.
Harper has finally made a CD using a regular 36-string harp! "Provenance"
features iridescent, all-original works in Harper's full expressive range:
joyous, introspective, stately, humorous, gentle, energetic, poignant, and
evocative. Includes two pieces written for a wedding; two pieces
commissioned in response to beautiful paintings by Redmond artist Ed
Edelstein; and a suite of six pieces commissioned in response to exquisite
verses by Colorado poet Kate Ellis (included in the 16-page CD booklet).
Guest musician Jami Sieber adds her cello artistry to four tracks as well.
The CD is $17 plus shipping and applicable taxes, available from
www.HarpCrossing.com.
Harps Welcome at Mid-Sommer Events.
Joanne Graves of the Poulsbo Sons of Norway writes to say: "The Scandinavian community has a couple of
mid-sommer events in the Puget Sound area each year. Part of the mid-sommer
festival is an "allspel" which means "everyone plays". It would be so nice
to have some harps come and join in the fun. Also, there is a Norwegian
folk dance and music camp every summer in Mount Vernon, Washington. A
group from Norway comes to teach dancing and music. The music is mostly
fiddle and accordion, but I am sure if some harpers wanted to come they
would be very welcome. The website for that is:
www.seattlestemne.org. " Award for Olympia Harpist. Graeme Smith of Olympia was selected by video audition to perform at "Expanding the Vision," the national conference of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, taking place in Minneapolis over Memorial Day weekend. Graeme, a high school junior and student of Leslie McMichael, will participate in harp master classes with Maria Luisa Rayan-Forero and Washington's own Jill Whitman, as well as play in the flute and harp performing ensemble. Congratulations, Graeme! Congratulations to Flip Breskin! Bellingham musician and singer Flip Breskin has attended several Fort Worden festivals along with her husband, well-known harper and song-writer Zeke Hoskin. We got word that Flip was inducted into the Northwest Women's Hall of Fame on March 30th, for her efforts in community-building. Flip is a founder of the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, a stalwart at the Whatcom County Homemade Music Society, a frequent host of house concerts and other musical activities, a Block Watch captain, and editor of the Columbia (Bellingham) neighborhood association newsletter. As her nominator expressed "She combines this love and understanding, and expertise in music and people and community, and brings it all together." Congratulations Flip! New Articles at Harp Spectrum. The wonderful Harp Spectrum web site (managed by Seattle harpist Joyce Rice) has four new interesting articles ready for viewing. (Go to www.harpspectrum.org; there is a "New Articles" block with links on the front page). One new article is "Early Scandinavian Sources to Harps and Harp Playing" by Sweden's Lia Lonnert, about Viking-era material, such as Gunnar playing the harp with his toes, and Aslaug, Daughter of Sigurd the Dragonslayer, along with some photos of really old stone carvings. Another new article is "Tips on Preparing Orchestral Harp Parts" by Elizabeth Volpe Bligh, which is a very thorough description of what an orchestral harpist needs to do to prepare a harp part. Another is about a "New Invention: The Harp Pedal Display Unit" in which South African harpist Amarillie Ackermann describes an electronic display that shows the current state of the 7 pedals of a pedal harp. Finally, Beat Wolf, a Swiss harp builder, has rewritten his article on The Louis XVI harp based on new research. Enjoy all this and more on the extensive web site! Interesting Harp E-Zine. Deborah of the Emerald Harp Circle in Oregon wrote in about this on-line newsletter, written by Susan Zevenberger, "which contains all sorts of wonderful and useful information for harp students. Go to www.myharpsdelight.com and then click on "free newsletter" from the list. If you like what you find, you can subscribe to this free e-zine so that it is sent to you once a month in the future." Tara Harp Protest. Last September, hundreds of people, including harp players, gathered to form a giant human harp on the hill of Tara in Ireland, to protest the government's plan to run a highway through this historically and archeologically important area. Many of the professional harp players in Ireland have signed a petition to protest this plan. You can see aerial pictures of the harp at http://www.tarawatch.org/?p=521 (sadly, they got the strings going the wrong way, but that's understandable given the size of the area covered... each little dot in the harp is a person!) Update Your Harper's Songbook. Do you have a Puget Sound Folk Harp Society "Harper's Songbook"? These are the three-ring binders handed out to you when you attended either the Fort Flagler/Fort Worden or Crystal Mountain Folk Harp Festivals, from 2000 to now. New group tunes are added to the book at each festival, and if we miss a festival, we don't have those tunes at all. It makes playing together difficult when everyone's book is slightly different. As a service to our harp community, PSFHS is offering a Supplement to the tunebooks that will include all the group tunes presented since the books were new, printed one tune per page so they can be inserted in alphabetical order with the original music. We have a list of everyone who has ever received a book, but we don't have everyone's contact information. So here's what you need to do... if you have a book, please e-mail Diane at mdianem@seanet.com, put the word TUNEBOOK in the subject line, and include your name as it appears on your book. Your name will be checked against our list of tunebook holders, and you will receive a link to a web page where you will be able to print out all the music you need to bring your book up to date! Eastside Harp Circle Debut Performances! Congratulations to the Eastside Harp Circle who debuted as a performance ensemble at two events in December, playing for residents of Sunrise Assisted Living and Aegis of Bothell. Ann Jenkins wrote to say of the Sunrise appearance "There were 7 of us performing and our program lasted nearly an hour. We worked hard and really pulled it off - which both thrilled and amazed us! There were 6 ensemble pieces and we each did a solo or two. The residents seemed to really enjoy it - some sang along!" Brava to the members for their gift of music during the holiday season! New CD for Linda Khandro. Linda, formerly of Seattle, recently relocated to her native British Columbia, is pleased to announce a new collaborative CD called Tethys, of original compositions and improvisations with harps (Linda), flutes (Ann Lindquist), and kotos (Shiho Kurauchi). Together they are called ShAnLi. If you would like a copy of this new release before the holidays, please mail to the address below: $20 will cover one CD and postage within the US. For more than one, please include an additional $1 per CD for packaging and postage. Please make checks out to Linda Khandro and mail c/o Camille Barrat, 2334 W. Plymouth St., Apt # 1, Seattle WA 98199. New CD from Laura Zaerr. University of Oregon harp instructor Laura Zaerr has a new CD, Dreamland, which can be ordered from her web site at www.laurazaerr.com. “Take me to your Dreamland in a rowboat of pearl, with oars wrought of silver to show me your world.” Laura’s gift for blending rich poetic imagery with lyrical musical phrases creates a varied set of lullabies to inspire the child of your heart. Soprano Laura Berryhill with flutists Diane Hawkins and Melanie Place add depth to the velvety sounds of the harp. The album carries an international theme as well. "If You Come from China" is written for adoptive families of all shapes and sizes. Part of the proceeds of each CD sale will help fund the Chengde Social Welfare Institute in China, which is home for 40 children who are not up for adoption. Second CD for Strings of Compassion. Strings of Compassion offers harp music at bedside at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene OR. During the past twelve months, they have offered more than 1000 hours of service, which is provided without cost to patient, family, or insurance company. Their work is supported by donations and by CD sales, and their latest, From the Deep Earth, is now available. For ordering details and other information, see www.peacehealth.org/stringsofcompassion or call 541-685-1748. Healing Songs CD from Harrison Medical Center. Edith Enns writes to say: "Just wanted to let everyone know that Harrison Medical Center (in Bremerton WA), where I work in Occupational Therapy/Hand Therapy, has almost completed their first Music CD - comprised of employees and volunteers. It is the first in what we hope to be a series and it is titled, "Healing Songs". The musicians are playing harp, flute, violin, cello , guitar and piano. It has been a great ride and we are excited to present this by the end of November. Harrison has hired a harpist , Dana Sheppard, and she is in charge of Complementary Therapies ( art, pet, aroma, etc.). It is a wonderful step for Harrison and their patients. Anyone wanting a CD can contact Harrison Medical Center at 360-377-3911 and ask for Complimentary Therapies. It will also be available in our in house gift shop for $15.00." Congratulations Vancouver BC! Vancouver BC has been chosen to host the 2011 World Harp Congress! It will be held from July 24-August 3rd. Committee head Elizabeth Volpe Bligh will post details on the WHC web site once they are up and running; for more info about the WHC events, including the 2008 conference in the Netherlands, see www.worldharpcongress.org. FHJ Sheet Music Available. Jerry Brown (ISFHC Librarian and owner of Music Makers' Kits) has completed a wonderful service... he has scanned the sheet music out of the first 100 Folk Harp Journals and made it available on a CD (or as a PDF download). For more information, go to www.musikits.com, click on "Books" in the menu, then on "Harp Books" and you'll see the CD in the list; price is $14.95. Arts & Music Opportunities Listing. The city of Seattle has a web site at www.seattle.gov/arts/0pportunities. The Opportunities site is a one-stop shop for the latest arts-related jobs, funding sources, calls for artists, and training opportunities, and is worth checking regularly if you are interested in city sponsored gigs, grants, etc. New Funding Source for Seattle
Musicians. A new pilot funding program of the Office of Arts &
Cultural Affairs... "smART ventures is intended to create new access for
individuals and groups not served by our other funding programs. We've
designed smART ventures to be flexible, inclusive and simple. You can
apply anytime with an innovative idea or one-time opportunity. The program
provides support ranging from $500 to $1,000 with the goal of expanding
arts and cultural participation, particularly among diverse and
underserved communities. Before applying, you must have your proposal idea
reviewed by a project manager. Contact Steven Larson, (206) 615-1801 to
discuss applying, and to be connected to a project manager." Rare Harp Documents On-Line. Seamus Taylor writes to remind us that he has created a web site containing facsimile copies of rare works on the Irish and Highland harp. All of this is available free of charge, but donations to the upkeep of the site are much appreciated! The site includes or has plans to include eventually: R. B. Armstrong, "The Irish and The Highland Harps" David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1904, 266 pages (BOTH sections, issued as one book); Edward Bunting, "The Ancient Music of Ireland" W. Power and Co, Dublin, (Vol. I) and Williamson, London, (Vol, II), 150 pages; Edward Bunting, "The Ancient Music of Ireland" Hodges, Dublin, 1840, 220 pages; Dr. George Petrie, "The Complete Collection of Irish Music" (ed. C. V. Stanford) Boosey & Co., London and NY, 1903, 427 pages; John Gunn, F.A.S.E., "An Historical Enquiry respecting the Performance on the Harp in the Highlands of Scotland (etc.)" Ballantyne, Edinburgh, 1807, 120 pages. For more information, see: http://www.hiddenglen.com/index.php/Music/Music4. Downloadable Sheet Music. West Coast Harps has available Alison Vardy's own compositions plus her arrangements of traditional music from many cultures. There is music from her CDs as well as new compositions and arrangements. New music is coming on board all the time - three levels of challenge! Simply download and print. Unique Honesty Box payment/subscription system. Learn more about the Sheet Music Downloads at: http://www.westcoastharps.com/sheet-music/about.htm. New Collections of Harp Ensemble
Music. Louis Lynch writes to say: "Fellow Harpists and Harpers, I am
writing to let you know of a new music book published by Harrisburg Harp
Orchestra, a nonprofit ensemble of 32 harpists in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. As you know, harp music for ensembles is not easy to find.
For our Harrisburg concerts, we have been using all original compositions.
Other ensembles have heard our music and asked for copies. So two
collections of our work, one for summer and one for Christmas, are being
published. The first, "A Garden Symphony" is now available. It includes
music for four harp parts, each with extractable solo sections. We also
use hammered dulcimer, oboe, flute, and trombone, so the four parts are
adaptable for other ensembles. Our music for the orchestra covers the
following harps and players: Harp Music on Web Radio. Twice a week (Thursday at 11 am PST and Sunday at 10 pm PST) you can listen to an hour of harp music on internet radio. The Harpestry program is available on-line at www.krvs.org from Lafayette LA, where host Valerie Green seeks out harp music of all styles for our listening pleasure! Seeking Therapeutic Harp Players. Dana Sheppard writes to say "I'm currently taking the program with Bedside Harp to become a therapeutic harpist, and am interested in connecting with others doing this work in the Seattle area. I live in Kitsap County (Bremerton), and am playing in a hospital there." If any of you who have studied with MHTP, IHTP, Chalice of Repose, or other programs would like to correspond with Dana, you can contact her at tallchick6@juno.com.
This page was last updated on November 24, 2009 |
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