I always have some apprehension before harping at a hospital, but I clear the cobwebs and the harp and its music takes it away. Today three little girls, probably ages 2, 5 and 7, gathered around me in a waiting area and then sat at my feet listening and swaying to the music. One curled up to sleep. It not only relaxed the parents, but it was a wonderful experience for them to have while waiting in that area for who-knows-what news.

Accessible Harps forum discussion

I will be presenting a forum discussion and a couple of seminars on harps and disabilities at the Somerset Harp Festival this July 2010. I have setup a forum discussion for online participation about Accessible Harps. Please join us.

Health Fair

I really like participating in health fairs and today was no exception. The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd were very kind in having me share my harp music and also providing the space for people to try the small Harping for Harmony harp - those who tried it ranged in ages from 1 year to over 70. Soothing and calming were the common responses - and addictive! Kudos to this church for having a day long event that not only brought healing resources to the public, but also a place for socializing and being part of a community - so important to health!

Better Breathers

Thanks to the Better Breathers club of Duluth for having me bring my Harp-Abilities to their gathering. Sponsored by the American Lung Association, this group meets monthly. At their meeting this week, I introduced them to my harps and each person got to play the Harping for Harmony and the lap/zither harp. Some famous musicians with asthma - Judy Collins Send in the Clowns, Ludwig van Beethoven, Lenard Bernstein and Kenny G.

AAAWD art showing

Thank you Access for All at UMD who sponsored and provided gallery space for the AAAWD (Arrowhead Alliance of Artists with Disabilities) showing of 2 and 3 dimensional artwork and hosting a reception in the University's Multicultural Center Feb. 17, at which I played harp.

February 15 – March 15, 2010
The Multicultural Center
Kirby Student Union, University of Minnesota, Duluth
270 Kirby Student Center
1120 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN

Harp-Abilities continues in 2010

2010 will bring a better understanding of Harp-Abilities, more postings of health support group participation and experiences. I will try to do better with a posting of each event. I have found that I am unable to post my hospital and therapy center experiences due to privacy issues and I will continue to honor those. I have found it hard to express in words the sudden gatherings by people in motor carts around the harp playing, the child hooked to the life saving drip bags and monitors strumming the strings, patients who check the activity board to see when I am coming next, the staff who walk quickly to their next duty but bend over to whisper "blessings, thank you", the ones who are unable to speak but hug the harp and its sounds.

I will post scheduled events on my Xina Music website.

Harp-Abilities continued in 2009

7 months has passed since last posting - so sorry. A lot of Harp-Abilities happenings the last part of 2009, mostly playing for patients and staff in hospitals, senior fairs, various home care settings, yoga group and support groups. My dedication resulted in weekly playing whether for one or many by September through the end of the year. A new website, Xina Music, was created to show my growth as a harper and audio describer. I had audio description training in December and look forward continue to provide services to those with challenges.

It has been 24 weeks now, since my dedication kick off on Sept. 1, of some type of Harp-Abilities sharing, and the experience has been live changing for me. We all have some type of challenge or disability and the response to live harp music is an instant bonding and sharing, of joy or tears or exhilaration, bringing us into the now and shedding labels and scars of a disability. Thank you to all who have shared with me.