Harp

The protagonist of my work-in-progress has a giant, impractical dream. She wants to attend the Julliard School as a harp major. Will she get there? Probably not, but my character will become a harp major at some college or conservatory. Many of the students I tutor dream impossible dreams as well.

As I worked on my manuscript, I realized I didn’t know much about the harp, so I contacted a local harpist and asked if I could hire her as a consultant. She agreed and told me I should take harp lessons as well. She offered to lend me a small folk harp for practicing. In the two lessons I’ve had so far, I’ve learned far more than I expected.

Here’s a progress report:

• It would have been better if I’d learned to read bass clef as a child. I’m getting better.
• My rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” is often recognizable.
• Sometimes when I see notes on the treble staff, my fingers still feel imaginary clarinet keys. (I played clarinet for about ten years.)
• The arthritis in my left thumb makes it lazy.
• Jeremy and his friends love to remind me to practice.
• Most importantly, I’m learning which questions to ask my teacher to improve my manuscript.