JUNE 2014 - American Harp Society Greater Seattle Chapter

JUNE 2014
The monthly newsletter of the Greater Seattle Chapter
of the American Harp Society, Joyce Rice, Editor
Website: www.ahsseattle.org
Facebook group: Seattle AHS Chapter
Letter from the president:
Dear Chapter,
I hope many of you were able to attend our Spring Meeting and hear the combined
harp ensemble of Susi Hussong and Pat Wooster. I'm sorry I was unable to be there and
help thank Susi in person for all of her hard work and dedication to keeping our
chapter so active. Her award is much deserved and her ongoing support is immensely
appreciated.
This fall is shaping up to be an exciting one for us! Recitals and classes by two
prominent performers and teachers- Alice Giles and Alfredo Ortiz. We are so lucky to
have the opportunity to see these pros in action. See below for more details.
Congratulations to our scholarship winners, Ellie Yamanaka and Ben Albertson.
We look forward to hearing them perform at our next chapter meeting, and wish them,
and all our students, all the best on their summer harp studies. Happy practicing!
Catherine
President Catherine Case  VP Robin Purchas  Sec. Joyce Rice  Treas. Clara Frederickson
Membership Ruthann Ritchie  Website Marinda Misra  Ex Officio Judith Cummings and Susi Hussong
BITS AND PIECES
1. Two great fall events!
2. American Harp Quartet in Tri-Cities
3. Valerie Muzzolini Gordon in summer chamber festival
4. Microchip your harp
5. New phone number
6. 8 min. improv on video
7. Local harp music in May
8. ASCAP regulations end appearance
9. Charlene Chin
10. Two upcoming folk events
11. Award to Susi Hussong
12. Susi, how did you come to play the harp?
13. Beth Kolleʼs music on sale
14. Alison Austin can check out new harps in Chicago
1. Your officers are very excited to announce two wonderful opportunities that are coming our
way this fall. Mark your calendars now so you wonʼt miss them!!
Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, master of the Paraguayan harp, will be in Seattle at a booking
conference and called us about doing a workshop and concert for us on Sunday, September 7!
He has invited us to join him in an ensemble piece, and weʼre opening this to any member. You
would need to learn it over the summer and come prepared to put it together with one brief
rehearsal before the concert. Please let me know if youʼre interested in being in the ensemble.
See calendar for details.
Alice Giles, world-class Australian harpist on a World Tour, will present a master class on
Saturday, October 18 at the University of Puget Sound and a concert on October 19, 8:00 at
Pacific Lutheran University. Alice will be performing at the opening concert in Sydney, and was
one of the concerto harpists at the final concert in Tacoma. Exact information on both super
events will be available soon.
2. Please note that on Saturday, September 13 there will be a recital and master class in the
Tri-Cities by The American Harp Quartet, comprised of Ellie Choate, Delaine Leonard Fedson,
Leslie Stratton Norris, and Jacquelyn Venter. See Calendar for more info. We tried to have them
add a jazz workshop and concert here in Seattle but it didn’t work out. Maybe another time!
Mark your calendars now for all these terrific fall events!
3. Valerie Muzzolini Gordon is on the Artists roster for the Seattle Chamber Music Societyʼs
2014 Summer Festival. In the first concert of the season on July 7 sheʼll play the Saint-Saëns
Fantaisie in A Major for Violin and Harp with Augustin Hadelich. See Calendar.
4. Susan Haas says: I want to introduce you to SNAGG if you aren't already aware...it's a
microchip the size of a grain of rice that you secure in your instrument, that can help recover/ID
it if it were stolen and subsequently scanned in a pawn shop or a police find. If you insure
through ANDERSON group you get a 20% discount on the chip/s and also a discount on your
overall policy costs through Anderson Insurance. Call for information at (781) 834-1700 (Eastern
Time) Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM or email [email protected].
Thank you, Susan, for this valuable information!
5. Please change Katy Gassettʼs phone number in your directory. It is now 206-849-3123.
6. I received an announcement from Harps Etc. in Northern CA about an upcoming master class
with Sasha Boldachev. Havenʼt heard of him? Me, neither, but hereʼs a video of him playing a
long (8.49) improvised piece with lots of special effects that I thought you might enjoy. Heʼs 23.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7nKOEUi7Qk&list=UUDphnD5kTGmV_HwMmE8LHrg
7. In May I attended concerts including members Naomi Kato in a lovely flute, viola and harp
performance, Catherine Case in the sublime Brahms Requiem with Seattle Pro Musica, and the
flying hands of the International Artists Bell Choir in a varied program led by Mark Andersen
(also played harp) and including Lynn Andersen (bells) and Emmeran Pokorny (bells and
violin). I hope youʼre trying to keep track of our talented members and their gigs – theyʼre
playing some beautiful music!
8. Ruthann Ritchie informs me that she is no longer playing at the Treos Café wine tasting due
to ASCAP regulations. See the discussion regarding this on our Facebook page.
9. Alison Austin wrote to say that her student Charlene Chin (see June 1 recital below) has
been accepted at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Glen Gould School in Toronto to study with
Judy Loman. Congratulations, Charlene! As Ruth Mar has married and moved there recently,
Toronto will now have a Seattle contingent!
10. See a couple of upcoming folk harp events, a retreat and some Highland games, on the
calendar, June 6-8.
11. At the chapter’s spring
annual meeting the board
was delighted to present an
award to Susi Hussong.
Joyce Rice cited Susi’s
steady efforts by being a
local and national officer,
supporting and scheduling
yearly adjudications and
regulations, leading her
students in two annual
ensemble concerts as well
as, this year, one at
Benaroya and the
combined one at the
meeting, frequently opening
her house for meetings,
workshops, master classes
and concerts, and loaning
her harps to visiting
professionals and others.
The text reads:
To Susi Hussong
In loving appreciation
for your many years of
hard work, generosity,
selflessness and
devotion to our members
and to the harp world.
The Greater Seattle
Chapter of the American
Harp Society.
May 4, 2014
Thank you, Susi!
12. Susi Hussong, how did you come to start the harp?
When I was five I started piano lessons with our church organist. A couple
of years later I was assignedCALENDAR
a piece called “Harp Prelude” from Carl
Fischer’s “ Music Lessons for Boys and Girls”. When I asked my teacher
“ What is a harp?” she suggested I visit her friend Katryn Wright, a harp
teacher who lived about 30 minutes from our town. She just happened to have
a Clark Irish Harp for sale and home we went with it. Obviously, the rest is
history, and I still have that Clark.
Mrs. Wright had studied with Betty Paret and therefore my first book
was made up of hand written pieces and exercises, many of which appeared
later in printed form in Paret’s First Harp Book. I felt mine was special
because there were little drawings next to many of the pieces. I would get 2
or 3 each lesson and insert them in my “scrap book” (not a 3 ring binder).
After 3 years on the lever harp I graduated to my first pedal harp and
lessons with Carlos Salzedo in New York City where I started from scratch
again. But that is another story . . . . . .
To see “Harp Prelude” scroll to the bottom of Resonance. (It could be a
harp piece, too!)
13. If youʼre a fan of the wonderful Beth Kolle, a Magnolia resident who specializes in
Scandinavian music, youʼll be glad to know that three of her books, The Harpa Tunebook, The
Scandinavian Folk Harp and The Northern Folk Harp are now on 20%-off sale at Melodyʼs
Traditional Music at [email protected]. (When I moved to OR in 2001 Beth
coveted – and got – my WA license plate that said HARPA!)
14. Alison Austin says: I am attending the Lyon and Healy 150th Anniversary Conference in
Chicago June 4-7th. As a NW teacher representative I am happy to look at harps for any
teachers or students. I just got a wonderful Chicago 40-string for one of my students.
[email protected].
CALENDAR
Sunday, June 1, 2:00. Charlene Chin will give a senior recital at the Bellevue High School
Performing Arts Center, 10416 SE Wolverine Way, Bellevue. She is a student of Alison Austin.
June 4-7, 2014 Lyon & Healyʼs 150th Birthday Festival in Chicago. Factory tours, amazing
harpist line-up for concerts. Masterclasses with Susann McDonald, Park Stickney, Judy Loman,
Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Sarah Bullen, Jana Bouskava and already selected students. Early
bird fee $300, $175. Limited to 500 attendees. Full program at
http://www.lyonhealy.com/150_birthday.htm
Friday, June 6 at 8:00. Carol Levin and Monica
Schley improvise with effects and surprises on electric
and acoustic harps. At HD67 Space, 6701 Greenwood
Ave. Street parking, also parking at Phinney
Neighborhood Center after 7:00. $10.
https://www.facebook.com/events/750713818292339/
Friday-Sunday, June 6-8 Puget Sound Folk Harp
Society Summer Retreat. Now on Whidbey Island after
many years in the mountains, this is a "family-style"
gathering with all hands-on harp playing sessions and
lots of time for socializing, hiking, and beach-combing.
“We still have rooms available (singles $100; doubles $75) and we'd love to have you join us!”
Diane Moss, editor of Reigning Harps, is the director of this retreat, so reply to her at
[email protected] if you are interested or have questions.
Saturday-Sunday, June 7-8 Bellingham Highland Games. The Harp & Story tent, co-hosted by
Kathie Hardy, Becky Fox, and Doug Banner, provides almost nonstop entertainment for the
public, with a half-hour of harp music and a half-hour of stories each hour. There are
opportunities for any interested harpers to play a tune or two, or a set up to 30 minutes long.
Free admission to the games can be arranged. Contact Kathie Hardy at [email protected] for
more info or to sign up.
Second Sundays, 10:30-noon. Cynthia Kuni is still playing brunch at the Black Dog cafe in
Snoqualmie. No cover, all tip jar proceeds benefit Pasado's Safe Haven Animal Rescue and
Sanctuary. She originally committed through June, but has extended this through October.
June 22-25 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Harp Carnivale, the 41st National Conference of the
American Harp Society. http://www.ahsconference.org/
Monday, July 7 8:00 Valerie Muzzolini Gordon will play the Saint-Saëns Fantaisie in A Major
for Violin and Harp with Augustin Hadelich in the first concert of the Seattle Chamber Music
Societyʼs 2014 Summer Festival. Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya. 206-283-8808 or
www.seattlechambermusic.org.
Friday, July 25, 3:00-4:00 and 5:00-6:00, and Sunday, July 27, 2:00-3:00 and 4:00-5:00. Patti
Warden will once again be accompanying the art in the Renton Annual Art Show. The art show
is a highly regarded, juried exhibit, which Patti says is worth seeing even without the harp music!
July 20-26 World Harp Congress in Sydney, Australia. www.whcsydney2014.com/.
Sunday, September 7 Workshops in rhythm and special Latin techniques with Alfredo Rolando
Ortiz 12-2 and 3-5, followed by a concert at 7:30. 13th Church of Christ Scientist, 3500 NE
125th Street, Seattle. More details will follow.
Saturday, September 13 Recital and master class by The American Harp Quartet, comprised of
Ellie Choate, Delaine Leonard Fedson, Leslie Stratton Norris, and Jacquelyn Vente, who will
appear in the Tri-Cities. There will be a free recital at 7:30 PM at St. Joe's Church in Kennewick,
WA. Masterclass and presentation will be in the afternoon, final location TBA.
Comprised of harpists from the continental U.S., the AHQ formed to herald a new era of
harp quartet music, specializing in classical, Latin and big band. All are busy teachers and
performers. Two harpists will be giving a masterclass, and the other two will be presenting on
ensemble playing with young students (applicable for all instruments).
For more information, please Chelsea Spence, www.ChelseaSpenceHarpist.com
October 10-12 11th Dusty Strings Harp Symposium with world-class artists: Patrick Ball, Aryeh
Frankfurter, Lisa Lynne, Erik Ask-Upmark and Kim Robertson, as well as regional stars of the
folk harp. There will be concerts at the Dusty Strings main stage and at the Triple Door
downtown
Saturday, October 18 Master class with Alice Giles at the University of Puget Sound. More info
at a later date.
Saturday, October 18 Possible date for our fall chapter meeting that would happen at UPS.
Sunday, October 19, 8:00. Alice Giles in concert at Pacific Lutheran University. Details will
follow later. Mark your calendars for this special event!
June 11-14, 2015 New Orleans Jazz and Pop Harp Weekend. One, two and three-day intensive
courses to expand skills and enable you to play pop and jazz harp. Three levels in lever and
pedal tracks. Check website later for artists. www.neworleansjazzharp.com.
CLASSIFIEDS
PEDAL HARPS
For sale: Lyon & Healy Style 22 Gold Concert Grand. Extended board with 46 strings made in 1930.
For someone who recognizes the potential value as it needs major work due to structural issues. Has a
newer neck that is reasonably straight but would need re-riveting. Technician assessment and pictures
available. Located in Seattle. $8,500 (new lower price). [email protected]
For sale: Lyon & Healy Style 100, pecan finish. Excellent condition. Built in 1997, didn’t leave the
house, lightly played. Steve Moss regulated it in 2010. Cover, tuning key and harp cart included. $12,500
(new lower price). Must sell- downsizing. Faye Clerget at [email protected] or 253-569-3938.
For sale: Lyon & Healy 17 Gold. Rebuilt at the Lyon & Healy factory in 1996, this harp has been
completely refurbished. It was fitted with a new neck. Regulation and rewire were done in November
2011. The harp was built in 1923, when Lyon & Healy was doing particularly fine work. Like other harps
from this period, it has an exceptionally rich, warm and clear tone. $18,200.
[email protected] or 206-973-7037.
For sale: 1918 Lyon & Healy Style 17 Gold. Serial number, pictures and price upon request. Serious
inquiries, only please. The harp was refurbished with a new neck in 1999 and includes the wooden trunk.
425-445-0205.
For sale: Lyon & Healy blond Concert Grand Model 23, No. 10044, purchased new in 1987. The harp
has a lot of volume, warm tone and good clarity. It was the at-home practice instrument for the Boise
Philharmonic’s principal harpist and rarely moved, as the orchestra owns a harp. One owner. Includes
cover, shipping trunk, wood music stand, seat, music & supplies. Buyer to pay shipping and insurance.
$20,000. Location: Boise, Idaho. For further information contact Dorothy Mattefs at 208-378-7734 or
[email protected].
For rent: 85CG circa 1988 that is a very satisfying instrument to play and practice due to its wonderful
sound. $150 per month. Fairly recent regulation and new bass wires. Includes cover and harp cart.
Contact Mary Frank at [email protected].
For rent: Walnut L&H 23. Wonderful sound. Concert grand harp with 47 strings, it comes with a 3piece transport cover. $150 per month plus tax. Contact Marian Sussman at 206-290-8192 or
at [email protected].
For rent: Venus Traditional harp. Oversize semi-grand, almost as large as a grand with extended board
and 46 strings. Big sound with concert grand string spacing, floral carving and a high gloss natural maple
finish. $125 plus tax. Contact Marian Sussman at 206-290-8192 or at [email protected].
For rent: Lyon & Healy Gold 17. Contact Bethany Man for details at 425-445-0205 or
[email protected].
LEVER HARPS
For sale: 22-string Gothic-style Stoney-End Lap Harp "Eve" with full set of Loveland Levers; includes
bag, tuning key, and shoulder strap. 3 octaves, G-G. Nice, warm sound. Fits in airline overhead. Asking
$550 (or make me an offer). This harp new, with full set of levers + bag, sells for $1,299 --- Take a look
at it here: www.stoneyend.com/lap.harps.php. Ruthann Ritchie (253-666-5980) or
[email protected]
For sale: Lyon and Healy Troubadour IV harp, 36 strings, natural maple finish, rarely moved. Includes
sturdy cover, some extra strings, and music. $2000 (new lower price) plus tax. Near Northgate Shopping
Center in Seattle. Patricia Jaeger (206) 525 7682.
For sale: Thormahlen Swan 36-string lever harp. Made in 2001. Cherry with abalone inlay around
soundboard. Concert tension with concert gut strings (reinforced soundboard) and custom bass wires
(made by Robinson's). Full Loveland levers. Very good condition, beautiful tone, gorgeous wood. A rare
find. Price reduced: $4200. Includes dark green nylon case, dust cover, and tuning key. Pictures and/or
video can be emailed upon request. Contact Cynthia at [email protected] or 206-909-5844.
For sale: Prelude – 38 strings, Mahogany. 1st Octave E to 6th Octave C. The Prelude features string
spacing and tension similar to a pedal harp. A scalloped bronze-finished crown and matching claw feet
enhance the beauty. Valued in 2009 @ $4,490. Sale Price $4,200. Contact Lu Buranen @ 253-564-2741.
For sale: Lyon & Healy Troubadour I with 33 strings, in mahogany. Rarely touched in 40 years. Soft
cover and tuning key. Restrung last year by Steve Moss who declared it in excellent condition with no
warping. $1700 (no sales tax). Harp resides in Sequim WA with original owner. Please contact Polly
Sarsfield at [email protected] or 360-683-8888. Photos available from Polly.
For sale: Reverie “Harp”. 22 strings, made of mahogany and cherry. Excellent condition, like new, 3
years old. Made by Musicmakers in Stillwater, MN. This is not a harp – more like a zither. It is played
often in therapy settings and tuned to a Pentatonic Scale. Magical sounding - there are no discordant
sounds. Comes with a gig bag with straps, tuning key and instructional DVD. Asking $500. Call Arisa
Houston (360)394-3689, Poulsbo
For rent: Triplett 30 string Axline fully levered folk harp. Excellent condition, great tension. $35 per
month. Susan McLain at 206 932-1861 or [email protected]
For rent: Dusty Strings Double Strung Harp Maple/Cherry. Fully levered. Bold sound. With case. $35
per month. Contact Susan McLain at 206 932-1861 or email [email protected].
Wanted: A used electric lever harp. Camac Electroharp, Baby Blue, or similar, decent shape, does not
need to be like-new. [email protected].
FUN S TUFF
We’ve heard a lot recently about auditions, but musical ones for dogs? Leopold Mozart included
them in his instrumentation so the Pittsburgh Symphony held an audition. See it at
http://www.theviolinchannel.com/pittsburgh-symphony-dog-audition/#more-13464:
D’Addario doesn’t make harp strings, but we can only hope that ours are made with the same
care. See this short video from their string factory: http://www.theviolinchannel.com/exclusivebehind-scenes-daddario-orchestral-strings-farmingdale-new-york-factory-tour/. Thanks to Pat
Jaeger for the link.