I like learning new songs. Many brides request special songs for their ceremony and I’m always happy to accommodate.
That said, I have a pretty large repertoire already, with songs that are tested and true. You can read my most popularly played wedding songs here: Music Songlist. Its a good place to start from if you’re not sure what kind of music you’d like to have at your wedding.
In general, I would say that a wedding ceremony has three main songs, in addition to prelude and postlude music. There are some variations:
…and for the very simple event:
#3
– Processional
– Recessional
If a couple has special requests, I do my best to make that happen. Here’s an example of some songs I’ve learned particular situations, like themed weddings and holiday parties:
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Falling Slowly – from the movie, Once (Glen Hansard)
Flower Duet – Leo Delibes
Hotel California – The Eagles
In My Life – The Beatles
Lovesong – The Cure
No Surprises – Radiohead
Skinny Love – Bon Iver
Sweet Child O’Mine – Guns N’Roses
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Annie Lennox
Take On Me – Aha
Witchy Woman – The Eagles
When You Wish Upon A Star – Disney
Nocturne #17, the poem that appeared in the Spring/Summer 2008 issue of Crab Creek Review, is part of a series called Black Eden: Nocturnes. All of the pieces are in prose, and were composed during evening hours, either just before sleep or after waking. They are heavily influenced by the surrealness of dreams, subterranean urban scenes and music. Writing Black Eden was a bit like working in a subconscious mine where I went down and chipped away every night.
Something new happened at the time I was writing this: I didn’t edit. It was as if no filter was the filter, so I there was no judgement on myself. Because of that, the train was able to keep moving. Though I didn’t know what I was doing while I was doing it, the writing felt honest, so I just kept it up with encouragement from a close poet friend. Very importantly, I trusted that there were no accidents in this process, expecting nothing and improvising all along. Stephen Nakmonovich has a great book about these ideas called Free Play: Improvising in Life & Art. After a year had past and I had 70 pieces. Then, I started to edit.
The music part of these poems (nocturne means melancholic evening piece for piano) encouraged me to play while simultaneously reading. Though a musician for most of my life, I’m a shy songwriter, but I used some of the poetry as a springboard for lyrics, which worked better than attempts in the past. Eventually, I called upon a dancer friend and other musicians to turn the piece into a performance.
Black Eden 1
As a shared performance, the poems were given aural space just as much as written space, which is something I feel pretty strongly about. I don’t think every poem has to become a performance piece, but I do believe a good poem has to both sound pleasing and look pleasing. This is not to say good poems are spoken versus written or vice versa – I don’t live in a black and white world. There just needs to be a balance of both expressions, and a writer should be conscious of this in order for the poem to live after she isn’t there to present it.
Donald Hall wrote that “poetry out loud is never quite so beautiful as poetry read in silence”. I don’t agree with this much, but I do think that for a poem to last longer than the poet, it must be read privately. However, I do take his notions to into great consideration (even though in this specific case – because the nocturnes are prose – it was stylistically easier for me to do then say, write a sestina, or even free verse). Hall also wrote that “Keats exists without being spoken. Performance poetry flames out like a match.” Personally, I prefer to have my poetry live somewhere between those two places.
Two Worlds
The narrativity that came out of these Nocturnes are loose and surreal, stemming from a first person perspective in a psychological underworld. In Nocturne #17, the use of woman’s make-up is a way to disguise the real from the unreal. Waking and dreaming are blurred concepts. In truth, the entirety of Black Eden is an exploration of those deep subconscious things we all know but don’t want to, or dismiss in passing moments. It is only when those thoughts ride up to our ears and whisper a little random joke that we might see a connection to something else more conscious and wonder – what!? Where did that come from? I didn’t want to forget all of the randomness in life, because for the most part, I don’t believe its all that random.
Black Eden 2
One last thing that inspired these poems for me was Seattle. I love the city in which I live, even in its worst. And for all of our urban banalities, inconveniences, and stereotypes, I wanted to capture that too. I think that’s something that all artists have the opportunity to do, which is perhaps the greatest challenge: to make sense of the garbage and take beauty from the wreckage – create a new message with your own voice.
That’s how you make diamonds.
Reference:
Hall, Donald. Knock Knock II. American Poetry Review March/April 2005.
On St. Patrick’s Day this year, I played a harp and violin duo gig for an Irish-themed party. My client hosted his 10th annual potato party and hired us to play for a couple hours. As a thank you, I wanted to write him a planxty, an ode in his name, since he was my patron.
In the 18th Century of Ireland, Turlough O’Carolan was one of the most sought after harpists. He was blind and much of the music we have of his today was recorded through the oral tradition. O’Carolan spent most of his career traveling, or wandering, around Ireland staying for a few days at the houses of the well-to-do and playing music. At the time, harps were as popular in a household as guitars, pianos and keyboards are today. So, it was also with these concerts that a touring harper would also stay to instruct members of the family on how to play. At the end of the visit, O’Carolan would sometimes present the head of the household or a family member, with a musical gift (or tribute). This piece of music for the patron composed specially for the occasion was called a “planxty”.
The word planxty means “harp tune of a sportive and animated character” according to the OED. However, the word itself does not sound very Celtic or Gaelic in origin to me, which is why it first caught my ear. There is speculation that it may have Greek origins, and it also has connotations to be specifically for the harp.
Merriam Webster says, its an Irish melody for the harp written in triplets and slower than the jig. There is also inquisition into if planxties are of a particular style. Most of the O’Carolan planxties are in 6-8 time, but there are many in 2-4, 4-4 and 3-4, so it’s not necessarily a specific dance form or meter. No matter its definition, I find it to be an intriguingly antiquated word.
In essence, a planxty is a praise tune for a particular person. It is a tribute to one who is a sponsor, a patron, an inspiration, or in the day of the life of a modern American harpist – a man in Renton, WA of Irish descent who likes to party on St. Patrick’s Day and hire live traditional music. I have finished writing the song and will share it here in a future post.
photo: Malcolm Smith
Footnotes:
Some favorite O’Carolan planxties: Planxty Lord George Brabazon; Planxty Irwin aka Colonel John Irwin; Fanny Power; Bridget Cruise
I am grateful once again to have a poem published on the King County Metro, through Poetry on Buses. This is a great public arts project in the Seattle metro area, keeping bus riders amused and inspired.
My poem, was originally published in Poetry on Buses, July 26, 2017. You can read it and many other poems for the year on the website, or here it is below:
Body of Truth
Admitting the truth can be as difficult as the sea breaking its back…You can Ruin a bike chain in that sort of weather cruising so close to the edge… When the tide rises, pools beneath your eyes
This new year has made a lot of noise so far, off to a gallop and a cock-a-doodle-doo, both globally and personally. My most recent news: I am teaching at Dusty Strings Music Store!
Two years ago, I set off to adopt a five-fold business plan that addressed these areas of work: performing; recording; weddings & private events; teaching; and healing. All five areas of my business plan are in full swing.
Performing – This winter I am performing these concerts in Seattle:
Recording- Working on mixing the last tracks of my upcoming album, Braids of Kabuya, and ideas like this keep coming:
Teaching- I am SUPER pleased to announce that I am now teaching private harp lessons at Dusty Strings Music Store in Seattle (Fremont). Not only does Dusty Strings make the finest lever harps in North America, but they have a newly renovated music school. Its pretty awesome and inspiring. People who work there are nice. Please check it out! I teach on Thursdays.
Healing- This month, I celebrated my 1st year anniversary playing therapeutic harp music for Providence Hospice patients. It is a gift to play music for people who are so appreciative.
‘Tis the Season! I have Christmas harp music for sale, my CD Harp Carols.
Album Cover design by Luara Moore
“Harp Carols” is a collection of ancient noels on solo harp and features clarinetist Rosalyn DeRoos on the last song. Except for two pieces, all songs are traditional Christmas carols. “Harp Carols” celebrates Europe’s music of 15th Century – 19th Century holiday season and will transport you to a place of Old World calm during this winter’s busiest month. Also included are an improvisation on Gabriel Faure’s “Pavane,” and “Journey to the Magi,” an original tune a la Alice Coltrane with influence by the T.S. Eliot poem.
I will be playing a seasonal concert in Seattle area this year! The concert will be one of healing and meditation featuring harp solos and duets, honoring the quietude of the winter solstice and the light within each one of us during this dark season.
I’ll be performing live December 23rd, 2016 at: Healing Harp Tones, a harp concert in duet with Monica Schley & Motter Snell. Interfaith Community Sanctuary 1763 NW 62nd St Seattle, WA 98107 7pm
This post was originally published at Pyragraph and is reposted here with kind permission.
Backstage in NYC
A year ago I quit my day job. It was easy to make the announcement and write the first part of my story, because I was excited! However, writing this follow-up has been a lot more challenging.
A little background: The day-job I quit was part-time. It was secure and it complimented my creative career as a musician and poet. So, I was conflicted about leaving. However, I knew that if I stayed any longer, I would never take the chance to see what was behind the other door—the door that led to working on music and writing exclusively, the door that led to me working as a freelancer and calling my own shots. I was miserable with the thought of never knowing what that would feel like.
For various reasons, the clock was ticking. If I was going to jump, it had to be now.
How did I prepare for this? I talked to other full-time musicians and I crafted a business plan. Then, I seriously talked my five-fold business plan over with at least a dozen people, as well as a representative at Seattle Small Business Association. I got green lights. I created an active teaching studio. Also, I became a Certified Clinical Musician (someone who plays particular therapeutic styles of music at the bedside of the sick and dying). The plan was that the day job hours would be taken over by therapeutic work, more or less. Since putting my plan into practice, I still think it’s solid in theory, but several factors beyond my control caused a certain amount of failure.
An important nuance I’ve had to take note of is seasonal fluctuations in work. I have wedding gigs in the summer, but not many students. This past year has shown moments of good fortune—touring with amazing musicians to New York with the successful show, Now I’m Fine—contrasted by disappointments when efforts don’t pay off—I did an intense two-day trade show for state healthcare workers expecting to drum up new clinical music work, but got empty leads, which left me physically and mentally drained.
There have been lots of challenges this first year on my own, but they’ve only pushed me to try something new and get comfortable with making mistakes when they happen.
New things I’ve tried this year and succeeded at:
Recording original tunes in studio and at home (in progress)
Making a music video
Bartered harp lessons for other needed services
Led healing harp tones guided meditation workshop
Fallen short:
Getting 3-5 therapeutic music accounts (I’ve succeeded so far at only gaining two)
Rejected grants
Future goals:
Skype harp lessons
Self-publishing a multi-instrument album
Leading more group workshops
More therapeutic music accounts
In one year’s time, I’d say I’m not as rosey-eyed, that is, I may not have taken into account how the highs and lows are much more extreme, which can be more exciting and more scary. Yet still, I’m optimistic by nature, so I always have that working to my advantage. I am very comfortable with turning down offers that are not respectable or reciprocal. I also happen to live in a wealthy city, where there are many resources for artists and people who will pay for artistic services.
My choice to work freelance has really been about my need to fulfill a dream. In his poem, “Harlem,” Langston Hughes asks:
What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run?
I knew my dreams would lose their strength, or worse yet, cease to exist, if I didn’t answer to their calling. That is what this career choice has been about, because working in the arts is more than just “making a living,” it’s a lifestyle. I like seeing where the mystery unfolds, even if it’s a little terrifying. It’s my path and I own it.
Here’s a new ditty for the day: Fire & Ice. This solo harp excerpt is from a longer vocal and multi-instrumental track I’m working on. Today, I have only a few hours to record and I wanted to hear some instant results!