It's snowing!  Our black cat, Cosita Rashid Trouper Pushipyjama, is mystified.  She's from Seattle - never saw snow before, and I'm now trying to remember the first time I did.  My mother always made such a huge deal out of it - like the world was transforming and we had to see it.  First snow - the sense of transformation.

Meanwhile ... Disney's "Princess and the Frog" is about to hit the theaters.  I must admit I was dreading this moment!  More than a decade ago I wrote my own musical story, "The Frog Princess," performed it at the Kennedy Center and with symphonies around the US.  When Disney made plans for a movie on the same theme, I felt like my own Frog Princess was about to get squished!  Well, the big splash has started --- and it's kind of cool!  Suddenly people are really interested in Frog Princesses! So - wow!  It feels like my story now has a big Disney cousin -- two girls out to fight stereotype and deal with their inner frogs! And that feels kind of ... well... warm and froggy!  We'll feature the CD next month, but you can take a sneak peak at our new Frog Princess website.

We're having our big annual holiday sale.  Last year many people wanted to give the gift of experience - a harp lesson, a harp workshop or something I just call a "Harp Experience." You can read about it below. Also don't miss my annual holiday giftwrap tutorial -- downloadable giftwrap and how to wrap CDs with ONE sheet of letter-size paper!   Let me know how it works!

Oh - and please take a look at the new demo video we made! We're still editing it we'd love your comments (good comments are especially appreciated, so we don't change things that you like!)

And, as for me, I'm hunkered down to work on two big production projects ... er, I mean three. 2010 should be an exciting ride. In April, at the International Harp Festival in Wales, I'm publishing a set of jazz-inspired chamber works; in July, my musical "In the Wings" gets its next workshop production in Seattle and somewhere in there I'll be working on a new album. That means I have to start work yesterday!! So wish me focus and inspiration, and you'll be the first to know what's happening!

p.s. Above (and below) two wonderful drawings by artist Ellen Lebow.

HO-HO-HOLIDAY SALE
Ends Midnight Dec. 23rd!
GREAT PRICES!  A "GIFT SCROLL" for IMMEDIATE GIVING!  Great SHIPPING deals!

• Deadline: Midnight, Dec. 23rd
• What's for Sale?? CDs at $10! DVDs at $15! Plus sales on sheet music. And in addition to the products at our catalog, you can special order the Gift of "Experience"! Lessons, Workshops, and "Harp Experiences" see below.
• Shipping Upgrades and Free Shipping: Free priority shipping for all U.S. orders over $75! Free Priority upgrade for every U.S. order
• Free stuff! Free Giftwrap online at Deborah's Free Downloadable Wrapping Paper Page. Get 'em Signed for Free! Deborah's home for the holidays, so you can get CDs & DVDs signed with no delay to your order (and, as always, no extra cost)!
• How to order: For Holiday sale prices see online order page. For product info, see: catalog.
• Are you way behind? If you end up ordering late and worried your order won't arrive in time - no problem! Just download our free Gift Scroll (pdf)* to present now and give the gift when it arrives.  You get to give TWICE! 
  
   

SPECIAL ORDER - GIVE THE "GIFT OF EXPERIENCE"
"Gifts of Experience:" Lessons - Workshops - The "Harp Experience": A gift of experience is a chance for people to DO something they've never done, something that changes the way they see their whole life.

FOR NON-HARPISTS: The "Harp Experience"
This is something we've developed based on many requests from people who want an "experience" with the harp, but don't necessarily want to become harp students. One person gave a "Harp-Experience" to her friend who'd challenged herself to 30 new adventures!  Another just wanted to see what it felt like - once in his life - to sit behind a harp and play glissandos.  The harp is a spectacular instrument -- everyone should have a chance to experience it first-hand - literally! That's the gift of experience. Email for details

FOR HARPISTS: Lessons & Coaching 
A master-lesson with Deborah is a great experience, as a single event or as a series of study. Working with a master teacher even once can show students a new side of the instrumen they love.Email for details

FOR ALL MUSICIANS: Summer Intensive
You can also register for Deborah's 2010 "Performance for Musicians" summer workshop Aug. 16 - 21 --currently offering Early-Bird prices. Email for details.

DOWNLOAD THE "GIFT SCROLL*":
The "Gift of Experience" is intangible, so you can download our Gift Scroll (pdf)* to present your gift immediately!

*The "Gift Scroll" is really just a nicely decorated piece of paper, but to make it an actual scroll, roll it up and tie a ribbon around it. Of course you can do that with any piece of paper. Assuming it's large enough. But we still think our "Gift Scroll" is cool. OK - honestly, it just occurred to us to call it the "Gift Scroll" when we were making this e-newsletter, so if you see it called a "Gift Card" or anything else, you can know that YOU know it's a Gift Scroll, no matter what anyone else calls it. Even if that 'anyone' is us (i.e. Deborah, Bea, Joy, Catharine and the Cat)

BOOKING & CONTACTING DEBORAH

BOOKING - SKYLINE MUSIC:
Main Booking Contact: Andrea Sabata    561-790-4843      andrea@skylineonline.com 

Orchestral Shows : Barney Kilpatrick    770-518-6434   barney@rattlesby.net

Management - Golden Cage Music, Inc:
   General Info: (781) 483-3556   info@hipharp.com
   CDs & Products: (888) DEB-STUF    hipharp@HipHarp.com
   Fax: (781) 483-3987
   Post: Golden Cage Music, Inc. - PO Box 1039 - Arlington, MA 02474

Press - HipHarp.com:
   Press Liaison: (781) 483-3556    publicity@hipharp.com
   To send a message to Deborah:  info@hipharp.com