Final-Beginning Collection 2025 Q3 – Part 3 [Member Spotlight]

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

My First Sonata. Final beginning project for The Power of Pattern.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

Learned the power of a daily practice, the definition of a sonata form, and the confidence to share something imperfect with the group. The snippets and chat feedback were an integral part of its creation.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I played with the sonata format daily until to let it sink in and until I was satisfied with something I was comfortable sharing.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I felt free to share something imperfect because of the generous, accepting nature of DHC and my classmates.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

My main challenges were daily chores and distractions when I wanted to spend more time at the harp, and being gentle with myself when I played something that didn’t sound “good”.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

I’m reminded to be less judgmental in general and be less prone to “assessing” what other people do.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

With a daily practice it is easier to memorize a form and the transitions between sections.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

Apologies for the late submission. This is an imperfectly played version of my very first “sonata” based on snippets from DHC and feedback on my halfbake during the chat.  Both the A part, B part, and bridge after the B part are slightly different every time I play them because they are based on improvisations. The intro and outro remain pretty much the same every time.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

1st outing with the yellow DHC harp, in Braga, Portugal! Little movement yet but I’ll change the constraints when I’m here for the late autumn and winter.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

To put aside the fears – the “I’m not good enough yet” – and the comparisons with others who play beautifully in the Braga streets. To bring all of myself, a unique individual, and realize that can be a special gift in itself.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Not worrying about car horns and wind, or comments that my friend and videographer made while she was filming! Just doing it.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

Perfection. Comparison. Lack of memorization ability. Wearing a “proper” outfit. Never feeling prepared.
But loving the freedom of movement and sky and sun, in the beautiful park of orange trees and jasmine. Not noticing anything else for those minutes.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

All mechanical. But once I configured my new, favorite harness so I can now copy it, it felt so comfortable and natural!! I thought I liked earlier ones, but this is especially nice. Amplification still is a work in progress, but learning more.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

Through the harp, I realized how much I love sharing the harp and English and physical activity with small children – I reconnect with my delightful pre-schoolers in 6 weeks!

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Just writing this shows me what joy the harp can bring to me and to others.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

It’s possible to move around – while playing a wearable harp – even in small spaces. Constraints like stairs and benches can be used even more with a little practice!

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I looked for patterns everywhere, visual, physical, and tried to freely play them.  I was less concerned with my notes than with what I was feeling,  Simple 2,6,1,5 stunned my friends,

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I worked on two songs to improve and improvise on, but I went to Alaska for 2 weeks and totally missed the deadline.  Last night  I became fascinated with the shadow of myself on the wall.  Somehow the lighting was just right, and I decided to just play “whatever” and go with it.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I felt truly free, not even looking at the strings, just looking at the shadows on the wall!  The sounds came out well,and a rhythm and somewhat of a structure even comes through.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

This works well as a video, and I’m going to work with this format more.  It would make. stunning video card.  I want to play more structured music with this format as well

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

Structure and freedom are two sides of the same coin.Together they have value.  I continue to get frustrated with myself, feeling that I don’t practice enough, haven’t progressed enough, etc,  Lots for the demon pot,

What were your personal “Ahas”?

My AHA was in this video, just go with what is there and embrace and embellish it.  Even if I think that no one will like it but me, it’s ok.  I know our group of loving creatives will embrace it as they have me.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

No, just sit back and enjoy!

Describe your written materials – if there’s anything in particular you want to say about it to help people know what they’re looking at, add that here.

After discussion of Repertoire management and Spaced Repetition to renew & refresh the tunes & songs I know, I knew I needed a planning refresh & update.  The desire to refresh & review my Autumn & Winter collection—plus Advent and Christmas— and use the Q4 toolkit to expand the repertoire, drove the planning effort.

The pictures include: a Practice Focus sheet containing a general plan/vision; lists showing the Autumn & Winter collection, the Advent collection & the Christmas collection; a Framework for Creative Accomplishment blank for Q4, for weekly plan sketching; and a week’s worth of Harp Log illustrating the first week’s worth of tunes day by day.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

The inputs to this project were:
1. My repertoire list including 
   1. Autumn & Winter pieces
   2. Advent songs
   3. Christmas carols
2. Practice Focus Sheet pdf
3. Framework For Creative Accomplishment pdf
4. My latest Practice Tracker “Harp Log” (which includes the practice plan Haley  loves so much)
5. And the concept of “Spaced Repetition”

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

1. This took two entire weeks of stalled playing, percolation time (with minimal harping but lots of analysis, sorting and planning) plus weeks before that of pondering generalities about this and trying to get organized about some sort of FBP and some sort of plan.  
   2. Inputs & questions from Cherie and Cherrie about spaced repetition were major contributors
   3. Also crucial: Tammy keeping me accountable and Sally being curious and encouraging

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

1. I spent several weeks feeling stuck and not playing much at all while this all percolated. 
   2. The songs I can already play, but intros & interludes would be a plus; breathing & reflection time is helpful for settling down & being present

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

1. Surprisingly, the hardest part was letting go of tunes I did not love.  But doing so was freeing.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

1. I’ve also created a vision board after learning how to break undesired habits and create new ones; that concept is applicable to life in general
   2. the habit I want to break is, waiting until night time to practice.  The habit I want to start, is playing half my practice early, and the other half later. 
   3. But I haven’t solved that yet either

What were your personal “Ahas”?

1. Play what you love
2. It’s ok if I don’t love a tune
3. A discarded tune can be re-instated if I change my mind later (I already re-instated 4 tunes)
4. If you love it, find a way to enjoy it; , if you don’t love it, why bother?

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

1. The practice tracker/harp log is designed to be a superset of options
   2. Goal is, to help me see what I do work on (or not) and hopefully understand more about Why and Why Not.  
   3. As a result of what I do and don’t spend time on, the practice tracker has morphed a lot over the past year 

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This video is of me playing the harp and singing ‘We shall overcome’.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

The principle the caused me to submit the video is the ‘just do it principle’.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

This quarter I have had very little time to practice. I knew that would be the case so I had very low goals.  One of my goals was to get at least some home work in.  So far this quarter I haven’t gotten any homework in.  So this video is for me to complete that goal.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I knew that I wouldn’t have much time to do the video, so it was done in a couple of takes.  When I looked at the video, it felt horrible to me.  Looking at the video my harp playing seems to have gone backwards and so has my capacity to sing anything like on tune.  Seeing that, and electing to post it anyway ….was a challenge.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

The courage to post the video even though it looks horrible to me.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

From past experience…. I know this process gives me courage and opens doors.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

None yet

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I don’t need any feedback, it’s enough for me to actually post the video.