March brought not only various Celtic music events (resulting in a new publication: “Four Celtic Classics”) but my husband ad very wonderful French horn player Pete & I had occasion to perform a new setting of the classic Aesop’s fable “The Lion and the Mouse.” This will be one of a set of fable’s geared for young children that I’ll be publishing later in the year.
Recent Events:
In February I posted another new video on YouTube—the inspiring Mary Oliver poem “When I am Among the Trees,” with photos by Narada Hess, accompanied by lever harp. She is a wonderful poet, who I have only come to know in recent years—a real gem.
In January I shared a new YouTube video—The Peace of Wild Things—a setting of the beautiful Wendell Berry poem. This version is for spoken voice and lever harp, with video footage, as well as photos by Narada Hess, Barry Reit, and Patrick Zephyr. Here’s the video:
Mr. Berry has been kind enough to give me permission to publish the arrangement, which will be forthcoming as part of a collection this summer.
2022 Highlights:
Thanks to a grant from the American Harp Society, my setting of The Lenape Creation Story was presented twice at Q-Studio Lab in Sunnyside, NY. The first performance, for storyteller and lever harp, was performed by actress Una Clancy and myself in November; the second performance —in December—incorporated 18 second and third-graders, contributing percussion effects on a wide range of instruments. We worked with the kids twice a week for several weeks to help them prepare. Lots of struggle, learning, and fun was had by all, resulting in a wonderful presentation.
The Snow Queen came to Pittsburgh! A Multi-Harp Extravaganza! Harpists of all ages, skill levels, and harp types participated and gathered to present a performance of the famous Hans Christian Andersen classic. The setting —incorporating excerpts from famous orchestral literature, as well as participant solos—was commissioned by the Pittsburgh Chapter of AHS, and was co-sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University and The Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Harp Society.
The Nightingale was featured as part of the NY Scandinavian Music Festival! Performers were actress Hannah Sloat, flutist Pamela Sklar, and myself.
YouTube releases:
Oh, Freedom—my setting of the spiritual of the same name, set for brass quintet;
Oisin in Tir na n’Og—the harp & storyteller version of the classic Irish myth, featuring actress Hannah Sloat.
New recording:
The Emperor’s New Clothes—a setting of the famous H.C. Andersen tale, featuring harp, trombone, and storyteller, with a sprinkling of colorful percussion. My friend and colleague Ric Becker played trombone and most of the percussion; yours truly supplied the harp tracks and storytelling.
New publications:
Music of Armenia, Vol. II—for flute and lever or pedal harp—all the lever-friendly pieces from the album “Oror,” (recorded with flutist Sato Moughalian in 2015);
Sine Nomine—for cello and harp;
Armenian Songs—a revision of the earlier publication, adding viola to the original harp & flute version;
Two Folksongs from the Americas—also a republication, adding viola to the popular harp & flute setting;
Air—for solo harp;
A Handel Suite—for harp ensemble;
All in a Garden Green—for harp ensemble, now available as a “single;”
The Nightingale—a republication, with revisions and a lever-friendly version;
Composition performances:
in Denmark (Sine Nomine), Brazil (Il Prigione IV, & Legends of Isis), Canada (various arrangements of Armenian folk tunes), as well as in the NY Metro area: American Songs, performed by the Backyard Brass Quintet, and Il Prigione I for harp & cello, presented by Cante Libre).
In 2022 I recorded Mitch Landy's "American Folksong Suite"--a piece that was near and dear to my heart, as I heard many of the songs in my home as I was growing up. The CD is yet to be made available, but you can listen to a selection--his version of "Shenedoah:"