sing and play – 3 chords is all it takes
It’s funny that in the past 5 years, as I’ve been creating an online Academy for harp players – specifically to teach arrangement and improv and creative expression – that I’ve never taught the art of singing and playing… Until now.... read more
The Nightingale – Performances around the World
“The Nightingale” is one of my most-requested songs – one of those songs that comes out whole, that just seems like a simple statement of truth. I wrote it in memory of my mother’s voice – and since I published it years ago, harpists all over the... read more
the love comes back
The love comes back … that’s what I found out this week. Last week for Valentine’s Day I decided – last-minute – to broadcast a Salon Concert from my studio land LiveStream on Facebook. Love songs — jazz standards, originals. I planned... read more
Beautiful Partnership Between Musician & Instrument
I was just talking to a friend of mine the other day who just started playing the flute. He’d been playing the harmonica and he started playing the Indian flute. He’s a yoga teacher and he wanted to play it at the end of Yoga sessions. He said to me, “So I just... read more
My Funny Valentine – Facebook Live Salon Concert
Last week for Valentine’s Day I decided to do a LIVE salon concert, on Facebook, from my living room. During the concert, I sang a special Valentine’s Day song for my Aunt Elaine. It’s a cover of the classic standard by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz... read more
The Greatest Thing You’ll Ever Learn
One of the songs I heard my mother sing when I was a kid was “Nature Boy” by Eden Ahbez. It was one of the pieces I cut my teeth on when I was learning to ‘fake’ music from chord charts. It has a haunting melody with simple, beautiful chords. There’s one thing I just... read more
Love Stories from the Harp – For Valentine’s Day
Every year around Valentine’s Day I like to look back at all the love stories past. So I decided to make this composite blog so I can find them and share them more easily! It’s a whole lot of romance all on one page. Enjoy! Nature Boy (A Facebook Live... read more
Wanna Sing & Play the Harp?
Do you wanna Sing & Play Harp? I’m creating an “Sing & Play Harp” Online Course … and I want YOUR input! My name is Deborah Henson-Conant. I’ve been singing & playing all my life: first with ukulele, guitar and piano – and then with harp. I’ve... read more
we fear … yet we could love
The thing I hear most from people about what holds them back is “fear.” We know what we long to do and we fear doing it. And that fear becomes a habit. A habit that’s lodged in our bodies and in our minds. A loop of thought and feeling that becomes so solid we... read more
The Cat Food Fight (I’m losing)
I recently made a list of the areas in my life where I’m not living a life I totally love. There are 24 of them. One is dealing with the back-end administration of creative projects. Another is romance. And then there’s the the food fight between my two... read more
Feedback is IN. Are YOU? (Strings of Passion)
This is an archive post ~ originally published Jan. 13, 2017 and updated in 2019 My 10-Week creativity program “Strings of Passion” is the first course of 2019 at Hip Harp Academy. I compiled this student feedback a couple years ago, after week three, from posts in ... read more
FREE Warm-Ups from “Strings of Passion” (2019)
“Strings of Passion,” a 10-Week program of creative discovery at Hip Harp Academy, starts this week, and there’s still time to join!!! Want to get a sneak peek at the classroom? Here are 3 FREE warm-up webinar REPLAYS! 1. What is Vision Music? Many people use a... read more
Strings of Passion Takeaways from Martha
This is an archive post ~ originally published Feb. 2, 2017 and updated in 2019 My 10-week program about creative expression, “Strings of Passion,” just started and still open for 2019 registration! I find myself so moved by what the members share about... read more
Exploration #4 ~ Playing with Structure (Strings of Passion)
This is an archive post ~ originally published Jan. 7, 2017 and updated in 2019 “You must always look for those strings in life because they are all around. The strings in the sugar water that will bring ideas to them, that will bring people to them, that will be the... read more
What are the Strings of Passion? Instant Replay! (2019)
Join Me for a FREE Creativity Training Webinar.GET the Instant Replay NOW! In this FREE Play-along WEBINAR you’ll learn the 7 Strings of Passion and how they enrich your life and your creative expression in every creative act you do. Get the INSTANT Replay... read more
Exploration #3 ~ Connecting to our Impulse (Strings of Passion)
This is an archive post ~ originally published Jan. 6, 2017 and updated in 2019 “The strings of passion – these seven principles – they’re not steps, they’re strings like the strings of our instrument. And there are seven, just like there... read more
Exploration #2 ~ Obstacle and Impulse (Strings of Passion)
This is an archive post ~ originally published in 2017 and updated Jan. 17, 2019 “Sometimes we lose the creative impulse because there are obstacles in our way. But it’s always there. It’s always there.” The quote above is from the following... read more
JOIN ME … Today … This Month … This Year
If you play the HARP … I invite you to JOIN ME for FOUR levels of creative expression! Starting right now! 1. Join me for the Instant Replay of Sunday’s FREE Play-Along Webinar Many people use a technique called Vision Boards to create a daily visual... read more
Exploration #1 ~ Where is the ‘Self’ in ‘Self-Expression’? (Strings of Passion)
This is an archive “Strings of Passion” post ~ originally published Jan. 1, 2017 and updated in 2019 I love to work with impassioned people. I love to learn from impassioned people,I love to talk to impassioned people,I love to play with impassioned... read more
