As a harpist my job can be very solitary and I quite like that. Much of the time orchestral writing only involves one harp so it's a novelty to work alongside someone else. As a freelancer I need the flexibility to embrace more than one role as I'm often invited to play as guest principal or second harp and other times as part of a bigger section. I have to be adaptable enough to embrace each role while maintaining my personality - playing first harp demands great leadership skills, and being a team player as second harp or part of a section is fundamental to the success of any performance. I like to think I'm good at both. I have a strong personality so leadership comes naturally, and I like to think I'm easy to get on with and I have a good sense of humour. I am also flexible when needs be - I don't like being told I'm wrong (who does?!!) but I'm good at taking stuff on board and accepting constructive criticism. I have a good bulls**t detector too and I have pretty acute instincts when someone is messing with me and when it's their stuff that's being thrown around - that can be harder to deal with.
As I resumed my process of preparation for my harp week next week by posting on social media and listening to the opera I'm going to be performing, I felt a sense of calm fall over me. I haven't had time to practice or play since last Monday, and as I experienced several music-gasms as I listened to Wagner's inimitable masterpiece, I felt reassured that everything was going to be alright, that I can still play the harp. Obviously I need to go for it with my practice this weekend but it's manageable. I have performed Siegfried several times, most recently as part of Opera North's epic project 2 summers ago. If I'm absolutely honest, it was tough to keep inspired for 3 months of performing the same four operas seven times, and the night away in a 5* hotel for my birthday and this life changing laptop as rewards made it all the more worthwhile. I survived a week in London (well, Greenwich, but the lovely flat we rented was on the 11th floor... Aaarghhhh!!!!) for goodness sake! As an outskirts-of-a-village dweller, this was a huge achievement!
As I listened I recalled the many magic moments this music offers so generously. Erda's earth-shaking urgently sinister menaces and warnings, the rudely robust Siegfried's boisterous playfulness, Brünnhilde's sumptuous loving tribute to naughty Siegfried... Or is it Wotan? I sometimes forget! Anyway, if past performances with the Hallé are anything to go by, I'm in for a treat!
Having been part of many a harp section in the past, you could ask my opinion on what makes a great team! It starts by knowing my role. In this section I am harp 5 and I'm very happy with that. It means there's slightly less pressure than if I was harp 4 (or 1 or 2) which I was last time I played it. The biggest challenge I find is actually playing together as a tight section - it can be really difficult to hear each other and relying on visual and even auditory aids can be risky, everything is so changeable from sectional to full rehearsal and concert. The deeper we go into the rehearsal process, the more elements we can add as performance anchors. Luckily we are only playing it at the Bridgewater Hall - my last experience involved 5 different venues. So flexibility is very important. We also get a good amount of rehearsal time, starting with a harp only sectional on Tuesday morning. This can be intimidating (please be kind Sir Mark!) but ultimately is very helpful in getting us to gel together and become familiar with what all six of us are doing. Personally it ensures I'm super prepared, ideally to the point of memorising my music - that's what I need to feel on top of things. This morning I remembered having to sit there for about 25 minutes before our glorious spine-tingling first entry in Act 3, one that is quite fiendishly difficult as it's fast and co-ordination can be an issue when that good old adrenaline kicks in! Feet darling!
It will be a significant occasion for me. My first experience of a multiple-harp Wagner opera was Act 3 of Siegfried back in 2006 with the Hallé conducted by Mark Elder. I have the photo somewhere, will dig it out. That was one of my "WOW" musical moments soon before I returned to study in Manchester. I was excited and petrified in equal measures by this amazing experience! Interestingly the section looked quite similar to next week's. One special inspirational person and mentor will be sorely missed - her name appears in blue below. If you can't read it, it says Eira - Eira Lynn Jones! It was, and always is, fantastic to work with her. I had a lesson on this music in France with another profoundly influential teacher, Germaine Lorenzini alongside whom I had my first professional orchestral experience playing with the Orchestre National de Lyon. I'll never forget listening to a recording of the C major arpeggios with her trying to work out how to best approach it. She said it would all work out when we were with the conductor, just focus on the music! She was right. She was always right! It's been reassuringly nostalgic to rediscover her trademark coloured post-its with their generous and often humorous advice in my music. I was very lucky with my choice of teachers.
A golden rule in my book of great orchestral playing - never ever EVER mention another harpist in the precious minutes before a performance. I don't care how mentally strong anyone is. Whether you're principal harp of the most prestigious orchestra or 9th harp with an amateur group, NOBODY needs yet another harpist in their head just before playing. Rant over!!!!!
As I write this, I realise it could be completely different from this, my projection of how it has been in the past!
Right, time for some practice...
My well-thumbed Siegfried part with all my tweaks and modifications. I SWEAR I wouldn't be able to play it if I was given a clean copy.
That legendary Valkyrie...
