Student Accomplishments

Over the summer, I held a contest in my studio to see who could perform for the most people.  Each week, students would receive Music Money for each signature in their booklet, and would be able to purchase items out of the studio store.  iTunes gift cards were a hot item!  September concluded the contest, with the students who performed for the most people receiving a trophy and medal.  Congratulations to:

• Syndey G. (1st place, 140 signatures)
• Claire C. (2nd place, 138 signatures)
• Hannah M. (3rd place, 129 signatures)

Great work!

Wedding Ceremony at Ogden Gardens

Another perfect fall day!  On September 19th, I played harp for a ceremony at Valparaiso's Ogden Gardens.  The bride chose a nice mix of traditional wedding music, as well as some lesser-known pieces to make her wedding music unique.  The prelude music was:

• Long and Winding Road
• Embraceable You
• Someone to Watch Over Me
• Stairway to Heaven
• Send in the Clowns
• Liebestraume

Since this wasn't quite enough to cover the time they needed, I just continued to play similar pieces until everyone was ready to begin.  The ceremony music included:

• Suogan (entrance of families)
• Canon in D (bridal party processional)
• I See You My Beloved (bride's processional)
• Grow Old Along with Me (unity sand & rose ceremony)
• Sheep May Safely Graze (recessional)

The bride really liked the Bach piece she chose as her recessional, but wanted something more upbeat.  No problem - I just played Sheep May Safely Graze very quickly!  She was able to use a piece of music that she really enjoyed, and also have a lively exit from her ceremony.  Professional harpists or other musicians should be able to make an accommodation like that for you!

A Ski Resort In Summer

If you own a ski resort, what better way to keep busy during the summer than to host weddings!  It was a beautiful early fall day for an outdoor ceremony at the Cannonsburg Ski Resort in Belmont, Michigan.  The ceremony took place at the foot of the hills, and the reception followed inside the lodge.  The music chosen for the ceremony was:

• Canon in D (bridal party processional)
• Bridal Chorus (bride's processional)
• When You Wish Upon a Star (unity sand ceremony)
• Wedding March (recessional)

Harp Recital

On Sunday, October 18th, at 4:00pm, I will be presenting a solo harp recital in the Jacksonville Public Library, Jacksonville, Illinois. This is part of the Music Under the Dome Concert Series, and is free and open to the public. The program is:

• Suogan & David of the White Rock; Traditional Welsh Folk Songs
• Epices: Muscade, Pistache, Kola; Bernard Andres
• Passacaille; G. F. Handel
• Vers la source dans le bois; Marcel Tournier
• All These Woes! (Shakespeare) & Quick March; John Weinzweig
• Sonate in re; Mateo Albeniz
• Romance without Words; Felix Godefroid
• Ain't Misbehavin'; Fats Waller, arr. Ray Pool
• The Pink Panther; Henry Mancini; arr. Mavis Cauffman
• Great Day; Nancy Gustavson

A reception will follow across the street in the Jacksonville Theatre Guild offices. Please contact me for directions or other information!

Wedding Reception at Addison Oaks

On Sunday, September 6th, Jeff and I made the drive to Addison Oaks in Leonard, Michigan (north of Detroit). The room was decorated with hot pink flowers & napkins and black chair sashes.

I played a mix of music for Michelle & Matthew's wedding reception, including their one special request, "Collide" by Howie Day. It sounds surprisingly beautiful on the harp! If you are planning your wedding music and don't see your favorite piece on my repertoire list, never hesitate to ask. There is never a charge to learn new music for your event. As long as it is possible to play the piece on the harp, I can make it work!

September Ceremony & Reception: St. Adalbert's and Greek Orthodox Hall

The first Saturday in September I actually got to stay close to home! The ceremony took place at St. Adalbert's Catholic Church in South Bend, Indiana, and the reception followed at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church Hall, also in South Bend.

The sanctuary of this church is stunningly beautiful. My big surprise of the day was that the entire ceremony & reception were conducted in Spanish! My skills in that language are meager at best, but since I know the order of the Mass well, I was able to follow along.



Most Catholic churches do not allow the traditional Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride), so Mayra chose "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven for her entrance. Other wedding music included:

• Canon in D (entrance of families & bridal party)
• Romance without Words (offertory)
• Spring, Third Movement, from The Four Seasons (sign of the peace)
• Panis Angelicus (communion)
• Ave Maria (rose ceremony)
• Wedding March (recessional)

For the reception, she requested a mix of classical & popular songs, so there was something for everyone to enjoy!

Miller & Kidd Wedding Ceremony

From burning up to freezing in the span of two weeks! This outdoor ceremony was held in the gardens of Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The wind was blowing and rain was threatening, but the ceremony was able to continue as planned outdoors.



They had set up a tent with a dance floor for the DJ (dancing was back outside in the garden after dinner indoors), and it was the perfect place to place the harp - if the rain came, the music could continue! While you and your guests might be able to survive a slight drizzle, the harp is extremely sensitive, and would need to be covered and taken inside at the first drops. For outdoor weddings, a covered gazebo or tent is a great back-up!

The bride chose traditional music:

• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Bridal Chorus (bride's processional)
• Trumpet Tune (recessional)

This was one where I had to sit on my hands during the service so my fingers wouldn't be stiff by the time I needed to play again!

Katz & Potash Wedding Ceremony

I knew this wedding would be beautiful when Nicole told me her plans! It was in the Conrad Hotel ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, and she had put together a stellar list of vendors to make it all come together. It was a traditional Jewish ceremony, but the music they chose had a definite modern twist:

• Prelude concluded with Erev shel shoshanim
• Hymne by Vangelis (entrance of families & bridal party processional)
• Storybook Love from The Princess Bride (bride's processional)
• Fields of Gold (recessional)

Sometimes the best place to set up the harp is behind your guests. It is also much easier and unobtrusive for me to get cues from your officiant or planner. The set-up in the Conrad ballroom works perfectly this way! It enabled me to keep a close eye on the door the bridal party was using for their entrance, and the planner could speak to me about cues and timing without the guests even noticing.

Foshee & Crawford Wedding

A hot day for an outdoor wedding! It was held on the patio at the Orchard Ridge Country Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I found a spot in the shade for the harp, and it went well.

If you are having an outdoor wedding in the summer, make sure that you provide a place in the shade for your musicians (and elderly guests!). The wood of the harp absorbs the heat from the sun, and the wood glue that holds the instrument together can actually soften if it gets hot enough. You don't want to add instrument repair bills to your wedding budget! The fluctuations in temperature also affect the tuning of the instrument. The more stable the environment, the better your wedding music will sound!

This couple only had one request for music: Canon in D by Pachelbel as the bride walks down the aisle. I was able to select some favorite pieces from my repertoire that would complement it well:

• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Canon in D (bride's processional)
• Spring, Movement Three, from The Four Seasons (unity sand ceremony)
• Pavane Style Renaissance (recessional)

I played popular pieces for the postlude, and for the beginning of the cocktail hour.

Jeff's August Weddings

My husband, Jeff, is also a harpist, and had a busy month of August, too. He started off with a Catholic wedding at St. Gaspar Church in Rome City, Indiana, where he played:

• Canon in D (seating of the families)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Trumpet Tune (bride's processional

On August 8th, it was a double wedding day. His first ceremony was at Centennial Park in Munster, Indiana. The bride chose:

• Romance without Words (seating of the families)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (bridal party processional)
• Canon in D (bride's processional)
• Trumpet Tune (recessional)

Once that one was complete, it was back in the car and off to the Center Meeting House (formerly known as the Morris Chapel) in Niles, Michigan. They chose the traditional wedding music, including:

• Canon in D (seating of familes & bridal party processional)
• Bridal Chorus (bride's processional)
• Trumpet Tune (recessional)

Amy Straka was their photographer, and you can see some beautiful images on her Facebook page. Be sure to become a fan - she's fabulous! Jeff then had to drive to Bristol, Indiana, and rescue me from the flat tire I got at the wedding I played!

The next weekend was at the Lane Place Pattison Pavilion in Crawfordsville, Indiana. His favorite request from that ceremony was "Stairway to Heaven"!