Spring 2012 gigs

 In January I got a very exciting new phone.  Maybe you have seen them around.  It is called an iphone!  AT&T was trying to unload those primitive first generation iphones so I got it for 99cents.  So our family upgraded to smart phones and it has been fun.  The first apps I downloaded were a free metronome and free tuner.  It is always nice to have a backup to my trusty Korg.

It has also been nice to be able to snap a picture of my harp when I am playing a gig.  So thanks to this newly acquired technology you will now be treated to my longest post ever!  These are pictures that I took over the course of this semester Jan-May 2012.  It will give you a good overview of the kinds of gigs I do. 

These pictures were taken in Salina KS at the art center.  I played for an opening of a new exhibit that focused on water.  My harp is in front of a depiction of the largest and oldest reservoir of water circling around a black hole.  I played a variety of water inspired repetoire such as La Source by Zabel and En Bateau by Debussy.  It was a fun evening.

I stayed overnight in the warehouse where visiting artists stay so that I could teach a master class the next morning.  It was really fun to practice in this giant space (filled with more water art installations) on Saturday morning.  Maybe I got carried away because the owner of the book shop next store came over to tell me to play more quietly! 

I had a wonderful time meeting RoJean Loucks and her students.  I loved hearing some of RoJean's beautiful compositions.  It was a great morning.  On my way home I stopped in Topeka to play at a dinner at the Expo Center.  I didn't get any pictures of the event, but it was quite fun.  I didn't realize that it was a political dinner and that our governor and senators and representatives would be in attendance.  Everyone was very nice and I enjoyed it. 

I have spent many hours this semester working on a recording for Naxos with the KU wind ensemble.  It is always a challenge to do recordings with a large ensemble because it requires long hours of concentration.  I don't want to be the one to ruin a take, so I sometimes get a little stressed out.  I was so glad when the project was over and I look forward to hearing the final product even though there weren't any very big harp parts in it. 

 I have played at some lovely weddings this spring.  This one was at the Woodward in Topeka.  It was a beautiful Victorian house and I think the harp worked perfectly there.  I always enjoy being part of such a momentous occasion.  It is a privilege to see the joy on everyone's faces.  Usually I have a great view of the parents I can just see the joy that they feel knowing that there child is so happy. 

I had a very busy weekend in April where I played Vaughan Williams with the choir in St. Joseph and Brahms with a choir in Lawrence.  I love choral music and it was fun to play with both choirs even if it involved a bit of driving!

 I always enjoy playing at Plymouth congregational because I get to look at this beautiful stained glass window of a harp.  In addition to playing Brahms Requiem with the choir I also played Fairest Lord Jesus for the prelude and a Scarlatti Sonata for the offertory. 

On Saturday I had a wedding in Lawrence on a golf course.  It was quite a challenge to get the harp up and down a very steep hill to the ceremony site.  But the weather was nice in the shade and it look beautiful.  I didn't get a picture though because I forgot my phone! After the wedding I headed straight to Kansas City for a performance at the Kauffmann center.  I had never been there before and it is just beautiful.  I was driving around it trying to figure out where I could unload the harp.  I was so relieved when I saw the conductor on the curb.  I flipped a u-turn and he helped me unload the harp and told me where to go. The hall was just beautiful, all wood, with great acoustics.