There is a fork in the road ahead. You can see the sign ahead and you’re coming up on it fast. The problem is that you aren’t sure which fork is the correct one. Taking the wrong fork could mean a costly detour. How do you choose?

Thanks to GPS systems drivers are no longer without an answer to a “fork in the road” question. My Google maps lady tells me which road to...

I know I’m not the only one. Every harpist bumps into the brick wall now and again. It’s that place that you can’t seem to get beyond, when you are tantalizingly close to being able to play your piece but you can’t seem to get to the finish line. The practice that worked up to this point just won’t take you any further.

You could put that piece away. You could keep...

Harpists, how strong are your fingers? How strong do they need to be?

It seems instrumentalists of all sorts try to develop stronger fingers and not just in recent times. In 1836, Henri Herz patented the Dactylion, a mechanical contraption designed specifically for pianists. Schumann was reputed to have ruined his fingers trying to strengthen them with a finger strengthening machine he made...

The secret of getting ahead is getting started - Mark Twain

Motivation is a puzzling phenomenon.  It ebbs and flows. It can be the carrot or the stick. It can be an internal compulsion or an external force. In whatever form motivation appears to us though, it is always fueled by the answer to one question: why?

We are motivated to do something for a reason. It may be a reward or a positive...

Whether you are a harpist or just a lover of the harp, you know the magnetic power of the sound of this magnificent instrument. The harp can sound rich and fluid, or sparkling and elegant. The harp can be delicate or dynamic or even heroic. This vast color palette makes listening to the harp endlessly fascinating and playing the harp an exciting adventure.

Composers also enjoy exploring the...

I discovered years ago how much I learned by teaching. 

When you have to explain something - a concept, a method, a fingering - you are forced to understand it at a deeper level. The practical application of the concept or the reasoning behind the method becomes important in a new way. And then you have to articulate it in a way that makes sense to a student.

I believe no other method of...

Even in these days of social distancing, people seem to be busy. It’s proof positive of Parkinson’s law: work expands to fill the time allotted. Although your schedule appears empty, somehow you still can’t find the time to get everything done. 

This may be why I still hear from harpists who are frustrated that they can’t find time to practice. Yes, working from...

Anyone can play a glissando on the harp. You just run one finger across the strings. With one simple strum, the harp bursts into its rich, liquid song. It’s a magical experience.

Maybe that magical experience was the start of your harp journey. The sound of the harp, the feel of the strings, the sense of having all that music at the tip of your finger is almost irresistible. Yes, there is...

Allow me to start with a disclaimer: If you are a young harpist, an aspiring harpist entering competitions or a virtuoso performer setting the standards for others, don’t read this article. If you’re one of the rest of us, however, read on!

If you've been studying the harp for any length of time, I’m certain you’ve discovered the endless list of what I can only describe...

A new year, a fresh start. But is this really the time to start over or should you just forge ahead?

I’m always tempted to wipe my slate clean at the start of a new year. It feels empowering to choose to discard the habits that are holding me back and to jettison the things that are cluttering my closets. 

There’s always the possibility, however, that in this sudden urge to...