Autumn events

 This fall, Rowan and I have been invited to provide music for several Events, starting with my son's wedding at a county park near the Columbia river!! 

Dalena and Josh

Family arrived the day before to help set up, and though it sprinkled in early afternoon, it cleared for the ceremony, and friends carried Rowan and the music down the hill! Josh made the arch (they'll set it up at home - and I want one for my entrance!) Dalena entered to 'You Say it Best,' and I played 'the Confluence' as they and their 4 young adult kids poured sand into a holder, signifying the joining of two families. 

It was lovely to see all the friends and family who gathered to celebrate the special day! 

In early October, I was asked to play for the Illuminating Hope event by a friend who was going to share her story. Henderson House provides support for victims of domestic abuse and violence. As it was market day, they hoped music would draw more to visit the plaza nearby.

Rowan in the Civic plaza

We played first, setting a nurturing tone for the event. There were purple ribbons honoring the 1000 women HH served each year, and local businesses donated addiction items for fundraising. 

The following day,  we were invited to play for Tea hosted by the Friends of the Senior Center. Over 40 women (and one man) attended, many in delightful hats! 

Tea Time 🎶 

It was a beautiful fall day and fun event.  Youth from the catering pathway class groom the high school served the attendees, and there were lots of smiles. 

A friend recently inquired about harp lessons, and I brought Tullie home from storage so we can begin. Percy was intrigued

...

Percy and Tuilleadh

This afternoon we're harping for a wedding at the local catholic church - I'm playing 7 of the 10 pieces! 

Do you love harp music? 

(Or always wanted to play?)

Grand Opening

Our local aviation and space museum complex has been purchased by the Falls Event Centers, and I will be playing a selection of harp music for the Grand Opening of this new business Wed. March 29.

Rowan Luchair

My offering will be a blend of traditional Celtic and original music, both my own and from favorite NW Harpers including Sharon Thormahlen, Harper Tasche, and Beth Kolle.

On Spring Equinox I was invited into the gradeschool my

With Tuille at my IC art class

grandkids attended to play harp as a background for their painting project! I love seeing the kids' response to live music, and finding out how many of them play an instrument. Art and music are a natural combo! 

And if you'd like to hear me play, but aren't local, you might enjoy this interview with Howie Harkema for our local cable channel 

Happy Harping!

St Pat's at Bistro Maison

Last weekend I played a 'wallpaper gig' for a fundraiser; & have been invited back to Bistro Maison, a lovely French restaurant in McMinnville, to play harp (or, as the Wiki entry states: The precise Gaelic term for the' harp of the Gael' is clàrsach Ghàidhealach (Sc.)/cláirseach Ghaelach (Ir.), meaning Gaelic harp) for Saint Patrick's Day lunch, Wed. March 17. This will be the third time I've played cláirseach for St Pat's at the Bistro - always a popular event. This is a lovely setting with great food, & harp - what's not to like?

So if you're thinking of going to lunch, & would like to hear some Celtic music, played on an Irish style Celtic harp, Bistro Maison is the place!

Most of the tunes will be Irish, with a smattering of other Celtic pieces. & my harp, Rowan Luchair, is modeled on a lowhead Irish harp , in her luthier Rick Kemper's words: "Top players from Ireland & Scotland seem to prefer small harps with lighter tension that can respond to the blazing ornamentation they put into their music. Luchair (Gaelic for 'joy' or 'delight') incorporates the best features of these harps."

A young dancing friend is working on learing the Gaelic, & asks me 'how are you' - Conas tá; tú? (co-nas tah tu) . . . . to which I can reply 'Tá mé go hiontach" (tah-may go hee-un-tachk) - I'm wonderful! or "Tá mé go maith" (tah may go mah) - I'm well!

Over the last few weeks I've received several calls from brides & grooms, interested in booking a harp 'or other stringed instrument' for weddings. A few have requested sound clips on my website- so I'm looking into recording a bit of my harping! This evening I played a bit 'on speaker-phone' for one couple!

So - Ar mhaith leat lón? (air why lyat lahn) - 'would you like lunch?' Come to Bistro Maison!

Sonas ort! (Happiness be on you)

Lovely Wedding!

Sunday afternoon Rowan & I graced a wedding at a B & B in Lafayette, one of the small towns just N of McMinnville. The house itself was built in 1872, & is on the National Register of Historic Places. We were outside, under sunny skies.

The bride & I made all our arrangements thru e-mails, including the recent decision to have me play for the reception in addition to the ceremony. It was a small, simple wedding, & harp was a wonderful choice for the venue & style.

Since the Kelty House is on Lafayette's main street, & there was pretty steady traffic, it was a plesant surprise to find the tall hedges combined with the harp music masked the traffic sounds! The weather was perfect, warmer than yesterday, but still quite pleasant, & the tall trees provided plenty of shade.

One of the nicest things about playing for a reception or other 'wallpaper' (background music) event is the sense of peace the harp brings to the participants. The most common comment today (in addition to the general 'I love harp music!') was that the music kept the conversations quieter, masked the traffic sounds, & fit the event perfectly!

Each 'garden room' was beautifully set up, & the event was seamless. Colours were green & brown, my dress matched the Mother of the Bride's in colour! 

I wore the wreath during the reception, & had a nice chat (after the cake cutting) about some of the delightful plants now available to Oregon gardeners - Tea Camellias & Olive trees, with a friend & a fellow involved in the Nursery business. 

Several local wineries have planted olive trees, & Red Ridge Farms has even put in an olive press, both for their use & for other growers.
Camellias grow well in our area, olives are just being tried here. I have a couple of each, such beautiful plants.

A Harmony of Harps

Having studied piano with an excellent teacher as a child, I began playing harp in 1993., & felt an immediate connection with harps & harp music. Over the last 15 years, three harps ihave joined my 'Harmony.'

The first, 27 string 'Tuilleadh,' ('Tille') was built by Corvallis Luthier Dave Thormahlen, Her name comes from the Gaelic: "to give abundantly, in full measure." Her woods are Big leaf Maple, Black Walnut trim with a Sitka Spruce soundboard, & at 14#, she's easiy to play & lovely for use in nursing homes or for small events.

In January 2007, I wanted a bit more range, & added a 34 string Sligo harp, 'Rowan Luchair,' crafted by Rick Kemper in Maryland to my harmony of harps. Rowan is a round backed, Irish inspired harp made of Koa; the soundboard is spruce & cedar, faced with cherry veneer, & the strings fluorocarbon. Rick's name for this harp, 'Luchair,' is Gaelic for "Joy."
Koa, more familiar in ukuleles, is being discovered by luthiers around the country as an excellent harp wood. Folks loves Rowan's rich bass, & the lowhead style & modest weight (17#) makes her also portable!
My third harp, Bella Luna, came to me as the reward for fulfilling a Millenium Harp Quest. She arrived Feb 20, 2008, the day of a lunar eclipse! Her range is 26 strings, so though smaller than Tuille, she has a surprisingly large voice.

I began using Reiki 'hands on' & distant healing in 1989, & naturally integrated Reiki into my harp music. I have also studied Song Medicine with Eric Vormans, the Sunray Meditation Society, & musicians Laurie Riley, Ani Williams, & Tina Tourin. With the music background, I find it natural to compose & arrange music for the harp.