#274: Your Next Piece: Too Easy, Too Hard or Just Right?

Congratulations - you finished your piece! Well done! It’s time to take a breather and relax before you get onto the next piece. But that’s the problem. What piece is your next piece? How can you choose one that you like, that is a challenge but not too hard, and one that you can finish in a reasonable amount of time so that you still like it when it’s done?

If you’re currently working with a teacher or coach, you know you can rely on their expert advice as you choose your next piece. But if you’re trying to make this choice on your own, it can seem daunting. There are so many wonderful pieces, how could any harpist possibly choose? 

This is a topic that we all deal with repeatedly, so I thought it might be a good time for us to revisit a podcast I aired over a year ago, on May 5, 2025, Cinco de Mayo actually. I wouldn’t mention Cinco de Mayo, except that it played a role in that episode, as I suggested five categories of pieces you could consider, just as a way to narrow the field somewhat. These categories are still relevant, and I know they will be helpful for you now, if you’re nearing a decision point about new music.

But I’ve also added a little bit to the end of the episode, two brand-new ideas (at least new to my podcast) than can help you clarify your choices even more by helping you plan not just your next piece but your entire practice strategy and creating more of a sense of direction with your choices.  It’s al about making decisions and these new frameworks should help.

First you’ll hear the replay of episode 207, and then stay tuned for the new decision frameworks I want to teach you.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: 

• Blog post on arranging by Louis Anthony deLise, D.M.A.
• Join me at the Chrysalis Music Workshop in September. Register now.
• Get a different perspective with this blog post: The Easy Way to Choose an Arrangement
• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]

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