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Decisions

23 September 2012 1 Comment

This has been a week of choices. Isn’t it weird how they all seem to come at once?

After a mad couple of shifts in the bar at the RNCM for freshers week, I decided that, if I really don’t enjoy working there that much, I should just quit. I need to be earning money doing things that take me in the direction of my dream. It isn’t my dream to work in a bar forever, so I decided it was time to take the plunge and lose the safety net of having that bit of extra cash each month – in favour of pushing myself to do more for my music career.

So that’s it! I never have to pull a pint again. I’ve worked in one bar or another for my whole student life, and now I feel like the time has come to move on.

And doesn’t the universe work in mysterious ways, on the morning following my final shift, I got a phone call from the Chethams School of Music asking if I’d be interested in doing some harp teaching there.

Of course I was! I taught my first lesson there last Friday and loved it, hopefully it will lead to working there regularly.

The day after the phone call day, I got an email from a hotel asking if I’d like to stay with them and provide background music for a few months… in DUBAI! Sounds too good to be true and the money is exceedingly tempting (enough to invest in a lever harp and take lots of the financial pressure away). But it would mean being away over Christmas and New Year, and I’d miss a certain trip to Lanzarote in December as well as various gigs and family commitments. So basically, I’ve said I’m very interested but maybe another time.

I had to think about it so carefully, but I need to be here, in Manchester right now. I need to be gigging and building up my contacts and getting better gigs. My dream is to be an orchestral musician, and while the money from providing background music is fabulous, I’m not sure I would want to do it all the time. What I love about my career so far is the variety. Every day is different and brings its own challenges. Not going to Dubai was a really tough decision but hopefully I will look back and be glad I stayed.

Maybe I could have gone to Dubai and could have stayed working at Brodsky. Had I done so my bank balance would definitely thank me. But at the end of the day, maybe I’m choosing the less profitable choice right now, but maybe it will pay dividends in the future? I have noticed that each day since turning down Dubai I’ve been contacted about doing a gig in the next few months. It’s going to be ok.

Maybe there is no right or wrong decision. But I’ve made mine and now my job is to make the best of my situation and keep moving towards where I want to be in the future.

Music

The PSP Association

28 June 2012 No Comments

I’d had this gig in my diary for a long time, labelled only as ‘PSP Gig’. It wasn’t until the event was imminent that I actually found out what PSP stands for. It stands for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, which is a terminal, degenerative, motor-neurone brain disease – often mis-diagnosed as MS. I was chatting with some families at the event and they were telling me that it affects around 10,000 people. It leaves the mind completely intact yet gives the victim less and less control of their muscular movement. Symptoms include backward falls and problems with vision, eventually, patients may lose the ability to walk, talk, see or swallow.

It sounds absolutely heart breaking. Yet its causes are unknown and there is no current treatment or cure for the condition. I couldn’t believe I’d never heard of it. Lots more information about PSP and the PSP Association can be found at www.pspeur.org or pspassociation.wordpress.com

The event I was providing music for was a fundraising evening held at Garrowby Hall. Situated in the Yorkshire countryside, it has to be one of the most beautiful places I have seen. Rolling hills, beautifully manicured lawns, horses, sheep, and a pig! The house itself was exquisite as well. We were asked not to take photographs but it felt like I’d walked into a Jane Austen novel. I was playing in the drawing room, filled with comfy sofas, a writing desk, tasteful vases of flowers and beautiful antique chairs.

For the first half of the event, the sun was shining so everybody was outside mingling, leaving my only audience – a black labrador who I believe goes by the name of Teddy – to enjoy the music alone. The organiser came and told me I may as well mingle with the guests and eat some canapés – I was certainly not going to complain about that! During the second half of the event, a lot of the guests came back into the drawing room and sat in silence while I played some Debussy and Bach for them to listen to. It’s always surprising when you go expecting to play in the background and everyone listens attentively! I felt like I was giving a mini-recital.

So, all in all, this was a most enjoyable gig, for a really good cause that deserves more publicity than it currently receives.

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Background Music

2 March 2012 1 Comment

Yesterday evening I received a phone call asking if I was free this evening to play some background music for a dinner.

It is so unusual to get gigs this late notice (thank you to the lovely Alice Kirwan for giving my number to the guy sorting it out). The fee was less than I would charge for background music at a wedding, but, still half a month’s rent so I went for it. And here it is:

The dinner was at The Midland Hotel – right in the centre of Manchester. It’s an absolutely gorgeous hotel. Only problem was there were fifteen steps (yes I counted) to the room where the dinner was taking place. Nowadays all hotels have to be super-duper accessible so this surprised me. The staff were very enthusiastic in helping me though so I can’t complain. They also got me a diet coke and didn’t complain when I immediately spilt it all over the carpet (oops).

Background music is just so different to normal performing. In lots of ways it is a lot freer, as no one is listening that intently you can put in lots of repeats to err, pass the time (don’t tell anyone). But after about half an hour I realised that this was as calm as I’d felt all day. Just playing beautiful music to set the atmosphere.

Considering the fact that I’m a musician, I spend a large proportion of my time ‘sorting things out’, posting contracts/invoices, getting hold of music, replying to and sending emails, it feels good to chip away at these things but sometimes it feels as though for every little thing I get done, three more suddenly need doing. So it is actually very therapeutic to just play. Not to worry about the ‘to-do’ list that day or what I have to get done, just enjoying the sensation of making music allows my brain to be quiet for a few minutes, almost like meditation.

It’s a chance for the voices in my head to just be still and quiet… not that I have voices in my head, you understand…

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Valentine’s Day

15 February 2012 1 Comment

Valentine’s Day. For girls like me who aren’t in a relationship, it can be a tricky one. Do we pretend it doesn’t exist and try not to be insanely jealous at all the romantic things guys are doing for their girlfriends? What do we do when the evening draws in? Luckily for me I had plans months in advance this year: playing the harp to set the mood in a romantic restaurant in Chorlton, Manchester.

I remember thinking this morning sure, I set the mood for the restaurant, but who sets the mood for me?

The restaurant was The Lead Station in Chorlton and I would thoroughly recommend it. It was beautifully decorated and very romantic. Lots of candles and roses. The harp was placed right in the middle of the eating area – and as you can see from the picture I think it looked lovely. The staff were also lovely and very helpful with my harp and its covers. Finn, the manager and Nick, the owner in particular were really welcoming.

Background music is a funny one. As a harpist, I’m frequently called upon to play background music for events like this, or weddings, plus the occasional corporate function or fancy office party. We sit there making (hopefully) beautiful music while the party happens around us, with nobody really listening. But tonight was different, the restaurant was really quiet and I got applause. Applause!! For background music. This was quite radical.

I also was given a complimentary meal from the special menu for the evening. So I chose beetroot and spinach risotto with goats’ cheese (I can hear my mum’s mouth watering at that) followed by a beef burger – and I’m not kidding, this was the best burger I’ve ever eaten in my life! I asked for it medium cooked because I was so shocked they gave me a choice! But seriously – excellent food and free drinks all night, shame I had to drive home.

Yes, it can be hard not having that special someone to spend Valentine’s Day evening with, but just because you’re not being taken out, doesn’t mean you are not loved. It was a really good feeling to know that I was adding something to numerous couples’ Valentine’s Day – but never mind that, I earned some much-needed cash!

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