But what’s next?

If, like me, you have listed learning more tunes as one of your goals this year, you may be casting about for ways to select those tunes you are going to spend your precious time, sweat, and tears on. How do you select new tunes?  Here are four ways to chose what to learn to play:

1. Listen, listen, listen – learn those tunes you enjoy listening to.  I decided that I had to learn pedal harp simply from hearing a gorgeous piece of music on the radio!
2. Learn what’s on offer in workshops that come to your area.  This is especially important if you live in moderate to low harp density areas.  Get to every workshop you can, especially if they are few and far between.
3. Comb through books and sight read for gems.  This is good both for finding new tunes and to practice your sight reading.
4. Host a tune swap.  What could be better than learning new tunes? Learning new tunes inside a party!  It is great to learn from a friend.

Unless you are preparing for auditions, learn any tunes you like – especially  if you like the sounds of them.  And be sure to really get the tunes down - don’t just get a passing familiarity.  Really get in there and wear it! And with all these sources you'll have plenty of tunes to select!