Today, as I have been doing all this month, I am revisiting one of the podcast episodes that I think we need to hear again, and today’s topic is one on which we can all use a refresher course. It’s about playing without looking at the strings.

Yes, I know we need to look at the strings to be sur...

If you have been playing the harp for any amount of time, you will have already discovered the key truth about music study: whatever you have learned, whatever you have practiced for however long you have been practicing it, you will have to do it again. That’s not a prophesy of doom or meant to dis...

This past weekend was a big one for us in the United States. Not only were we celebrating our July 4th Independence Day as we do every year, but it was an anniversary year for us, our 250th. The parties were more festive, the fireworks more explosive, and all of the celebrations focused on freedo...

In 1782, Mozart was corresponding with a fellow composer about the art of composition. Mozart made the point that the true essence of music lies not only in the notes themselves but also in the spaces between them. That thought was echoed a century later by Claude Debussy who said, "Music is the ...

As I look back on my childhood and my very first music studies, I realize that I was incredibly fortunate, blessed, actually. Not because I was gifted or because my parents were not only willing but were able to support my harp lessons. Not because I was in one of the music capitals of the world ...

Let me start by saying that technique was a struggle for me. You may have heard me talk before about how my double-jointed fingers wouldn’t do what my teacher wanted, let alone what I wanted. I had been playing the harp for nearly ten years before I was able to develop proper mechanics, to make m...

When I was a young harpist, there was no internet. I know that would shock a young harpist today who has grown up with the wealth of resources that are available with a single click. I was curious about when exactly the first internet-savvy generation grew up, so with a quick search - everything ...

I’m always wary of instant cures, of instant solutions. You know what I mean, those ads that promise you can lose 10 pounds overnight or become a fluent French speaker in 2 weeks. The funny thing is that nobody believes the promises in the ads, but still we buy the products - just in case. 

Ther...

When was the last time you took a moment to just play some chords on your harp and let yourself simply enjoy them? When you hear that rich, resonant sound, you know that this was what your harp was meant to sound like. Perhaps hearing someone else play chords like that was why you decided to play...

If you came to me for a lesson and said you wanted to work on music theory, my first reaction would be to do my happy dance. I admit it - I am a theory geek. I love talking about the building blocks of music and exploring the way composers use them to create the kaleidoscopic variety of music we ...

Playing by ear is one of those things that musicians either know they can do or think they’ll never be able to do. Those who are practiced at it seem to have endless tunes at their fingertips. Name a tune, and if they know it, they can play it. To those who can’t do it - at least not yet - it see...

Today’s show is a masterclass, a show where I get to dig in to how to do something. We aren’t just talking big picture concepts; we’re going to get down to the nitty gritty. 

I have to say this is my favorite kind of show to do, because it feels like teaching, almost like we’re right here togeth...