Christmas!

Are you happy with 2018?

The end of the year is drawing near.  With only two weeks remaining, are you happy with your harp year 2018?

In January, I suggested you keep a diary, build an I-love-me board, and/or record yourself.  Did you get a chance to start these?

If you did – it’s time to pull them out (and likely dust them off – it’s ok if you lost motivation in the middle of the year – it happens).  Look through your artifacts.  What you collected there will help you continue to grow and develop into the coming year.  You can review your diary entries or your continued additions to your I-love-me to see what worked and what didn’t. And by worked, I mean what worked for you.  The point of the diary, the I-love-me, and the recording is to give you a means to review where you were, where you are, and to determine how they line up with where you are going (or where you think you’re going or where you thought you meant to be going).

No pillorying yourself!  No harsh critique.  No judgmental condemnation.  Just a review of how you spent your time and if it served to get you where you were headed.  Take the time to thoughtfully review your documentation.  Did you practice the technique things you needed to so that you could play that dream piece?  Did you practice enough? Did you practice regularly? Can you identify patterns of good (or bad) things that you spent your time and energy on?  With this information you can continue to move forward – wherever you’d like to go!

If you didn’t (or if you started but got sidetracked by, like January 3rd) – why?  What about the methods I suggested didn’t do it for you?  There’s gold in the answers – because these are only three ways to capture your continued development.  If they didn’t work for you – can you tell me why they didn’t work and what would work better – for you?  Did you use another method?  What was it?

Remember, the idea is to know where you’re trying to get to (to master some particular technique, to play a particular piece, to be able to play a tune at a particular tempo, etc.) and to make slow, small, accurate, continuous progress.  And to avoid getting sucked down a rabbit hole (of a particular gig, something that’s giving your trouble, your regular life, whatever) and thereby getting derailed. 

How did you monitor yourself this year? Did it work?  What would work better?  Enquiring minds want to know – so share in the comments!

Winter is coming…..

It’s solidly December – and nearly winter.  And with that we’ll have the continuing cold that feels as though it will never end.  Ever.  Never. (If you’re near me on the US Eastern Seaboard, you know that hard to believe, since it’s been so cold already!)

We seek warmth – Cups of tea.  Mugs of coffee.  Fireplaces.  Sweaters, coats, scarves, socks.  We do so many things to fend off the cold.

And for us as musicians and harp players, keeping warm – especially our fingers – is so important.

You are designed to keep yourself warm and one way to do that is to close down circulation to your appendages – your hands and feet and specifically your fingers and toes.  Of course, you also may get cold hands and feet when you’re practicing because you are focused and sitting still which does not encourage circulation to your extremities.

Being able to feel your fingers is so very helpful when playing! With impeded (or vacated) tactile sensation, you must look at the strings to continue playing.  You also lose cues as to what you’ve played, where you are, where you are going.  You may find that you can’t manage the harp very well – you may not know until after the string has sounded if you played fortissimo or piano, legato or staccato – or if you even played the string at all!  Being cold will require you to use all your senses, even to get through tunes you know cold (pun intended).

So, how can you keep warm, since Winter is Coming…

1. Do not book outdoor gigs.  Even Florida has winter!  When the temperature dips below 55^o you will be clumsy and less able to feel your fingers.  Personally, I set the threshold at 65^o so that I am warmer and there is no worry about being too cold once I start playing.  Spring and summer and even early autumn may be fine, but winter is right out.  Make it part of your contract so that there are no questions.  Just don't.
2. Dress warmly.  If your core and head are warm, your body will have less need to divert blood to your core, which will keep the capillaries in your fingers (and toes) open – and warmer.  As you may have heard as a youngster, “Put on a sweater, I’m cold” – if you need to, designate a “practice sweater”.  And have a scarf ready in case you need it to ward off chill.
3. Plan breaks in your practice time.  I’m sure you already do this, but in colder weather, take more frequent breaks.  Be sure to move and stretch.  Wiggle your fingers.  Get up from the bench and walk around a little.  If you are thinking, “just a little longer, I’ll practice just a little longer” stop and take a break.
4. Wear fingerless gloves or wrist warmers.  Ok, this is standard advice, but I don’t use these, because, usually my wrists are inside my shirt and sweater sleeves and they are already warm.  It’s my fingers – the parts not covered in fingerless gloves – that are cold!  So, I don't find these helpful.  However, I know loads of people who love them, swear by them, and wear them.  They’re definitely worth a try. 
5. Turn up the heat.  I’m a cheapskate but even I turn up the heat when it’s practice time.  Because otherwise I just waste my time (being cold).  Even more thrifty and parsimonious than I am?  Sit in a window and let the sun do its thing (but be sure to move your harp out of the sunlight when you’re through).
6. Invite friction.  If you start to lose feeling in your fingers, rub your hands together for a little friction warmth.  This will give you a little more feeling of warmth.  And if you’re smart about it – it will double as a light hand massage!

These things will allow help you keep warm when playing throughout the winter.  How do you keep your fingers warmer?  Let me know in the comments.

Overcoming Anxiety – Seven ways to make it through the holidays

The upside to this time of year is that there are plenty of opportunities to perform.  E-v-e-r-y-o-n-e wants harp music at the holidays.  Sometimes they even expect to pay for it!

The downside to this time of year is that there are plenty of opportunities to perform.  So, your anxiety may be ratcheted up, and if you’re working a lot, it might stay up there.

A little anxiety is good for you and actually improves your performance.  But sometimes, it gangs up on you or you have trouble controlling it.  So, how do you overcome that anxiety? 

1. Do not deny it.  There is nothing wrong with the way you are feeling.  In fact, you could embrace it.  What you don’t want to do is tell yourself that you shouldn’t feel anxious.  If you do, you do – because you’re human!  NB – I am not talking here about full blown anxiety attacks or panic attacks.  These are different in that they may require you to seek help, not glib advice from me (some people actually sort of enjoy the sick-to-my-stomach-how-did-I-end-up-here feeling).  If you need it, don’t deny that and seek help!
2. Breathe.  No, really, breathe.  Deep, belly breaths will help oxygenate you, improving your focus and clarity.  And pushing that crowding fog back where it belongs.
3. Listen to yourself.  Recently, just before a gig, I was feeling anxious.  Way anxious.  More so than is typical.  A lovely, dear friend arranged for me to have a quiet space to be alone to prepare for my concert.  I was so grateful!  But once I got there, I found I was becoming more anxious.  I kept changing my set list and fidgeting, and despite the deep breathing, I was not settling.  I went back to the crowded room where the audience was gathering – and settled down immediately!  No more fluttering heart or roiling stomach.  I even felt at peace!  For me, the final centering and calm had been on the day before, when I could clearly think about what I wanted to do.  For my dear friend, that last moment’s quiet is a godsend.  What works for her nearly drove me off the deep end.  Know yourself and prep your way.  Need 3 cups of coffee? Ok.  Yoga’s your thing?  Do it.  Need to look your audience in the eye and get a feel for what you need to deliver?  Than do that.  Be you and do your thing.
4. Find your “why”.  You said yes to the performance.  Why?  We all have our reasons.  Know yours and keep that forefront as you perform.  If you need to, write it in big letters at the top of your set list.  When you get edgy – read it again.
5. Ridiculous and Sublime. Most of us worry about performing badly, thereby embarrassing ourselves or appearing foolish.  This maybe especially true if you began playing as an adult.  But here’s the thing – it’s not about you.  The audience is likely to have just a few thought tracks focused on either “oooh, that’s so lovely” or “I wish I could do that”.  Notice how none of it is about you – it’s all about the music.  So, focus on your gift to the audience – you’re sharing, and they have agreed to partake – enjoy! 
6. Name your fear.  Anxiety can grow from fear (of performing poorly, of being foolish, etc.).  But like a mushroom, your anxiety will grow best in a warm dark place (like your mind).  So take time to identify – and name – your fear.  If it helps, write it down and bring it into the cold light.  Then write down your opinion of that fear, what you would tell your best friend if they expressed that fear, and what the worst possible outcomes of the fear might be.  This will help you really face it – afraid you won’t be prepared?  Schedule more practice.  Afraid you’ll look foolish?  See above.  Lather rinse repeat (you can do this with other fears in your life as well).
7. Pay attention!  No really.  When you’re focused on how you’re feeling anxious, you are not paying attention to the right things.  Pay attention to the harp, to the music, to your technique, and to your audience.  That’s a lot to focus on – but it’s what’s important. What isn’t important is the random note that came out of your harp a minute ago, or that you wish you were done, or any other casual stuff that floats out of your brain.  Stay present and pay attention.

But mostly, find what works for you.  What works for you for overcoming your performance anxiety?  Let me know in the comments.