Harping in a Winter Wonderland
December, 2016
Dear BACAHS Members and Friends,
Before we launch forth to tell you about the exciting events we have planned for the duration of the harp year, we want to issue a special invitation to YOU to consider joining our BACAHS Board team. The current board’s tenure will be up the end of May and slots on the Executive Board including President and Vice President will be available to assume. Please help keep up the momentum that brought us to be acknowledged as AHS Chapter of the Year 2015-16, while having the freedom to put your own imprint on the position.
Right on the heels of Happy New Year! comes our crowd-pleasing Winter Potluck once again. Don’t miss our special guest entertainers as well as our second annual Music Swap!
February brings a venerated icon of the harp world to the area for Bay Area Weekend with Susann McDonald, including master classes and a special event for teachers and adult learners. And read about the second annual International Harp Festival, and BACAHS’s sponsorship, including a drawing for two free scholarships for lucky chapter members.
This month’s Member Spotlight features Laura Simpson, master of “popular improvised styling”. Explore her unique background and learn of her upcoming stage presentation of “The Telltale Harp.”
New this issue is a CD review by Karen Gottlieb: Sarah Voynow’s “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” is critiqued.
It’s all in this issue, and more!
Happy Harping Holidays!
Alice Yothers and Susie Spiwak
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Laura Simpson by Suki Russack
Interviewing Laura Simpson, I was struck by her clear understanding of her own capabilities and talents. She knows that her incredible ear for tunes and harmonic structure allows her to work with ease in the challenging field of popular improvised styling. To be able to make a living as Laura does, working almost every day as the harpist in the main lobby at the U.C. Medical Center, she takes the harp far beyond the expectations of many harpists and listeners alike. People from all different backgrounds approach her to play their special requests as they deal with the trauma and fears associated with injury, illness, or concern for loved ones receiving treatment. Laura provides this vulnerable segment of our population with comfort and relaxation through her music and her outgoing, caring nature. Search the internet for “Laura Simpson harp” and you’ll find videos posted by people whose lives she has touched through her hospital work.
Laura’s education is quite diverse. She studied anthropology as an undergraduate at University of California, Santa Barbara, then music (voice and harp) at Trinity College of Music in London, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, London University, and the Froebel Institute in London. She holds a Licentiate degree in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, and a California Single Subject (Music) teaching credential. Her worldwide residencies include the Four Seasons Hotel, London; the Intercontinental Hotel in Bahrain; Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach; the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles; and the Fairmont and Ritz Carlton Hotels in San Francisco. She currently performs for Afternoon Tea during the Christmas holiday season as the resident harpist year-round at both The Palace and The Ritz in San Francisco. Laura has produced two CD’s: ”Tea Time” and “Laura,” which can be purchased at the UCSF Gift Shop or by contacting her at lauras6@prodigy.net.
Laura was instrumental in transforming BACAHS into the society it is today. In 2006 Laura and Karen Gottlieb energized a small, mostly social chapter by organizing the very successful American Harp Society National Conference in San Francisco, along with Elaine Coombs and Celeste Misfeldt. Since that time, BACAHS has become an important resource for students, teachers and harp professionals. Laura has been a member of the American Harp Society since she was 22 years old, and continues to be an active participant in Chapter activities.
Laura will present a staged reading of “The Telltale Harp”, performed by the Pegasus Theater Company at the Graton Community Club, Graton, CA on January 29, 2017. It is a comedy based on true tales from harpists across America. The story follows three harpists as they compete for a part on a TV wedding reality show. As co-author, Laura arranged the score to showcase the harp’s versatility. Chapter member Sarah Voynow will be featured on harp. Check it out on Facebook under “The Telltale Harp”. Please also find details on our Calendar and come on out to enjoy the show!
CHAPTER NEWS:
You are invited to the BACAHS Annual Winter Potluck. In addition to great food and camaraderie, we will be entertained at the harp compliments of member Jennifer Ellis with her Admiral Launch Duo, including Jonathan Hulting-Cohen, saxophone.
Remember the music swap! Bring sheet music and books you no longer need and take home music from others that you always wanted to play.
Please rsvp and indicate what dish you will bring: Alice Yothers 510-305-9438 or ayothers@yahoo.com
Sign up now for Bay Area Weekend with Susann McDonald
Susann McDonald, renowned harpist, recording artist, and teacher, is coming to the Bay Area for three spectacular events taking place February 25, 26 and 28, 2017.Sign up now to attend Master Classes with this trailblazing artist who has elevated the harp and inspired harp students around the world through a performing and teaching career that spans more than five decades.
- San Jose Master Class, Saturday, February 25, 2017
- San Francisco Master Class, Sunday February 26, 2017
- Recharging Your Passion—a conversation and luncheon for Teachers and Adult Students with Ms. McDonald and Linda Rollo in San Jose—Tuesday, February 28, 2017
For Location and Registration information visit bacharp.org or http://siliconvalleyharp.org/. The Master Classes are quite popular. There are only limited spaces left for participants and plenty of room still for auditors. Presented by Silicon Valley and Bay Area Chapters of the American Harp Society.
The Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society has agreed to be a sponsor of the 2017 International Harp Festival, May 25-28, 2017, at the San Damiano Retreat Center in Danville, CA. As a benefit to our membership, two scholarships will be awarded to two BACAHS members, to be determined in a random drawing by the chapter board. Each scholarship is for the full registration fee of the IHF, which allows the winner entry to all of the workshops and concerts at the Festival (a $450 value). Lodging and food may be purchased separately at http://www.harpfestival.org.
If you wish your name to be placed into the drawing pool for one of the scholarships, please contact Alice Yothers, ayothers@yahoo.com, by February 28, 2017, and let her know of your interest. The winners will be notified during the first week of March 2017. You must be a BACAHS member to be eligible.
Guest artists and presenters for the Festival include Kim Robertson, Julie Ann Smith, Frank Voltz, Jennifer Ellis, Johathan Hulting-Cohen, Jessica Siegel, Felice Pomeranz, and the winners of the Yvonne Lamothe Schwager Competition for Young Harpists, together with guest artist Madeline Jarzembak. Workshop topics will include Teaching Tactics, Preparing for your Career, Jazz Improvisation for Lever and Pedal Harps, Celtic Music, Editing and Arranging Music, Basic Composition, Healing Harps, Intro to Chamber Music, plus many more. Visit http://www.harpfestival.org for full information.
Students up to age 25, start preparing for the Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competion for Young Harpists to be held on Sunday, May 21, 2017 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The Winners’ Recital will take place on Sunday, May 28, 2017 at the San Damiano Retreat Center in conjunction with the 2017 International Harp Festival. Madeline Jarzembak, new Principal Harp with the Santa Cruz Symphony, will be the featured performer in addition to the student competition winners. Repertoire, Guidelines and Registration are available at https://bacharp.org/competitions/
Benefit for BACAHS members: BACAHS joined the Center for New Music (C4NM) at 55 Taylor Street in San Francisco. C4NM offers rehearsal, meeting and performance space to its members at reduced rates. If you are interested in learning more about renting the space, contact Susie Spiwak at bacahs@gmail.com.
Are you interested in joining the board of your Chapter? The 2016-2017 term for the current officers will end May 30, 2017. There will be openings for many of the Executive Board offices including President and Vice President. Please get involved and keep the momentum of the chapter going. For more information and to express your interest please contact Alice at ayothers@yahoo.com or Susie at bacahs@gmail.com.
CD Review: “I’m Just A Lucky So And So” Sarah Voynow, Harp, with bass & drums. All arrangements by Sarah Voynow.
If you’re a jazz fan or new to that genre, you’re in for a special treat. Sarah Voynow has just released her jazz album for harp with bass and drums, ‘I’m Just A Lucky So And So’. Always interested in jazz and improvisation, Sarah has put together a truly special recording with depth and breadth of styles, accompanied by Pat Klobas on bass, David Rokeach on drums/percussion and David Phillips on lap steel guitar. It includes the music of the great jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby, and other notable jazz and popular musicians, including Freddie Hubbard, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Jacques Brel, Robert Johnson and Sarah’s own composition. Brilliantly produced, arranged and spectacularly performed with exactness and an ‘easy going style’, this recording is a joy to listen to time and again.
Having performed for many years with the San Francisco Ballet and Opera and many other Bay Area arts organizations, Sarah has been known locally as a classical harpist. But, think again and re-imagine her as a stellar, unique, super talented and engaging jazz harpist. She has studied under Susann McDonald, Nancy Allen and Lucile Lawrence. She received her Bachelors, Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from The Juilliard School – her thesis was An Analysis of Jazz Harp Performance. She has received many awards including 1st prize at the Lyon and Healy International Jazz/Pop Competition in 1991.
Sarah and her trio recently gave an engaging and entertaining performance at the Center for New Music in San Francisco. Lucky for us in the Bay Area, Sarah is an inspiration for harpists and other musicians, displaying the diversity of the harp in both the classical realm and jazz scene.
Her CD can be purchased on iTunes. The music can also be streamed on Apple Music.
—by Karen Gottlieb
MEMBER NEWS:
Welcome New Members in 2016-17! Viviana Alfaro, Sarah Comfort, Hannah Lam, Molly Langr, Margaret Larsen, Matthew Verona
Stephanie Janowski announces two other events, in addition to her annual “20 Harps for the Holidays” concert December 3 (see Coming Events). She will play harp Sunday, December 4, 3:00 pm, with the San Jose Wind Symphony in “The Night Before Christmas”, a holiday concert with the choirs of San Jose State University and Saratoga High School. This family-friendly show also features a silent auction. McAfee Performing Arts Center, 20300 Herriman Ave, Saratoga. www.sjws.org. And Christmas Eve, 9:00 pm and 11:00 pm, Stephanie will play her harp in duet with Paul Rosas (organ) for services at Los Altos United Methodist Church.
Dominique Piana‘s harpiana.com website, featuring Harpiana Publications, is finally up and running, listing all existing and presently available publications (almost 250!). More work needs to be done in adding commentary, but all the basics are there for your “window shopping”. There will also be more new music coming before the end of the year, fleshing out repertoire by composers such as Posse and Snoer, and presenting more chamber music, such as a trio by Poenitz, and an Italian song by Parish Alvars, and much more.
Linda Rollo has informed us of a date change for the Silicon Valley Chapter’s String Fever Concert from April 29 to April 22nd, at the Villages in San Jose. She welcomes any interested member of the Bay Area Chapter to join them. The only required rehearsal is on the morning of the concert (Apr. 22 from 10-1). The concert will be at 2:30. Small optional rehearsals will take place at various homes during February, March and April. Anyone interested in playing with them should contact Linda at lwrollo@gmail.com.
Diana Stork writes: “I’m happy to announce that my CD with harpist Portia Diwa “Music from the Labyrinth” has just been released. Thanks to wonderful San Francisco Bay Area musicians Shira Kammen on vielle, Dan Reiter on cello, Peter Maund on percussion and Elaine Coombs also on cello – who added so much to our harp tracks. If you want to check it out, listen to some clips and/ or purchase it, you can go to: http://harpdancer.com/online-books-music-store/ or https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dianastork14 or
Available soon on iTunes
And if you’d like to hear Portia and me playing music from our new CD, we will be having our CD Release along with a Labyrinth Walk this coming Friday, December 2nd, from 6 – 8:00 pm at Grace Cathedral. Grace Cathedral is located at the top of Nob Hill. Parking is available underneath the cathedral, or across the street at the Masonic auditorium. The closest BART stop is Powell with a bit of a hike up the hill.
You can walk the beautiful indoor labyrinth as you listen, or listen as you sit quietly by the labyrinth. Come and go as you like. Entrance is by donation at the door, and CD’s will be available to purchase. With the cathedral glowing with hundreds of white candles, we will also be performing some seasonal music to get you in the holiday mood. Please invite your family and friends. We hope to see you at this very special event.”
Lynn Taffin‘s students are busy preparing for a holiday performance later in December, as well as for a studio ensemble class in the New Year.
Joffria Whitfield has shared her full December schedule with us. She’ll be playing viola at the Messiah Sing-Along December 3, 7:30 pm, El Campanil Theater, Antioch. And on the fourth, she’ll perform harp and violin with the Ashmolean Singers Christmas Concert, at Rossmoor, Walnut Creek.
December 9th she’ll perform harp with the choir for Ceremony of Carols at Clayton Valley Charter High School, Concord, at 7 pm. And on the 10th at 6:30 pm and on the 11th at 3 pm she performs in “Siegfried” at City College of San Francisco. She plays harp with the Cantata at St. Isidore’s Catholic Church on the 18th, Danville, 4 pm.
She finishes off the season playing harp and other instruments at the Christmas Eve Service of Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, and Midnight Mass at St. Isidore’s Catholic Church, followed by the Christmas Day Service at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, at 10:30 am.
Check out our upcoming events here.
And don’t forget the classified ads here.
MEMBERSHIP Thank you to all who have joined the chapter or renewed your membership in BACAHS. If you have not done so already, please join or renew now. The membership year begins September 1 and goes through August 2017. Although you may be a member of the American Harp Society at the National level, we hope you will join the Bay Area Chapter as well.
The Chapter serves to meet the need to share information, promote and foster an appreciation of the harp as a musical instrument in the Bay Area, and further harp education at all levels. Your support enables continued sponsorship of harp programs and master classes.
Visit BACHARP.org/membership. The Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society is a 501(c)3 corporation and, as such, both membership dues and all donations are tax-deductible, to the full extent allowed by law.