The Evening of October 20th

My Course at Anne Arundle Community College was cancelled due to lack of sign-ups so I was free to do some other things that I enjoy instead. I left my house at 4pm and headed to Millers, MD where I played in a church bluegrass band called Paul Neal and the 2nd Generation. We played at a spaghetti supper. This band is led by a 90 year old mandolin player. He likes autoharp so I get to do lead once in a while. This band was well established when I joined so I had to learn a lot of tunes and songs. I fit in by learning to sing harmony where ever I could. We have mandolin, 2 guitars, banjo, bass and an occasional fiddler. The folks there are friendly and loving so it is always a happy time. When this event was over I headed southwest a bit to New Freedom, PA where Bryan Bowers was playing. I got there right before his break. Bryan was at his best. It was a small audience crowded into a small little room so it was a very intimate venue. I had never been there before but plan to go back again and also for their open mic nights. Bryan performed many of his old standards that I have heard many times but they were well received by this audience. There were some songs that were new or not real familar to me as well. He also told some great stories the were also well received. I don't believe there were many autoharpers in the crowd, however. My friend, Linda Morris, who did the write-up on Bryan for the magazine Dirty Linen, was instrumental in getting Bryan to come to this venue. In fact, I wouldn't have know about it if she hadn't e-mailed me. I met her several years ago when she came to one of my autoharp courses. She teaches in Batimore and I have visited her classes several times taking loaners for the kids to play. Sooooo ~ ~ ~it was an exciting evening and all due to the autoharp which has taken me so many wonderful places and allowed me to make so many good friends. Thanks be to God.

Gigs, Teaching Engagements, and Other Musical Activities

I have been unable to get a webpage up so have lost my space on the ring. I decided to use my blog as a way of getting info out on the net. I have noticed others using this method instead of a website so thought I would give it a try.
I currently have 3 regular students and a number that come occasionally. I am scheduled to teach at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD on Oct. 20 and Oct. 26. The first Saturday will be a beginning course and the second Saturday will be a follow-up. Each course goes from 9 to 4. I will be providing autoharps to those who do not have one. Eight sign-ups are required for the course to run. I will be giving a beginning course the the East Berlin Community Center in E.B, PA on 6 successive Tuesday evenings from 7 - 9. I will teach if there are at least 4 sign-ups. Pay is very low for less students.
Tuesday Oct. 11 I will be going to Windy Hill Senior Center, Spring Grove, PA with 18 loaner 'harps to give a short concert/demo then teach the folks there a few chords and hopefully sing some songs while playing. I use colored lyrics on posters - a wonderful idea I got from Cathy Britell's children's book.
No other gigs scheduled for the near future. I will be playing at a Christmas light show at a county park near York on Dec. 13 and 20. I missed doing this last year because I was having so much trouble with my back so am looking forward to doing it this year. I have done it for several years previously.
I have been having fun playing with a bluegrass band at a tiny church in Millers, MD. It is led by a wonderful 90 year old gentleman who plays mandolin. We also have 2 guitars, a banjo, and a bass. For the most part we play "older bluegrass," - almost Old Time so I fit in pretty well. Kim, a former student, and also guitar player, played Whispering Hope together on our Orthey 'harps last Sunday.
There are 3 local OT jams within 45 minutes of my home which are now starting up again. There is one every Sunday but the last one. Also George Orthey has Mini-Mt. Laurel workshops through out the winter. The first one will be this weekend with the guest teacher/performer being Adam Miller. I'll be there.
Thanks for reading.

My Day in Newport

On Tuesday evening I left home with a vehicle loaded down with no less than 24 autoharps plus teaching aids, a cooler, laptop, clothes, personal items, sleeping bag and pillow, stool, amp and case with sound system details. About an hour and a half later I was in Newport moving into the bunk house on the Orthey farm. I turned out the light fairly early because Wednesday morning I got up at 6am. I was due at Newport Elementary School at 8 am. When I got there some students and the student teacher helped me unload all the 'harps etc. I was sort of an artist-in-residence for the day focusing on Appalachian music. I think I saw 5 or 6 classes. I talked briefly about Appalachian music - played a fiddle tune for them, sang a "funny" song for them involving the class with refrains etc, introduced them to the autoharp of course and also each had a chance to play with a limberjack. We sang such songs as Rabbit in the Log, Mole in the Ground, Fly Around and Good Bye Liza Jane. I got them all playing autoharp using Row, Row, Row your boat and Skip to My Lou. I used hand puppets with the first graders. They got to reach in the bag and pull one out then we sang a song as I played with the hand puppet on my button hand. It took a while but each child got to choose a puppet. I taught the elementary chorus to sing the refrain on Down the Road. We had 5 children playing autoharp, and 4 with limberjacks. We performed this in the evening concert with only about 20 minutes rehearsal time! When school was over, we loaded the stuff back into my car in the pouring rain. Then I went to the high school where the concert was to be held. They did a sound check etc and we decided where I would be in the program. Then I went back to the bunk house and took a nap! I was at Liz Sufrin's house at 5 for a nice meal. I reported to school and was part of a very interesting concert. First the high school band played, then I performed, next were several vocal groups from the high school, middle school and elementary. We did our Down the Road and then I finished off the evening with several more tunes and songs. The auditorium was full. I'm not used to playing for such a large group but I didn't worry too much about it and it went well. I had practiced a lot and it paid off for me in that I felt I did as well as I am able. When the evening was over I was pretty tired. I spent some time at McDonald's with my new laptop but didn't have much luck because I wasn't doing things right. Wireless at this Micky D is still free. After a good night's sleep, I packed up, visited a little with George, and headed into the metropolis of Newport visiting the Goodwill Store and the public library which has free wireless. It was here that a librarian helped me discover what I was doing wrong. Then it was on to a neat little restaurant for a hamburger. I went to Harrisburg where I had some business to attend to, then headed home. Mission accomplished. All went well and I had a good time. Thanks for reading.