Hello dear readers and a Happy New Year from me! I sincerely hope 2022 will be a memorable year for us all, full to the brim with music. While reviewing the year, one thing became blatantly obvious to me and that was the lack of performances during 2021. I think that was the general consensus amongst us musicians as we twiddled our thumbs with dwindling hope for the ping of a text or an email notification inviting us to play. The upside to this is that I have cherished those rare performances that did go ahead like gold dust and those I played for were all the more memorable for their scarcity. It’s in our blood to entertain and to distract audiences from everyday life. If we can provide a means of escape for a couple of hours, then it’s job done. There’s no feeling quite like it.

My greatest hope for 2022 is that I will be able to offer my musical services on a broader scale, whether that’s for weddings, parties, events, solo performances, funerals or in my role as an educator, helping my students express themselves with our amazing instrument. Zoom is still a godsend and although it can be frustrating at times, I am lucky that I have that option. Sharing harps is tricky and I really miss my monthly teaching at Saltaire.

None of us are blessed with a crystal ball and who knows what lies ahead with COVID rules and regulations. Who am I to speculate on our situation 6 months from now? I have decided to grab 2022 by the G string and go about my music business in as normal a fashion as possible. I will be booking wedding fayres and announcing them as they arise so do keep an eye here as well as on my Instagram and Facebook pages. I’ve missed the friendly banter and meeting fellow wedding suppliers and hearing what they’ve been up to, so it’ll be great to get back in the swing of promotional events again.

First up is a wedding showcase at stunning Hodsock Priory, a venue I discovered last Summer when I played for Gemma and Matt’s extra special wedding. This venue is like something out of a fairytale and the wedding team were just brilliant. If you want to come and listen and have a chat about the music I have to offer here are the details:

Beautiful isn’t it? I’ve been learning lots of new background repertoire and I’m keen to share that with you so do come along, say hello and tell me what tunes you’d love to hear on the harp. From Lana del Rey to Bruno Mars, via Ed Sheeran of course, I always do my best to accommodate your requests!

This Sunday I’m taking part in my first proper orchestral concert for 2 years! Orchestral playing is my passion but I’d like to share something - I’m absolutely terrified! Not so long ago, when I was playing with orchestras regularly, I would have thought nothing of this. None of the repertoire is particularly challenging and I’ve played most of the pieces before but I’m still worried. I just want to do the best job I can and ultimately, when the baton goes down in Bridlington at 2pm on Sunday, I know I’ll have just the right focus. I just have to trust the process! And BREATHE!

So there you go, Even seasoned professionals get pre-performance nerves. I will be focusing on the music, my breath and visualising everything going well and if I play my cards (notes?) right, I might even get a stroll on the beach but no Mr Whippy this time - it’s sugar free January for me!