Friday, February 5, 2016

Thoughts for a February Friday...

Most of my harp students are adults; those who "always wanted to play the harp."  We have a great deal of fun.  

One of the challenges for adult students is the idea about playing with or for others.  Young students typically are in a studio which presents a recital or two a year, but this is just anot a good fit for adult students.

Let me offer some 'performance' ideas for adult students.

* Play for your family. Perhaps they are visiting for a special occasion or they are just over for dinner. Tell them you would like to play a little concert for them during dessert!
* Play at your church. Most churches will be thrilled to have you play a few harp tunes during the Prelude time before the service. No matter what, they always love you in church!
* Plan a special sharing of talents with a group of friends. Perhaps you have some friends who are also taking music lessons. Ask them to come together in one place and all will share a musical number or two. What better encouragement than that from your friends who are coming from a similar place as you!
* Join or create a Harp Circle or Harp ensemble in your area. Harpists are often so isolated, and it is so much fun to get together with others to play music! 
* Attend a harp festival or harp camp (maybe The Harp Gathering!). This is another chance to get together with other harpists to play, perhaps in a 'jam' or even an ensemble experience.

Drop me a note (info@harpgathering.com), and tell me of the playing experiences you have enjoyed as an adult student of the harp. I will share them here on the blog!

Oh, and Think Spring!