Welcome back to my blog. I’ve had the bright idea of starting a monthly round-up of what has been happening, both in my life as a harpist as well as things that I’ve been reading, watching, and enjoying.
I’ve taken a step back from social media (which I’ll go into shortly) and this has left me wanting a way to share what’s going on in a more personal, long-form way. Originally I had planned to do a monthly youtube vlog, but for me, writing is the medium through which I can express myself without feeling awkward and lost for words. I can draft and re-draft, take time to think and add bits when I get a spare moment.
So let’s get into it.
May 2025 has felt a little bit like the calm before the storm. Wedding season is about to begin and I have several bookings this summer – and a lot of new songs to polish. I have a holiday booked for August that I’m very excited about, so I’m on the countdown now (nine weddings until France!)
Not only that, I have agreed to be the harpist for a local production of Carousel by Rodgers and Hammerstein at the beginning of June. When I said yes I must admit I didn’t realise that the harp part is 187 pages of music. Let me tell you: this has been a big project. The pencil I’ve been using to mark up the music is now little more than a stub.
I am having to be very careful not to play too much in preparation for these gigs. The last thing I need is a repetitive strain injury right at the beginning of the summer season. My favourite way to practise Carousel is to play along with a recording, it’s so much fun once I am able to keep up with the music!
Navigating practise with a baby (or should I say toddler?) is interesting. Now that she’s in nursery two days a week I can capitalise on that time. The weeks fall into a good rhythm at the moment:
Monday & Tuesday: private students, in the case of any cancellations I can catch up on practise.
Wednesday: Sophie in nursery. Practise, catch up on admin, teach in school.
Thursday: Another nursery day. Work. Maybe clean the house and catch up on laundry?!
Friday: Mummy and Sophie’s day of hanging out – I have let the idea go of doing any work on Fridays. I take Sophie swimming and we spend the day together. Sometimes we head out for a morning walk so mummy can have a cheeky coffee and a cake.
Saturday: Usually a gig in the diary but if not, this is a family day for the three of us.
Sunday: Play the organ at church. Spend time together as a family.
I like how my teaching is mainly towards the start of the week, and then the end of the week is more for gigs and family time.
Gigs
Speaking of gigs, here’s a very quick round-up of where I’ve been taking my harp this month:
I played in the Woodland Venue of Hazlewood Castle:
I was the harpist for a church ceremony up in Spennymoor, County Durham. Any venue that provides coffee and biscuits on arrival is an immediate thumbs up from me:
I also played for a Ceremony and Drinks Reception at Hackness Grange near Scarborough. The Ceremony was on a beautiful island on a small lake – gorgeous:
Stepping away from social media
Towards the beginning of May, I decided to take social media apps off my phone. I do this from time to time and am always amazed at how much time I get back, and also how much clearer my mind feels. Life is full enough without also accidentally scrolling for a couple of hours each day.
I’m going to keep the apps off my phone for as long as possible. Somehow I usually end up re-downloading for some reason or another. I need to keep reminding myself that there really is no point. Now that I have Sophie as well, the last thing I want is for her to see me zoned out on my phone. It’s my job as her mother to set an example around technology. So when we’re hanging out, as much as possible, my phone is in another room.
Going forward, I plan to connect with you via these posts on my blog. Long form content that’s designed not to distract, but to connect, share and communicate in a human way.
Books I’m enjoying this month
Shallows by Nicholas Carr
This book was the inspiration to get socials off my phone. The author talks about many interesting ideas in this book, but one of the points that made a big impression on me was how much the internet is affecting our ability to focus. As musicians, our attention span is absolutely fundamental to what we do. If we can’t concentrate enough to practise, it’s game over. We need to protect our focus and carefully curate what we give our attention to. I’ve been consciously trying to get back into reading physical books (from my local library) and staying well away from short-form video content that sucks us in and eats up our precious free time.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Another library loan. I have only just started this one but so far it is really charming. One of the main characters is an octopus called Marcellus, a very intelligent soul who forms a friendship of sorts with the woman who cleans the aquarium. This book was recommended to me by more than one person, and I feel like if two or more people think you would enjoy a particular book, you should probably read it.
Regenesis by George Monbiot
I’m listening to this on spotify premium. I love having an audiobook on the go when I have gigs coming up, long drives mean lots of book to get through. I love George Monbiot’s writing in the Guardian and this book is very interesting so far. He talks about our global food system and how precarious it is becoming in the light of climate breakdown, pollution, and various other factors. It’s a fascinating listen so far and I will definitely be reading more of George’s work after this.
I plan to do these round-up blog posts on a monthly basis going forward. If you’d like to get them straight into your inbox, pop your address in the box below:
If you’ve enjoyed this round-up of the month of May, please leave me a comment below to say hi, and let me know if you’ve read any of the books on the list above.
Chat soon,
A x
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