I've been watching a load of youtube videos on setting and accomplishing goals. There is a wealth of information out there! Anyway one thing that seems to be repeated over and over is that your goals must be BIG. Because it is very important that you get fired up and excited about accomplishing them. We don't dream big enough is what they are all saying!
With that in mind, here are my harp (and other musical) goals for 2015:
Harp goals
- Practice EVERY DAY within reason.
- Learn more Junior Crehan tunes.
- Refresh the airs that I haven't played in a while.
- Get more harp gigs including:
Art openings (Ennistymon Court House Gallery is one possibility)
Posh stuff like weddings, awards ceremonies.
- Play and record with local musicians (and new friends).
- Bring the harp and play at one of the sessions that EoinO'Neil invited me to.
Fiddle goals (may as well put them down here too as it makes me accountable and hence, more likely to stick to them!)
- Get sets if tunes you are confident enough to start up in a session if asked to.
- Bring fiddle to session and play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbxJQpPKygU (a great motivational video on goals setting and achieving.)
I changed that first resolution and edited it to add 'within reason' as I don't want to put something up as a goal if it is not attainable, so I am happy to practice every day within reason. I wasn't feeling well on Monday so went straight to bed early in the evening and did not practice that day.
Lucy (or anyone...?) do you play Sheep in the Boat, The Luithreadan (sp?), or The Hills of Coor on harp? I've got them both on fiddle but an learning them on harp.
We are about halfway through January now and I am happy to say I am pushing forward and practicing a lot, mostly everyday.
Have pretty much got a version of Hills of Coore that I like and almost got Sheep in the Boat, Luachradan is coming along (in D).
Have gone to the pub on my own (not with fiddle--getting there eventually!) and introduced myself to a couple nice musicians (making new friends and connections is part of what I am trying to do).
I made a nice connection with a man who was watching his wife and teen-aged daughter play in the session that night. He was really switched on as far as harps and harpers go (rare to find that in a complete random stranger!) as his three daughters all play harp among other things. His daughter there that evening was playing concertina. Turns out he is the owner of the famous Custy's Music Shop in Ennis. He told me that he would like to organize a harp festival in Ennis at some point. Also I found out that Michael Rooney's sister Finnula (sp?) is teaching harp in the area.
And, speaking of harps (haha that's what we do here!), I am making a pilgrimage down to Janet Harbison's harp school in Castleconnel (outside of Limerick) in a couple weeks! I will check it out, meet up with Fiana who teaches there and was trained by Janet and maybe have a lesson. I will stay over Fiana's one night (and pick her brain!) and also meet up with another woman Patti who I met on facebook. Patti is originally from Texas, knows Kathy, and now lives down that way and takes lessons from Fiana. Small harpy world it is!
This is it- soon I'll be able to say I knew you when.....congratulations, and what a great beginning to your New Year!
ReplyDeleteYay! I don't know how you sounded (although I can guess!) and you looked wonderful! Love the dress. xo Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It went really well!
ReplyDeleteAnything else coming up??
ReplyDeleteNot yet, Lucy which is part of my malaise right now. I'll have to drum something up! Or harp something up!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe deleted comment above was just me trying to post a link but it didn't work. The link is in the body of my post but you have to put it into your browser or whatever.
ReplyDeleteAnyway a really motivational youtube video....
Somehow I didn't see some of your comments/resolutions until now (which is pathetic as it is 25 January!). I was about to post on my own thread that I have had an uninspired month harp practicing wise, although it has been decent with the concertina. I seem to veer back and forth between the two. I try to convince myself that it doesn't matter as long as I practice one of them, but the fact is, it does matter as tunes fall out of my head if I don't keep after them!
ReplyDeleteI do play Hills of Coore and the Luithredan (or however to spell it!) and never have figured out what the heck to do with Sheep in the Boat which Grainne taught in A minor or something that no one plays, so I changed it to Em and then ended up entirely betwixt and between. I will look at the motivational goal link because I could very much use it! Although I think my concertina goals and practice are much more rational - I can learn the tunes and play them adequately much much more quickly. The harp requires a total dedication to a tune for at least six weeks, including either figuring out my own accompaniment, modifying Grainne's so I can do it, or whatever. My biggest problem is losing focus just when I am getting somewhere with a tune!
Also it is hard to settle the goals between learning new tunes here and there and MAINTENANCE! I have learned so many tunes, worked so hard on them, only to let them fall into disuse.
ReplyDeleteHI Lucy! Yes I kept adding to my post throughout the month.
ReplyDeleteTell me about it....it's a fine balance between new and maintenance! That has always been a major challenge!
I do Sheep in the Boat in Em on fiddle and harp as that's how they play it here and Kathy taught it to me on the fiddle that way as well.
And yes, the fiddle, while not an easy instrument to play well, is better for accumulating loads of tunes on relatively quickly. (Much like you and the concertina) While the harp, well the tunes are more like 'pieces' if you know what I mean.
Oh I will add something encouraging for you (you may already agree with this). I have brought back many a tune from the land of disuse and it is always easier to learn it the second time (or third time) round.
ReplyDeleteExcept for Crabs! I am still having trouble with that one so have put it aside for now. I keep telling myself, "Easy peasy" when I take on a new harp tune because I don't want to see each one as a struggle, I want to just jump in and do it and move on to the next one.