As I look back on my childhood and my very first music studies, I realize that I was incredibly fortunate, blessed, actually. Not because I was gifted or because my parents were not only willing but were able to support my harp lessons. Not because I was in one of the music capitals of the world and had access to world class teachers. Not because I had so many opportunities and people that encouraged me along my journey.

Well, yes, I was blessed because of all those things, certainly. But I want to talk today about a different gift that was given to me, one I didn't realize the value of until much later. The gift was this: I was always encouraged to play music outside the box. Let me explain.

I started piano lessons when I was four years old, and my piano teacher was not only a fabulous musician, but a creative and generous teacher. My lessons included all the usual piano exercises - which I hated - and sonatinas - which I loved - and she also made sure that she gave me performance-worthy arrangements of popular music. I played arrangements of "Blue Moon" and "People" from Funny Girl and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that were written by pianists like Roger Williams. These were fancy arrangements that took quite a bit of technique and a lot of practice to play well, and I enjoyed them.

But my teacher never stuck exactly to the printed page. She always had some alterations to add a little more pizzazz to the arrangement. We were always taking bass notes down an octave or playing another part up in the high register like a music box, or changing dynamics and tempo. What she taught me was that music was self-expression. It was about so much more than just playing the written notes. It was about making the notes say what you thought they should say.

Please understand; we didn't take liberties with the classics. She made sure I played absolutely every note that Bach wrote on the page. But I learned very early on how to be creative in my music-making, and that has been a tremendous gift. I've never shied away from arranging, and in fact, it's one of my favorite things to do.

I'd love every harpist to learn the freedom of making their music their own, and that's what this show is about. I actually went back about two years into the podcast archives to pull out this episode which speaks directly to this. If you've ever wondered about what it takes to make an arrangement, or how to go about it, this is the episode for you. And afterwards, I want to tell you about an opportunity - a new challenge, in fact - to work with me on your own arrangement.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Get creative with the Compose for Christmas Challenge

• Go even further at the Chrysalis Music Workshop

• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com

Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode?

LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-267

I don't know if you've ever had this experience, but there's something that happens when you realize that you have to shift your understanding of someone. It's a little unsettling, as if that person belonged in one little box in your mind and now you find out it's been the wrong box all along, and in fact, they don't really belong in a box at all. Your appreciation of that person takes on new meaning and your friendship finds a new level.

I found that kind of new level with my good friend and esteemed colleague Dr; Louis Anthony deLise, who is my guest on today's show. Louis and I became acquainted because we were both part of the freelance musical circles in Philadelphia, where I knew him as a percussionist. I didn't discover that his real metier was composing until much more recently and not only has that deepened our friendship, but it has brought a lot of new and wonderful music into my life, for which I am very grateful.

Louis is one of my collaborators on the Chrysalis Music Workshop event for flutists, harpists, and composers that is happening this September in New Jersey. So I thought this was the perfect moment to introduce him and his music to you. As you listen to our conversation, I want to you listen for the words that he uses as he describes composing and composers and musicians, words like adventure, experiment, game, and heart. You have heard me use those kinds of words often, so I know you'll understand why I value my work and collaboration with him so highly.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Register now for the Chrysalis Music Workshop

• Listen to To Dance With You by Louis Anthony deLise on Soundcloud

• Purchase Celebrations! sheet music

• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com

Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode?

LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-266

Let me start by saying that technique was a struggle for me. You may have heard me talk before about how my double-jointed fingers wouldn't do what my teacher wanted, let alone what I wanted. I had been playing the harp for nearly ten years before I was able to develop proper mechanics, to make my fingers play with the form and strength necessary for the level of playing I aspired to. Granted, I was still a teenager at the time, so my fingers have endured decades of technical work beyond that, but I want to tell you that harp technique is still something I work on daily, not because I want to, but because I have to.

It's true that our technique gets stronger and more reliable over time. That's the good news. The more we focus on developing the proper mechanics, along with flexibility and speed, the more dependable our technique becomes. However, the results of our technical work can leave us in a moment.

There is a well-known quote attributed to the celebrated violinist Jascha Heifetz about this very thing. He said, "If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it." Granted that most of us aren't playing regularly in the same concert halls that Heifetz was, but we notice the same disheartening phenomenon: our technique requires constant attention.

I'm going to make a big assumption here, that you don't have hours every day to spend on your harp technique. Frankly, I don't either. I have to put time into my technique daily, but it's never as much time as I'd like, or as much time as my technique needs. But having spent years working through my own technique challenges and guiding students through the ones they face, I have three specific aspects of technique that many of us don't spend enough time on.

These are three very specific and actually very basic technical skills. If you pay attention to these three things, you will be on your way to solving many common technique glitches that prevent your music from flowing the way you want. These aren't cure-all remedies. They are three basic skills that truly matter to your playing. Most exercise books include them, but they don't tell you why they matter. That's what I want to tell you today.

Here's the thing: if I simply told you what the skills were, you'd probably dismiss them, thinking you already know how to do them, or at least two of the three. The difference comes once you know why they are so important, what they really mean for your playing. Even better, when they show up in a piece you are learning, you'll spot them and know exactly how to make that tricky passage smooth. Are you intrigued a little, maybe a lot? I hope so.

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:

• Missing the Live Monday Warm-Ups? Click here to join My Harp Mastery to keep the momentum going!
• Blog post on octaves mentioned in the show: Play Better Octaves Today!
• Podcast episode #64 on scales: Spice Up Your Scales for Technique, Flexibility and Speed
• Finger Independence for My Harp Mastery members: Advance Level of Build, Extend, Advance Course.
• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com

Looking for a transcript for this episode? Did you know that if you subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts you will have access to their transcripts of each episode?

LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-265