“The bride was grateful and happy with how the harp looks and sounds, and she loved that I played the Pachelbel. She said that I made her wedding magical.” ~ Marylin Waupoose

Want to take a familiar piece of music beyond the page? That’s what Marylin Waupoose did. Here she presents an improvisation on Pachelbel’s “Canon in D’ that was recently performed at a wedding, in which the bride said it was magical.

Marylin is one of the daring harpists who are challenging themselves to develop new ways of self-expression in Hip Harp Academy by combining the skills and tools of improv with each person’s natural abilities and passions – creating new hybrids of expression that expand what it means to be a harp player.

MARYLIN SAYS …

“The bride said I’m what made the wedding magical.”

The bride said I'm what made the wedding magical. Share on X

1. Describe your final project.

This is my Final-Beginning Project of Pachelbel Canon in D. It’s Beyond the Page in the Academy but is not a part of Baroque Flamenco. It is just my closest class description options.

2. What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I started off improvising on a different chord progression for the introduction as per the chat feedback tips, then went into improvising different ideas from the chat using Pachelbel Canon’s chord progression before I started playing some of the written version of it. The Catch Up Coaching was helpful on how to video. I hardly ever use the landscape and so this time I videoed in the landscape position.

I was given wonderful tips that give me freedom to improvise on this piece. Share on X

3. Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I re-listened to the chat session of the half-baked feedback several times and practiced a lot to get grounded in it as much as I can for the wedding I’m playing at next Saturday September 17th.

4. What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I was given wonderful tips at the half-baked chat that gives me freedom to improvise on this piece. The hardest part is flowing from the ending of one progression round to the next one (where I’m going next). I had been videoing myself this last week at every practice and then deleting it afterwards. The day before of the video that I’m submitting I had recorded myself only to realize that my phone had stopped recording right when I started to play and it was telling me that I had no more memory left in my phone. I didn’t think that I was going to be able to submit a video because of this issue. I was so thankful to find out last night that you have to go into your photo app and delete the videos from the deleted file that saves them for 30 days. I’m so happy to have a lot more memory space back and was able to submit this.

It is so fulfilling emotionally, mentally, and physically to be a part of this academy. Share on X

5. What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

I don’t care for my facial expressions. I’m still working on relaxing and breathing.

6. What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

It is so fulfilling emotionally, mentally, and physically to be a part of this academy. This community is so beautiful and a safe place to grow.

7. What were your personal “Ahas”?

My aha was when I had my practice play for the wedding last night (Saturday evening) at the location of the wedding. Which is about 3 miles from my house out in the woods amongst the trees. My nerves calmed down while I was setting up, so I could go into playing being centered and feeling like I can do this. I played better than what I have been during my practice times at home. The bride-to-be was very grateful and happy with how the harp looks and sounds and she loves that I’m playing Pachelbel Canon. She said that I’m what is making her wedding magical.

8. Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I’m outside by my house while playing. It was a little too windy though.

Hey, thanks for reading this example of what it’s like to go thru a course with me! Did you have Aha’s or revelations watching the video & reading the answers she wrote? Add your comments below. Please – no critiques – just share what you learned from someone courageously sharing a project that’s the BEGINNING of a lifelong learning journey.

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Want to do some courageous learning yourself? Click here to check out Hip Harp Academy where daring harpists get their creative wings.