Studio Recital ~ Spring 2011

All year long, my students work hard at their piano and harp lessons.  Each Spring, they have the opportunity to participate in my formal studio recital and to perform for family and friends.  This year, we held the recital at a new facility - Merriman's Playhouse in South Bend. 

This year's pieces, composers and performers:

• Blue Dolphin;  Brown (Rylie W.)
• Winter Play; Greenleaf (Anna B.)
• Ozark Dance; Costley (Alyse C.)
• Dancing Clouds; Brown (Yarden K.)
• Agent in Disguise;  Leaf (Joseph D.)
• Call of the Wilderness; McLean (Lara C.)
• Boogie-Woogie Blast; Evans (Mark B.)
• Waltz in A Major, Op. 77 No. 2; Schubert (Alyson D.)
• Sky Sonatina; Brown (Claire C.)
• Prelude in C from the Well-Tempered Clavier; Bach (Hadas K.)
• Siciliana from Petite Suite Classique; Grandjany (Beth C.)
• Turbocharged; Goldston (Emma H.)
• The Knight Errant, Op. 100 No. 25; Burgmuller (Camille A.)
• Nocturne, Op. 72 No. 1; Chopin (Jacy S.)

After the recital, we had an awards ceremony.  Students received their medals from the Achievement in Music fesitval that was held last November, along with medals and trophies for their participation in the Gold Medal Challenge we did as a studio last year.  Everyone attending was treated to a post-recital reception, including made-to-order beverages from a coffee cart. 

Our next recital will be in August, and will feature duets and other chamber group performances.  Contact me for more information about piano lessons or harp lessons in South Bend!

Elkhart Harpist - Redeemer Community Christian School Fundraiser

Recently, I had the opportunity to play background music for a fundraiser for a small Christian school in Elkhart, Indiana.  The fundraiser was an auction of donated items and items made by the children at the school.  The event also included a dinner, for which I provided the background music.

The music selection was a mix of classical and contemporary pieces, with songs such as "Romance Without Words," "Fields of Gold," and selections from musicals such as Phantom of the Opera being played. 

Looking for a harpist for your party in Elkhart? Visit our website - Elkhart Harpist or call 1-877-HARP-578.

Chicago Wedding Harpist ~ Lord of Life Lutheran Wedding Ceremony

It's the middle of March, and wedding season started early this year.  Once it gets going, we stay busy until November!  Elizabeth and Kurt had a beautiful day, and I was so pleased to be a part of it.

They had a traditional Lutheran ceremony at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Darien, IL.  The pastor was excited to have a harp there as well - the building has perfect acoustics for it, too!  I am obsessively early, so was ready to play prelude music when guests started to arrive about 40 minutes before the wedding was scheduled to begin.  I always have about two hours worth of music with me at every wedding - just in case! 

The bridal party entered to "Aria" from Handel's Rinaldo, and the bride opted for the traditional "Canon in D" for her entrance.  During the service, I played two hymns:  "Holy, Holy, Holy" and "How Great Thou Art".  The bride was originally concerned that they might sound too somber for a wedding, but when I played them for her over the phone, she changed her mind.  The harp can make an ordinary song sound totally unique and beautiful - not the same way you'd hear it on a Sunday morning!  The couple and their wedding party exited the ceremony to "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach.

If you are looking for a musician for your Chicago area wedding, please contact us!  We are available for events throughout northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and northwest Indiana.

Visit our website:  Chicago Wedding Harpist

Wedding Music Terminology

When you are planning your wedding, you'll learn a whole new vocabulary! From dress silhouettes to diamond cuts, these are probably all new to you. It's no different when it comes to discussing your wedding music.

You'll hear the same words over and over - but what do they really mean? Having a good grasp on these terms will allow you to make informed decisions about the musicians you hire for your ceremony and reception. You will be able to compare packages, knowing exactly what is included.

This will also help you in putting together your wedding program!

If you feel as if you musicians are speaking a different language, a professional should be willing to help you out - that's what we've been trained to do! Feel free to contact us with any questions, or to ask about having live harp music for your ceremony and reception. We'd love to work with you!

 

Prelude ~ Prelude music is played while your guests are arriving at your ceremony. This generally starts 15-30 minutes before your ceremony is scheduled to begin. Prelude music sets the mood and creates the ambiance for your entire wedding. 
 
Processional ~ This is the entrance music. You may have several different pieces played for the different groups who will be coming down the aisle (families, bridal party & bride), or one piece for everyone.

Interlude ~ Any time for quiet reflection during the ceremony that is to be accompanied by music. This may be an instrumental or vocal solo, lighting of the unity candle, flower presentation, or other special moment.

Recessional ~ Once you have been presented and announced at the conclusion of your ceremony, the recessional begins. This music plays while the couple, the bridal party & families exit the ceremony.

Postlude ~ Usually 10-15 minutes following the recessional, this is the exit music for the guests. This may also play through your receiving line, if it will be at your ceremony.

 

Background Music ~ Any time the music is not the focus of attention, it is considered background music. This would be appropriate for your rehearsal dinner, cocktail hour, or dinner. Most musicians price wedding ceremonies as a flat rate, but have an hourly fee for background music.

Cadence ~ Once each processing group is in place, the music for them needs to come to a logical conclusion - a cadence. Finding a good place to bring a piece to a close, or to extend it to accommodate a large group or long aisle, is the job of your musicians. No need to time the processionals, just have everybody walk in at a comfortable pace, and the musicians watch and listen to end (cadence) each piece and start the next one appropriately.

Cue ~ Most weddings don't start exactly on time! Your musicians should keep playing prelude music until everyone in the processionals is lined up and ready to go. When they are set, you will need to have someone assigned to signal your musicians that everyone is ready. This can be as simple as a wave, closing the doors (for indoor weddings), or having the officiant enter. Once the agreed upon signal is seen, the musicians know you are ready to begin and will start playing the first processional selection.

Chamber Music ~ This is a general term for a small group of musicians playing together. It can be any group of two (a duet), three (a trio), four (a quartet), five (a quintet), or a small orchestra.

 

Instrumentation ~ This refers to the types of instruments that are in a group. For example, the instrumentation of a string quartet is two violins, one viola, and one cello.

Arrangement ~ Arranging a piece of music involves taking sheet music from one instrument (such as a piano) and adapting and re-writing it to be played on another instrument or group of instruments (such as a string quartet). This often involves several hours of trial and error, determining how to make the piece sound best with a new instrumentation.

Repertoire ~ A musician's repertoire is a list of songs that he or she plays. For most professional musicians, this is an ever-expanding list!

View our repertoire lists:

• Classical & Traditional Wedding Music
• Popular, Broadway & Jazz Music
• Folk & Celtic Music
• Sacred Music & Spirituals
• Jewish Wedding & Sacred Music
• Holiday and Christmas Music

Visit our website for more information about how we can help you have beautiful music for your wedding!

Chicago Harp Concert

The beginning of the year is always a slower time for weddings, but it gives me an opportunity to play the harp for other events.  The Chicago School of Hot Yoga began a new concert series last month.  Every Sunday at 4:00 pm, they have a musical group come in and follow the concert with a community yoga class.  The whole evening is open to the public and by donation.  If you are in the Lincoln Park area on a Sunday afternoon, stop by!

Whenever I perform in a concert setting, I like to include a wide variety of music genres - and always a piece or two that no one expects to hear on a harp!  My program started with a set of six folk songs (three Welsh and three Irish).

"Suogan", a Welsh lullaby, is one of my personal favorites.  I followed that with "David of the White Rock" and "Serch Hudol (The Allurement of Love)".  The Irish tunes were "Down by the Salley Gardens", "Farewell to Liverpool", and the ever-popular "O Danny Boy".

"Hymne" by the contemporary Greek composer Vangelis began the classical portion of the concert.  Although he is better known for his film scores (Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner), this piece is a favorite with my brides for wedding music.  Next was Bach's "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers, Wake)", a chorale prelude that you might recogize from coffee commercials!

Bernard Andres is a French composer who writes extremely well for the harp.  His pieces really show the harp at its best, and are an absolute pleasure to play.  He uses a varity of special effects, which I always demonstrate before I play.  I chose "Pistache" from the set Epices, and followed it with Godefroid's "Romance without Words".

The last piece in the classical set was a piece by Canadian composer John Weinzweig.  Written in 1983, "All These Woes! (Shakespeare)" is not only atonal, but I get to attack the harp with a wire hanger.  This piece doesn't sound like the "dream sequence" music with which harps are usually associated!

I love to play contemporary and recognizable pieces as well.  Everybody wants to hear something they know, and the sound of the harp makes familiar favorites new and exciting!  The first group of popular songs were from musicals and movies:  "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music, "Love is Here to Stay" from An American in Paris", and the "Theme from Love Story".  The next set included "I Get a Kick Out of You" by Cole Porter, "At Last" as performed by Etta James and the Beatles hit "In My Life".

Enya's "Only Time" is an audience and wedding favorite, and paired well with Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up".  That was followed by "Come Sail Away" by Styx.  Yes, I can play Styx on the harp!  The concert concluded with Sting's "Fields of Gold". 

One of the highlights of the evening for me was meeting with a couple who lives in Chicago, but will be getting married on Mackinac Island this summer.  I'm really looking forward to providing harp music for their wedding at Mission Point Resort!

You don't have to have a special occasion to have a harpist.  Jeff and I are available for home concerts, private dinners, and lecture-demonstrations of our harps.  Visit our website for more information!

Chicago Harpist