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 A personal note from Sylvia
In several past newsletters, I've mentioned that my favorite harp magazine is the Harp Column, and I highly recommend that everyone get a
subscription.
In May, I received an email from Alison Reese, the Harp Column editor, saying they wanted to write another feature article on me. We had an hour-long talk through Skype, and Alison crafted our conversation into an excellent article entitled "Ahead of the Curve." I'm happy to announce that it is featured in the new July issue! You can read an excerpt here on the Harp Column website, or subscribe to read the entire article.
This is the final paragraph of Alison's article:
In our 1998 interview, Woods said her goal for the future was to get more people around the world playing the harp and to publish more harp music for people to play. Twenty years later, Woods says there is still work to be done. "We're getting there," she says. "I think we've come a long way, but there is still room for growth. Is the goal complete? No. We all still have a long way to go. But every time someone goes out and plays a wedding or plays at a retirement home or plays in a hospital or does a concert or plays outside in a park -- every single time -- we're getting the word out there. It doesn't matter what small part of that you do, you are still a part of it."
Here's a great real-life example of what I was talking about. A few weeks ago, I heard a family of tourists walking by my condo. The mom said, "Don't cry, Harper, use your words, and tell me what's wrong." I went out on my lanai and said, "This is going to sound strange, but I heard you say that your daughter's name is Harper. I'm wondering if she's ever seen a harp." I invited them in, showed them all my harps, and played "Over the Rainbow." Harper, who was about 2 years old, was not interested at all. However, her older sister (about age 10) was fascinated. I showed her how to play "Twinkle, Twinkle," and she was mesmerized. I gave the parents the names of some teachers in their area in northern California. I wouldn't be surprised if we have a new harp player very soon!
I'm telling you this story to remind you that you never know when the opportunity will present itself for you to share your love of the harp with a "newbie." And who knows . . . you just might change their life for the better!
If you want to contact me, please don't reply directly to this newsletter.
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Studs Terkel's 1982 Radio Show
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Author, historian, actor, and radio personality Studs Terkel read the Whitman poetry on the 1982 Chicago's Secret Wilderness documentary that I told you about last month. So, while I was in Chicago recording the soundtrack, the producer set up an interview on Studs' daily WFMT radio show that was syndicated around the country.
I recently did an internet search and found Studs Terkel's Radio Archives. I was delighted that my interview was there!
Please remember that this radio show was recorded over 36 years ago, so a lot has changed since then. For example, near the beginning, I talked about the differences between pedal harps and Irish harps, and I never mentioned levers at all. That's because, at that time, many harps had no levers, and if they did, the levers were horrible. Later in the interview Studs saw me twisting my blade levers for a piece, and asked me about them. You'll also notice that I call small harps Irish harps, Celtic harps or folk harps. Back then, no one called them lever harps.
One thing that I noticed when listening to the show recently was . . . WOW . . . I played FAST back in those days!
P.S. By the way, my P.O. Box that is mentioned several times is old, and no longer exists! My current address is P.O. Box 223434, Princeville, HI 96722
Studs Terkel photo credit:
Chicago History Museum, ICHi-102942; Raeburn Flerlage, photographer.
And many thanks to Allison Schein Holmes at the Archives for her excellent help.
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I recently added a variety of PDFs to my site. Be sure to check them out, and add some to your repertoire.
Beautiful original compositions by
William Mahan
Gaelic Gems: 12 traditional Celtic dance tunes and airs for intermediate players
Old Favs: easy American folk tunes for 22-string harps
Danny Boy: two separate versions. One for lever harp, and one for pedal harp.
And don't forget my recent arrangements of George Harrison music!
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This month's sale
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Last month, I watched the 73rd Annual American Theater Wing's Tony Awards on TV. Oklahoma! won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. And, Ali Stroker won the Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her Oklahoma! performance, becoming the first wheelchair user to receive a Tony.
You'll find three songs from Oklahoma! in Deborah Friou's Rodgers and Hammerstein book: Oklahoma, The Surrey With the Fringe On Top, and Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'. Her collection is part of this month's sale, featuring songs from past and current Broadway shows.
The code word is Broadway.
To get the 15% discount on the products below,
enter the code word Broadway in the Promo Code box on your shopping cart page and click "Enter Code"
by July 31, 2019. For more information, see the
15% Off section at the bottom of this newsletter.
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15% off with Broadway code
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"Aquarius" from Hair
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15% off with Broadway code
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"Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof
"Send in the Clowns" from
A Little Night Music
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15% off with Broadway code
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Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Starlight Express, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Requiem and Tell Me On A Sunday.
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15% off with Broadway code
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songs from
The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, The King and I, South Pacific, Carousel, and Flower Drum Song.
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15% off with Broadway code
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"Tender Shepherd"
from Peter Pan
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15% off with Broadway code
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songs from
The Sound of Music,
The King and I,
West Side Story,
The Music Man
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15% off with Broadway code
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Beauty and the Beast
theme song for harp solo, harp duet, and
harp and flute or voice
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15% off with Broadway code
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15% off with Broadway code
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Let it Go, Do You Want to Build a Snowman, Heimir Árnadalr
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15% off select sale items when you use the code word:
Broadway
Our newsletter promo codes are only redeemable online and can only be used for the items featured in the
sale section of this newsletter. They are not valid for phone or email orders. This month's code word is
Broadway, and it is valid for
15% off the select books, sheets, and PDFs in the
sale section
above. Just because an item is mentioned somewhere in this newsletter doesn't mean that it is on sale. It must be listed in the
sale section
.
#1. Put the items you want to purchase in your cart.
#2. On the page where you view the items in your cart, type this month's code word
Broadway in the "Promo Code" box, and click on "Enter Code."
The actual price of the featured sale products on this page will then automatically change to reflect the discount. You'll also see a note below the Promo Code box saying the name of the promo code you entered, and the percentage amount of the discount.
REMEMBER: you must enter this month's code word Broadway in the Promo Code box
and click "Enter Code" on your shopping cart page by July 31 to get the discount!
If you forget, or if you have trouble adding it to your order,
email Sylvia immediately.
Offer expires at the end of the day on 7/31/2019.
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