Holiday Concert Retrospective

As I've been preparing for the holiday concert on Saturday night, I've been going through the photo, video and recording archives from holiday concerts past. A 10th anniversary is a big deal, I've come to realize even more. That a fairly small community has embraced a strange and unique instrument like a harp, and a musician who's absolutely determined to do things herself, and her own way - it's a wonderful thing. I'm overwhelmed by the support and what it has meant to my artistic life.

Here are some of the images I found:

Holiday concert 2006. 

St. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church, Mankato.

I'd gone to Ireland for the first time that May, so the concert had me delving into 

Irish and Celtic Christmas carols and holiday music. Megan danced up there on that platform

 to "Christmas Day I'da Morning" and to the "Mistletoe Waltz" by Kathleen Loughnane.

I met Kathleen on my grant trip to Ireland in 2010, and she was thrilled that I'd been playing her song.

(Though that white jacket I wore made me kinda look like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man...)

Holiday Concert 2008.

First Presbyterian Church, Mankato.

After holding concerts in the big and gorgeous Good Counsel Chapel and large spaces 

like St. Peter and Paul's church, I was looking for a more intimate environment.

I found it in First Presbyterian Church. The wooden interior, the rounded sanctuary, the domed ceiling

- they all brought the audience and the sound closer to me. 

That year, we performed Christmas lullabies - including one I composed, 

which you'll hear on Saturday night.

Holiday Concert 2009.

I'd just come back from Paris. I was reeling from all the art and inspiration and beauty and richness of the experience. I'd composed "Fire & Ice" while I was in Paris for harp and women's voices 

- my voice, Sara Buechmann's voice and Ann Fee's voice, to be specific.

This concert was the world premiere of that piece.

Since then, it's been performed by other choirs, which thrills me beyond thrilled.

Holiday Concert 2011.

It was a performance of the music from my very first recording, The Light and the Lady.

I wrote all about that experience here...

Revisiting that music was a beautiful experience, and the concert was as well.

Now, on to this year. My 10th anniversary concert. My band is ready, the special musical guests are prepped, the prizes are waiting for their recipients. The harps are sitting in the corner of the living room right now, under the lit evergreen garland, soaking in the quiet and the the unusual warmth of this day, sure to ring out in their beautiful way on Saturday night.

I hope to see you all there!

Now to figure out what I'm going to wear, once and for all...