Monday, July 14, 2008

What I've been doing this summer, part one


Welcome to my new blog! This will become a much more active space with the start of the 2008-09 school year. I'll be using it to reflect on our various musical experiences at school and provide additional resources for families making music together at home. For now, I'll be recording some summer adventures.

Anyone who has been to my house knows that I have a slight addiction problem... to musical instruments! One instrument I have always wanted to play but seemed the least practical of all is the harp. In the past, affordable harps have pretty much been "furniture quality" instruments with poor tone and tuning that won't last through a song. Well, recently the Wm. Rees harp company has started making small, affordable lap harps called "Harpsicles." My favorite Durham music store, High Strung, has just started renting Harpsicles by the month and will even apply your rent towards the purchase of any harp in the store. So I am now the proud renter of the Harpsicle you see above.

Being a pianist gave me a head start with learning the harp, but I am a long way from gigging! Mountain class got to hear my harp the day after I got it in June, and I am proud to say I've improved a bit since then. Here is me playing Greensleeves, with sounds of post-dinner cleanup in the background.