Articles for Harpists
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Note Reading, Take Two - the "Why"
by Anne Sullivan
If you are a monster sightreader and have perfect pitch, don’t read this article! Everyone else, read on… After my last article on becoming a speedier reader, I received some interesting comments and questions, mostly about why and how we should be practicing reading notes. Here are the answers.
Last Minute Ways to Find More Summer Gigs - Five Things You Can Do Today!
by Anne Sullivan
Summer is fast approaching and perhaps your calendar isn’t looking as full as you’d like it to be. There is still time to get more work this summer, if you take action now. Here are five suggestions to get you moving.
Hymn Reading 101
by Anne Sullivan
We harpists are often called upon to play hymns for church services or weddings. Sometimes it is enough to just play the chords as they are written on the music, but other times we are asked to be creative and come up with an “instant arrangement,” perhaps something we can play while the organ accompanies the congregation. And you can do it in an instant – if you know how to read hymn music. If you’d like a quick refresher or a couple of handy tips, read on.
The Five-Minute "Anti-Stress" Daily Technique Boost
by Anne Sullivan
Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? How can anything boost your technique in just five minutes with no stress? When you think of any of the famous exercise or etude books that you may have studied, one image probably comes to mind: a dark page full of ink representing a lot of notes, notes in finger-bending combinations to be performed at lightning speed. And while there is no question in my mind that I’m a better harpist for having learned my LaRivière, I have to come to an appreciation of a different approach to refreshing my technique on a daily basis. Read more...
Make 2012 a Great "Year of the Harp" for You
by Anne Sullivan
The New Year brings with it a host of fabulous possibilities, and if you’re like me, you start thinking about all the new harp opportunities that may come your way. New pieces to learn, new ways to improve, new places to play, new harp friends to meet all present themselves as exciting pathways to being the harpist you want to be. In case you’re not quite as excited at the prospect as I am, let me share some of my ideas with you. Read more...
What is the Sensory Triangle?
by Anne Sullivan
When I first started learning the harp, I was focused on learning the notes, just as every other music student is. As I matured, physically and musically, I realized that “learning the notes” was not a single process. Several different factors affected how quickly and well I could learn a piece of music. Over my nineteen years of teaching ear training at the Curtis Institute of Music, I realized that music learning was dependent on the coordination and development of three of our sensory systems – our fingers certainly, but also our eyes and our ears. These three systems are what I call the “Sensory Triangle.” Read more...
Crunch Time!
by Anne Sullivan
Every year, performances pile up around the same few weeks. When you add in other factors like family time and the holiday rush, it can seem impossible to find the time to prepare all the music you need to learn. Whether it’s music for church services, weddings, parties, recitals, orchestra concerts or just for yourself, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the pressure and the amount of playing you have ahead of you. With just a little organization and planning, this holiday crunch time could be nearly stress-free. Read more...
Big Picture vs. Little Picture: How balanced practice can work for you
by Anne Sullivan
Sometimes we need a vacation to refresh our outlook on our work. Last week, I got the same benefit from someone else's vacation, and rediscovered some important truths about the way we practice. Read more...
Five "Do's" and One "Don't": How to Find (and be accepted at) the Right College for You
by Anne Sullivan
The biggest challenge high school music students face is often the search for the perfect college. The process can be daunting and frustrating, but there are some things you can do to make this difficult time less stressful. In fact, if you follow these five easy "do's" and one important "don't," you will be able to feel more relaxed and confident about making your decision. Read more...
The Secrets to G-R-E-A-T Practice
by Anne Sullivan
You may be thinking "There's no magic pill that will make me a better harpist," and you're right. There is no magic pill that will make you a better harpist or a better anything else, for that matter. YOU make yourself a better harpist; nothing can do it for you, which is why good practice so important. Good practice habits and skill can help you on your way to being a GREAT harpist. Read more...
Prepare for College Audition Success
by Anne Sullivan
Once again this year, I have heard a number of auditions of prospective university harp students, young harpists with big hopes and dreams for their futures, varying cases of nervousness and in very different stages of preparation. Allowing for the fact that everyone gets nervous and bad days happen to us all from time to time, there are a few things any student preparing for college auditions can do to increase her chance of success. Read more...