A More Solemn Note

Thursday was a busy day.  I had two jobs on, a funeral reception at noon and La Bohème in the evening.  It was one of the hottest days of an exceptionally hot summer.  With a to do list the length of my leg, I got myself into a bit of a state the night before.  On Tuesday I heard of the cruelly untimely death of a lovely colleague who was only in her thirties, a car incident.  My head won't quite deal with it, it's too close to home.  I keep seeing her beautiful face and laughing eyes.  A true professional and a brightly quirky ray of sunshine, she had recently met a man and she seemed very happy.  It has tainted my week and beyond with an unshakeable sorrow.  I was meant to be working with her the week after next.

Dread full sight

Will it take 24 minutes or 24 hours?

I am often told I leave ridiculously early for work.  Setting off at 7.30 to make a journey that should take an hour and forty, I was optimistic that I'd arrive at my coastal destination and maybe even have time for a stroll on the beach and a toe dip in the sea before starting to play at midday.  It was the day the lorry crashed into the bridge on the M6.  I arrived at the hotel a hot bothered heap just after 1, my record of over thirty years of never being late for work tarnished by a motorway.  The M6 and M62 are at the top of my list of least favourite motorways (I don't think I have a favourite, not in this country anyway), and in 2010 I pranged my car on the latter on my way to Leeds for the opening night of La Bohème.  Maybe there's something about me and Puccini operas.  I still got there with time to spare though.

I wish I'd had time to take in the simple elegant beauty of the art deco hotel where the funeral reception was being held.  I had been a prisoner of the unnatural air-conned ambience of my hot cramped sardine tin car for the worst part of 6 hours.  My relief was immense at the contrast between this and the cool dark interior of the lobby and the sea views presented in all their glory through the dizzyingly high glass walls.  The pure candour of potent lilies placed on plinths was refreshing.  There was a giddy feel of the Great Gatsby about everything.  

Death has been an underlying theme this week.  It's something we avoid thinking about and it can become a preoccupation.  Take La Bohème, the opera I've been working on.  It whisks you through a whirlwind of emotions that change from exuberant joy to tragedy in an instant and of course, Mimi dies at the end.  One of the most popular operas of all time, it's clear that its theme and characters are relevant and resonate with most people.  Bohème always brings up thoughts of my Dad and his premature death when I was 27.  A loyal member of the town choir in his retirement and with a love and passion for music to rival my own, he would have been blown away by Puccini.  How many conversations I've wished to have with him, and how our relationship would have grown with our mutual maturity.  There is regret but that's just how it is.  In the brief time I spent at the funeral do on Thursday, I heard the popping of corks and saw people enjoying their canapés, the expression in their eyes covert, mysteriously shaded by their sunglasses.  There isn't just sorrow at a funeral, thankfully it's a celebration of a person's life and how much richness they brought to ours.  The nostalgia was tangible.

Coin toss

The clock was ticking - where was I?

It's nearly my birthday and nowadays they're more a time for reflection as well as looking forward.  As I review my year and think back to where I was twelve months ago, five, ten, twenty years ago, I think and feel it's ok to be where I am now.  I often feel I'm in a limbo state, neither here nor there, and learning to live with that is where my challenge lies.  Like driving, there's a feeling of urgency about getting somewhere instead of just saying what the **** and embracing the crap, and recognising the magic moments.  Sometimes I can't see them unless they grab me firmly and smack me in the face.  Take the funeral for example.  All I could see on Thursday was the disappointment at letting people down and the stress of such a horrendous journey.  Now, with a step back, a day off and some breathing space, I remember the staff who were calmly efficient and helpful, and the daughter of the deceased who was sympathetic and understanding and gave me a hug when I arrived with my flustered apologies while my harp was roasting away in the car.  Then there's the lady who complimented me on my crazy trousers and another lady who thanked me for my music.  An extra special mention goes to the hotel guest who offered to help me move my harp and gave me a hug after we had both tried to work out an alternative route to the alternative route that lay snaking menacingly ahead of me.  

A major magic moment turned out to be the route I eventually took through the Forest of Bowland, a damn finer sight than the miserable offerings of that unmentionable motorway.  After driving like I haven't for about ten years, I allowed my focus to shift to the breathtaking goosebump views that awaited after the long zig-zag climb up steep swirling B-roads in my heavily laden car.  Driving through quaint deserted picture book villages with their immaculate askew architecture and lifestyle magazine cottage gardens made me vow to return for a day trip on a road less travelled.  I apologised for disturbing the peace as I slowed through the village.

Unforeseen events like this also bring the worst out in people.  Take the man in the red prestige car who decided it was a good idea to drive within touching distance of mine as we went winding our way along the canopied backroads on the scenic route.  At a safe convenient moment I decelerated and indicated for him to pass.  He honked angrily at me as he zoomed past in his hurry to get to his destination.  I admit to a certain smugness while driving a safe distance behind him as I caught up to the slow moving queue we had now both joined which continued for the next 10 miles.  Who knows?  Maybe he was rushing to hospital?  He certainly risked lives and limbs.  I saw him negotiate a junction by crossing in front of another moving car with milliseconds to spare.  From this point, having shouted and sobbed myself almost hoarse, I felt a sense of acceptance fall over me.  I had phoned the opera fixer and discussed possible options and I was doing everything within my means to get there safely in time.  I stopped looking at the clock and the Satnav timer.  Even if I just made it for the second half, I was determined I'd get there.  I did.  With 23 minutes to spare.  I tuned, got changed, put on some lipstick, got harp 2 out of the hot car to the cooler backstage area and blocked everything out as I got on with Puccini.  Thank god for music!

HQ

Sight of relief

Clonter Opera

Clonter

Rose Garden

I'm enjoying a fantastic busy fortnight working at Clonter Opera in deepest darkest sunniest Cheshire.  I remember hearing the name Clonter with some fascination as an undergraduate student at the RNCM and I do have a strong sense of déjà-vu, although my memory won't stretch quite that far back.  Hailed by some as the Glyndebourne of the North, Clonter is a fantastic endeavour for singers seeking to gain experience of some of the core operatic repertoire and it boasts strong links with the RNCM.  If it wasn't for the signage you would be forgiven for mistaking Clonter for just another Cheshire dairy farm.  My drive to work past droves of cows lolling along their well-hooved path from pasture to parlour with bovine discipline is proof of the terrain.  In effect, it is an opera theatre in a barn.  How cool is that?  You can find out more about Clonter's fascinating creator Jeffery Lockett and his brainchild by copying this into your browser: https://www.clonter.org/about-clonter/jeffery-lockett/

Workplace welcome

The tree lined driveway and its neighbouring maize fields.  Not a parking meter in sight

I arrived bright and early last Saturday morning and had a quick car catnap in the quietest car park you could ever imagine before polishing off my breakfast, having been warmly greeted by Chief Executive Isabella and her faithful companion Cedar the spaniel who, in her tenth year, seems to be something of a Clonter legend.  Isabella is a legend in her own right of course.   One of three Lockett daughters, she ensures the smooth running of the Clonter Farm Music Trust along with her siblings.  I unloaded my harp after being shown the best route into the pit (what, no lift?!) and was helped by another stalwart Clonter personage who goes more than the extra mile to ease all things backstage, the lovely Mel.  A natural multitasker, she assumes her role as Production Manager and Stage Manager with the greatest of ease, and I remember her from my more recent RNCM postgrad days.  As my colleagues arrived, I felt reassured to see some familiar faces and the new ones proved very friendly - there's a genuine sense of camaraderie in the pit.

With three consecutive six hour rehearsal days kicking off at 10am, and to break down the driving, I stayed over one night at one of the nicest most peaceful hotels I've ever experienced!  I slept like one of the trunks outside my window.  Everything about Cheshire screams bucolic idyll.

Room with a view

over woodland and a stream

In keeping with my healthy eating plan, I took my own food most days but on Sunday night, I enjoyed the luxury of a naughty chocolatey indulgence.  I'm sure I play better when I've had my cocoa fix:

Sunday

Naughtily virtuous supper treat, it was really good and luckily still fresh

I've played in quite a few productions of La Bohème and this is an interesting experience in that it's the chamber version scored for just thirteen lucky players.  Unsure what to expect, I wasn't disappointed - the luscious plenitude and delicate intimacy of Puccini's delicious timeless score remains the feast it was the first time I savoured it some twenty years ago.   

Vibrato!

First page of my well thumbed beloved Bohème part

I'm one of the luckiest - some of my colleagues have never played Bohème before and devoid of a bigger section of the same instrument playing the same part, I marvel at their skill in managing the negotiation of such a difficult score overflowing with vertiginously tricky corners that just has to be known by heart.  How would you explain the broad spacious freedom that is key to Puccini's music?  Performing with guts, gusto and increasing swagger, the band sounds impressive in spite of, or possibly due to its reduced forces.  It feels great to be unofficially part of a section and I'm perched next to the cello with bass behind just to my left and violins directly in front, and the woodwinds and percussion are facing us on the opposite side for a change.  It works.  I'm so used to hearing the winds that it's great to hear the string parts with such clarity.  That's one of the best things about a lengthier project like this.  We've already had 18 hours rehearsal and both dress rehearsal and opening night are now behind us.  It's been way too long since I relished the indulgence of a long sequence of rehearsals - every time I get into that pit I hear something new as I start to feel more relaxed about my part in the whole process.  I love that, when I get to that stage where I feel so comfortable with it.  I'm not quite there yet and I will always have a bit of practice to do to deepen my knowledge of and refamiliarise myself with a part that is so well written that it falls easily and comfortably under the feet and fingers.  It's like meeting up with an intimate old friend again after quite a few years.  I'm probably the oldest one in the pit except our seasoned conductor, Clive.  He has over forty performances of Bohème under his belt and thus a very clear idea of what he wants.  In guiding the full voiced exceptionally talented budding cast past the pitfalls of what can be a treacherous piece, he can be a hard task master in what is clearly a beloved work.  He certainly kept us on our toes in rehearsal!

Intimate

Great to be beside the woodburning stove again

I do have a very soft spot for opera and one of the things I enjoy most is walking in through the backstage area past an enviable array of intriguing props and equipment.  Cue Mel and her team.  The oysters look toxically tasty and there will be snow in July.  As for the beverages, I'm not giving anything away.  Designer Grace Venning has conceived an imaginative atmospheric sepia hued traditional set and costumes and there's an intoxicating Frenchness about the entire production that leaves me with a feeling of peering into the shared accommodation of impoverished students in the gods of Parisian gables with their sublime voices and warm hearts as their only riches.   The set transforms miraculously into the breezy atmosphere of Café Momus for Act 2.  Jiggling old school light bulbs suspended from what look like a very basic piñata dangling from the ceiling remind me of the importance of lighting and I'm amazed at what can be achieved on what must be a shoestring budget by operatic standards with the clever creative skill of continental lighting designer Petr Vocka.  It's difficult to tear my eyes from the stage which I can see very clearly, and that brings me to the other reason I love Puccini operas - I rarely put my harp down.  He uses the harp with such variety of colour and precision that it's always a privilege to be offered a chance to perform in any of his masterpieces.  Thanks to the genius of Puccini's "verismo", there shouldn't be a dry eye in the house.      

At Clonter, the ambience is easily intimate and there's a convivial family feel to everything, from the homely meals offered on rehearsal days featuring the most amazing sausage roll I ever tasted to the mouth watering cakes I managed to resist until Wednesday night.  It was the dress rehearsal and we were all warmly invited to supper afterwards.  I had some delicious potatoes and a cheeky slice of baguette, not a continental prop I hasten to add.  And I succumbed to the heavenly fruity meringue, but not the freely flowing wine, which I was told was excellent.  Despite elegantly taking my leave Cinderella style to face my long drive home, it was really good to go and get to know my pit, onstage and offstage colleagues a bit better and find out more about this amazing place.  

Gateway

to pool nirvana

Oh, and I did it, my long awaited pool dive.  I managed to contain my exuberant enthusiasm until day two when we had a longer lunch break.  It didn't disappoint.  I tried to enthuse a couple of my colleagues who were quite rightly curious about the moves I'd learnt in my Aquafit classes, but I don't think I'll be giving up my day job...

Practice Tips

It's Monday morning and as befits a new week, here are some basic tips for good practice aimed at my students, as well as being a useful reminder to myself!   These are just suggestions.  There is no one correct way to practice, no guaranteed winning formula.  You need to find what works for you.

1. Decide what you need to practice and why.  Put pen to paper.  Define the problem, work out why it's difficult and come up with good ways of practicing
2. Take 3 minutes to think about what you're going to practice and what you want to accomplish
3. Plan the amount of time you need to spend on each piece.  Get a notebook and make a timetable if it helps
4. Repeat, repeat, repeat!  Having played a passage correctly after playing it several times with flaws, you need to practice it correctly more times
5. Practice fast as well as slow
6. Avoid overwhelm by separating problems and solving them one by one.  Break a passage down into sections
7. Practice difficult passages in context
8. Practice away from the harp.  This one is really important and very revealing
9. Don't neglect so called easy sections
10. Set yourself achievable goals - memorise one or two lines, then gradually the whole piece

Practice techniques and tools:

Always learn your notes with hands separately first, and aim for fluency before putting hands together.  Building a piece of music is like laying the foundations of a house.

Break down the individual voicings - listen to the melody, bass line and harmony separately,

Analyse - know and understand the key signature, time signature and rhythm, musical structure, harmonic sequences, modulation - understand what you're playing and if you don't, ask me!

With a difficult passage, get playful!  Practice jumps, practice rhythmical patterns (groups of 2-7 notes in rapid succession in passage work), repeat each note twice then alternate hands, memorise your left hand...

Make friends with your metronome (I know many of you don't like it but it really does work or I wouldn't go on about it...) and make it a game - start low and slow, get comfortable, then take it up 2 notches.  Play it through without stopping, then take it down one notch and work on any problem areas.  Continue this process until you've gone a couple of notches past your ideal tempo.

Research - find out about the composer, look up any unfamiliar printed markings, be inquisitive.

When a piece is more familiar, get your blindfold on while you practice.  I'm serious!  Try it!

After an intense practice session, bash through your piece at top speed.  This can help dust off the cobwebs and get rid of frustration.  Then calm your fingers by playing through it slowly.

Remember you're in charge of your practice.  What you learn in your lesson is the tip of the iceberg that needs to grow after your lesson.

Happy practicing!

Intention

This is the word that sprang to mind yesterday morning as I drove over to Saltaire, and as soon as I got there I inked it onto my hand so it was in my awareness all day.  I wanted to ensure that my students were moving on and I was thinking of ways in which I could help with this.  As I walked to the shop, I started thinking of the pedal harp and that it might be time for someone to give it a try.  My first student arrived and immediately 'fessed up to not having practiced much for the very valid reason of being away for her 50th birthday in a suitably exciting tropical destination as well as organising her celebration this weekend.  She was in need of some inspiration and wondered about trying the pedal harp.  Bear in mind this is without me mentioning my earlier thoughts.  I wheeled in the stunning ebony model as I pondered the potential of my psychic powers.  She took to it like a duck to water, immediately realising the benefit of using pedals over levers in her preferred classical and romantic repertoire, not to mention the postural comfort.  We'll see what happens, it's a massive investment and in my opinion quite a nice 50th gift to oneself.  She could also hire a pedal harp for a few months just to see.

My students came and went and I felt privileged as they shared their joys and woes with me, and I tentatively shared a few of mine.  Time flew and although I had a full six hours teaching, I felt energised afterwards.  I was very much in the moment for most of the day with very little drifting.  I wasn't worried about needing to practice when I got home and I know from experience that it's futile after a full day.  I met up with a good friend briefly in my scant 30 minute break and as we sought to sate our caffeine craving to no avail, I think an express espresso pop-up on Saltaire's main drag would be a stroke of genius. Copyright Rhian Evans.

I felt a bit awkward directing my students to my website and this blog but I realised that this is a great way for me to share my knowledge of the harp and music and some tips on practising and approach in one place.  Not everyone is on Facebook!  I recently went through lots of old papers in my decluttering and found some pearls of wisdom from my undergraduate years that are valid to this day.  I also did something I haven't done for a long time.  As my welcome home cuppa brewed, I went to my music library and got out some new old pieces that came up during the day.  There's a sense of potential in the air.

In setting myself up for meditation yesterday morning, I realised with mild horror that I forgot to meditate yesterday.  Gone was my 177 day streak!  My playful innate competitiveness is still there but much tamer these days.  Somewhat ironically my meditation is on regret.  That tickled me afterwards.

On Thursday evening I received a last minute enquiry for a job tomorrow.  It was taken almost immediately.  I then got a call and an email yesterday afternoon saying that it was available again and then it got filled, again.  Just missed - twice!  I'm ok about it all.  I'm becoming quite Zen in my maturity, I'm just meant to be somewhere else tomorrow...

View fullsize

Wednesday

Well, I managed it.  Printing off my music, that is.  All in all it probably took two hours to choose, download and print off six pieces.  I had to get another app on my phone since I couldn't get the printer to work from my laptop or mobile.  There were tears!   What is it about me and tech?  I'd rather learn ten horrendous pieces of music over one tech-sperience.  I was still in time for Aquafit though and with all this lot sorted, my day is clear for practice and our check up with the vet.  

Our new vet looks like a rather lovely hybrid of Jack Dee and Huw Edwards and most importantly, Llwyd loves him.  We arrived with rather ruffled coats (sweater in my case) and only slightly early and were whisked straight into his room avoiding check in.  There were roadworks right outside the surgery and a dog owner just beat me to the last available parking space, which led to a traumatic experience involving an impatient tranny van driver in my attempt to avoid missing our appointment.  Llwyd picked up on my anxiety and promptly started to throw up the small amount of food I'd given her at dawn to avoid her being famished as well as getting car sick.  I was distraught when I looked into her temporary plastic prison after her weigh-in - she was panting with her mouth open - a sign of stress.  Anyway, Huw Jack-Man was pleased with her progress - she's on the up and has to keep taking her daily steroid pill until her next check-up in September.  She's strong and stable.  We both are most of the time.  Needless to say, we had a catnap on the sofa in the darkened living room after our outing.

Just resting

I've checked the toxicity of peonies

I have a lovely new student I met a month ago coming for a trial lesson tomorrow so that means cleaning.  I am my mother's daughter!  It'll be good once it's done.  Teaching from home has more than one benefit and although I love having a clean house, it falls below practice in my book of priorities.  I'm off to get creative with the pieces I read through this morning.  My biggest challenge is getting past the dots and reaching that stage of familiarity with the music where I start adding my own twist.  These things take time.

Have you seen this?!

I don't think I've EVER seen a perfect T in Meltham

Harp Lessons in Saltaire

Salts Mill

Once a month I teach at the Early Music Shop in the beautiful historic setting of the Salts Mill in Saltaire near Bradford.  I love going there and the golden stones of the buildings that have earned it the status of World Heritage Site feel warm and sunny even on chillier days.  

My students are all adults and they are totally passionate about the harp and music which make it a joy to go there. They always arrive eager and well prepared (I know immediately if they haven't had time to practice - they usually tell me) and they have a host of questions.  I love how engaged they are in the learning process which in turn inspires and informs my practice.  Each student is very different and I enjoy coming up with ideas for explaining techniques and approaches which will hopefully provoke that lightbulb moment!  Adult teaching is very pleasurable and rewarding - my students play purely for enjoyment, so there's no pressure around exams and performances.  When I teach I hear things I take for granted with fresh ears and I'm often inspired by their choice of repertoire.  I rarely have to come up with ideas for new pieces as they have the curiosity to seek out and research what they would like to learn.  Teaching brings its frustrations of course, and something that seems so obvious to me makes no sense at all to a student!   My challenge is to clarify and make that information digestible so that they can practice it at home so it becomes second nature.  That's the most important part - the homework - if I'm not careful they can easily practice incorrectly, and as there are long gaps between lessons, my explanation is really important as is the correct practical execution by the student.  An hour passes very quickly!  One of the difficulties adults face is they have almost too much understanding and awareness.  That means they question and analyse which can over complicate matters, whereas a child would simply replicate or follow orders.  My current students have been coming for at least two years and I like to think I know more or less how they tick by now.  Another high point for me is the conversation and I look forward to hearing what they've been up to away from the harp.

The harp lessons in Saltaire were instigated in 2011 by Louise Thomson whose role I gradually took up when she went on maternity leave.  My colleague Alice Kirwan and I aim to develop and streamline our teaching there and we hope to incorporate a group session at least twice a year.  Not only is this important on a social level, but it's also very helpful to watch and listen to other harpists, which remains one of the best ways to learn. 

Alice and I

Playing the harp is serious business

Under the imaginative and sensitive leadership of experienced Artistic Director Eira Lynn Jones, I have enjoyed being a member of the artistic team responsible for organising the annual Saltaire Camac Harp Weekend for the past few years within the context of the Saltaire Festival.  We have welcomed exciting guest artists such as Tristan Le Govic and Nikolaz Cadoret from France who have inspired and encouraged our students and given them a different and fresh approach to their harp playing.

If you would like to book a trial lesson, please contact the Early Music Shop on 01274 288100 and if you are on Facebook, please like and follow our teacher page, Harp Tuition at Early Music Shop, Saltaire    https://www.facebook.com/Harp.EMS/

Tower

Saltaire

Tower

Saltaire

Saturday

The covers are off

Anything could happen...!

Harrogate

Tom Moore giving me his best Stevie Wonder impersonation.  It was a mistake to leave my sunglasses on top of the organ for a few minutes, or was it?

I had a great day in Harrogate yesterday.  The weather was most favourable and I like going to Harrogate - I inevitably see a red kite or twenty punctuating the heavens around Harewood.  Their rufous enormity and forked tail makes their appearance  unmistakeable and their strong Welsh connection means they're a comforting sight for me here in Yorkshire.  As I enjoyed my drive through the lush countryside I had a thought that filled me with dread - I'd forgotten the organ was very flat, probably lower than A336.  If you're a non musician, this just means I have to retune my harp which I keep at A441.  It takes a while for my harp to settle, and again as I tune it upwards after the concert.  The lower pitch makes everything feel and sound a bit depressing and the singers struggle too.  As I got into the church I spotted my mate Tom.  I've worked with him a few times and he's a pretty cool bloke, a bit quirky.  He's the kind of guy I can walk up to and tell him to stop fiddling with his organ.  To my relief, he was making friends with the hired organ, so no tuning issues.  Like me, Tom has specific shoes for negotiating all his pedals.  He's Director of Music at Wakefield Cathedral and we've played Chichester Psalms there before with the same choral conductor, the lovely colourful Andrew Padmore.  As well as being a bit of a whizz kid on the old keys, Tom always wheels out a pretty spectacular short solo that shows off his prowess and last night was no exception.  He wowed us with a quirky piece by Charles Ives in keeping with the American theme of the concert as well as his personality.  Alongside his organ duties Tom is a great educator and he was responsible for training the chorister who featured in the second movement of the Bernstein last night.  I always look forward to this stunning spiritual movement and I wasn't disappointed listening to Charlie last night.  A shy red head, the silence was spectacular as he sang with the purest of voices and our reaction as he humbly and innocently accepted his acknowledgement made him blush!  Gorgeous!  The choir were on top form as was Andrew, and he always makes me chuckle with his selection of themed waistcoats.  Imagine my glee when I spotted harps on the one he wore for the first half of the concert!

The drive home was blissfully quiet and pensive and the golden fiery sunset was a blessing, as was the solitary lapwing bidding me farewell as I took my leave of  Harrogate.  Yesterday felt like a short day and I was lucky to be home by 10 and get a head start on preparation for today and tomorrow's exciting events.  Brides - come and see and hear me and have a chat at the Holiday Inn in Garforth!  I'm looking forward to seeing those lovely blokes Allan and Grant from Wedding Fayres Yorkshire as well as meeting some talented suppliers.  It's great to be busy again and I'm feeling good-tired, and despite two catnaps in my car in my long break yesterday I'm looking forward to some serious chill and duvet time on Wednesday...

The beautiful setting at St Wilfrid's

Maybe the organ Tom was meant to be playing?

The peaceful hall where I did my brief Pilates session - look at the geometric detail in that ceiling

Beautiful roses for playing

Choosing Your Wedding Music

Image courtesy of Sarah Brabbin captured at Huddersfield Town Hall

I really love playing for weddings and it's a privilege to be closely involved in your special day.  Music is such a vital part of any celebration and especially the celebration of a loving partnership.  Over the years I have played at countless weddings and ceremonies and I know first hand the powerful impact the right piece of music can have.  My challenge is finding out which piece of music this is and then adapting it to make it sound great on the harp.  I find that to do this well and to give my own unique spin on a well known piece of music can take a while - from first listening to it to downloading a printed version online which inevitably mostly gets scribbled out as it's a piano arrangement, to making the piece my own.  This means that brides and grooms get their very own version of the piece which has so much significance for them.  This could be the first song you danced together to, or a song that was popular at the time you met.  I recently met a couple at a wedding event who liked my playing and my music and they want a reggae classic for the bride's entrance music.  Intrigued, I asked if they could send me a link to the song to see if I could make it work.  Having listened to it I'm pretty sure I can and I feel quite excited about it.  With great lyrics it's a lovely loving tribute from bride to groom and most importantly I think it will sound gorgeous on the harp!

With thanks to technology and the internet now, most things are possible.  I played for a civil ceremony in March and the bride was due to come and hear her request at a wedding event.  I was disappointed to find out at the last minute that the venue had decided to have a pianist instead without letting me know, which put me in a slightly awkward position with this bride-to-be who had planned to come and hear me play.  I got my thinking cap on and arranged a video call with her.  To my delight and relief she was pleased with the end results!

It's worth bearing in mind that not everything works well on the harp and I'm happy to guide you in your choice of music.

If you're thinking of having live harp music at your wedding, here is what I can offer:

Civil Ceremony - I am ready 30 minutes before your ceremony and I play soothing background music from my repertoire list while guests await your arrival.  One of the key moments musically is your entrance.  It's important to get this one right so have a good think about this. You may have a specific piece of music in mind or you may need some ideas - either way I can help you choose the right piece for the mood you want to portray.  I then play for the signing of the register and the photos, and finally a piece of your choice for your exit together.  Registrars and venue staff are always delighted when you have Iive professional musicians - it takes the pressure off them having to press that button and it ensures the smooth running of your ceremony.

Drinks Reception (1 hour) - After your ceremony I can provide background music for you and your guests as you all enjoy yourselves and have your photos taken.  Please note that due to the unpredictable British weather, I don't play outside.  Some harpists do, I don't.

Wedding Breakfast - having live music can make a world of difference to the atmosphere while you have your meal, and again I can play from my broad selection of tried and tested pieces.

Other options - 

Church Ceremony - I love playing in the sacred and slightly more solemn setting of a church.  I set up well in advance of your ceremony time and I can play while your guests congregate.  A bridal march is appropriate and I have also played other requests in church.  I can play the hymns depending on whether you have an organist - usually they do play the hymns and it goes with the setting and tends to rouse more singing!  I can play suitable background music while you sign the register and have your photos taken.  I can also play your exit music, or again you could have the organist play.  It all comes down to your personal preference.

(I can offer a combination of the above, although I don't do more than 2 elements, so for example Ceremony and Wedding Breakfast is fine but I wouldn't play for your Ceremony, Drinks and Wedding Breakfast - you can have too much of a good thing in my opinion!)

The Money Question!  My fees start from £250.  If you think this sounds like a lot, I hope you'll bear in mind the basic running and development costs of my business - website construction, hosting and updating, publicity photos and promotional materials, transport costs, harp strings, insurance and maintenance, buying sheet music, appropriate clothing and footwear, practice and training time, the dreaded tax bill, the list goes on... These all contribute in providing you with best wedding music experience I can possibly offer.

Of course, the easiest way to find out more about your choice of wedding music is by attending a wedding fayre or event and I do as many of these as I can.  I have lots of wedding standards in the Listen and Watch section on my website and I update these as often as possible.  I also have a Facebook business page - Rhian Evans Harpist - this is where you will find the most up to date information about any wedding fayres and events at which I'm performing.  You can also get in touch by using the link to my Contact page above.   And if you see me looking quite intense and focused as I play at an event, do hang around to have a chat - I occasionally come up for air and I'm much friendlier than I look when I play!

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

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...

Driving

Diagonal driving

As I set off on my long journey past recent showers of pink snowflakes on Tuesday morning, I remembered not so long ago I used to love long drives before the time of speed cameras and managed motorways when there were fewer reckless drivers and there wasn't the volume of traffic there is now.  Once I got past Lancaster the other day, I started to relax into the freedom of being behind the wheel.  I occasionally switched the radio on and I found a flow of music and things that interested and inspired me on my way up North.  Suddenly I had a stream of thoughts that felt important and in trying to organise them I had to design a mnemonic to keep hold of them.  Don't worry - this part of my brain switches off when traffic gets heavier!  My default station is Radio 3, and highlights included a fabulous version of I Could Have Danced All Night for cello and piano featuring Yo Yo Ma.  I love show music and it's a sheer delight when played at this level.  Then there was a teaser for a future broadcast about syncopation - I'm looking forward to hearing how that will be explained.  There was a piece by Debussy which I thought could work really well for the combination of instruments I'm part of for an imminent chamber music project.  It's reassuring to realise the music never stops for long in my brain.

As I took to the wheel again yesterday morning, I debated whether or not to do my "homework" - am I in the mood?  I'm not sure I feel like working while I'm driving etc etc.  After weighing things up for all of 20 seconds, on went one of the best versions of Symphonie Fantastique in my opinion - Sir Colin Davis at the helm of the LSO.  He had an amazing vision and was enlightened and totally got under the skin of any Berlioz works that he interpreted.  I found myself visualising sitting in the performance tomorrow during the first movement and feeling strong and confident - great practice!  Then, the importance of the right kind of harp sound in the second movement - open and easy, loud but not harsh.  The third movement is the evocative bucolic pastoral, aka the harpists' come down!  Listening to the fourth, I could see Berlioz marching with resigned dignity to his doom.  In the last movement I couldn't stop laughing at the trippy hilarity of the E-flat clarinet.  Needless to say, the CD got more than one airing during my drive!

With all I had to do yesterday, I didn't manage to fit in the hour of practice I had planned for myself, but I feel alright about it as I got a lot of work done in the car.  As a musician, I'm lucky that my office is wherever I go!

Simplicity

Result!

I know why baking has become so important to me recently.  It's all about the process and my love of it and it's a great stress reliever.  It all starts with the idea.  Then the planning and shopping for ingredients.  Next is preparation and assembly.  And finally, here is the end result of yesterday's endeavours:

Ta daaaa!  Ambery perfection.

About half way through the cooking time, the aroma wafting through my kitchen was tantalisingly irresistible.  Cooking satisfies my senses and I'm not sure why I let baking slip over the past year.  At one time I used to bake every Sunday.  It demands time and effort for sure.  Since I lived with a French family in Lyon, all I had to think about was the harp and my studies - I didn't have to do the cleaning, cooking and gardening and worry about paying the bills.  Towards the end of my studies, before I got my job in Cape Town, I was practicing for 6-7 hours a day - good times!!  In Lyon, cooking was like breathing.  My legendary teacher Germaine was another fine cook and gourmand and her passion for food was on a par with her passion for music and for life.  After my four years studying in Manchester and becoming independent and able to take care of myself, or so I thought, moving to France was a real eye opener.  How green I was!  I thought I knew how to play the harp and how to cook - I had a lot to learn!   I remember clearly learning to separate eggs and the fascination I felt at discovering you could beat them into a foamy amalgamation to be incorporated into all sorts of culinary delights.

There is an air of nostalgia about my baking - I have been using this foolproof recipe for over 20 years and it's a crowd pleaser.  I love how it has only 4 ingredients.  I enjoyed 2 pieces yesterday and it felt a whole lot better than trashy chocolate...

Stiff snowy peaks - "battre les blancs en neige"

In the tin

Out of the oven

Mmmmmm

Puccini

My passion for opera was ignited when I was 17 and I saw my first opera, The Love for Three Oranges by Prokofiev.  I was blown away!  When I was in my third year as an undergraduate at the RNCM I was fortunate enough to be invited to perform Madama Butterfly.  I just loved being in the pit, and being part of the excitement of all the musical and theatrical elements around me.  This was over 25 years ago and I don't think I truly got it.  

My first professional job was with the Cape Town Philharmonic, an orchestra that performed symphonic, ballet and operatic repertoire (more about that in a future post).  Imagine my delight when Madama Butterfly came up!  And with an Italian conductor!  Again, I don't think I got it - I was going through a phase where I was quite rigid musically, and Puccini demands so much flexibility, a real feel for every note and the space between the notes, and very specific sound qualities.

I had another stroke of luck in 2012 when I was invited to perform Butterfly again, this time with Opera North, and I like to think this time I got it!  Everything seemed to fall into place and I really felt I knew where each note belonged and its significance.  Puccini always writes the most amazing harp parts and I have enjoyed each of his operas that I have learnt.  My all time favourites are Butterfly of course, and La Boheme, and I often shed a tear in the pit!  They're not easy but they just work and fall into the fingers, and are a joy to relearn - there's always a new detail to discover and a different way to interpret a phrase or a new fingering to try.

I will be performing Butterfly again with Opera North on the 28th January.  If you haven't seen a Puccini opera, go along and experience it for yourselves - and remember to take your tissues!

In the pit before the dress rehearsal.  "America Forever" (it's one of Pinkerton's lines in Act 1)  Photograph by Michael Ardron