Selling Myself - Good Things Happen in Threes

The first thing you’ll notice about the photos in this post is the quality. That’s because I didn’t take them! Like most introverts, self promotion doesn’t come easily. I love playing the harp and most things about my amazing instrument fascinate me, but the business aspect of my job is not one of my strongest points. It’s Monday morning and as I sat looking through my lists and checking my website and my social media, well, the only social medium I use, I realised that I’ve got about an hour most mornings this week to catch up on one of my favourite things, a bit of writing. It’s been a full on hectic fortnight interspersed with bouts of sporadic sleep and there’s been a delicious abundance of notes on my music stand and, thankfully, there still is.

The main project was my video and photo shoot. I had my trusted creative team on board, photographer John Steel and the indefinable Gareth Boot. John is a fabulous photographer who I first met at a wedding fayre at Durker Roods Hotel in our village in 2015. He asked if he could take my photo and despite thinking he was a bit odd, I was delighted with the artistic result he came up with of me playing in the hotel reception area. His work stood out. There was something special about it, and I loved how he made my harp look. There’s definitely something about me and chandeliers.

Just over a year ago, I received some social media training with Esther Orridge at Social Progress in Honley. She put me back in touch with John and he made my publicity shots on top of the local moor an experience that was fun and occasionally too exciting. I found out that he isn’t odd, he’s just quirky and introverted, a bit like me. Picture John with all his photography gear, and me in a 1960’s Berketex heavy velvet dress (£25 from the local antiques shop), winter coat and walking boots trying to find even ground where it was safe to balance my harp in the August evening chill. My harp trolley was useless. He lost his shoe in a peaty bog trying to find the ideal purple heathery ground. We both agreed to try somewhere else, which resulted in some unique breathtaking shots with my harp and a paradisiac sunset.

Magical Moorland

August evening shoot just up the road. Passers by slowed down and turned their heads at the sight of spotlights and a harp

Compromise doesn’t sit well with John - he questioned my sense of adventure when I suggested doing the shoot from the safety of the car park. I’m glad he did.

I could feel his disappointment when I refused to take my harp outside at Wortley Hall on the 10th of the 9th, 2018 - the sky was ideal for outdoor photography but it was a cool damp day and I had nightmarish visions of it being engulfed in the murky water of the fountain or the two of us slowly sinking to the sombre depths of the nearby pond. Maybe next time if it’s warmer. Not the water shots, obviously. I think the results of our shoot for my website and social medium are pretty cool to say the least. It took place in the appropriately named National Association of Women room, a calming tranquil room tucked away at the back of the hotel, as well as the stunning Foundry Dining Room. I’m a huge fan of John’s work - his creative imaginative style and his attention to detail are outstanding and his editing is seamless. There’s a vivid realness to his images and they ooze life and emotion. When he’s not behind his camera or at his computer, or even on his skateboard, he’s devoted to his two daughters and I love emailing him and getting his out of office reply telling me he’s spending time with his little ones. My one disappointment is that I can’t show you every single one of his fabulous shots here.

Straight on Insta?

My expression reflects exactly how I feel about social media

First came the bit I was really dreading - the video shoot starting at 9am with three hand claps (see photos below). I’d experimented with video at Easter with my close friend Sali and came to the conclusion that the only way to do video was with friends and people I felt comfortable with. Cue another close friend, Gareth Boot, a man with a fervent sense of curiosity and a mind blowing interest in everything, especially technology. I met Gareth thanks to John when I was in quite a dark despondent place in my life a year ago. I was trying to find someone to help breathe life into my old website which I’d never had updated, and after meeting a few website designers, I had a brief phone conversation with Mr Boot. Maybe it’s his background in sales or perhaps his reassuringly broad Yorkshire accent, but I knew immediately he was the right person to help me get my website and my business up to date. After his initial design and the addition of John’s striking photos, I had a website I was proud of which reflected my personality and showcased the services I provided, with the additional bonus of being able to update it myself.

Wisdom and learning

The initial discomfort of seeing myself in action

When I met Gareth, nothing seemed to be going well in my life and with very little work, I was struggling to find any motivation to just get up in the morning. With his firm but fair support and using his CARE system (he’s written a book called TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF - The Four Non-negotiables of Achievement, described as “a personal development book for people who don’t read personal development books”), I started to turn my life around, stopping smoking last December and subsequently giving booze the finger a month later. I haven’t smoked or had a drink since and I’m exercising regularly for the first time in my life so he’s doing something right. Even though things aren’t quite bouncing yet, my outlook on life is significantly rosier than it was 12 months ago. Armed with his knack and penchant for technology, his dogged perfectionism and his creative passion, I knew GB would be the right man for the task.

I had some sound clips recorded a year ago which helped with the process of planning the videoclips. I limited myself to 3 non stop takes of each selected excerpt, a good way of managing my niggling perfectionism. I chose 3 outfits reflecting different aspects of my performance work as well as the styles of the music I played and my personality. I asked if I could use the NAW room at Wortley Hall as I once spent a long break during a wedding in there and spent an hour in utter peace and quiet, so I was almost certain there would be no noise pollution and that we could work undisturbed. Being in a room that represented the suffragette movement also felt significant in this process of finding and owning my voice again and expressing it, both behind my harp and without the comforting reassurance of its towering protection. It was a very positive experience and as you can see, there was quite a lot of laughter to accompany the serious professionalism.

You can check out John Steel’s fabulous images on this website and at johnsteelphotography.com The results of my video shoot with Gareth Boot are on the See Hear page, and you can find out more about Gareth at garethboot.com I have a YouTube channel - Rhian Evans Harpist. I also have a Facebook page, imaginatively called Rhian Evans Harpist. I am incredibly grateful to Laurie and all the staff at Wortley Hall for their assistance and support and for being willing to open up such a stunning weighty venue for my project. Sincere thanks to the couple at the hotel who were curious about what John and I were up to in the dining room with my huge harp. They happily engaged in conversation with me, resulting in some relaxed looking natural shots. The posed ones looked, well, posed.

Clapping

There was this thing where he had to clap three times to sync the sound - obviously nobody else could get a clap in edgeways

Like this?

The art of clapping

Showing us how it’s done

Opinionated

Gareth isn’t the only one who enjoys expressing himself

Exasperation

I think I won him round in the end

Don’t give up your day job GB

Like I said, he’s interested in everything

Intention

It's a funny old thing intention, as I'm discovering.  At the end of last year, when I was starting to face some major changes I needed to make in my life, I set a few intentions out of curiosity, just as an experiment.  I was mildly cynical but willing to give anything a go.  At the time I was receiving some coaching around my business which blurred into my personal life too as I realised I had quite a few matters to address across the board.  The coaching helped immensely and my life started to take a more positive direction as I felt my empowerment surge upwards.  One of the intentions I set myself was to perform Tosca once in my life.  I was listening to a lot of music at the time which comforted and reassured me and helped with the deep sense of loneliness I felt.  I listened to a lot of Puccini, one of my favourite composers.  His harp parts are refined and carefully crafted with such intricate detail and he always writes beautifully for my instrument.  His music is a joy to study and any opportunity to plunge my fingers into his generous fistfuls of notes is a delight.  Puccini's score is vibrant with passion.  In it, he explores a full spectrum of emotions, the colours of which are exposed in his exquisite writing.  The pacing of Tosca, both musically and theatrically, guarantees a great night's entertainment for audience and performers alike.  

Powerful imagery

Those dark eyes from the Opera North brochure

I've been invited to play in the offstage band for a season of performances of Tosca with Opera North starting this month.  I've played this role before, about ten years ago.  It's a sweet simple Gavotte for flute, viola and harp which comes at the beginning of Act 2, soon after the soberingly spiritual Te Deum which closes Act 1.  It's a lovely moment that vanishes like the twinkling of a star.  In so many ways it's a great gig as there's no need to tune my entire harp, which I do anyway because of the resonance, and I don't need to put my orchestral blacks on.  I don't even need to wear make up as I'll be invisible to the audience.  In theory, when you play in the pit, you're invisible too but I always feel there's something missing unless I've got a slick of lipstick or some eyeshadow to bolster my confidence.  After a minute or so playing, I pack up quietly and leave.  I always felt musically deprived and hungry for more when making my exit from the backstage area to those delicious sounds that continued without me.  An unfamiliar Puccini heroine, I'm looking forward to getting to know Tosca intimately.

You can imagine my bemusement at realising that I'm about to fulfil one of the intentions I set myself at the end of 2017, and far sooner than I imagined.  I've been invited to perform the pit part for two performances of Tosca in Hull in November.  Hmmm.  Interesting.  I'm seeing there's a lot to be said for intention.  I'd better go and wash my dishes.  I've given myself this morning off before continuing to cram - my first rehearsal has been moved forward to tomorrow.  Six hours of Puccini on a Monday.  What a great start to the week!

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

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...

This week

What a difference two seasons make!  I had my last alcoholic drink just over six months ago and I just don't miss it.  I never ever thought I'd write those words.  I use wine for cooking and last night had to throw over half a bottle away as it had been open almost 2 months.  Only a snifter (a gift) of homemade sloe gin, a dram of vodka and some orange liqueur remain.  Ooh those celebratory Cosmos...  Hmmm.  I have coped with the challenges, joys, disappointments and the humdrum of daily life for half a year without my former go-to crutch.  Following the anti-climax of another potential project amounting to nothing last week after almost 3 months' preparation and groundwork, all of which was enjoyable and enriching, I realise my resilience is at an all time high.  Managing and developing my business is a challenge.  Doing that without my newfound sobriety is an impossibility.  I know a brilliant alcohol dependency coach if anyone needs one.  You really have to want to stop though, he doesn't take any prisoners.

Inclusive

It's been a while since I applied for jobs

Monday got off to a flying 6am start as is the norm these days and it turned out to be a bit of a grumpy day off.  I was intending on getting some precious practice hours in ahead of my happily harp centred fortnight but my brain and body just refused.  The weather was warm but by no means itsy bitsy and after a quiet week, my weekend revolved around a job application I had toyed with over the past ten days.  It's a position I think I would love and excel at.  I felt I ticked most of the boxes apart from a couple of fundamentally important requirements and with the memories of shift work still clear in my mind and body, I decided I had nothing to lose by just going for it. I was very clear from the outset about my lacking in the criteria the job demanded, avoiding any guilt about wasting the company's time.  I've only completed an online job application form once before so that was a valuable learning curve in itself and quite an enjoyable one once I familiarised myself with it.  The process involved bouncing from one document to another on my laptop and finally down to my duvet on the lawn on Sunday morning where I had my brain splurge in trying to convey with utmost honesty why I was a musician and human being worth knowing about even if I wasn't the ideal candidate for that particular job.  6pm came and I got my head down, only occasionally coming up for air, a cat stretch and some fruity nutty brain snacks.  I was hungry but I know that I fall into a bit of a postprandial stupor after my evening meal.

Brainstorm breakfast

The best starting place.  Spot the photobomber

Shortly after 10pm I realised with horror I'd omitted one section.  How did that happen?  I frantically looked through my notes and couldn't find anything.  After I calmed down, the response to this question flowed freely and with the irresistible 11.59pm deadline, I pressed the button at 11.09.  I could have read my increasingly blurring words an umpteenth time and tweaked and re-tweaked to the wire but my leftover curry was consumed just before midnight.  Hyperactively exhausted, I ate and I wondered to myself why I didn't get round to doing it sooner.  That was nipped in the bud and I reassured myself that the outcome isn't important.  Going through the whole process is what mattered.  When's the next one?  I feel a sense of achievement today even though I know I'm up against hundreds if not thousands of work thirsty candidates who are equipped with far better skills than me, and it was an important step I had to take in my journey - still putting myself out there.  I was surprised to receive an email copy of my application as soon as I sent it.  I can't bring myself to look at it yet, but it will be useful for reference in due course.

Meditation irony

Too much time at my computer fried my brain and my body this weekend, but Pilates and a day off ironed most of that out

Thanks Mike!

My minimal (for now) attic office table with the remnants of my makeshift extra table from the weekend's work endeavours.  No wonder my back ached.  It looks a bit like a boardroom doesn't it?  It will once I've tidied up

Never one for half measures, I've set myself the challenge of a 5 part Facebook quiz week to help me get used to recording and video so that I'm not putting the same stuff up on my page all the time.  I've already rescheduled it twice after unrealistically planning to get it started yesterday.  I'm all about sharing my music and my love and passion for it while pushing my boundaries and learning new skills, and trying to make all that fun.  I've got a messy music desk piled with manuscript for the coming few days which I can't wait to delve back into.  I also get to savour the fruit of another challenge I set myself a few months ago - get my body in just good enough shape for a bikini.  No, I'm not off on holiday just yet, but I was told when I was offered this work that there's a pool onsite that we can use in breaks.  That's what lured me into Aquafit, which I will obviously maintain as I can't imagine a week without it.

Whoops!

It happened again...  A dress fit for business practically threw itself at me

My shopping trip was short and to the point.  The first shop I wasn't even planning on going to provided the bikini (blue and pink!) I ticked off my list at a bargain price of £6, so even if I do bottle out, which I won't, I can still wear it round the house when the weather gets tropical again.  I'm always on the lookout for blacks and I know I'll find plenty of use for that new little best friend.  At that price, there was no way I could walk away.  I came back and crashed onto my sofa and dreamt heavily.  I could have stayed there all evening but I roasted my chicken for the week and arrived only slightly late for Pilates, my mood as dark as thunder.  It was great to iron out my body and mind's creases and my lateness meant I missed those horrible monkey squats which stoke my anxiety, maybe because my legs are still quite weak and perhaps due to a fear of falling?  Or hurting my back?  There were a few postures that roused giggling (who said Pilates is all seriousness?) amongst emphatic groans and strenuous huffing and puffing (who said Pilates is easy?)  We finished with some thrilling vertiginous swooping and I felt my body and soul start to smile again.  There's something cathartic about group physical activity.  I'm so glad I didn't stay on my sofa.  Fred was back from almost two months driving through France and Spain and looking like a native with his olive toned skin.  He introduced me to a man who's high up at the local golf club and he took a few of my cards.  We share a surname!  We must be related...

This week?  Bring it on!

He-bee

How many bees can you see?

He-butterfly

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

Saturday

The covers are off

Anything could happen...!

Sunday to Friday - Catching Up With Myself

Mess

Can one burgle oneself?

I realised this morning I wasn't feeling quite right.  I haven't written for a while and my thoughts felt a bit blocked up - I'm back!  The weekend was full on in a good way and Monday was a bit of a rollercoaster.  Sat in my sunny yard yesterday evening in contemplative contentment with Llwyd and a cup of tea, I felt at last I was "getting there".  I often think busyness is a way of avoiding something.  I also felt I had a lot to sort out in my house, my head and my heart before moving on in this transition phase in my life.  I looked at the chaos around me, reflecting the events of the last month and felt I'd scarcely had a moment to just let my thoughts come and go apart from my routine of meditation, Pilates and pool activities.  I started to reenact some of the experiences I'd had.  

That's shoe business

Exploring new looks for wedding fairs, silky (silly?) happy trousers and fishnet pop socks - why not?

I had a great time at the fair organised by Wedding Fayres Yorkshire at the Holiday Inn Garforth.  It was lovely to meet another two members of their like-minded genuine caring team and I was so well looked after.  Nothing was too much trouble and I'm really looking forward to working with them again at some fairs after Summer.  I had some interest from a bride having a church ceremony next year - I do hope she books as I love playing in church.  I got chatting with a lovely guest at the hotel who said he was going to make me famous!  He was over from Australia looking for his long lost brother, and having recently celebrated his 80th birthday and 57 years of marriage, he had some fascinating tales.  His health concerns gave an urgency to his quest, as did his 48 hour deadline for finding his brother before his return down under.  If you're reading this David, do let me know!  I got talking with a mature couple who had been married 55 years and clearly still had that cheeky spark, gorgeous to witness that and it renewed my faith.  I dedicated a new tune I wanted to try out to them.  They were never going to book me and it didn't matter!  It was great to be out playing and sharing my music.

Concierge - "Where've you been?"

My welcoming committee as I got back - she climbs in the car window and makes herself at home.  I would take her with me to work but she gets car sick after 10 minutes

I am becoming something of an iron maiden with my current four hour sleep quota, and Monday morning was no exception ahead of our debut trio performance at Leeds University.  The concert was our flutist Jo's final recital and I was unpleasantly surprised at my gut reaction on seeing two examiners sat behind their desk.  It's been a while since I felt this kind of scrutiny but it soon passed as I remembered I wasn't the one under the microscope.  I felt slightly unsettled all morning and throughout the performance.  It was freezing in there and my hands just refused to warm up.  Due to time constraints we hadn't actually performed the programme in public in its entirety and could scarcely get through it in our last two rehearsals without needing to stop and analyse and tweak, especially in Debussy's monumentally complex Sonata.  Jo's husband David had lovingly and laboriously made an interesting arrangement of the viola part for bassoon and I admit I found it hard to get used to hearing the string element played on another wind instrument.  I'm still digesting the experience and watching the online streaming will help.  Anyway, Jo did herself proud and she seemed pleased and that's the main thing.  It was a tiring and challenging programme and I haven't played chamber music for quite a while.  We have to start somewhere.  We could have played for some concert organisers but we wouldn't even have received travelling expenses.  Chamber music is an indulgent luxury that very sadly doesn't pay the mortgage.  We have another performance in October and I'm looking forward to assessing our project with a different audience in a less formal setting and with the addition of a piece written originally for our instrumental combination.

Thank you

Even more stunning flowers for playing - lucky me!

Peony

My beautifully perfumed gentle giant

After my sculptural jolly on Tuesday, I got to grips with my jungle-like garden and realised with mild horror when I walked into my pungent sweaty shed that I'd forgotten to take the entire contents of my garden to the tip from my last horticultural cull about 10 days ago.  Whoops!  Zooming round my lawn, I took in the annual display of peony show-offs while they brazenly flaunted their unruly pastel peony heads and wafted their delicately alluring perfume.  I really think they're my favourite flowers.  The bees were having their wicked way with my geraniums and I felt slightly holier than thou as I left the blessed dandelions well alone.  After having my tree pruned last year, I felt some excitement as I spotted the promising nubbly nuggets of fruit on high - what tree will it be?  The sense of satisfaction I felt at 8pm when I completed the task I'd set myself as I sat on my back step absorbing the swift screeches brought that sense of peace I was craving.  I love a bit of gardening although getting that job done took me nearer the mounting pile of tedious admin I'd been finding every excuse to avoid.

Bee Friendly

Simple geraniums

Aquafit was AMAZING yesterday afternoon!  I went at the unusual time of 2pm and impatiently joined my pool sisters and brother as we queued with eager anticipation to get in while the other class finished.  There was something about the class yesterday.  I chatted with two ladies, one of whom had recently had her second hip replacement and was pain free, I reckon down to Aquafit.  I wish I could get Mum to overcome her dislike of water.  I've seen women leave their canes along with their towels and shampoo bottles and their bodies take on new life as they're supported by the gentle waves and their joints are anointed.   I vigorously punch kicked the water to the left then the right to the strains of Jamiroquai (this is Holmfirth) and 1-2-3 shook my body down as we revelled in the physical expression.  I was glad I'd been to the loo before diving in as I attempted to sink the float I was ordered to sit on, and cackled along with my poolmates as we exchanged looks of bemused frustration as the floats disobediently popped up.  The reflection of the sun's rays on the water through the obscured glass completed my spiritual sporting experience.  The pleasantly painful stiffness in the lower half of my body and shoulders this morning is an indication that it's a damn fine workout.  My posture is infinitely better and I'm developing a core with my four and a half pack.

As I sit here in my attic I'm feeling reassured that my energy and focus is shifting back to the harp and music again.  I can't wait to uncover my harp and reveal its vibrant wooden beauty once I've addressed this morning's chores and I'm looking forward to my online quest for new dots on the list I've been keeping since the end of last year.  Watch this space...

Goo

Spot the umlaut from my post busyness treat - surely that should read moüsse?  It was intense but I could have taken more intensity

Sweet!

Another moment of weakness

Irresistible

Marketing win, how could I say no?

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

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...

Sound and Noise

My post on Wednesday started with an evocative sound clip and lately I've been very aware of how intensely attuned I am to the sounds and noises around me.  I love this time of year and it's great to spend more time outdoors in my garden and having a quick cup of tea in the sun during breaks is a virtuous vice.  (ASIDE - as I tweak my erudite scrawlings ((tears of laughter faces)) my train of thought was just rudely interrupted by a car alarm going off every 20 seconds outside, not mine I hope!  I went into a trance-like state and just could not focus - does anyone else get this?!!  I'm off to live in a Finca in Spain - anyone coming?  Quiet persons only need apply!!)  The vitamin D is working its magic and I'm off to live in Spain as soon as I can - anyone coming?!!  As I was drinking my morning coffee on my back step Monday morning before my rehearsal I sensed my growing agitation.  My neighbours were in their garden with their choice of radio station blasting, or so it seemed to me.  We clearly don't share the same taste in music - you call that music?!!  I'm aware I need a lot of silence, otherwise my thoughts become overwhelmingly noisy or, the other extreme, worryingly quiet.

This week I have started thinking a lot more about listening to music after the positive effect tuning in again while driving had on me last week.  I listened to that broadcast about syncopation yesterday morning as I did my dishes and the pile of ironing that had stacked up and it was brilliant!  Syncopation was explained so clearly with brilliant musical illustrations anyone can relate to from Mozart to Luther Vandross!  Some of the musical examples were stimulating whilst others jarred.  It made me realise I often take music for granted and when I think about the intricate complexity of creating something that sounds so simple, it blows my mind a bit.  I got a real buzz listening to it.  Hearing is such a powerful sense.  Listen to one of your favourite songs and you can be taken back in time in an instant.

I have been unfortunate in that on one side I have, well, awful neighbours!  I know the bible says to Love Thy Neighbour, but you haven't met mine!  They're so noisy with regular arguing and shouting, they have two of the barkiest dogs ever and the loudest one barks at me incessantly as I get home.  It stresses me out and I hate feeling like I'm being aggressed on my own territory.  As you may know by now, my pet of choice is a cat - there's nowt quieter than a cat.  Or less demanding. independent and low maintenance.

I had a quick chat with my nice neighbours (it's all about balance!) and she said my music sounded great.  That was a really nice thing to say after our trio rehearsal - it's going to be good!  It's great to have feedback like that - I'm always aware of noise pollution and keep my doors and windows closed when I practice so I keep annoyance of others to a minimum.  Do unto others and all that.  I am also my own worst enemy (aren't we all?) - something that would sound good to others is hideously imperfect to my ears!

As we sat in front of the timpani and percussion last Saturday, painful experience meant I had earplugs with me, I don't think my colleague did.  In the concert with the presence of an audience I felt like shouting at her to put her fingers in her ears - our hearing is so precious and it wouldn't matter what the audience thought.  In our position they would have done the same!

As I was getting my music fix doing the dishes this morning I got that tingle when a piece for flute and harp came on.  The more I listened, the more the critical analytical side of my brain kicked in - I like that, don't like the sound there, what was THAT?! - and I knew it was a popular brand of American harp.  At the risk of being controversial, I don't like these harps generally speaking.  I find the sound cold and wooden and a bit brash.  I'm entitled to my opinion, this is my blog!  It got me thinking about the importance of my choice of instrument as an extension of my expressive voice and why I play the harp I play.  I love the warmth of the sound and that he (!) has a wild side.  He has personality, oodles of it!  As I'm quite small I like the physical lightness of it.  It has enough power for orchestral playing and it can be intimate within a chamber music setting.  Being the first thing we perceive, I acknowledged how important sound is to my identity as a harpist and musician.

After this beautiful French work I wrinkled my nose and pulled a face as a composer's name whose work I've played too many times was mentioned...  That's the power of music!

When you do music as a day to day job it can often be difficult to keep inspired.  I remember a time when I had 10 days work in a row and loved every minute of it, another time working 6 days in a week including 2 days with matinees.  That I found hard.  It was the same music and a long show and although the music was great, it was a long sit on an uncomfortable music bench.

My career in music has taken a very different trajectory over the past 12 months.  I have been thinking a lot about how I could help others with my playing, and I would like to explore the therapeutic side of music.  I have recently seen videos posted on social media about dementia and Alzheimer's and how music can be a powerful tool in alleviating the distress these illnesses cause.  Some of my students have problems with their hands and joints and I'm convinced playing an instrument can help maintain both physical and mental flexibility.  I have often thought about the healing aspect of my work and now I feel ready to help others.  Who knows where this new phase will lead?  I certainly don't and I quite like that!

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!