15 Places to Share Your Music (and Make Extra Money) May 23, 2023

By Anne Sullivan 

It’s time to  make your summer plans. And if your plans include doing some extra playing in public and maybe earning a little money, you need to read this post.

...

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Don’t Practice Your Orchestra Part – Prepare It! May 16, 2023

By Anne Sullivan

I learned to play in orchestra very early in my harp journey. My teacher was Marilyn Costello, principal harpist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, so obviously she was an expert at...

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Breaking the Speed Barrier: 3 Strategies for Playing Faster Jan 25, 2023

By Anne Sullivan 

Sometimes the impossible...isn’t.

In 1954 when Roger Bannister became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, he didn’t just break all the records....

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Why You Should Be an Etude Believer (and an Etude Practicer) Jan 18, 2023

By Anne Sullivan 

"And your étude for this week…”

When I was a young student, hearing my teacher say those words made my heart sink. An étude meant boring. dull and...

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10 Things You Can Practice in 10 Minutes Jan 11, 2023

By Anne Sullivan 

Roadrunners are birds known for their speed. If you’re a fan of classic cartoons, you know they can be pretty tricky too.

When your day is jam-packed with school and...

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Four “Smart” Finger Patterns You Must Know Jan 04, 2023

I have an entire closet filled with music. It’s organized and filed in boxes, or at least most of it is. And four of those boxes are dedicated just to etudes and exercises. Those books of...

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My New Year Wish For You Dec 28, 2022

By Anne Sullivan 

At Harp Mastery® and Harp Quest we talk a lot about harp happiness. Harp happiness can mean many different things, but in a general sense it means playing the music you...

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10 Tips for Happy Healthy Hands Dec 21, 2022

By Anne Sullivan 

Tired hands, sore fingers, tense shoulders. These are all signs of a harpist who is having a busy December with lots of playing.

Sure, playing is fun, but it's not so much...

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5 Fingering Do’s and Don'ts Dec 14, 2022

By Anne Sullivan 

“To change the fingering or not to change it; that is the question.” If Hamlet had been a harpist, his famous speech might have started with those words.

We...

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7 Tips for Happy Holiday Gigs – Know Before You Go! Dec 07, 2022

By Anne Sullivan 

Holiday parties are fun if you’re a guest. But when you’re the band, they can be tiring, monotonous, and if you’re not careful, a minefield of...

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How to Jumpstart Your Harp Playing Even When You’re Too Busy to Practice Nov 30, 2022

By Anne Sullivan 

December is a crazy time for every harpist. There are more concerts and performances and other playing opportunities in this one month than in most of the rest of the year...

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Do You Want to Be a Better Harpist? Follow the 5 B’s! Nov 23, 2022

By Anne Sullivan 

Learning to play the harp can seem very complicated. The harp itself is complicated.  You have to learn how to move levers or pedals, change strings that break, play...

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