News & Events

Holiday greetings to all our BACAHS members and friends! Before the month and year get away from us, we want to remind you of two upcoming Chapter events that you don’t want to miss.

By now you probably have our ever popular annual Winter Potluck gathering on your calendar for January 31. We’ll be graciously hosted by Malcolm McAfee, 30 Commonwealth Avenue, San Francisco at 4 pm. Oakland’s Destiny Muhammed, the Harpist from the ‘Hood, will perform and there will be a music swap. Please start deciding what dish you will share and RSVP to ayothers@yahoo.com.

Then hot on its heels — and not to be missed — February 6 is the concert, Classical Flamenco, by the Pacific Arts Trio, featuring Natalie Cox, harp, Alice Lenaghan, flute, and Dan Reiter, cello. They will perform at Harps Etc. at 7:30 pm. Ticket information to follow.

See the program below:

The Adoration of the Maji from Botticelli Tryptich by Ottorino Respighi
Sonatas K 146 / K 27 / K 491 by Domenico Scarlatti
Pescodd Time by William Byrd
Malagueña by Isaac Albeniz
Aragonaisse from Carmen by Bizet
Passacaglia by Luigi Boccherini
Sonatas K 208 & 209 by Domenico Scarlatti
East Meets West by Ravi Shankar
Three Largos by Antonio Vivaldi

All arrangements by Dan Reiter

Since everyone is so busy at this time of year, we have just a little bit of member news to share. We’ll send a more comprehensive newsletter in mid-January. We love hearing from our members and sharing their activities with the group! Please submit any news or messages to ayothers@yahoo.com by January 10 of upcoming plans or experiences you may have had that would be of interest to us. And anyone who has a listing on our Classifieds page, please let us know if anything has changed with it, or if the ad should be removed.

Everyone keep safe, warm and dry, and we hope to see you in the New Year!

Alice Yothers
Susie Spiwak

Member News

The new CD, “Lyric Flute and Harp Musical Offerings” featuring Olga Ortenberg-Rakitchenkov, harp, and Dawn Walker-Schrock, flute is available on iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby. The music includes the harp solo, “The Lark” by Glinka-Balakirev with the original 20th century transcription for harp done for Olga by her teacher, the world famous harpist, Vera Dulova. Olga was the first harpist in Russia to perform this piece with its several chromatic passages that were quite challenging to play as they came directly from the piano score.

In her role as Principal Harp for the San Francisco opera, Olga recently performed “Lucia de Lammermoor” by Donizetti. There is a big harp solo in the first Act, and flute solo in the “mad scene” in the second Act. The Music Director, Nicola Luisotti, invited Principal flutist, Julie McKenzie and Olga to the stage for curtain final bow with the singers, Olga is seen in the photo holding a toy harp, so people in the audience would recognize the harpist.

Olga can be heard in concert in early 2016:
February 26, 2016–Berkeley City Club with flutist Dawn Walker and pianist Arkady Serper
March 6, 2016–First Episcopal Church on Hopkins and Alameda in Berkeley
April 2016 (date TBD)—Old First Church, San Francisco

Dr. Diana Rowan has 2 upcoming online trainings for the new year:

FLOW Harp Technique starts Jan 12. Learn to play with power, expression and healthy technique for life! Based on Salzedo classical harp technique combined with body-honoring arts such as yoga, tango, belly dance, Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais, FLOWHT is designed for today’s harpist working in a uniquely demanding world. All live training sessions will be recorded, so harpists can also learn via videos if they can’t attend live online. We’ll also have a private Facebook community for the duration of the course for further support! More info & registration: http://dianarowan.com/flow-harp-technique-starts-jan-12

Performance Mastery starts Jan 14. I had such a bad case of stage fright I gave up music completely for 4 years. Now I perform and teach worldwide. This journey has taught me what really works when learning to manage performance energy. If you have stage fright, you CAN get over it, and much faster than you might think. Read the inspiring results of the latest group of Performance Mastery graduates plus my guarantee here (registration also at this link) http://dianarowan.com/performance-mastery-live-online-training-starts-jan-14. Attendance is limited to 7 total and live participation online is required so you can finally learn to love performing!

Dear BACAHS Members and Friends:

Our November newsletter brings new announcements of harp happenings and calendar postings of which you’ll want to make note. Our feature, Member Spotlight, again showcases one of our members, this time new board member David J. Trapp.

Read about our wildly successful Ann Hobson Pilot event, which kicked off our new season. Don’t miss the launch of Practical Tips for Harpists – a new on-going column by member, harpist and harp technician, Karen Gottlieb, where she explores Cleaning and Preserving the Beauty of your Harp’s Finish.

We hope viewing Member News will inspire you to check in with us and share your harp pursuits with the local harp community. We want to hear from more of you!

Look for new additions to our ever expanding BACAHS Calendar. Be sure to take note of the date of our always popular Winter Potluck, scheduled for Sunday January 31, that will include a music swap and performance. Be sure to start culling your music for those pieces that you no longer need and might be enjoyed by others.

Without further ado, I’ll leave you to your reading pleasure.

Happy Harping!
Alice Yothers
President

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Meet new BACAHS Board Member, David J. Trapp
By Suki Russack

Have you ever had a dream that you thought could never come true? BACAHS newest board member, David Trapp, had that dream, but he made it a reality with hard work and by taking a great leap into the unknown. David started playing the harp in 2001. He had no background in music but had always nursed a secret desire to play an instrument. One day while visiting Ashland, Oregon, for the Shakespeare Festival, he wandered into a music store that had several different harps for sale, and he couldn’t resist buying one of them. It was a small Dusty Strings with 26 strings. The music store owner told him that if he wanted a larger harp he could exchange the smaller instrument later. Knowing he needed a teacher, David started lessons with Verlene Schermer in San Jose. Within a month the need for a larger harp became clear, so he drove back to Ashland and exchanged the 26-string harp for a Dusty Strings 32. Within the next year, he graduated to a 36-string harp. He studied with Verlene for two years, learning how to read music and the basics of playing.

David was learning “The Minstrel Boy” when the terrible events of 9/11 occurred. As he watched the processions of heartbreaking funerals going on and on, he realized that the music playing was “The Minstrel Boy”. This fully awakened him to the power that music can have in our lives to express the heights and depths of human emotions, and made him even more determined to master his harp. He wanted to contribute in other ways to the world of music and began writing melodies. The Folk Harp Journal has since accepted three of his compositions for publication. (FolkHarpSociety.org ) Not content solely with playing the harp and writing music for it, David wrote an historical novel about a harpist called “The Bard of Bethlehem” (http://www.amazon.com/Bard-Bethlehem-David-James-Trapp/dp/1424133130). The novel is set in the Roman Empire in the year 5 BCE and is about a harpist who plays songs to the mysterious new star.

David recently began studying with Cheryl Ann Fulton. He is working on his technique in order to improve his tone production and ease of playing. In this, he is following the same path that all harpists have to walk.

One of his hopes is that someday he will be able to visit the site of Ground Zero and play “The Minstrel Boy”. Currently, he rehearses regularly with the South Bay folk harp group, Harper’s Hall. In his day job, David is a practicing lawyer, but has taken his life to a new meaningful level by his connection to the world of music. He decided to enrich his harp contacts by joining the board of BACAHS, which is delighted to welcome him into the chapter. It is wonderful to have David, with his fresh approach to the harp world, on the board of directors. The kind of courage and determination that he demonstrates can be an inspiration to all harpists.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR HARPISTS

By Karen Gottlieb, Harpist and Harp Technician, 2015

Cleaning and Preserving the Beauty of your Harp’s Finish

A special thank you to Linda Rollo for editing this article and to the following Harp Technicians who helped with the information presented below: Peter Wiley, Karen Rokos, Stephen Hartman, Steve Moss and Mike Lewis.

There are three things that harpists can do to clean and preserve the finish on their harps: Prevention – Attention – Lubrication (the cleaning of high contact areas).

Below are some detailed suggestions of how and what to do, as well as what not to do.

Prevention

1- Wash your hands before you play. Dry them well. Do not use hand cream or lotion immediately before playing. The moisture in the cream is not good for the strings. Remove jewelry or watches that can scratch the finish, especially on your right arm. Buttons and sequins can also do damage…so be mindful about what you wear.

2 – Dust the harp regularly with a soft flannel cloth (Handi Wipes work well too), wherever dust can collect, such as the sounding board, base, crown, and neck.

3 – Dust disks and outside action areas with a semi-stiff stencil brush or a soft bristle brush. It will keep the dust from collecting on the disks. The brush is also great for cleaning areas that are hard to get into-such as between the carvings and where the base & board meet at the bottom of the column. Brushes are available from Harps Etc.

Attention (or Cleaning)

4 – Removing Dirt and Oily Grime. Dirt and grime can build up on the sounding board, along the edge where hands touch or rest and where bare knees contact the harp. Dust these areas with a soft cloth after playing. Note that over many years, fabric dyes can leave a mark where your knee contacts the back of the harp. The use of polish may help to remove or lessen the discoloration, but the oils from our skin contact can slowly erode the finish. Tips #5 & #6 should help to prevent this.

5 – For the buildup of grease, dirt and oils (especially on the rims or edges of the sounding board or wherever the hands rest or a bare knee contacts the harp), use a soft damp cloth. Wet the cloth with warm water and wring out any excess water so there is no dripping. Gently rub off the dirt. Follow with a soft dry cloth.

For really stubborn dirt, you can add a very small amount of mild dish soap to the water to rub off the dirt. Follow with a clean damp cloth to remove any soap residue, then a dry cloth so the harp is completely dry. This method works best on modern harps and not the older harps with the French style polish/finish. If the area turns dark and grey, the finish may already be worn through…best to contact a professional at this point.

Lubrication

6 – The best way to clean and prevent dirt and grime from building up over time is to POLISH THE WOOD of your harp occasionally (yearly is fine), avoiding the strings, brass plate and the gold or gilded areas.   Apply a small amount (about the size of a dime) of polish to a soft cloth. (Handi Wipes or micro fiber cloth from Costco are also recommended) Rub a smallish area of about one by two feet in size. Repeat over all wood parts of the harp and non-gilded areas. The polish will dry a bit. Then go over it with a fresh soft cloth, removing any polish and rubbing for a lustrous shine. To clean any gilded areas – dust only…no rubbing!!

The DOs and DON’Ts:

DO USE: Harp polishes specifically made by Lyon & Healy or Salvi. Another preferred lubricant for the finish is Johnson Paste Wax. Weinman’s Lemon oil can also be used for glossy finished harps.

NEVER USE: lemon oil on matte or satin finished harps. Do NOT use lemon wax, Pledge or other cleaners that can destroy the finish. It’s always better to be safe than sorry! Do NOT try and polish the brass/metal action plate. It will only destroy the finish on it. If any dirt does NOT wipe off with a dry cloth, forget it!!

Recommended for cleaning are both the Lyon & Healy* or Salvi Harp Polishes**.

The Lyon & Healy Polish works for ALL L&H harps-new & older style as well as the Salvi Harps.

Polishes are available:

*Lyon & Healy Polish at HarpsEtc. The active cleaning agent in L&H polish is mineral spirits, used in most high quality furniture polishes.

**Salvi Polish at Harp Connection.

For Salvi harps with polyurethane finishes, use Penthouse Polish** in a pump-spray bottle. NEVER spray polish (or anything else) directly on the harp. When using this, spray the polish on the dry cloth first, then use the cloth on the harp.

Further recommendations:

7 – Keep your harp out of direct sunlight, away from air-conditioning or heating vents. Your harp will be much happier if the temperature is as constant as possible. If you live in a very humid area, consider running a dehumidifier in the summer and a humidifier in the winter.

8 – Do not leave your harp in a hot car. Too much heat is not good for the finish and the glue joints can start to fail…then you have a BIG problem. If you must leave your harp in the car, park in the shade with the windows cracked. A covered garage is your best bet. Well worth the cost to keep your harp safe.

9 – We live in earthquake country. Back up that harp!! When not playing your instrument, it is best to keep the back of the harp near & facing the wall or with the bench behind it. Should a tremor occur or the harp is bumped, the bench & wall will help hinder a bad fall and/or worse — scratches, dents, cracks, etc.

For an informative video on basic-general harp care by technician, Steve Moss, see http://www.mossharpservice.com/videos.php.

ANN HOBSON PILOT, A HARPIST’S LEGACY—A special opportunity to meet one of the truly unique and great harpists of our time, by Suki Russack

BACAHS presented an afternoon with Ann Hobson Pilot, at Harps Etc. on Sunday October 11. It was a very special opportunity to meet one of the truly unique and great harpists of our time. The riveting documentary film “A Harpist’s Legacy, Ann Hobson Pilot and the Sound of Change” was shown, telling the story of her life and musical achievements. It brought insight and an awareness of her career and focused on many of the prejudices and racial difficulties she encountered and overcame with grace during the 1960’s and ‘70’s, coinciding with the Civil Rights movement. Ann grew up in Philadelphia, beginning her harp studies while in high school, then attended the Cleveland Institute of Music on a full scholarship, studying with Alice Chalifoux. She became the first Black woman to hold a position in a major symphony orchestra: first the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC; then as principal harp with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras. Following the film showing, she thrilled us with the breadth of her experiences, the famous musicians with whom she has worked, elaborated on many racial obstacles and graciously answered questions.

Ann spoke with pride about the Harp Concerto, “On Willows and Birches”, that the BSO commissioned John Williams to compose as a retirement gift for Ann’s 40 years of service. Mr. Williams’ first reaction to the request for a harp concerto was to say no because he thought the harp was too difficult to write for…but Ann convinced him to change his mind. The result is a two movement work that was chosen as one of the requirements for the Israel International Harp Competition. Ann treated the audience to a small selection from the Cadenza, including the sections Williams rewrote incorporating her recommendations.

Although Ann retired from the BSO in 2009, she remains very active in the harp world, performing as a soloist and with chamber groups, teaching each summer at the Tanglewood Institute, as well as teaching private lessons in Sarasota, FL, where she now resides. Next year Ann will play the Ginestera Harp Concerto in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her new CD – music of the Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla, for harp, violin and bandoneon, is available on Itunes and Amazon. http://www.annhobsonpilot.com/recordings.aspx

Our thanks and gratitude go out to Ann for her candor and teachings. Thank you also to Jessica Siegel and Harps Etc. for providing the perfect venue, hospitality and AV support.

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 2016. 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.

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September 2015

Dear BACAHS Members and Friends:

Welcome to our Fall Newsletter, which is brimming with news of the chapter, lots of vibrant activities by our members, and great plans for the upcoming season.

Look for our new feature, Member Spotlight, a report by new board member Suki Russack, which features member Karen Gottlieb as she announces her recent CD release. See the announcement of our newly expanded board of directors, and the report of our June member survey, which gives us insight into how the chapter can better serve its members, the greater harp community and the Bay Area community at large.

Since Ann Hobson Pilot will be back in town in October, BACAHS will sponsor her at a screening of her inspirational documentary, “A Harpist’s Legacy”, along with her own commentary. At our ever popular Winter Potluck in January, we are adding a new component, a “Music Swap”, where we can cull the sheet music we no longer need and swap with others. Plan to come and find some gems!

In February we are looking forward to hosting harpist Natalie Cox and the Pacific Arts Trio with their latest program offerings. And we are happy to announce the Harps Etc. 15th Anniversary International Harp Festival in May. So there’s lots to enjoy coming up. We hope to see many of you. Please bring your friends and family to celebrate this wonderful instrument and the pleasure it brings to so many!

Happy Harping!

Alice Yothers
President

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 2016. 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.

MEMBER SURVEY
Thank you to the 70 members and friends who completed the Member Survey that was sent to you in late June. Your overwhelming response demonstrates your keen interest and enthusiasm for the Chapter and its activities. In summary, here is what you told us:

13 of you attended at least one performance or BACAHS event last year.

Classical concerts topped the interest list for 2014-2015 performances, followed by contemporary music concerts and jazz. There was more interest in workshops over master classes. Interest was also expressed for having more social events like the Annual Potluck dinner.

Furthering harp education at all levels continues to be a core goal of BACAHS. Nine respondents attended the Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition Winners’ Recital. Of this group, six of you were performers. Suggestions for other events included student recitals, teacher symposiums on harp pedagogy, and orchestral and/or small ensemble groups.

Scheduling conflicts were the primary reason that many did not attend any or all of the events, with the location of the events contributing to the scheduling conflict in almost half of the instances. Preferred times and days were stated as:

1. Saturday afternoon
2. Sunday afternoon
3. Saturday evening
4. Sunday evening

East Bay and the City of San Francisco are the preferred locations for activities.

This information will be a great resource in planning future events and activities. Your participation will insure their success and provide entertainment, socialization and enlightenment. If you would like to participate and help plan future activities with BACAHS, please contact us at bacahs@gmail.com.

MEET THE NEW BOARD OF BACAHS
In the member survey distributed in June 2015, members were queried as to their interest in serving on the Board of the Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society. Alice Yothers and Susie Spiwak followed up with those people who stated their interest. As a result, five new people volunteered to join the board, and the current board agreed to remain for another two year term. At the board meeting on August 13, 2015, elections were held, following the bylaw requirement that elections be held in odd numbered years. Since all but two people who agreed to serve were in attendance, and there was a quorum, the board came to formation as follows:

Alice Yothers, president
Susie Spiwak, vice-president
David Trapp, co-vice-president
Melinda Chinn, treasurer
Henry Heines, secretary
Mitch Landy, member-at-large
Pat Petersen, member-at-large
Suki Russack, member-at-large
Alex Perdew, member-at-large
Erica Messer, member-at-large
Cheryl Ann Fulton, member-at-large

Welcome new board members and thank you to all who are continuing to serve!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Karen Gottlieb by Suki Russack

It doesn’t seem possible that anyone who studies and plays the harp in the San Francisco Bay Area, would not know who Karen Gottlieb is. She has been outstanding in the harp world for many years, not just as a wonderful performer, but also as a teacher, an extremely skilled harp technician, an invaluable resource for professional harpists who want coaching for auditions, and for her wide experience and understanding of new music.

When I walked into her studio, all I could see of Karen was the top of her head as she peered up the inside of a harp column, attempting to screw in a newly greased pedal rod. She was in the middle of a harp regulation in which the harp needed a tubing assembly repair to get rid of a buzz in the column. Eventually, the rod was in place and Karen remarked that it had been easier than the previous rod repair that required extra adjustments. She also noted that harps that have annual regulations are much easier to keep in good working condition and have better intonation. In order to become a harp technician, Karen apprenticed at the Lyon and Healy harp factory. She has been certified to work on both L&H and Salvi instruments and is a member of their Harp Regulators Guild. There are two interesting essays on Karen’s website about her work in this field (www.kgharp.com).

One of Karen’s latest projects has been the production of a wonderful CD of 20th Century harp music by Bay Area Composers. The music was chosen and recorded by Karen and comprises a very personal audio record of her life. She said that she deliberately avoided including any “Bang, Pluck, Scratch” pieces. She wanted the music to be accessible and friendly to the ear. The liner notes on her CD give some interesting personal details on Karen’s choices. Karen worked closely with the late composer Lou Harrison. She has included two of his pieces on this CD. It has been one of the great joys of her career to have worked with composers, educating and encouraging them on how to write more effectively for the harp. The CD is available for purchase or for download via iTunes at http://www.innova.mu/albums/karen-gottlieb/music-harp

When asked what role BACAHS has played in her career, Karen answered: “BACAHS … has given me the opportunity to interact with and be inspired by other harpists locally, nationally and internationally. It also gave me the opportunity to develop my leadership and organizational skills as an active member on the chapter boards as well as with the 2006 AHS National Conference. And I’ve made great friendships over the years. Ultimately this is what our chapter can offer all its members. It is an extended family of people with common interests.”

But why would a young person choose to study harp in the first place? I asked Karen exactly that. “When I was nine years old, I went to a concert where I heard Linda Rollo. Linda was 19 years old, had been studying for two years, and she played Salzedo’s ‘Song in the Night’. She looked like an ‘angel on a cloud’ and I immediately fell in love with her and the sight and sounds of the instrument. I begged my parents for lessons but they insisted that I take six months of piano lessons, to prove that I was serious about music before they would consider giving me harp lessons. The day the six months were up, I reminded them that I was ready to begin the harp.” The rest is history.

Karen and her Brother Mark performing an underwater rendition of the Blue Danube to break the Guinness World Record for Underwater Chamber Music Performance

MEMBER NEWS
Adaline (Stephens) Anaya, former student of Linda Rollo, has moved back to the Bay Area after graduating from Biola University with a degree in harp performance. She studied there with Mindy Ball and performed with their Orchestra and Wind Symphony, as well as in many ensembles. Adaline lives in Alameda with her husband, and is available to perform for weddings and events, as well as teaching piano and harp. contact aanaya@gmail.com or (510)352-7542.

Meredith Clark will be performing the Debussy Danses with the SF Chamber Orchestra in October. Details are here: http://www.thesfco.org/2015/06/in-praise-of-love/

Congratulations to Meredith for being awarded the principal harp position of the Arizona Opera this past January. She will continue to reside in the Bay Area except during the performance season, starting in October.

Anna Maria Mendieta soloed with the California Sound Collective inaugural concert in Benicia in August, under conductor David Ramadanoff, playing music by Opel, Becker, Mozart, Piazzolla and Ibert.

Alexandra Perdew is performing solo and ensemble works with Cormac De Barra, Vincenzo Zitello, and Dearbhail Finnegan at the Worlds Fair Milan taking place September 21-26. She will also do a recital in Indianapolis on October 8.

Dominique Piana will perform a small set of late romantic miniatures by Liszt, Godefroid, Oberthür, Posse, Strauss, Holý, and Kastner, on Friday October 23, at 10:30am for CCPAS (Contra Costa Performing Arts Society), at Grace Presbyterian Church in Walnut Creek.

Dominique recently republished five of Alice Lawson Aber-Count’s Krumpholtz titles, in time for the Historical Harp Society Conference held in Oakland last June, where she presented a paper on Jean-Baptiste Krumpholtz, taken from her own translation of his memoirs. Read Dominique’s Reminiscing on the 32nd Annual Historical Harp Society Conference.

Sage Po, who has studied under Lisa Stine, Laura Porter and most recently, Gretchen Van Hoesen, graduated from Carnegie Mellon University this May with a BFA in Harp Performance with University and College Honors. She gave the commencement speech for the School of Music…read more

Diana Rowan has been developing her World Harp Techniques six-week live web training http://dianarowan.com/world-harp-techniques-registration. This started September 1 with an overview of harp techniques from Africa, the Middle East, India, Asia, Europe and Latin America, and is the subject of all her own music and PhD dissertation. The next six-week live web training session will start November 3, and will focus exclusively on harp techniques from Africa. From there, it will be six-week sessions each on the Middle East, India, Asia, Europe and Latin America… read more

Lynn Taffin spent the summer reconnecting with colleagues all the way back to Tanglewood days. Along the road in France, Italy and Switzerland she worked with colleagues to collaborate on upcoming concert projects, coached another harpist for fall orchestral concerts and tuned up a former student’s harp to make sure she’s still practicing despite her busy new career as a marine biologist. Even students who move around the globe have to keep up their good work! Lynn is looking forward to upcoming studio ensemble projects this fall.

David Trapp, incoming BACAHS co-VP, announces that his composition, Penny Ante Jig, was accepted for publication in the Fall 2015 issue of the Folk Harp Journal, ISFHC (International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen). Congratulations, David!

Shannon Zheng, who received the Harpiana Prize at the Yvonne La Mothe Schwager competition in May, was featured in the Livermore-Amador Symphony Youth Orchestra (LAYSYO) this summer. She played Legende by Carl Stix, along with a 50-piece string ensemble. She received great acclaim, both for her playing and for the piece itself, a beautiful work in the Viennese romantic style, republished by Harpiana Publications.

BACAHS CALENDAR
Please insure that your events are included in the BACAHS calendar. Contact us at BACAHS@gmail.com with events for posting. Please let us know of any events that include and feature the harp as well.

REDWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA performs Brahms, Daugherty and Hindemith. Tales of Hemingway for Cello and Orchestra by Daugherty has a fabulous harp part with all kinds of neat effects and lovely accompaniment figures played by Suki Russack. September 26, 2015, 8PM, Canada College Main Theater, Redwood City. http://www.redwoodsymphony.org/concerts/2015-16/concert1_2015.html

ANN HOBSON PILOT, Harpist / Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Violinist perform works by Donizetti, John Marson, Albeniz, Saint-Saens, John Williams/arr. Michael Maganuco, and Piazzolla. Saturday, October 10, 7:30pm. Regents Theater at Holy Names University. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2149347

A Harpist’s Legacy – Ann Hobson Pilot and the Sound of Change, will be screened Sunday, October 11, at 3PM at Harps Etc. This documentary follows Ms. Pilot’s personal and professional journey as the first black woman principal player in a major symphony orchestra. From Pilot’s challenges of performing in the segregated south before and during the Civil Rights Movement, the documentary culminates in her performance of a harp concerto composed in her honor by John Williams and given its debut in the Boston Symphony Orchestra season opening concerts in 2009 at both Symphony Hall in Boston and at Carnegie Hall.

Ann Hobson Pilot will discuss the film, her career and the concerto. Potluck reception to follow. Purchase your tickets: http://bacharp.bpt.me

DOMINIQUE PIANA performs late romantic miniatures by Liszt, Godefroid, Oberthür, Posse, Strauss, Holý, and Kastner, on Friday October 23, at 10:30am for CCPAS (Contra Costa Performing Arts Society), at Grace Presbyterian Church in Walnut Creek. Admission: Free

SAN FRANCISCO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA—IN PRAISE OF LOVE. Featuring Meredith Clark at the harp, the program includes Claude Debussy’s Danses Sacrée et Profane; Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium), and more. October 23-25, multiple locations. http://www.thesfco.org/2015/06/in-praise-of-love/

SAVE THE DATE! Cafe Concert Series presents Cormac de Barra in a workshop and concert at Harps Etc., Saturday, November 14, 2015. More information to follow.

20 HARPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS CONCERT
Harpeggio Music will present their annual holiday harp concert on Saturday, December 5, 2015, 4:00 p.m. at Los Altos United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Avenue, Los Altos, California. The program features a studio ensemble of more than 20 harps playing a festive selection of music, including traditional carols and popular holiday music. Guest artist this year will be Patrick Ball, one of the premier Celtic harp players in the world and a captivating storyteller. Tickets are $15 for general admission, and $12 for children (4-12) and $12 for seniors (60+). For more information and to purchase tickets, please call Stephanie at (408) 366-8810 or email events@harpeggio.com. Proceeds go to Harpeggio Music to help support studio activities, including this concert.

ANNUAL WINTER POTLUCK DINNER: JANUARY 2016
Details to be announced. A sheet music “swap” is planned! Please go through your music bins and pull out all your no-longer-needed sheet music or books that you can share with others.

PACIFIC ARTS TRIO will perform for us on February 6, 2016 at 7:30pm at Harps Etc. The trio is comprised of Natalie Cox, harp, Alice Lenaghan, flute, and Dan Reiter, cello. Details to come!

SAVE THE WEEKEND: Harps Etc. 15th Anniversary International Harp Festival. The date is set for Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-29, 2016. There will be 4 days of fabulous workshops and concerts. The venue is a beautiful retreat center in the hills of Danville. Room and board are available on site for guests staying at the retreat center. Keep your eyes and ears open for more information to come.

CLASSIFIED ADS
Many great harps are available for sale and rent, as well as resources for harpists, on the Classified Ads page, including:

HARPS FOR SALE:
Beautiful Salvi Egan Electro-Acoustic Lever Harp, 38 strings. $6,000
Lyon and Healy Style 22, gold and bronze. $14,200
Lyon & Healy Grand Concert Harp, Style 23, Natural. $18,500
Cunningham wire strung 32 string celtic harp, no levers. 60″ tall. $1,500
Camac LeBleu 47 string, straight sound board, acoustic electric harp. $17,500

HARPS FOR RENT:
Salvi Diana, $150/month
Wurlitzer (bronze & gold) pedal harp-44 strings, $145/month
Lyon Healy troubador C’, $70/month
Beautiful Dusty Strings 36-string maple harp, $75/month
Lyon & Healy style 17, natural finish, pedal harp, $175/month

NEW AND USED PEDAL AND NON-PEDAL HARPS AVAILABLE AT HARPS ETC.

OTHER OFFERINGS:
HARP ENSEMBLES AT HARPS ETC. All ensembles are open to all ages and levels of playing. Learn to play with others and to follow a conductor, improve your reading, rhythm and performance skills and just have fun making music and new friends while playing the harp. Click here for more information.

HELP WANTED: Harps Etc. is seeking a harp teacher who can work with pedal and non-pedal harp students and has experience working with students of any age and level of experience. The ability to teach a wide range of musical styles, be community oriented and flexible is necessary. Please send a cover letter stating why you believe you are the best person for the position along with your resume and references to info@harpsetc.com.

Dear BACAHS Members and Friends,

It is the time of year to join or renew your membership in the Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society. The membership year begins September 1 and goes through August 2016. 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.

There are great benefits to being part of the local chapter:

Community: Join a community of people who love to play the harp, some professionally, others for recreation and enrichment.
Meet visiting harpists at concerts, master classes and receptions.
Stay informed of concerts and activities by bay area harpists.
Connect with local harpists.
Find friends for playing ensemble works and networking.
Get involved with local events of interest to harpists.

Visibility: With community comes visibility.
Performing harpists create demand and new opportunities for our beautiful instrument at special occasions and within daily life.
Stay up to date through the monthly newsletter and bacharp.org.
Let others know what you are up to by posting your events on the calendar and sharing through member news.
Support: As a member, your dues, talents and efforts contribute to the overall vitality of the harp community. Dues help to:
Fund Continuing Education, Student Competitions and local events making it more affordable for members and families to attend;
Host world class harpists of all styles from around the world for concerts, master classes and workshops.

Continuing Education: Concerts, master classes and informal salons provide opportunities to learn from professional harpists visiting the Bay Area.

Competition: Our bi-annual regional competition offers students and teachers an opportunity to organize and achieve yearly goals. Students, start practicing now for Spring 2017!

Chapter highlights from 2014-2015 membership year included:
Workshop and Performance by composer, author, educator and Gold Record winner recording artist Alfredo Rolando Ortiz;
Remarkable musician Motoshi Kosako, who educated and wowed with his improvisations and compositions for the harp;
Grammy nominated electric harp virtuoso with a wicked sense of humor, Deborah Henson Conant, who entertained with concerts, group lessons and workshops;
23 young harpists performing for prizes and experience in the bi-annual Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Harp Competition and Winners’ Recital;
And the always anticipated Annual Winter Potluck, where we met and were entertained by Annabelle Taubl, the newly appointed harpist for San Francisco Ballet.

So why wouldn’t you join?

Members and friends will receive the September newsletter in just a few weeks. There will be new features, including a Member Spotlight. Make sure your events, accomplishments, and awards are included. Please send us any upcoming events you have scheduled that you would like included in the newsletter and at bacharp.org. Also, if you have a harp or accessories for sale or rent, please let us know so they can be included in Classified Ads. If you currently have an ad listed on the website, please review it and let us know if you want to add, change or delete any information.

Looking forward to an exciting, entertaining and educational year in the Harp Community.

Happy Harping!

By Dominique Piana

The 32nd Annual Historical Harp Society Conference was held from June 26 to 28, 2015, at St. Albert’s Priory in Oakland, under the direction of Cheryl Ann Fulton, our Western Region Director.

On Saturday morning, Mara Galassi from Milan, Italy, one of the foremost authorities on harps from the Baroque and classical eras, gave a talk on Transcribing the Music of J.S. Bach for the Harp. She shared with us her fascination with the Davidsharfe, the German harp from the High Baroque era. The question was not so much how to transcribe Bach’s music, but rather how to determine what music fit those harps from the time of Bach: mainly two-voiced polyphony, light and trebly. She showed images of harps from Nordhausen, a little town in Thuringia near Leipzig, where the harp maker Volckman Rabe’s harps abound in small local museums.

Cheryl Ann Fulton followed with a talk on Performing the P.J. Meyer Sonata, to be found in the first classical method for harp of the classical era: the 1963 Essai sur la vraie manière de jouer de la harpe, avec une méthode de l’accorder, republished as a facsimile by Fuzeau in France. Cheryl recently performed the Sonata on her newest acquisition, a single-action harp “à crochets” that has been beautifully restored, with original parts still intact.

Then it was Laura Peh’s turn, here all the way from Hong Kong/Singapore via London, enlightening us about The Performance History of Handel’s Harp Concerto in Georgian and Victorian Britain. We were told about all the Royal Harpists, with recognizable names like William Powell, the first performer of the concerto, John Parry, Edward Jones, John Balsir Chatterton, and John Thomas…. The Concerto, because it was later published for organ, got “lost and found”over and over. In the 19th century, it was Lady Llanover who was instrumental in keeping the Welsh triple harp, the instrument for which it was composed, in the public eye, and through the stories related to the concerto, we enjoyed a fun romp through British harp history.

After lunch, Emily Laurance, who is the head of the History Department at the San Francisco Conservatory, spoke about Romance and the Single-Action Harp: Musical Instruments and Generic Identity, examining the symbiotic relationship between the harp and the French vocal romance. This was a time of feminization of the harp, and the lyrics used often were pastoral or exotic (Southern France or Spanish) in inspiration, or harking back to idealized medieval times. One of the songs shown as an example was the famous Plaisir d’Amour by Martini.

Next Dominique Piana elaborated on the subject of J.B. Krumpholtz: “Modern” Experimentation in Harp Composition in the 18th Century. She read her freshly completed translation of Krumpholtz’s autobiography, as preserved by his disciple J.M. Plane in the Principes pour la Harpe. She related various incidents of his life and his passion for expanding the technical and emotional capabilities of the harp with the novelties found in his compositions: harmonics, étouffés and pedal glissés; complicated yet idiomatic finger patterns and complex modulations requiring the use of enharmonics. He was truly a man ahead of his time…

Later Cheryl Ann Fulton read Ron Cook’s paper What Can Historical Harpists Learn from the Cantigas Harps, as he was unable to come to the conference. It all started with the picture from the manuscript showing two harpists with their medieval harps. There was a discussion on the shape and form of the harps, on the musicians’ dress and its meaning, religious or otherwise, and on the poetry of the Cantigas. It turned out to be a quite thorny subject matter in terms of social and cultural mores! It was said in the beginning that iconography is notably unreliable to determine how harps were built and played in those ancient times. The same thought, rightly so, made a good conclusion.

Finally, Lisetta Rossi from Italy delighted us with her presentation Harps Over Seas: Italian Street Harpists in America in the 19th Century. She started out with the historical reasons for the concentration of harp builders and players in Basilicata’s Val d’Agri, in the South Italian Apennines. Street harpists from the area around Viggiano traveled all over Europe, then to America. Many prominent Italian American harpists also belonged to families with a long history of harp making and/or street playing, from Salvatore Mario De Stefano to the Salvis and the Vitos.

On Saturday evening, we were treated to a most exquisite concert in the chapel of the Priory, featuring Mara Galassi on arpa doppia, Vicente La Camera Mariño performing on a copy of the Trinity College harp, and Cheryl Ann Fulton’s Red Dragon Harp Ensemble of Welsh triple harps.

Sunday morning, Jennifer Sayre from San Luis Obispo explained the tablature used in the Compendio Numeroso para arpa de un orden, de dos ordenes, y de organo by Diego Fernandez de Huete. In honor of Alice Lawson Aber-Count, she delved into the intricacies of the Huete Compendio, the first harp method in existence, and actually a treatise on the diatonic (single row) and chromatic (cross-strung) Spanish harps.

Vicente La Camera Mariño shared with us about the two-way migrations of the Music and Dance of the Canaries, where he is from himself. Folk dance tunes from the Canary Islands spread throughout Europe all the way up to Scotland, then they were brought back to their place of origin in artful Western styles.

Sunday afternoon, Jennifer Sayre played works by Antonio de Cabezón on her “arpa de dos órdenes”, followed by Catherine Stiles on the triple harp, Vicente La Camera Mariño on a single-row “Vermillion” harp, in repertoire including Canaries from Scotland. Cheryl Ann Fulton’s Angelorum Medieval Harp Choir finished a program that stunned with its great delicacy and ethereal beauty. The location certainly contributed to the heavenly feel of both concerts, but the lightly strung period instruments themselves exuded a natural sweetness unmarred by harshness. Their sound reached the ear most gently, floating like an incantation.

The third bi-annual Yvonne La Mothe Schwager Harp Competition took place Sunday, May 24, at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Twenty-two harp students, from seven different teachers, performed beautiful and challenging repertoire in order to hone their performance skills and receive valuable feedback from a panel of judges, comprised of top harp professionals in California. Cash prizes and an opportunity to perform in the winners recital on Sunday, June 7, were awarded to the following students:

Preliminary level
Gold: Charis Woo, student of of Doug Rioth and Jessica Siegel
Silver: Hannah Chen, student of Jessica Siegel
Bronze: Hailey Tan, student of Kristal Barlaan Schwartz
Special MusicWorks-Harp Editions Prize: Charis Woo

Level 1
Gold: Naomi Sun, student of Linda Wood Rollo
Silver: Hannah Ewell, student of Kristal Barlaan Schwartz
Bronze: Phoebe Lin, student of Sonya Yu
Special MusicWorks-Harp Editions Prize: Naomi Sun
Special Harpiana Prize: Hannah Ewell

Level 2 and Level 3
Gold: Tiffany Wong, student of Linda Wood Rollo
Silver: Danielle Nam, student of Sonya Yu
Bronze: Elizabeth Vo-Phamhi, student of Doug Rioth
Special MusicWorks-Harp Editions Prize: Tiffany Wong
Special Harpiana Prize: Shannon Zheng, student of Dominique Piana

Gold (level 3): Jenny Vo-Phamhi, student of Doug Rioth

The judges were Alexandra Perdew, Claudia Valsi, and Celia Chan Valerio.

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped to make the day a success: Mitch Landy, Daphanie Lin, Doug Rioth, Suki Russack, Gaylene Suganuma, Teri Vo and Sonya Yu. The competiton committee was comprised of Chairperson Dominique Piana, Jessica Siegel, Susie Spiwak and Alice Yothers.

Recital Winners
The Winners’ Recital was held Sunday, June 7, at the Firehouse Arts Center in Pleasanton. The students performed to a full auditorium of supporters who came to enjoy and encourage their continued harp endeavors.
Front Row L-R: Jenny Vo-Phamhi, Charis Woo, Hannah Chen, Hailey Tan, Arielle Herman
Back Row L-R: Phoebe Lin, Danielle Nam, Elizabeth Vo-Phamhi, Hannah Ewell, Naomi Sun, Shannon Zeng, Tiffany Wong

Dear BACAHS Members and Friends,

Harpists and non-harpists alike were treated to an exceptional musical experience on Saturday, April 18, when Motoshi Kosako shared ideas and tips for “jazzing up” your harp playing.  His teaching style was clear, engaging, warm and entertaining.  When was the last time you saw someone pick up their harp like a guitar in order to explain the verticality of chords?  The most informative and entertaining workshop also offered basic melody improvisation, options for adding zip to harmonies and melodies and even playing the blues.

In the evening, Motoshi, put these lessons to work during a two-hour recital in which he played his own compositions as well as songs by musical greats as diverse as Leonard Bernstein and Jimmy Hendrix. In the end, there were standing ovations and flowers for a really special performer.

In case you missed this event, Motoshi promises to come back and continue a series of workshops.  In the nearer term, get your jazz fix on Saturday, May 23, when Deborah Henson-Conant will present a hands-on workshop and concert at Harps Etc.

Harps are provided for learning rhythm and harmony of the Blues, the use-it-anywhere “Slap Bass” technique and how to create basslines, riffs and comping—and you’ll learn what those words mean!  Throughout, you’ll be playing the Blues.

That evening, Deborah will delight with a Solo Concert at 7:30pm.

These events take place at Harps Etc. in Walnut Creek and are co-sponsored by BACAHS.  For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.Harpsetc.com.

In the classical world, there are two additional opportunities to hear Dominique Piana and Greg Allen Friedman perform their concert of “Songs of Longing and Belonging”.  This beautiful concert of romantic songs for harp and tenor was delightful in San Francisco and can be heard again in Oakland on April 26 and San Jose on May 10.  For more information, visit the chapter calendar.

Please send your member news, information about harps for sale, and any other information you would like to share with the harp community. In early May, we will distribute another monthly newsletter and want to be sure to include your updates.  Please send your information to ayothers@yahoo.com.

Happy Harping!

April, 2015

Dear BACAHS Members and Friends,

Now is the time to be a harpist or harp lover in the Bay Area. We are quite fortunate that there are so many engaging and entertaining events coming up in April and May, it may be hard to choose, let alone find time for everything you will want to attend.  Or don’t choose, just do it all!

In the early part of April, BACAHS member and former board president, Dominique Piana, will perform in concert with her son, Greg Allen Friedman, as part of the Seventh Avenue Performances Series in San Francisco.  Diana Rowan has numerous performances happening around the Bay Area, and Laura Simpson is off to the nation’s capital, Washington DC, to perform in a show that she co-wrote, “The Telltale Harp”, a musical comedy about wedding harpists.

In partnership with Harps Etc., BACAHS will present Jazz Harp Master, Motoshi Kosako, in concert on April 18.  Motoshi will also present a workshop on Improvising, Arranging and Jazzing up your Playing, that afternoon in advance of the evening performance.

And–this just in–Grammy Nominated Electric Harp Virtuoso, Deborah Henson-Conant, will perform at Harps Etc. on Saturday, May 23.  Details are still being worked out for workshops and reception, so watch your email and check back at BACHARP.org and Harpsetc.com for updates.

All this and more are listed on the BACAHS calendar.  Sadly, because of the timing of this newsletter, we could not include all April events, such as the Conversation with Destiny Muhammad: From Hood 2 Harp” at San Francisco State and Natalie Cox’s “Cup of Classical” with the Pacific Arts Trio, both of which took place on April 2.  We are grateful to all of you for letting the Bay Area become more intimate with the harp and appreciate your talents.

Make sure your events are included in upcoming emails and the calendar, and let us know what you are up to for member news.  Send your updates to bacahs@gmail.com.

Upcoming events: 

• April 11, 2015, 7:30pm: Piana-Friedman Duo presents a concert of Romantic Era music. Come hear tenor Greg Allen Friedman and harpist Dominique Piana as they join forces in presenting a concert of warm and lush selections from the song repertoire: German lieder, French melodies and romances, Italian airs and other surprises. Presented by Seventh Avenue Performances Seventh Avenue Presbyterian Church located at 1329 Seventh Avenue in San Francisco. Tickets- $20/$15.  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/840168.
• April 12, 2015, 4:00pm-6:00pm:  Jennifer Ellis presents the workshop: Building Meaningful Partnerships with the Community through Music at Harps Etc.  “Outreach” and “Community Engagement” are buzzwords in the musical community.  But how do we go about creating long-term, sustainable, mutually-beneficial relationships with community partners?  In this workshop, we will borrow from other fields to explore how these disciplines create meaningful and effective community partnerships and apply these interdisciplinary techniques to our work as musicians.  Suggested donation $10.
• April 12, 2015:  Harp Live! with our friends in Silicon Valley AHS, is CANCELLED and will be rescheduled at a later date.
• April 18, 2015:  BACAHS presents Motoshi Kosako: Jazz Workshop and Recital at Harps Etc., Workshop for Jazz Arranging, Improvisation and Jazzing Up Your Playing: 2:30 to 5:30pm. Performance 7:30pm. Tickets: workshop and concert, $60 or $35 each.  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.harpsetc.com/events-en/
• May 2, 2015, 3:00pm:  The Silicon Valley Youth Harp Ensemble will present their 6th Annual “String Fever” Harp Ensemble Concert, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1710 Moorpark Avenue, San Jose.  Suggested donation: $10 adults, $5 youth  www.siliconvalleyharp.org Come and hear a full ensemble of adult harpists plus the young people of the Silicon Valley Youth Harp Ensemble (YES)! The Youth Ensemble will perform a special program in the middle of the concert and also join the adult ensemble on several pieces.  Repertoire will include Handel’s “Water Music”, Offenbach’s famous “Can Can”, music from “Frozen”, an O’Carolan Concerto, Joplin and much more…
• May 23, 2015, 7:30pm:  Grammy Nominated Electric Harp Virtuoso, Deborah Henson-Conant, in Concert! at Harps Etc.  To purchase tickets and for additional information visit harpsetc.com
• May 24, 2015:  Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition for Young Harpists, San Francisco Conservatory of Music. https://bacharp.org/competitions/
• June 7, 2015: Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition Winners Recital, 2pm, Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton

Attention Harp Students! The application deadline for the Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition is a few weeks away!  Sign up by May 1 to insure your place in the competition to hone your musical skills and receive valuable feedback from respected harp professionals.  The application and guidelines are available online at the chapter website. The competition is open to students up to and including age 25 and residing in the Western Region, who are members of the Bay Area Chapter and the American Harp Society. College students returning home to the region are particularly encouraged to join us in their category. Membership information is available at bacharp.org/membership and at harpsociety.org respectively.

Member news:

Laura Simpson will be in Washington, DC, April 20, where she will perform with Lorelei Kornell in a reading of the play, “The Telltale Harp”, a comedy about wedding harpists which they co-wrote. This features live harp music and some original songs by Laura, and will be presented at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church.

Joffria Whitfield will be playing three Mother’s Day seatings at the Camellia Tea Room in Benicia, 707-746-5293.

Brian Swager just launched a new YouTube channel called “Sundays at Immanuel” featuring organ and harp music that he plays on Sunday mornings.  Brian says:  “Please enjoy the music, and please share the playlist with anyone who you think might enjoy joining us on Sunday mornings for church services.  It would be nice to see more people in our congregation, so please use this channel as a calling card to let people know what kind of music they can experience with us.

“I’ve started with ten selections (eight organ, two harp) and plan to add more pieces periodically.  To listen, click on the link below.  You can play the entire playlist of 10 pieces by clicking “Play all,” or you can select pieces individually from the list.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfsmCOgtAyaC3pVW5HBbIlK51fCkrKy7z

“Also, spring has sprung, and it’s organ recital time again at the Legion of Honor, Saturday April 11 and Sunday April 12 at 4:00pm. If you attend, consider going to the museum early to see the special exhibition on High Style. They want me to play a High Style program, but I insist that all of my recitals are High Style.  I suggest that they offer me a stylish, $20,000-costume to wear for the event.  Failing that, we have the great Skinner organ, a fine example of quintessential, high style, American organ building.  My program will include two famous warhorses:  the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, and the Toccata from the Fifth Symphony of Widor (my Easter tradition).  I’m also bringing back the dramatic arrangement of Bach’s chorale, Come, Sweet Death, made by Virgil Fox who brought incomparable style to the pipe organ in the 20th century.  You’ll find the rest of the program here:  http://allegrofuoco.com/prog036.html

Dear BACAHS Members and Friends,

This short month of February was packed with exciting harp events. Kudos go out to Jessica Siegel and her team at Harps Etc. for presenting the Cafe Concert Series. In February, Alfredo Rolando Ortiz put on a 4-1/2 hour workshop covering everything from Latin American rhythms (there are many of them), to learning techniques and new ways to use slides and damping in your playing. The workshop was only the beginning. That evening, Alfredo presented a full length recital demonstrating his mastery of the Paraguayan harp and Latin American music composition while his wife, Luz, displayed her beautiful custom harp jewelry, many pieces of which are now proudly sported around the necks and from the ear lobes of local harpists.

If you have not yet attended any Cafe Concerts and workshops, there are still opportunities. On March 14, Sunita Stanislaw from Israel will present a workshop and recital, and on April 18, BACAHS will co-present a workshop and recital featuring Motoshi Kosako, renowned jazz harpist. Come for the education and entertainment, and enjoy the delicious treats and libations at the receptions.

Also, don’t miss AHS Concert Artist Alexandra Mullins in concert on March 21 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in San Jose.

Upcoming events: Check out the list below and stay up to date by visiting BACAHS calendar. In addition, check out other events presented by our friends at Silicon Valley Chapter AHS.

• March 14, 2015: Sunita Staneslow, Internationally Acclaimed Celtic Harpist, at Harps Etc. Workshop 2:30-5:30pm: The Art of the Arpeggio and Making the Most of Your Mistakes! Concert at 7:30pm. Tickets: workshop and concert, $60 or $35 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.harpsetc.com/events-en/
• Alexandra Katelyn Mullins, the American Harp Society’s Concert Artist, will perform in concert March 21 at 3:00 pm at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1710 Moorpark Ave., San Jose, CA 95128, sponsored by the Silicon Valley Chapter. Alexandra is a student of Susann McDonald at Indiana University.
  The program includes:
  Feerie, Prelude and Dance by Marcel Tournier (1879-1951)
  Sonata in C Minor by Giovanni Battista Pescetti (1704-1766)
  Legende by Henriette Renie (1875-1956)
  Sonata by Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)
  Akhnaten and Nefertiti from the opera “Akhnaten” by Philip Glass (1937-)/arr. Mullins
  Rhapsodie by Marcel Grandjany (1891-1975)
• April 11, 2015, 7:30pm: Piana-Friedman Duo in Concert. Tenor Greg Allen Friedman and harpist Dominique Piana join forces in warm and lush selections from the song repertoire: German Lieder, French melodies and romances, Italian airs and other surprises. A program of songs from the late 18th to the early 20th century, evenly divided between works by the classical greats and harpist-composers, will be interspersed with a few solo harp interludes.
  Music by Krumpholtz, Gyrowetz, Reichardt, Blangini, Schubert, Oberthür, Schumann, Thomas, Holý, Strauss, Hahn, Fauré, Hasselmans, Godefroid, Tosti and Leoncavallo. Among the songs with original harp accompaniment you will hear, some will be American premieres or world-wide 21st century premieres: the old made new again! Seventh Avenue Presbyterian Church located at 1329 Seventh Avenue in San Francisco. Tickets- $20/$15. Buy tickets http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/840168.
• April 12, 2015: Harp Live! with our friends in Silicon Valley AHS, 3:00-5:30, at the home of Gwen Halterman, Moss Beach. Chapter members are invited to bring their favorite pieces to share or play for the group, or just come to listen and enjoy the company of other harpists. For more information, visit https://bacharp.org/calendar.
• April 18, 2015: BACAHS presents Motoshi Kosako Jazz Workshop and Recital at Harps Etc., Workshop for Jazz Arranging, Improvisation and Jazzing Up Your Playing: 2:30 to 5:30pm. Performance 7:30pm. Tickets: workshop and concert, $60 or $35 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.harpsetc.com/events-en/
• May 24, 2015: Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition for Young Harpists, San Francisco Conservatory of Music. https://bacharp.org/competitions/
• June 7, 2015: Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition Winners Recital, 2pm, Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton

Attention Harp Students! Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition guidelines, application and online enrollment are available at the chapter website and through your teachers. The competition is open to students up to and including age 25 and residing in the Western Region, who are members of the Bay Area Chapter and the American Harp Society. Membership information is available at bacharp.org/membership and at harpsociety.org respectively.

Member News

Anna Maria Mendieta launched a new harp duo with Dan Levitan which has performed concerts around the Bay Area since November. In December she toured Texas with her ensemble, performing with award winning guest tango dancers from Canada and Colombia. In January she had a successful tour in Louisiana and was thrilled to be invited to perform her entire concert-show with the Rapids Symphony in Alexandria, LA. It was quite a production with new multimedia, new arrangements and orchestrations created especially for the concert. She’ll be performing this new symphonic program with other orchestras during the 2015-2016 concert season. And finally, in February she was guest soloist with the Pacific Chamber Symphony premiering a beautiful original composition by Jeremy Cohen arranged for harp and string orchestra. Performances were in Lafayette and at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore.

Lynn Taffin recorded music for the upcoming world premiere performance with Alonzo King LINES Ballet Company. This world premiere ballet unites Alonzo King with natural soundscape artist Bernie Krause and composer Richard Blackford. For more than forty years, Krause has traveled the globe with microphones tuned to the earth and its creatures. It was a very dynamic collaboration in the studio and should be magical to see choreographed. Tickets and more information are available through the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts box office.

Noel Wan will be playing a solo harp concert on May 31 as part of the Carmel Music Society’s 2014-2015 concert series. She was chosen for this honor after winning the 2014 Carmel Music Society Music Competition: Instrumental Division. For more information on the concert and competition visit:
http://www.carmelmusic.org/concerts_2014-15/06_comp_winner/index.html

In 2012, Noel was awarded the prestigious Qi-Mei Music Award and Scholarship from Taiwan’s Qi-mei Art Foundation, and gave her solo recital for the grand opening of Taiwan Harp Center in Taipei. She later received the Aharon Zvi and Mara Propes Foundation Special Award at the 18th Israel International Harp Contest (2012). She also won second prize at the 2013 Nippon International Harp Competition in Japan. Noel now is studying for her Master’s Degree at Yale Music School under tutelage of June Han.

Beth Erickson emails us that she will be playing at the following venues in the South Bay:

• March 15 at Hannegan’s, Los Gatos, 2-4 pm
• March 22 at a charity luncheon, Sharon Heights Country Club, Los Altos Hills, 10-12 pm
• March 29 concert at Book Buyers, Castro Street, Mountain View, 3 pm
• May 15 concert at Berryessa Public Library, San Jose, 6:30-7:30 pm
• May 19 concert at Educational Park Library, San Jose, 6:45-7:45 pm
• May 20 concert at Cambrian Library, San Jose, 6:30-7:30 pm

The Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp society 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. If you have not done so already, please join or renew your membership in the Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society. Visit BACHARP.org/membership. 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. 

Dear BACAHS Members and Friends,

It was wonderful to see many of you at the Annual Winter Pot Luck Supper on January 18. Thank you to Annabelle Taubl, who played beautifully and captivated us with her performance of Sonatine by Tournier, Suite for Harp by Britten and Legende by Henriette Renie. We are very excited that Annabelle is now part of the Bay Area harp community and wish her well in her endeavors. Thanks and gratitude also go out to Malcolm McAfee for hosting at his home and for all the volunteers who helped insure the evening was a great success.

Good times were had by all at the Winter Pot Luck

Over the next few months there are numerous harp events scheduled— some with visiting artists and others by members of our community. These are great opportunities to learn and appreciate the diversity of the harp and harpists. Hopefully you can attend some or all that are offered!

Upcoming events: Check out the list below and stay up to date by visiting BACAHS calendar. In addition, check out the events presented by our friends at Silicon Valley Chapter AHS– http://siliconvalleyharp.org/page14/page10/chapterevents.html

• February 7, 2015: Alfredo Rolando Ortiz Latin American Music and Rhythms Workshop for all harp levels followed by a not-to-be-missed concert at Harps Etc. Three consecutive workshops for harpists of all levels from 1:00pm until 5:30pm and concert at 7:30pm. Tickets: workshop and concert, $60 or $35 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.harpsetc.com/events-en/
• February 14, 2015: Alfredo Rolando Ortiz will also be performing his own “South American Suite for Harp and Orchestra” with the Mission Chamber Orchestra of San Jose, Saturday, February 14, 7:30 p.m. at Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. 5th St, San Jose. For more information and tickets, visit http://missionchamber.org.
• March 14, 2015: Sunita Staneslow, Internationally Acclaimed Celtic Harpist, at Harps Etc. Workshop 2:30-5:30pm: The Art of the Arpeggio and Making the Most of Your Mistakes! Concert at 7:30pm. Tickets: workshop and concert, $60 or $35 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.harpsetc.com/events-en/
• April 11, 2015, 7:30pm: Piana-Friedman Duoin Concert. Tenor Greg Allen Friedman and harpist Dominique Piana join forces in warm and lush selections from the song repertoire: German Lieder, French melodies and romances, Italian airs and other surprises. A program of songs from the late 18th to the early 20th century, evenly divided between works by the classical greats and harpist-composers, will be interspersed with a few solo harp interludes.Music by Krumpholtz, Gyrowetz, Reichardt, Blangini, Schubert, Oberthür, Schumann, Thomas, Holý, Strauss, Hahn, Fauré, Hasselmans, Godefroid, Tosti and Leoncavallo. Among the songs with original harp accompaniment you will hear, some will be American premieres or world-wide 21st century premieres: the old made new again!Seventh Avenue Presbyterian Church located at 1329 Seventh Avenue in San Francisco. Tickets- $20/$15. Buy tickets http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/840168. BACAHS February 2015 continued…
• April 12, 2015: Harp Live! with our friends in Silicon Valley AHS, 3:00-5:30, at the home of Gwen Halterman, Moss Beach. Chapter members are invited to bring their favorite pieces to share or play for the group, or just come to listen and enjoy the company of other harpists. For more information, visit https://bacharp.org/calendar.
• April 18, 2015: BACAHS presents Motoshi Kosako Jazz Workshop and Recital at Harps Etc., Workshop for Jazz Arranging, Improvisation and Jazzing Up Your Playing: 2:30 to 5:30pm. Performance 7:30pm. Tickets: workshop and concert, $60 or $35 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.harpsetc.com/events-en/
• May 24, 2015: Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition for Young Harpists, San Francisco Conservatory of Music. https://bacharp.org/competitions/
• June 7, 2015: Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition Winners Recital, 2pm, Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton

Attention Harp Students! Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition guidelines, application and online enrollment are available here and through your teachers. The competition is open to students up to and including age 25 and residing in the Western Region, who are members of the Bay Area Chapter and the American Harp Society. Membership information is available at bacharp.org/membership and at harpsociety.org respectively.

Member news:

Be sure to check out all the harps listed for sale in our Classified Ads!

Harp dollies are needed for education: Erica Messer writes “The new 2015 public harp education program at North Shoreview Montessori in San Mateo, CA is off to a good start. We have six harps that were donated or purchased by donation, and the six students are taking to the harp very quickly. While the School District is doing what they can to accommodate this new program mid-year, we are in need of a harp dolly to get the floor harps to and from the main office to the classroom. (They are graciously being stored in the Principal’s Office until a secure place is made in the school!) I have loaned my dolly for the time being, but if anyone can donate one, or donate funds to purchase one, it would be a great help.”

Checks can be made out to: San Mateo Foster City Education Foundation with the subject line reading “HARP” and mailed to Erica Messer at PO BOX 2071 San Mateo, CA 94401. Donations are tax-deductable! Thank you for your support. Please contact Erica directly with any questions, or if you have a dolly to donate! (415) 786-9143

Brain Swager’s next organ recital will take place January 31 and February 1 at 4PM at the Palace of the Legion of Honor. Brian states “The program is somewhat of a mixed bag, with music from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. They’ve asked us to start organizing our recitals around a theme this year, but since I had already selected the pieces, I assigned the theme “From Vocal Music to Organ Music” since all of the pieces were based on, or inspired by, sung music. Program details here: http://allegrofuoco.com/prog035.html. The recital is included with your admission to the museum.

Karen Gottlieb will perform with Opera Parallèle in Dead Man Walking. Composed by Jake Heggie with libretto by Terrence McNally, Dead Man Walking is based on Sister Helen Prejean’s 1993 memoir, which tells of her time working with death row inmates at Louisiana State Penitentiary, and of a particular relationship she developed with one of the inmates. Open Rehearsal: February 14, 2015, 3PM at First Baptist Church, 22 Waller Street (at Octavia), San Francisco. Admission is free. Performances: 8 p.m. February 20, 21, 2015, 2 p.m. February 22, 2015, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater. Tickets $35-$135

New Board Members Welcome! Are you interested in joining the board of BACAHS? There are opportunities to plan the types of events that you and other harpists enjoy attending, reach out to members, volunteer at programs and feel more a part of the chapter. We are always looking for more members to get involved. If you want additional information on becoming a part of our enthusiastic team, please contact us at bacahs@gmail.com or ayothers@yahoo.com

Keep in Touch: Let us hear from you about any news or events you would like shared with the Chapter. Your information may be included in the regular updates and will be posted on the Calendar and/or Member News page. Email bacahs@gmail.com

The Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp society 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. If you have not done so already, please join or renew your membership in the Bay Area Chapter of the American Harp Society. Visit BACHARP.org/membership. 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.