Well that was interesting| 2016
2016 brought many opportunities for me.
Challenges and fears accompanied every one of them.
Of course there are always challenges that show up unaccompanied (by opportunity or anything else) as well. Whether …
A peripatetic part-time orchestra harpist
Why peripatetic?
Well because it’s a great word that for me it will forever summon to mind Elizabeth Peters’ thrilling novel set in 1890’s Egypt, “The Crocodile on the Sandbank,” in …
Stephanie Claussen Harp Studio Policy
Stephanie Claussen Studio Policy
1. Payment:
$30 per half hour lesson, $45 per 45-minute lesson, $60 per hour lesson
Payment by check is due at the first lesson of each month, …
Ravenscroft Musicke Guild
Beginnings
About ten years ago, I sat playing my harp under a tree at the MN Renaissance Festival. My father stood nearby, talking with various passers-by. As I finished up a …
What Does a Freelance Harpist Do All Day? Part 2
The other day started out with a recording session from 9am-1pm. It’s for an upcoming album with my early music ensemble, the Ravenscroft Musicke Guild. Crafting e-mails for the upcoming …
If At First (You Feel Like) You Don’t Succeed…
The room swirled with girls in cute dresses and guys in slacks and suspenders: tennis-shoed young people dancing to the sounds of jazz. Last night I went swing dancing with …
White-Out Is A Girl’s Best Friend: Transforming Piano Music Into Harp Music
Say I’m asked to play this or that pop song for a wedding and I don’t already know it. This is my game plan.
1. Musicnotes.com
Assuming I can’t find a harp …
A Tax Checklist for Professional Harpists
If you play harp and make some money doing it, hopefully the following list will help jog your memory as you tackle your taxes!
Obligatory note: I am not an …
Taxes for the Woefully Self-Employed
I once read the IRS’ summary of taxpayer “Filing Burden.” In it, the IRS helpfully states, “We hear from taxpayers that preparing and filing tax returns are time consuming and …
Harp and Taekwondo | Comparative Essay
Written by special guest author Emma Dangers. Miss Dangers currently studies harp with Stephanie Claussen.
What do harp strings and board breaks have in common? On the surface, not much, until …