Edinburgh International Festival

                                       Siegfried - 8/8/18

I'm just back from a couple of days in Scotland performing with the Hallé at the Edinburgh International Festival.  I had my first experience of this iconic event last Summer when I was one of six harpists involved in a concert performance of Berlioz's sublime operatic masterpiece The Damnation of Faust given by the same orchestra under their inspirational music director Sir Mark Elder.  It was a memorable performance with some spectacular singing.  Sir Mark has a knack for sourcing outstanding vocal produce and this year, Siegfried was no exception.  After a stonking show in June, our memories rejigged from a rehearsal in Manchester, my musical exodus started on Monday afternoon when I drove up to Carlisle after the morning session.  With a 2.30 rehearsal on Tuesday afternoon at the beautiful Usher Hall in the heart of the city, and in light of having to "take" that motorway again, I booked a night at a hotel to minimise the risk of arriving late.  

The good, the bad and the downright ugly

I got to my car just before it got towed.  Luckily for me, Scottish traffic wardens are remarkably human and humane - it was just a caution, and still only £30 if I got stung, maybe cheaper than parking?  No wonder I need dark delights and I can safely say these prunes get 9 out of 10

Last year's experience was made slightly traumatic when I couldn't find parking by the hall after unloading my harp and I struggled to negotiate the narrow downward spiral of the claustrophobic multi storey car park through tears of frustration despite arriving very early for a sectional rehearsal with the man himself.  Not this year.  Oh no Edinburgh, I was onto you.  Being early and well tuned and prepared is a must in a scenario involving five other harpists and a knight.  There was no sectional this time, and despite a tight get in window (it busily boasts the status of international festival with good reason), I was on time, rested, fed and caffeinated.

The luxury of driving

means I can pack quite a lot of home comforts including my Pilates mat and bands and 2 days worth of food.  And my cherished pillow

My heart plummeted when I arrived at my halfway hotel.  Despite requesting a ground floor room when I booked, I was on the first floor with no lift.  The helpful apologetic receptionist ran me through my options - I was early enough to be moved to a ground floor room.  Anxious at the thought of being separated from my harp for all of 12 hours, plan A was ditched after I saw the disused leisure centre that had enjoyed a previous life as an important hub within the brand consistent hotel.  There was a pool!  It looked enticing in its state of disrepair.  I was told there was also a sauna and steam room.  Reception and I agreed that it could be the Tebay of UK hotels with a travellers' spa but as is often the case with dream projects, it's complicated.  I'm not sure if it's the thought that it might have been humid in there, or if it was a bit of jealousy at imagining Kite having a better time than me plunging pedals first into cool water followed by a session sweating it off swathed in nothing but a towel, but I couldn't bring myself to abandon her even though it seemed secure.  Besides I like sleeping with my harp occasionally.  She's surprisingly quiet and low maintenance - she'd only inaudibly popped her top G by the time we got to Edinburgh.

My scenic drive up from Carlisle through the imaginatively named villages of Carlops and Dolphinton kept my mind from boredom and was uneventful.  I passed Manor Garage which I managed to get my car to when the exhaust broke on that very same stretch of road a few years back on my way to work in the big city.  They miraculously fixed it while I waited and I was on time for the seating rehearsal.  Needless to say, I pulled over as soon as I could to book its service for next week.  My sister suffered the misfortune of a blown engine recently after forgetting to check the oil.  I'm paranoid about checking my tyres, and I can now add oil to my list of concerns.

Dicky!

showing off his jauntily creative side with a clever selfie angle.  People - the brighter side of touring.  

After a non stop busy day, my body a bit achy and in the mood for a quiet night in, I headed away from the festival bustle to the nearest pub for a slap up dinner.  I felt like part of the crowd ordering their stiffest Virgin Bloody Mary and coughed reassuringly at the kick of heat to the back of my throat.  My tastebuds were tantalisingly teased and tickled by salt and pepper squid and Kaarage chicken and I tried Katsu sauce and mooli for the first time.  9 out of 10 for the food, and being on my own wasn't an issue either.  The waitress and I were soon creased with belly laughs as we compared notes on our sugar addictions.  An attractive svelte European blessed with a stunning sparkly smile and a personality to match her looks, her poison was a cookie, lots of them by the sounds of it.  Each to their own.  If you're in Edinburgh and want some excellent food away from the madding crowds, I can recommend the Salisbury Arms very highly - great service and no funny looks for dining solo.

Narrow escape

After 2 delicious starters including the delightfully named Kaarage chicken in a nice pub by the halls, the waitress insisted on showing me the dessert menu.  Was she trying to kill me?  I narrowed it down to three and didn't have any.  They didn't open until midday so I definitely couldn't go back and have them for breakfast

The 20 minute rehearsal and subsequent 5.5 hour performance flew past, well it would as we harps were only in Acts 1 and 3.  I felt the urge to be social but, having had a scant 4 hours' sleep, the urge to honour an appointment in my car for a snooze was stronger, and I made my polite excuses not to join my harp colleagues for dinner.  Fortunately I woke up in time to eat my healthy chicken and kale rainbow salad, a workout for my mouth taking the best part of twenty minutes, that's how much fibre was packed into that plastic container.  Can you imagine going all the way up to Edinburgh and missing Act 3?

Baby tubas

My turn to get creative with those horns.  Most things look artistic through harp strings

There was a really good energy in the hall, a Festival vibe if ever I felt one, and I relished people watching when I wasn't engrossed in the indulgent magnitude and intimacy of Wagner's epic music.  The rapt expressions I glimpsed in the audience reflected the quality of the pared down production and world class singing.  Christine Goerke made for a beautiful bellowing Brünnhilde filling the hall with her powerful soprano, and my guess is she must have sung that role quite a few times - how else could she have embraced the challenge of such terse rehearsal and given a display of vocal wizardry with grace, ease and a warm generosity that captivated our audience?  Simon O'Neill was as good as he was back in June in Manchester, and I noticed he occasionally referred to an iPad, a sign of the times.  A hearty robust rambunctious Siegfried with the stamina of an ox, it's a role that suits him perfectly. The rest of the cast, conductor and orchestra were on top form too, playing with endurance, vibrant passion and élan.  A special mention goes to the Woodbird's gold sequinned white denim jacket ornate with eye catching sparkles that would have hypnotised a magpie.  I shook my head with disbelief several times at the sheer beauty of what my ears often couldn't register.  Some truly outstanding musicianship took place that night.

Comforting symmetry

My view when I turned around in Usher Hall.  There were quite a few Wagner fans sitting in those cushionless classroom pews for around 4 hours.  I considered myself heroic for lasting an hour and a half on a piano stool in Act 1

No sooner than you could say Siegfried, it was time to up sticks with the controlled dash that packing a huge orchestra into a truck and two coaches entails, and before I knew it, I was on the road again.  Unwilling to negotiate another round of parking, lifts and corridors only to decamp again a few hours later and lose a whole day travelling, I didn't spend a second night in halls.  

Right under Arthur's Seat

Great name, location and breakfast.  Bloody minded canteen attendant

Best coffee in Edinburgh

My best efforts couldn't get me a decent coffee on campus at 7am.  I got some exercise walking to the local shop where I was warmly served my hand stirred brew in my travel mug by lovely Ali shivering in front of his fridges 

Right under my nose

The Commonwealth Pool, closed until 14 August, so no early morning swimming session

Having carefully planned my route the old school way and avoiding the long drive involving a ferry crossing to Ireland which my satnav humorously initially suggested, I finally got some sense from it and went down the East side of the country, not quite the coastal route and I had the roads to myself as I crossed the rivers of Tyne, Tweed and Blackadder.  No kidding.  Google it.  After just over an hour I started drifting even though I was fuelled by an energy drink.  Sensing danger, I blearily parked up in Coldstream and tried to get in the zone for a quick nap.  Fifteen minutes later I set off again only to be overcome by another strong bout of insomnia after half an hour.  This time I stopped in a lay-by in deepest darkest who knows where.  I hacked away at my imagination's most ghastly ghouls and zombies crawling up the bonnet of my car to rudely peer in at my slumber before eventually getting a decent amount of shuteye in the tranquil pitch black setting.  That got me just past Newcastle with greater ease but I started to drift again. Back in civilisation, I stopped at the services and had a good hour of deep sleep under my blanket supported by the comfort of my pillow.  If you've never slept with a harp in the back of your car, I can tell you it's quite an art to cosy up.  A few spine and leg stretches in the facilities helped get my circulation going again and there's something to be said for 24 hour services and the friendliness of the people who make them happen.  Maybe they get extra money for doing the early shift.  Probably not, but they should.

First breakfast

taken at 4.29 am and washed down with a strong flat white, it kept me tapping my feet and gently headbanging intentionally to Ben Folds down the A1

Boosted by even more caffeine, off I went accompanied by the lively strains of Ben Folds.  A fabulous pianist, lyricist, vocalist and tunesmith, I can't recommend Best Imitation of Myself strongly enough as a great soundtrack for a long drive.  His songs are quite literally food for thought.  Check out Philosophy below which is worth watching for all of almost 6 minutes if only for his witty repartee with Jools:

I wouldn't want to tune his pianos.  With too many catchy numbers to list here, there's also Gracie, a most poignant father/daughter tribute.  Rockin' the Suburbs is a tongue in cheek number with a few swear words thrown in for good measure.  I was The Luckiest (another BFF classic beauty) when I had the good fortune to be part of the orchestra for a Ben Folds concert in Bristol a few years back.  A previously unknown entity, I was immediately hooked by his dazzling dexterity as he more often than not stood up to play his beloved piano.  His professionalism and the energy of his performance resonated with me as well as his engagement with his loyal audience - he  held them in the palm of his talented hands as they sang along with us.  Ben came to France with me when I drove there and back a couple of years ago so he's really made the distance and I know I can count on him for future journeys.  Rufus is overdue an airing, though the track for my next long car trip will probably involve some work related Puccini - I love combining business and pleasure.

At 4.29 the cones were just being lifted after they'd closed part of the A1.  A near miss.  At 5.17 I passed Temple Newsam and knew I was on the home stretch.  It was a doddle from there.  Slightly jet-lagged and hyperactively exhausted from my Scottish sojourn, I realised that almost all I've written about in this post is driving and car related.  Unfortunately it goes with the territory.  The time I spend with my harp actually enjoying my music is all too rare these days and I intend to change that during the next few months.  A promise I made myself in Scotland was a week off, which is swiftly dwindling to a few days as more distractions start flooding in, some of them welcome, others less so.  One of the biggest challenges we freelancers face is time management, and planning holidays is something I need to learn to incorporate into my life.  So if it's silence from me for a few days, I apologise but I have to create some breathing space.  Another promise is to dip my toes in sea and sand.  I always keep my promises.

Balancing act

All six of us closet sugar fiends, we were each offered a gift by Principal Harp Marie from the most amazing macaroon shop in the city, Madame Macaron.  Sugared out from the 3 I oohed over after lunch (pistachio, beautiful blue lavender without a hint of Zoflora, and peanut butter and chocolate), I saved mine for my post dinner ritual on Thursday night.  It tasted even better garnished and for travelling all the way from Scotland

Detox

In an attempt to manage my anxiety, I'm going coldish turkey next week.  If it helps, where can I get decaf coffee beans?

Welcome home!  The sky at 6.23 on the morning of my return to Yorkshire.

A beautiful heroine

Missing from this week's performance - I would have loved to see her and she would have LOVED Siegfried!  We shared the same inspirational teacher, mentor and close friend and like minded ally, Eira

Siegfried - just a quickie!

Sparks flew this evening at the end of Act 1 as Nothung (Siegfried's sword) was forged - that's the bit when we play.  After an hour and a quarter of uninterrupted music.   There's something about sitting there almost invisibly that brings out some sort of ultra sweary kicking screaming Tourettes in me at the very beginning,  I guess it's just the idea of the length of time.  It passes quickly as I get into the music.  So does almost everything else.  I really loved the performance - the heavy stomping of the giants' music, and I thought the musical pacing at the end of the Act was superb.

Today's other achievements:

Going to the shop for supplies on my way to the car after playing, walking through the booze section and not buying any.  Getting Jersey Royals as a special treat instead.  (Who am I?  I don't recognise myself..!)

Being in touch with my physical urge for movement when I got in and indulging in a 45 minute Pilates session in my attic haven (heaven?)  

It's been just great to have a busy harp week - music is one of my favourite means of anaesthetising.  I'm tired and I need a day off and if I can get through my Monday morning rehearsal, I can chill out a bit.  I'm feeling a bit emotional about tomorrow night, it's a big one for me with Brünnhilde's sumptuous thawing out music.  Aroused by her brother (no comment) Siegfried's kiss, she disencrusts herself from her heroic slumber accompanied by our skyward arabesques.  I hear the twinkling of her eyelids and there's an intense power in six harps playing together oh so quietly.

Final achievement - getting to bed before midnight again.

Powerful words from meditation today

Saturday - Siegfried Acts 1 & 2

This morning began by unveiling my mobile from its grainy bed for the night.  On my drive down to Manchester yesterday a sheep accompanied by its only-slightly wiser friend decided to cross the road in front of my swiftly moving car and it was just a couple of seconds away from an unthinkable fate.  In the process of braking to dodge it whilst only too aware of the vehicle very close to my rear, I spilt some of my freshly brewed coffee.  The sheep lived to safely graze another day.  It was a while after my white knuckle experience before I realised the coffee had spilt on my phone.  Everything works except I have to put it on speaker to take or make calls.  With my lack of technical aptitude, I'm praying I won't need to get a new one.  The thought of syncing and downloading new apps makes me want to cry.  In phoning myself I also had the heart sinking realisation my answer machine doesn't work.  Ha!

Yesterday was a 3 hour patching session for the live recording demanding silence, focus and nerves of steel.  I've become so well acquainted with my nearby microphone on its steely spindly stand due to its presence all week that I don't notice it anymore, and as we began the intense takes I realised we hadn't actually rehearsed it to death.  With the heightened atmosphere I dropped out of 2 small sections - sometimes it's wiser to do this rather than f**k it up for everyone and I think this is one of the reasons Wagner demanded 6 harps.  Despite being a bit of a megalomaniac I'm sure he had a human side too.  I can tell you which bits I'm going to practice first today!  In the shrinking down process I remembered a technique that helped me play as one with my colleagues - to breathe together and visualise almost becoming them.  Quite a lot of body language can help with this.  It's a technique that has worked well for me in the past especially when the beat is organic and musical and stretchy and even more so when I was sitting in the back row, and when I do it well it can be really draining.  I'm going to practice that this morning.  As I was polishing off my sunny apricot in the break, a million miles away in my thoughts, someone asked how my week was going.  I looked up to see it was Sir Mark.  Caught unawares without a script, I annoyingly found myself coming out with the biggest pile of tripe followed by a succinct statement which I think conveyed exactly how my week is going!  As an outsider it's interesting to see the close rapport and trust between orchestra and conductor.  There is no dress rehearsal.  I observed his manner with us all week and he certainly knows how to get me to want to do more than my best.  He shows respect and empathy, and although he (incredibly, under the circumstances) only very occasionally gets impatient, it's all for the music.  I wish I had his seemingly bionic ears!  He quite rightly treats the singers like royalty cajoling them into taking risks with breathtaking results.  His sensitivity and understanding make me wonder if he trained as a singer, or is he just outstandingly good at his job?  It's pretty awe inspiring to work on this level.

I felt a weight lift off me as I saw the distant hills and I love going to work in hustling bustling Manchester and by the same token, I love getting back home to the tranquillity of my rural idyll. This tropical heat suits me fine and I was amused that it was 7-8 degrees cooler in Meltham.  I planned my evening as I drove past beautiful rhododendron walls, abundant laburnum vines and the vibrant hot sunburst of flaming azaleas.  I didn't see many souls at the top on the moors and the dandelion like cotton wool ball wild shrubs are back.  I wanted to practice but was too tired so I opted for a cup of tea in my yard, phone crisis management, getting supper ready, a gentle walk round the block with YT (Llwyd),  a bit of weeding, and regaining some order in my house.  A rare occurrence - I was in bed before midnight.

Coffee flavoured rice anybody?

That Friday Feeling on a Thursday

Although it was officially a day off, yesterday was full on and by the time I'd done all my stuff, I had a window of about an hour and a half for practice.  This is my challenge, to shrink it all down into less time.  As I began I instinctively closed my sheet music and played the first 2 pages slowly from memory just to see what would happen.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was correct, so by going with my gut rather than practice in a certain prescribed way, I was able to save a lot of time and work efficiently without falling into my customary trap of "it's all s**t".  I'm one of those musicians who loves practicing (at one stage I loved it more than I did performing) and would gladly spend all day befriending each note, rolling them around in my fingers and ears.  Unfortunately practice doesn't pay the mortgage, and it doesn't make perfect either, actually.  As I worked through my music, I identified any danger areas, hesitations and issues that had arisen on Tuesday.  Knowing what sort of sound is required (even notes with no "ping" on the last note of the arpeggios - that can be hard when you're playing with gusto) helps narrow things down.  I'm always fascinated with the process between accepting work and the end result.  It often feels to me like that humungous exotic splurge of notes is never going to come together, and I love those final days before a performance and the conciseness they bring.  Personal practice is insular by definition and I like the shift in focus from home work to sectional to the spectacular moment when I'm allowed to join in with all the others.  It feels like a big musical shindig!

Practice shoes.  I left my concert shoes in Manchester and it was chilly yesterday so, hot socks (not sunburn).  I dream of a world where unique footwear is part of the dress code 

After practice I headed to the pool for my exercise fix, and every time I go I jump in further and further towards the deep end - it's the only way I can do it now, none of this tip-toeing down the steps nonsense.  Besides, if I jumped in the shallow end I might do myself an injury!  I usually go on a Tuesday and Thursday but could only fit in Wednesday this week, and it was a different instructor.  She scared me from word go!  I think they have to be quite shouty to be heard above the frantic torso-thrashing splashing and energetic music and it takes me a couple of sessions to get into an instructor's groove so to speak.  I just couldn't get into the rhythm at all, I felt no flow.  The class was full and I was too close to two women who were yakking away all the way through the class - how can they do the moves and talk?!  After 20 minutes I was wishing it was over and I kept looking at the clock.  I'm still glad I went - it's never easy but the long-lasting feel-good factor afterwards is worth the effort AND there was the added bonus of a hot bloke sitting waiting for the next class as I got out...  Hmmm.  I might go again next Wednesday.

Today felt a bit strange in that we were only required for the first half of the morning rehearsal and the same in the afternoon.  This meant that we played around 10 bars in total at the end of Act 1, I could count the notes but I'm not going to, not many in any case.  Feast or famine.  Not a single pedal change.  Not to worry - Wagner more than makes up for it in Act 3.  My back feels much better tonight.  I took 3 seat pads with me to see if I could resolve my chair height issue but it still didn't feel high enough.  Shy bairns get nowt and as I enquired about the possibility of using a piano stool for the performances, those lovely orchestra attendants soon provided me with an unusually spare cello chair which made all the difference.

It was good to have an early finish and I'm enjoying some time catching up at home - I feel a bit tired and in need of a creative feed and as a night owl, as early a night as I can muster.  My spirits were raised when I spotted yours truly in the garden when I got in (WARNING - the following footage contains scenes of a feline nature):

See what I mean about her tail making an umbrella handle shape?  Almost a fortnight after her tests she's looking much better and has filled out thank goodness.  

AND I nailed the online parking!

The only way is up - the architectural contrasts of central Manchester.

"Siegfried!"

"Richard Wagner composed his well known Ring Cycle in blah blah blah"...  Some of you reading that opening sentence might think the Rhian you know and love has been abducted by aliens and replaced by some fake harpist.  I am in no way an authority on the Ring but I'm becoming an authority on me and what makes me tick and I like writing about my experience, and hopefully it's a good enough read for musicians and non-musicians alike.  My use of language in that sentence isn't florid enough either!

Yesterday was my first day of rehearsal for Siegfried.  Excluding time spent travelling , hanging around and eating I worked out I was sitting for over 8 hours yesterday.  I felt like the princess and the pea as I tried in vain to customise my not-quite-high-enough chair with harp covers and clothing.  Still better than a backless music bench.  Today my lower back is a bit painful (shoulders surprisingly ok though) and I was ecstatic when I managed to book myself into Aquafit last night when I got in after my long day.  I can't wait to jump into the chilly water and bounce around like a lunatic, and I get excited as I walk to the pool and smell the irresistible chemical chlorine wafts.  To whoever cancelled - thank you!

It was a long day on slightly too little sleep - I had to get ALL my ironing done on Monday night, not just what I needed, and sort my food for the next few days.  I set off 45 minutes later than the time I'd set myself - I'd left 3.5 hours for a journey that takes an hour on a good day but seeing as I needed to pack what seemed like most of the contents of my home into my car after I'd completed my morning routine, it was just enough time not to be rushing.  After I deposited my harp in the hall and worked out yet another online parking system, I had to move my harp again as the sectional was taking place upstairs.  I still had enough time.  After all that mental psych-up it was the lovely knowledgeable and helpful Jonathan taking the rehearsal and it was a great way to ease into this project, and it was a much appreciated gesture when Sir Mark popped in briefly to greet his section.  After we had put the Wagner harp world to rights, off we trundled with our precious convoy down into the main hall.  We are in a lovely position right at the back and though it feels far away from the conductor, it's an ideal vantage point, towering above the orchestra (in my mind) alongside both sets of timpani and behind our buddies the horns.  There's a lot of those too - Wagner certainly wasn't a minimalist.  Despite the serious nature of rehearsals, it's a relief to break the often intense atmosphere with a dash of humour, and you can guarantee innocently complicit eye contact with at least one of those cheeky horn players as the conductor instructs us to start at everyone's favourite number...  Then lunch.  It was a beautiful day and following a colleague's suggestion I headed for the canal where I found a black metal bench to eat my picnic.  Then time for a coffee in my own travel mug which always garners compliments (it's bright pink of course).   We started Act 3 and assumed our positions for the next few days.  The familiarity of Wagner's sound world in the menacingly creeping and exciting opening bars was comforting as it built to its first thundering climax within the first 3 minutes, and I was more often than not distracted from my to-do list by the amazing auditory feast laid out before my ears.  Wagner just seems to be able to paint the world in his music if that makes sense.  Those music-gasms started again as I heard some quietly spectacular playing that just drew my ear in and I didn't want it to stop.  Those swathes and washes of divine sound.  I'm relieved I still have that passion for orchestral playing!

My thoughts drifted to my last experience of Siegfried and I had flashbacks of how it was in Leeds Town Hall.  If I'm honest it wasn't the best experience for me, mainly due to the position of the harps.  We were on the opposite side of our usual position within the orchestra and stuck right at the back, so it almost felt like we were separate from the rest of the orchestra.  It was like playing blindfolded with earplugs.  No wonder my nerves were frayed after 3 months.  I felt I couldn't trust what my senses were telling me.  Add to that the fact I was on the back row of harps tucked away in the furthest corner (there is a particular name for this position in the music world) and you can imagine my frame of mind and maybe understand why it put me off orchestral playing a bit.  No matter what solution we suggested or tried (monitors, plinths...), we were never going to come up trumps in that venue.

So it's a breath of fresh air to revisit this fabulous piece again and yesterday felt like a healing experience as I felt my confidence grow as I started to play like I play.  Brünnhilde (Brown Hilda or Hilda Brown, either way it doesn't translate well in my mind, and YES, I know it means armoured battle maiden) is amazing!  Like many a Brünnhilde, she's blonde and petite and has quite a pair lungs on her - wow!  As is often the case when I'm working, I'd like to be on the other side of the conductor so I could fully experience the impact of her voice but it's something special, I know that.  As for Sir Mark and the orchestra, I just love the generous spaciousness he gives the music and the loving attention with which he caresses each line and phrase.  It feels very organic and as he is healthily meticulous about every detail, it's a satisfyingly joyous challenge to work with him.  I wish I had his ears.  In the section we are an interesting mix of 4 blondes and 2 redheads - I'm just talking about the colour of our harps there by the way!  Possible token harp section photo coming soon...!  It's a lovely section with a good energy.

With the drowsiness that came at the end of what was our second rehearsal of three, I decided to go for a stroll along the canal (see below).  That's one of the things I love about Manchester - you're never a million miles away from water or some greenery and wildlife if you take a minute to look.  I went back to the empty changing room and nabbed the cosiest armchair, put on my sunglasses and went elsewhere for 10 minutes.  That's all it takes and I'm quite proud I've mastered the art of the power nap in a relatively public place.

Today will be a quiet day practicing, resting and preparing for what I think will be a spectacular performance this weekend...  Get your tickets now!

In the heart of Manchester - my momentary companions on my canal stroll

My heart sank for an instant when I got back to my car.  When I checked, I'd put the make of my vehicle where I should have put the registration...  How many Mazda sixes could there have been on that street yesterday anyway?!?

Harpist Roles

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...