Decision to take the Journey: the Odyssey commences

The moment I signed up for my first DHC HipHarp Celtic Toolkit Webinar in January 2015, I was ensnared. I just didn't know it. This 10- week webinar in music arrangement was received in the comfort of my home, (in bed if I liked), and morphed into ever-increasing and consuming activity. The intensity of purpose was of my own making; these were my struggles that I could pursue in whatever way I wished, as DHC encourages students to take any approach, to vary any assignment, to do as little, or as much as they want. My Final Project for my first HipHarp Toolkit Webinar, was a Medley of 3 Celtic Tunes, and is posted below.

CELTIC MEDLEY: FEBRUARY 2015 FINAL PROJECT FOR DHC'S HIPHARP TOOLKIT HAG AT THE CHURN, LORD INCHIQUIN, and OTTER'S HOLT

Before that Webinar was finished, I jumped into Deborah Henson-Conant's Baroque Flamenco Webinar, then stepped back for several months, caught my breath, and came back for more: Summer Harp Jam, Latin Hip Harp Toolkit, Hands on Harmony, and most recently my second HipHarp Toolkit Webinar. To happen upon these abundantly enriching and multi-faceted webinars was unexpected. I had discovered a leader/coach/teacher/"webinarian", that my skeptical nature instinctively sensed I could trust. I was in awe of the curriculum content, the presentation, the insights and humanity; it seemed like the right place to be and the right thing to be doing. It was so enriching that I also felt manic: constantly over-whelmed, yet exulting in all that was revealed. I struggled to disentangle myself from the self-created demands of these webinars, and resume my leisurely and unfocused music activities. I wanted to keep aloof, maintain a good distance, as my old way was the familiar and comfortable one. In late December, I completed my Final Beginning Project for DHC's HipHarp Toolkit Webinar. The Harp Christmas Medley is posted below.

A CHRISTMAS MEDLEY: THE SNOW LAY ON THE GROUND, COVENTRY CAROL, INFANT HOLY

I was interested in the improvisation methods I had learned, but found I was drawn to composing my projects to get the sounds I wanted. DHC encouraged me to follow that pull, in spite of my doubts and hesitation. Despite my reservations, and after several months of trying to talk myself out of this, here I am. I have enrolled in the DHC Harness Your Muse Masterclass, and I am going to take a year- long odyssey to explore composition and arrangement on the lever harp. Every week I will compose or arrange a tune that I will post in this blog. I will keep a daily journal and write a weekly blog. I will also answer a list of 10 or so questions each week relating to my experience.