|
  Hello
friends and fans!
Summer
has arrived and I'm heading off to teach a performance
workshop at my own Alma Mater –
the Celebration Barn in South Paris, Maine! The Celebration
Barn is a BIG part of my history, so my debut as a teacher
is a thrill!
20
years ago I dragged my harp up to “The Barn”
to study with a dynamic performer/teacher known to folks
on the New Vaudeville circuit as the Guru of the Art
of Performance. Tony Montanaro performed as a mime,
working the same circuits as Marcel Marceau, but then
expanded far outside classic mime, developing a field
he called “Physical Eloquence.” To build
a cultural greenhouse for his new form of performing
and teaching, he bought an old farmhouse in Maine, turned
the Barn into a performing/teaching space and started
taking in students.
Over
the years Tony taught, directed and coached many of
America's top performers of physical comedy, juggling
and storytelling. His students range from “America’s
Funniest Home Videos” host Tom Bergeron to Sesame
Street’s Brian Meehl to ... well... to me!
At
first I attended Tony’s summer workshops, thrilled
that he accepted me as a student. Later I worked with
him privately, developing shows, working on my physical
relationship with my instrument, and learning to integrate
the stories in my mind with the music I play.
Tony
was a teacher from the word “Go.” When I’d
drive up to his workshop, he’d run out to the
car and start telling me his newest revelations before
I could even pull on the handbrake. “Stop!”
I’d yell. “Don’t say another brilliant
thing until I get the tape recorder running!”
His
words, his ideas, his energy, his physicality all profoundly
affected my work. To this day, I bring my “Tony
Notes” to every performance and read them or go
over them in my mind to help me focus before the show.
When
Tony died, I traveled to Maine again, for his memorial
concert. During the performance, Tony’s wife Karen
– also a former student – took the stage
and said, “Tony is not dead. He’s here,”
and pointed to her own chest. In that moment, I thought,
“Fine. If that’s where he is now, that’s
where I’ll go find him.”
Though
I’d barely known Karen before the memorial concert,
I started coaching with her as soon as I could, and
together we looked for and found Tony in ourselves.
So I was thrilled when Karen agreed to co-lead my first
Barn workshop with me — and starting July 9th,
we’ll be back at the Barn with a new generation
of students — passing on the experience that changed
my own life as a performer.
The
workshop filled up fast — with musicians who want
to develop their onstage skills and with non-musical
performers who want to add a musical element to their
shows. There are still a few spaces left — so
if you know a performer (or you’re one yourself)
who wants the kind of experience I had when I started
developing my show, visit CelebrationBarn.com
to sign up for the July 9 – 14 workshop, or go
to our Workshop
Page.
Check out the other great Barn workshops too!
And
if you’re in Maine — I’ll present
a concert at the Barn with the workshop students on
July 14th — AND my PBS Special “Invention
& Alchemy” airs on every Maine PBS station
on July 19 at 9 PM! Click on the poster headings to
see details about the PBS
Broadcast, workshop,
live
show, Celebration
Barn and to get to my
website!
WANT
TO STUDY WITH DEBORAH, BUT CAN'T MAKE THE WORKSHOP?
HARP
LESSONS & COACHING SESSIONS -
Deborah is now accepting new students for the Summer
2007 season and beyond. Whether you are looking for
a single coaching session or monthly lessons -- whether
you're a beginner looking to learn technique or an advanced
student wanting to learn improvisation -- this is your
chance to work with a Grammy-Nominated musician who
has conducted workshops all over the world! Inquire
today at info@hipharp.com.
OTHER
NEWS:
WEBSITE
GETS A FACELIFT! Check out our website as
it progresses this summer! We're in the middle of a
website overhaul and you can watch it as it happens!
If you visit HipHarp.com,
you'll already notice some big changes - and there will
be more in the next weeks and months, so check in often
to see the metamorphosis!
HEAD
TO HIPHARP.COM! Find updates on the latest
PBS Broadcasts of "Invention & Alchemy,"
get the scoop on upcoming events at the Tour
Schedule, shop Deborah's
online catalog and more at HipHarp.com!
And, if you haven't already, join
Deborah's E-Newsletter Mailing List.
MAINE
EVENTS OVERVIEW:
WORKSHOP
- This
is your last chance to sign up for Deborah's July 9-14
"Performance for Musicians" Workshop! More
info at Deborah’s Workshop
Page or go straight to the Celebration
Barn's Registration Page.
LIVE
SHOW - July
14th at 8 PM - "DHC & the Harpbreakers"
- Deborah performs solo at the Celebration Barn Theatre
in South Paris, ME with vignettes by students from Deborah's
week-long performance workshop! Call 207-743-8452 to
reserve tix or head to the Tour
Page for more info.
PBS
BROADCAST OF TV SPECIAL -
The entire Maine Public Broadcasting Network presents
Deborah's "Invention & Alchemy" on July
19th at 9:00 PM! See the Tour
Page for station locations/channels.
INTERVIEWS
WITH
DHC!
•
July 16th at 5:30 PM - MPBN Radio: "Maine Things
Considered" - On-air interview with Keith Shortall,
with performance!
•
July 17th at 7:00 PM - WCSH6-TV: "207" - TV
interview and performance on Maine's NBC affiliate!
LINKS:
PAGES
ON DEBORAH'S SITE:
HipHarp Homepage: http://www.hipharp.com
Tour Schedule: http://www.hipharp.com/where_you_goin.html
DHC Catalog (DVDs, CDs, Sheet Music, etc.): http://www.hipharp.com/dhccat.htm
PBS Page: http://www.hipharp.com/pbs_mats/faqs_pbs.html
DHC Workshop Page: http://www.hipharp.com/EvntPg_pgs/cbarn07_wkshp_1sht.htm
PAGES
ON OTHER SITES:
Celebration Barn - Workshop Registration: http://www.celebrationbarn.com/workshop/register.html
|