I was afraid…

Years ago, I heard about a master-teacher named Tony Montanaro. He was a legendary performer and coach. People called him a CREATIVE GURU. I wanted so badly to work with him. I knew he would take my performance to a whole new level. But I was scared. So I kept putting it off.

I was afraid I wasn’t good enough.

Afraid I wasn’t cool enough.

Afraid of how much it would cost.

So I waited ‘til the very last minute. I was shaking when I called him. I couldn’t even believe he took my call. And then Tony changed my life.

That was irrelevant. It was about “Am I willing…?”

Am I willing to take what he’s offering me and allow my life and my playing to transform?

The answer was yes. And that ‘yes’ changed my life.

Tony became my coach and mentor, first through group classes and then in 1-on-1 coaching — and through him I learned see the harp in a completely different way.

He started me on a journey I’m still on today, 30 years later. Along the way, I invented a completely new instrument – winning grants, prizes and even a Grammy-Nomination. Getting to play my own music with symphonies, travel the world, create my own PBS music special and watch it on TV.

But what’s most important is that Tony taught me to think differently – and to approach my instrument differently – to become a partner with it.

He taught me to break apart my own preconceptions of what I thought I could do with my instrument, to find my own authentic creative voice.

It didn’t matter what level I was or what class I took with him – because no matter what he was teaching, Tony’s real work – like mine, now – was to give his students the tools and skills to discover their own creative freedom.

And that’s what I do in Hip Harp Academy. Passing on what changed my own life.