Sorry it took me awhile to get here, it has been a most busy time and keeps on getting busier! Lots of it involves harping, however, so no complaints.
9 October Last night went to another amazing and inspiring concert by Grainne and Billy. It was an especially nice venue - a church in Charlotte VT. Even though I had spend the weekend with G & B they didn't play all that much and there were some new tunes and old favorites. I didn't go to the workshop, but it wasn't feasible with various things needing attention.
Must practice today! I don't want to play the same fifteen tunes every time I go the hospital. The whole point will be mixing it up, no? There are more than a few favorites I didn't play, so off to work!
11 October Hospital day was fun - interestingly, but perhaps not unsurprisingly I played the tunes I had practiced better than the ones I play well last week and didn't bother practicing...... lesson learned! I completely spaced out about one tune, fudged through it, I hate those moments!
25 October Where have I been? Well, to the Northeast Tionol in East Durham and home again. I meet my sister there and we more or less hang about in our room or on our porch playing together and go to the concert and a few other things, but mostly it is time together away from home so we can play uninterrupted. Worked a lot with her on Loftus Jones - we also played Mrs Maxwell (I think the 2nd one) and promised each other (we always do this) to work on Festus Burke. The next event coming up is our 'Among Friends' party that one of my posse hosts every now and then randomly and I'm going to play Sport with flute and mando ...... with two friends. Wednesday night is the 6th and last class of this semester with Benedict K. and Hilari Farrington and we are to come dressed up as a tune. I found a little goat toy and I will wear green and try to figure out how to attach it to 'the green'. Ha ha. I don't play that one on the harp, although it wouldn't be too difficult..... but I play the concertina generally, in class. I'm just relieved to have figured out my 'costune'.
31 October A last entry - played at the hospital today, golly I was terrible - and I know why! I only practiced an hour or two last week. And it shows. I remember someone saying: one day no practice - you know it. Three days - others know it. A week - and you'll blow it. Alas, all too true.
However - I did, on the way home suddenly think the Inis Oir (or however you spell it) would be a perfect hospital tune, so I've been listening to Grainne playing it.... oh my, so lovely.
My 'Goat on the Green' was quite successful!
Saw the photos, looked fun!
ReplyDeleteDo you just play your normal repertoire at the hospital? Jigs and reels, etc? Or do you stick to airs?
ReplyDeleteI was also able to enjoy a wonderful Grainne and Billy concert in Dublin, NH on the 9th! They are simply magical together- and now I really want to learn the concertina- any ideas on acquiring/makes/models/costs/ lessons??? And the boxwood whistles he was playing- gorgeous! The venue was a restaurant, where they have become pretty "regular" and much loved entertainers....but I find the waitress, dining room issues a distraction. The church venue in Charlotte sounded lovely. At least we got them here!
ReplyDeleteSo far I play mostly Carolan - after that anything - just slowly - it's good practice! I played Sport the other day and also The Sweetheart Reel and Maghera Mountain, for example. Somehow never made it to any jigs, I don't think..... I'm trying to play at least one different tune per week - hopefully next week I will have revived Henry McD Roe, that's the plan anyway.
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