"Beth, how did you ever get interested in the harp?"

I am often asked this question; after all, the harp is a pretty unusual instrument. Here's one of the chapters in the story:

I must have been thirteen or so, when I first became aware of the harp, other than knowing harps existed. My parents had season tickets to a concert series in nearby Warsaw, Indiana, and my younger brother and I were encouraged to dress up a bit and accompany Mom and Dad to the concerts. My brother and I experienced a variety of musicians there at Warsaw Community High School: duo-pianists Ferrante & Teicher, Bill Evans, a amazing organist whose name escapes me, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, George Shearing, and many more.

This particular concert featured Joe Longstreth and John Escosa, duo-harpists. (A quick web search shows that they performed extensively on community concert series during the 1970's.) I was intrigued by the visual beauty of the harps, the mysterious way they pulled their harps back onto their shoulders, the tiny movements I kept noticing near the curved top of the harp, and last but certainly not least, the completely entrancing music they produced.

Years later, as I began learning harp music to use professionally, I came across several arrangements for harp of old standards and popular music by none other than John Escosa. They were all expertly done, utilizing the fun and unique sound effects one can produce on harp such as the glissando, the pedal slide, and the harmonic.

Fast forwarding a little more, one night as I was playing cocktail music for an event at Century Center, a band was setting up on the stage behind me. I performed one of my favorites, John Escosa's playful arrangement of "Ain't Misbehavin'" (not what most people think of when they think of harp music!). Shortly afterward, a member of the band hopped down from the stage, asked my name, and made a little conversation. He observed that I had just played "Ain't Misbehavin'", then extended his hand and said, "I'm John Escosa II, and that's some of the best playing I've heard of Dad's charts."

You just never know who's in the audience.

Stay tuned for more!

past, present and future

Ever come across a box of old photos and get lost in time for an hour or two? That happened to me last week, as I found not only the photo I posted last week, but all sorts of memorabilia and this photo, taken by master photographer Gary Mester, intended for a future Christmas recording. A little reminiscing was in order. Here are a few of my more memorable experiences as a harpist, not in any particular order:

• a stunning cocktail party in Potawatomi Greenhouse in South Bend in the spring, the sunset gleaming through the glass, amazing acoustics, little white lights everywhere, delicious appetizers.
• an outdoor July wedding at the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor, Maine, in a postcard-worthy setting overlooking Northeast Harbor. It just could not have been a more gorgeous day--temperature in the 70's, completely blue sky, a gentle breeze, and behind the bride and groom, that picturesque harbor. I played harp for the prelude, alto recorder for the processional, harp for the rest of the ceremony, and cocktail piano for the reception--my version of being jack-of-all-trades!
• an amazing evening at Century Center in South Bend, at a wedding reception that was nothing short of spectacular. Again, those little white lights all over (I guess I have a weakness for anything that sparkles--click here!), and fireworks over the St. Joseph River.
• a South Bend Symphony Orchestra Pops! concert, with guest artist saxophonist Danny Lerman. The harp part was well written and just fun, with a neat little solo for the harpist in one of the pieces.

Maybe the most memorable event would have been the one that almost happened. I was contacted by a couple in Bar Harbor, Maine, to play for their wedding. It was to take place on a private island in Frenchman Bay, and I was to load the harp onto a lobster boat, along with the guests, and then the harp was to be carried by the groomsmen to the wedding site, the highest point on the island (there were no paved roads for using the harp cart). Ultimately, the couple decided to have a guitar-playing friend provide their music, and since I had already started worrying about rough seas and careless groomsmen, I was relieved.

Thanks for walking down Memory Lane with me!

I hope to finish that aforementioned Christmas recording next year. For more past, present and future musings, stay tuned....