Monday, 1 July 2013
Day Six - Open Stage
Signed up for 4.50. Despite having no working harps at present. Pete's fixes exposed other problems when I tried to jam last night. One song and I came away. But I have given them back to Pete and he has fixed them again, so I am happy again. Having no harps this morning, I missed Heidi's workshop on French Canadian tunes, which is a shame, but I was able to spend quality time instead with my new harp. I am discovering which songs work with it and which don't - basically I think anything I sing in F or G I can do with few problems in E. Songs in D are fifty- fifty, and those I sing in C are probably a no. Tunes are tricky. I only seem to have one usable octave at the moment, and it sounds a bit like a tenor harp, which fits my singing well, but doesn't have the angelic sounds of the high tinkles - top note is a doubled B, and all the top notes are doubled. This means that I cannot do the variations I use on some tunes, and also that some notes are in the wrong place, so I have to relearn. But it is GORGEOUS!
Very happy with Pete's new fixes. I served at lunch again - it is a good way of getting my face known, though I think Gill will be amazed that I spend such a long time each day being nice to people - then I sat in at a slow jam, and was one of several people hauled out to lead a song - "Hand me down my walking cane" is my default for these situations. Ryan Hulin was another who came forward, good to see, and I was impressed with his playing. Then I sat in at the start of Tina Louise Barr's 12 bar blues workshop - but I am afraid I was very rude and left when I realised that I could already do what she was doing. She was very good, and I loved her performances, but I didn't need what she was teaching, and I did need to play my new harp. So I waited for the lull in yet another thunderstorm, and came back to a slightly soggy popup - I had left the skylight open, not a good idea - where I am now sitting, tuning and practicing for my Open Stage in two hours time. But the rain is coming down so hard on the roof of the popup that I cannot hear my harp at all!
I had to make a mad dash for the Hall and got soaked. Neal says this will probably go down in the annals as the wettest MLAG ever. But my performance was good. First performance of the new harp. Lots of people came up after to congratulate me. Neils was good enough to take a video, which is now on YouTube here. I wore the Union Jack T shirt! Supper was chili pork. What have Americans got against potatoes? Maybe I will get to jam tonight.
Concert was amazing! Tom Fladmark was justly inducted into the Hall of Fame to tremendous applause. Heidi and John did a lovely set, followed by Katseye. Wow. Suffice it to say I went and bought two of their CDs straight away. Then Tom Schroeder. Words fail me. Sheer musical brilliance. Then Harvey Read closed with his beautiful and exceeding talented partner, both in voice and fiddle playing. Their rendition of "Maggie" was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard.
Back to get some Internet time, send some messages, and play three or four songs with Michael Poole and Holly. But it got too wet for me, and I went to bed just after midnight. Have to be early in the queue for the Open Stage tomorrow, to sign Heather in! Then a day of practice, and attend at least one workshop - Kathy Wieland on songwriting. I have also offered a soapbox workshop on English Dance Tunes, 3.30 Saturday, so must prepare for that.
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Bob liked my Autoharp playing!! I'm moving up in the world me thinks!!!
ReplyDelete-Ryan Hulin