Hip Harp Academy Member Spotlight: Pioneer Graduates of the Academy | Part 1

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

As soon as I heard the bent notes, I felt I had a place for them. My cat was sitting on my lap, and the idea was born for The Lap Cat Blues: Sharp Nails. Logistically, I had a short time to put it together, but I knew that it could be imperfect, so that helped me let go of concerns about whether it would be good enough. I had hoped to incorporate more material from the class, and that’s where knowing this is a “beginning” is really helpful. Emotionally, I had to accept that this is not all I want it to be, and the support of DHC and the other students has helped me do that. Thank you All! I plan to continue working on it.

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

I’m taking voice lessons now with hopes of feeling more comfortable with my voice. So, meowing was a big step! That was a block. The freedom is that I love to be silly, and I loved the opportunity to do so while making music!

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

Looking at the camera and smiling was a challenge that I’ve been working on since the first recording for HHT (HipHarp Toolkit). I felt I needed to in this recording because I was telling a story to the folks watching. I plan to continue the story and I am happy I can smile at the camera!

What were your personal “Ahas”?

DHC pointed out that it would be helpful to better indicate that I’m leaving the chorus and going back to the out head. I hadn’t heard that ambiguity before she mentioned it, but it was really obvious once she pointed it out. The “aha” was noticing these transitions. Also, more bending of notes allowed me to do a slow blues without it being a draggy Blues!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell people who are watching your video?

I’m grateful for the feedback I’ve received during the course. I’m excited to be connected with so many talented harp players from around the world!

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

The hardest part for me was to get right and left hands working together. I could get the blues rhythm going with my left hand, but it took literally WEEKS of daily struggle to be able to put a right hand melody on top and keep the left hand going!

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

I came to a place where I just wanted it to be OVER, so I could post and “get on” with playing the blues without the pressure of doing a video. This is definitely a block for me which I find every time I perform. I just want it to be over…. And how can I share any depth of expression with that thought it my mind?

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

I wanted to play with a clarinetist friend (who was in the midst of her concert series), so I just set a one hour date for us to get together and record. It helped me a lot to “practice in a frenzy” up to that hour and then I felt like she carried me through. –

What were your personal “Ahas”?

That I don’t need to read and memorize music to play the blues. How freeing is that?

Is there anything else you´d like to tell people who are watching your video?

Take this course for the adventure of a lifetime!

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

Emotionally, I had to let myself be a beginner. After nearly 50 years of playing the harp; I had to strip everything down to the basics and not go too far too fast.

Logistically, it was about the recording. I recorded with two cameras in the hopes of getting a shot establishing that I was standing at the harp. That shot turned out so poorly that I threw it out and just used the closer shot. (I used my editing program to alter the one remaining shot a bit in my video.)

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

I learned that I had the freedom to break away from my inhibitions. I struggled with this Blues because I had writer’s block. I figured I should write what I know, which is the library. But I thought it was pretty lame, and I was reluctant to present it. Somewhere along the way, I realized that I needed to stop overthinking, let go of the inhibitions, and enjoy the process.

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

I think my two biggest challenges were the fact that I sang and that I played harp while standing. I realized that I could be more expressive in this Blues singing rather than playing harp, regardless of the quality of my voice. I wanted to stand, partly because I kind of like the challenge and the look of it. But my main reason for standing was to free my body in order to move more and help with the groove.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

The Blues is something that I’ll have to live with for a while before I really feel the groove. My presentation truly is a BEGINNING project, as I have a long road ahead with Blues. I look forward to the adventure.

Is there anything else you´d like to tell people who are watching your video?

I just want to thank everybody for their encouragement and camaraderie. This group is the best.

And a special Mahalo (thank you) to DHC for everything I’ve learned and experienced these past months. It’s now time to go forth and make my own musical adventures. I had kind of lost that part of myself these past several years and you helped put me back on the path.

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

I wanted to put a string of snipets of familiar standard blues tunes together to play for patients by the bedside in my therapeutic music work. I wanted to be able to offer something from the blues genre.  I wasn’t able to get even the printed version of Swingin’ Shepherd Blues under my fingers in time and was frustrated about what to do for my final project.

Then one day,  I was swimming after work in the hospital, and started singing these lyrics to my own version of  the Swingin’ Shepherd Blues.  I got inspired by other people’s theatrics on their videos and had fun with the idea of dressing up, etc. and found that it’s more about creating your own Blues.  At least patients and staff might get a laugh out of this song, or even some empathy.

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

Wanting to try to do it all, over complicating it, and losing the whole groove.

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

Just to accept where I am at this moment in playing the blues and just do that.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Blues are all about feeling, feeling the groove.  I Played slowly and simply to allowed the emotions to seep out.  The structure of the 12 bars blues leads to the freedom of improvisation.

Is there anything else you´d like to tell people who are watching your video?

When I went through the review of the course, I was amazed at how much I’d really learned about the blues.  Different bass rhythms, riffs, slides, ornamentation, blowing, in heads, out heads, blues in all sorts of keys……wow!   And a lot more that I want to explore in the next few months.  Thanks DHC for the “get it into your hands now imperfectly , and you have the rest of your life to explore it,“ teacher that you are!

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

It took everything I had to even make that first video of myself playing!  I’ve never envisioned myself as a “solo performer” (or as a performer at all), so this entire course was a huge stretch.  I thought about watching and not participating, but didn’t want to disappoint others and most of all, myself.  The “loosening up” may take the rest of my life (and I’m ALREADY OLD!) but we have all been given permission to mess up, make mistakes, and HAVE FUN.  (Thanks, DHC!)

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

There are few to no freedoms for me prior to this class.  I do better if I’m playing with other harpists.  The blocks have been always in my head but I am trying my hardest to get rid of them, once and for all.  Learning how to make the videos, post the videos, and finding an amazing group of fellow harp players with their gentle comments has been beyond wonderful.  I hope we can somehow stay in touch.

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

Getting the courage to even TAKE the course, no less actually DO IT, has been a huge challenge.  I am going to try singing again and attempt more composing (of lyrics and music).  My prior efforts have been mostly arranging music for the harp (several songs for three harp parts for my harp circle and the BILLY JOEL FOR HARP book for solo harp players).  Maybe it’s time to express my own voice.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

The personal “aha” has involved finding COURAGE:   pushing way beyond my comfort level and NOT QUITTING.  DHC gave me some great advice about exaggerating wrist and arm motions during practicing to loosen up my playing during performances.

Is there anything else you´d like to tell people who are watching your video?

This video takes parts of my earlier videos and puts them all together for this rendition of BREAKOUT BLUES!  I hope to come back to this site in 5 years, when I have mastered the “chops,” and wail the daylights out of it!!!!! Can’t wait to see what everyone posts.  THANKS TO ALL INVOLVED and especially to DHC!!