Show Notes
I was moving the harp the other day and once again, it occurred to me just how much stuff we have to carry around with us. Granted, I move my harp all the time for rehearsals and concerts - it's a big Lyon Healy Salzedo model harp - so you would think I'd be used to it by now. I guess I am, mostly; I don't have to think about what goes in the car, and my harp bag is always ready to go. But when I start counting the number of trips I have to make between my car and the concert hall in the pouring rain, I start wishing for a Star Trek transporter. But recently, while I was moving the harp, my bench, my stand, and my bag, I had a flash of insight; we harpists carry a lot of baggage with us. Not a revelation, I know, but it led my mind to consider the other kind of baggage we harpists carry, the stress that accumulates in our practice and performance. That's a kind of baggage that piles up in a sneaky way until one day, we find it has overwhelmed us. The physical stress that is part of practicing, the mental stress that can come with intense focus and the emotional stress of wanting to do our best when we play can add up to a potentially toxic level. The worrisome part is we rarely acknowledge the stress as it is building little by little. There is simply a moment when we know we can't take any more, often as we are in the final stages of preparing for a performance. That's when we want to be at our most focused, but our mind and body are shutting down, trying to protect us from too much stress. I'm better at managing stress than I used to be, but stress used to be baggage that I always carried with me to some degree. It came and went in cycles, and I'm embarrassed to admit that it never occurred to me that this wasn't or shouldn't have been normal. I don't want to be all doom and gloom here. What I want to talk about today is how to recognize that sneaky cycle of stress and release yourself from it. We'll talk about the hidden symptoms of stress and how to recognize them and how to keep them from coming back. It's time to ditch the excess baggage and feel free to play. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: Are you a beginner? Register now for my free seminar, Pro Tactics for Beginners. Register for the Getaway Retreat now at Early Bird Pricing! Stretches for Harpists, by Mary Jane D'Arville Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]
Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-234
More from Practicing Harp Happiness
We're approaching one of those dividing lines in the year. The season is changing, and in many ways it feels like a time we can make a fresh start. When I was young, I always looked forward to the new school year. New clothes, new classes, new books - the possibilities seemed limitless and exciting. The energy that the new school year created was almost automatic. The date of the first day of school was on the calendar. All we had to do was to get ready and show up. Finding that same level of energy for a new year of harp playing may not be so simple. Of course, there are ways to create it; a first lesson of the year with new plans and goals is a good one, in part because it enlists the support of your teacher. But I think there are more things to consider. I went back into the podcast archives and found a very early episode - episode 82, first aired in December of 2022 - that talks about ways to refresh your harp playing at another obvious reset point, the beginning of a new calendar year. That episode was all about opening new possibilities for your harp playing by thinking "different," as the old Apple computer commercial put it. I'd like to replay that episode for you now, and then come back and talk about another way to look at possibilities, not as something new to you, but as something more you. I'd like to explore the ideas which sound more similar than they really are: the ideas of refreshing, resetting and reconnecting. I know that sounds a little enigmatic, but I promise to explain when we get there. First, a rewind of episode 82. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: Is Chrysalis for you? Find out and register today. Speed up your progress by becoming a My Harp Mastery member. Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected] Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-277
What most of us want from our daily harp practice is to be able to see progress. We want to know we are moving forward, improving, becoming more skilled and more musical, more like the harpist we want to be someday. What most of us discover as we work to create progress is that progress shows up in its own time and in its own way. It's a natural process, but that doesn't stop it from being incredibly frustrating at times. What's even more discouraging is that doubling down on our efforts often doesn't make any difference, other than to make our fingers sore. What most harpists never discover is how they are the biggest obstacle to their own progress. Even worse, the more dedicated you are, the more likely you are to fall into some of the practice traps that actually hinder your progress. I know it sounds counterintuitive and, frankly, unfair, but the harder you try to stick to the tried-and-true habits that got you to where you are today, the slower your progress will be. In this podcast episode, which is a rebroadcast of episode 174, which was originally released in September of 2024, I identify five habits that you may have, and if you do, how they are likely keeping you stuck. Understand this: if you have any of these habits, or even all of them, it indicates that you are one of the dedicated ones. You're following the guidelines that your teachers set out for you, and that has been a big factor in getting you this far. What I'm telling you in this episode is that you need to release those habits and replace them with ones that are appropriate for your current stage of learning. It's the old saying, "what got you here won't get you there." So you'll learn about five of the most common good habits that are keeping you spinning your wheels, what to start doing instead, and at the end, I'll come back with you to share one more powerful progress-generating habit. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: Is Chrysalis for you? Find out and register today.
Today, as I have been doing all this month, I am revisiting one of the podcast episodes that I think we need to hear again, and today's topic is one on which we can all use a refresher course. It's about playing without looking at the strings. Yes, I know we need to look at the strings to be sure we are going to play the right ones. And I'm not forgetting that the strings are off to one side and they aren't easy to catch in our peripheral vision all the time, particularly for aging eyes. Nevertheless, we can and we absolutely must learn to play without being dependent on looking at the strings. Even better, I know that you would be able - right now - to play more than you think you can without looking. It's not a miracle. It comes from experience and practice. So I want you to listen to this episode. It's episode 101 and it aired originally in April of 2023. You'll hear why this is such an important skill and how to practice it. After the episode is done, I'll be back with another thought or two for you. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: Join us at Chrysalis in September. Register now.
Congratulations - you finished your piece! Well done! It's time to take a breather and relax before you get onto the next piece. But that's the problem. What piece is your next piece? How can you choose one that you like, that is a challenge but not too hard, and one that you can finish in a reasonable amount of time so that you still like it when it's done? If you're currently working with a teacher or coach, you know you can rely on their expert advice as you choose your next piece. But if you're trying to make this choice on your own, it can seem daunting. There are so many wonderful pieces, how could any harpist possibly choose? This is a topic that we all deal with repeatedly, so I thought it might be a good time for us to revisit a podcast I aired over a year ago, on May 5, 2025, Cinco de Mayo actually. I wouldn't mention Cinco de Mayo, except that it played a role in that episode, as I suggested five categories of pieces you could consider, just as a way to narrow the field somewhat. These categories are still relevant, and I know they will be helpful for you now, if you're nearing a decision point about new music. But I've also added a little bit to the end of the episode, two brand-new ideas (at least new to my podcast) than can help you clarify your choices even more by helping you plan not just your next piece but your entire practice strategy and creating more of a sense of direction with your choices. It's al about making decisions and these new frameworks should help. First you'll hear the replay of episode 207, and then stay tuned for the new decision frameworks I want to teach you. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: Blog post on arranging by Louis Anthony deLise, D.M.A. Join me at the Chrysalis Music Workshop in September. Register now. Get a different perspective with this blog post: The Easy Way to Choose an Arrangement Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected] Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-274
If you have been playing the harp for any amount of time, you will have already discovered the key truth about music study: whatever you have learned, whatever you have practiced for however long you have been practicing it, you will have to do it again. That's not a prophesy of doom or meant to discourage you. It's simply the way music works. Music is an art of the moment. We play a piece one day, and we have to play it again the next day. The instant we pluck a harp string, the sound begins to disappear into the air. It is ephemeral and elusive. So today we are revisiting a topic I've talked about before on the podcast. In fact, every week during the month of August, I will be reposting an episode that has information that I think needs repeating. Today we begin with a very basic but key technical skill. We're talking about how to play octaves. Basic -yep. Important in just about every piece we play - you bet. The episode you are about to hear is from episode #62 of the podcast, first broadcast on July 25, 2022. If you heard it when I released it four years ago, it's definitely worth a revisit. And if it's new to you, I think you'll find it helpful. And at the end of the episode, I'll be back live with you to add a few more things for you to consider about how to make your octaves sound just the way you want. Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: Learn more about the Chrysalis Chamber Music workshop. Why Chamber Music Is Different blog post Harpmastery.com Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected] Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode? LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-273