Harp Gratitude Day - Giving Thanks

music miscellany Nov 26, 2017

Gratitude is on my mind at the moment.

Here in the U.S. we just celebrated Thanksgiving, arguably the most beloved of our national holidays. In the midst of all the food, fun, family and football, even the most cynical citizens manage to find a moment or two to feel gratitude for something or someone.

I am far from being a cynical person, and I’d like to share a few of the music-related things that inspire my gratitude, not just at Thanksgiving, but just about every day. I encourage you to read my list, to comment and to share some of the musical things or people you are thankful for too.

I am thankful for…

…my harp teachers whose commitment to the harp, to music and to my growth as a musician is still a daily inspiration.

… the generous community of harpists. I am awed by the giving nature of harpists all over the world. And an extra thanksgiving for the technology which brings us all so much closer.

…the amazing caring members of My Harp Mastery. Thank you for sharing your harp journey with me. I love you all!

…Johann Sebastian Bach. He stands alone.

…the long line of harpists who blazed trails with their performing, teaching and composing. We harpists are all in your debt.

…my time at the Curtis Institute of Music, both as a student and on the faculty. I will forever feel the influence of my classmates, teachers and students.

…the Salzedo legacy of which I am fortunate to be a tiny part.

…patrons of the arts who have made and continue to make music a vital presence in our communities.

…my colleagues, harpists and other musicians with whom it has been my privilege to make music.

…the Ravel Introduction and Allegro. From the first time I heard it as a young student attending a Curtis recital, it has made my heart sing.

…audiences. If you’re a thousand people or just one listener, without you there would be no reason to play music.

…my students. I learn from you every day and it is a privilege to share with you what my teachers taught me.

…time to practice, which is what I should be doing right now :-)

...the support of my family. I couldn’t do this without you.

There’s my list. It’s far from complete, but hopefully it will leave you some thankfulness to share in the comments.

I offer you one final thought commonly, though probably erroneously, attributed to physicist Albert Einstein. The source of the quote is less important than the substance, I believe.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
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