This image at least has a feeling of something New Yearish about it, I tried googling "fireworks harps" and found nothing. Did better with "lights harps". Ah well. The big question for me would be what will happen this year. Anything? Nothing? I seem to putter along on the harp with small bursts of enthusiasm followed by nada. I had a student for three months, but truly she was not very committed, busy getting engaged and now moving and finding a new job. We had so few lessons and she practiced so rarely that we never even got to the left hand of South Wind. However, she did learn the whole melody and has worked on hand placement and knows how to tune a harp. So she has learned something.
Meanwhile, I think my biggest insight for 2015 is that the harp is the harp is the harp. What I mean by that is that some tunes work best on it and it is best to stick with those and insist too, on playing in a way that shows off the harp's special qualities. I did, in December, spend a lot of time on Inis Oir, and also on the three Broderick jigs (or is it Crehan?) The Whistler at the Wake, one in the middle that I am forgetting the name of temporarily, finishing up with The Haunted House. It's a brilliant set.
I'm also working on Last Train to Loughrea - using a wonderful slow setting of it that I think will turn out really well once I figure out the left hand so it really complements the tune. It's good to come here and write about this, because it reminds me that even though I don't play as much as I think I ought, I am playing some.
Love and Happy New Year to all!
