Another busy weekend on the harp front.... prompting some serious thoughts on how long this is really sustainable, and whether I am just tired out because it has been a busy year (harp wise as well as on other fronts), or whether there is a bit more to it.

Saturday - I went harp shopping at Clive Morley Harps. I was there to try the Aoyama Princess Sakura and the Aoyama Vega Special. I took mine to try with them so that I had something I knew to compare them to.

I loved them both in different ways - so now need to give this some serious thought too! I'm not sure I am ready to let go of my current harp :( but really he is just a little bit too big.

Sunday - I did a wedding at Woodhall Manor, just outside Ipswich. I met the bride and groom at a wedding fair earlier in the year, and had lots of email contact with them regarding their music choices so I felt really involved on the day. The bank holiday weather needs no further comment, but they were absurdly lucky and were able to hold their ceremony outside in the Dovecote. I was slightly distracted while they signed the register, as a very noisy dove was cooing right by the microphone being used by the registrars. I was sat under the mic and it was a very strange noise. The whole front row was quietly giggling and I could see them and hear the dove! I must have been more distracted than I thought, as apparently a wasp almost landed on my nose and I didn't even flinch!!

Here are some pictures....

Tucked in the doorway out of the wind (and slightly dubious skies!)

The front of the manor house...

Looking rather smart I feel!....

Yesterday I had some rehearsal time with my mum, preparing for my up and coming recital on September 18th.

We are working on Girl with the Flaxen Hair and the First Arabesque, both by Debussy. I have done the first one on the piano - Debussy is one of my favourite composers. Last time we played together it was all a bit thrown together, but this time we are both determined to put a lot more effort in. We are hoping to put some more music together and do more concerts in the future (and hopefully some weddings/background stuff too).

Tomorrow night I have a rehearsal with my friends Frankie (singer) and John (jazz guitarist) - they are also joining me for a couple of numbers in the concert. The theme is Harp and Friends, so while a lot of it will be solo, I am also hoping to show a bit of how versatile the harp can be, and it will be nice to have some company in front of all those faces, however friendly they are!

In between all this I am fitting in a full time job.... my next weekend off is October 8th-9th so it will be a long slog until then. My heart is being pulled in both directions at the moment, both musical and day job. Lots of decisions to make but there is no immediate rush.