Ohio Scottish Games

I competed in the Master Level Solo Harp category and was awarded 2nd place. In the Harp & Vocal category, I sang "Westlin Winds" by Robert Burns and was awarded 3rd place. 

Sue Richards and Seumas Gagne are two of the harp instructors at the Ohio Scottish Arts School this year. They performed an outstanding impromptu concert while the points were being tallied for the various harp competition categories.

Later in the afternoon, there was a harp circle. Each person playing harp had a chance to name a tune, and those in the circle joined in. Karen, a great friend at the Ohio Scottish Arts School, is playing my harp made by Larry Fisher.

Session

This is the second time that I've taken my harp to the session at Claddagh. Marian Funk is a great accordion player who attends regularly. She asked, "Has anyone taken your picture yet so you can show your friends?" I handed her my iPhone, and she snapped this photo.

Medieval and Renaissance Faire at The Ohio State University

Tisa McGraw and Kyle Meadow played lots of great tunes. Later, they were joined by a fiddler named Stewart who is a regular at the sessions at Claddagh.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b9OpCGgZF4

Kyle Meadows Web Page

Coaxing

I've never seen Dad sit down at the harp before,
but he did it today to try to coax Mom to play...

...but today, Mom was content
to just sit in her chair
and listen.

Proud Uncle at the Piano Recital

Mrs. Lewis asked my niece, Sadie, to play a piece on her harp before the piano recital. She played the Arran Boat Song.

Sadie has been taking harp lessons this past year
with Nancy Bick Clark. Nancy came to hear
Sadie's first performance on the harp.

Sadie played a complex and demanding movement from Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor (Pathetique).
Owen's rolled chords shimmered as he masterfully played the "real" version of Clair de Lune by Debussy.

Simon was dynamically bold and expressive
as he played "Chariots of Fire".

Sadie, Owen, and Simon are my sister Tina's children.

Victoria is congratulated on her confident performance of Mexican Fiesta by her mom, Sandy, and Linda. Sandy and Linda are my oldest and youngest sisters.

I am so, so, so very happy to have other musicians in the family...

and I've got tears in my eyes as I type this.

Salem: Three Times is a Charm!

While Doug was working in Watertown, I took a bus to Salem to visit The Harp Connection. It is located inside an office building that seems to have many medical offices. This entrance is down a hallway on the 2nd floor. 

I haven't played any Salvi harps before, 
so I started by playing an Arion Semi-Grand gold.

After playing the Arion, I played the Daphne Concert Grand. Wow, really nice feel and amazing sound. The soundboard had beautiful hand-painted decoration. Then, Lily Press played this harp so I could hear how it sounds from the audience side. Still amazing!

When, Lily played La Source opus 44 etude for harpe by Alphonse Hasselmans, 
this harp's voice really shone bright. 

http://LilyPressHarpist.wordpress.com

lily@harpconnection.com

Later, I wandered through Salem and took this photo near the wharf area.

Later that evening Doug and I ate in Northampton at Ibiza Tapas for 1/2 price Tuesday Tapas. While returning to our car, we passed this guy named Jesse busking on the harp.

Ibiza Tapas

Then, as we walked further up the street, Doug noticed this front page display paper in the newspaper dispenser. It was about therapeutic harp music for hospice patients. Three harp events in one day--magical!

Funerals

 Two relatives died this week. One of them was the father of a distant cousin who has led the guitar mass musicians since I left for Columbus over 25 years ago. The other was my uncle.

When the lead musician is unable to perform, I wondered who would provide the music? I occasionally join the musicians when I return home, so I decided join the musicians playing at the funeral masses. I ended up playing flute and singing one day. The next day, I also played harp before and after the service.

While I was in my old bedroom at home, I noticed some of my handiwork from when I was very, very young. Now visible in the midday brightness of the sun were the crosses I etched into several door frames with a pen knife. I remember being so proud of my work; after all, the cross symbolized something very special. I still remember my confusion over my mom being horrified at what I'd done. Hmmm...I'd forgotten all about that.