Due to a mini-marathon taking place in the city with road closures I left a little earlier than I perhaps needed to get to the venue in good time. This meant getting up earlier than planned and after miscounting how many times I'd hit the snooze button I only had enough time for one very quick run through of Barcarolle before setting off. Not the best preparation but that had to do.
When I arrived I saw another harp being unloaded from a car then saw Robyn so we walked round to the music block together. We were directed into a room where numerous harps were being unpacked while Rohan tuned one at a time. Eventually all the harps for the first two classes were tuned and all were moved into the performance room. The first class was for Grade 1-2 players and we heard four performances, all very well prepared and while we waited for the adjudicator to sum up Robyn and I predicted who we thought would win. The adjudicator went briefly through each performer with at least one positive comment and one thing to think about in the future.
We then went straight onto my class, for Grade 3-4 harpists. The first competitor played one of the grade 3 pieces, Alpine Waltz, very well. I did try this one a while ago and found the short glissandi quite tricky and she pulled them off beautifully. I was up next and waited patiently for what seemed like ages as the examiner finished writing the previous report. I felt a little nervous but not as much as I thought I might do. I was aware it was an unusual setting but relaxed into the piece which felt better as it went along. I did hit a few wrong notes but managed to keep going. The next player performed O'er the Sea to Skye. It was another good performance. The adjudicator went through comments and suggestions which included more dynamic contrast in Alpine Waltz and making sure that the middle section is as well learned as the beginning section for O'er the Sea to Skye. To me he said that because a barcarolle is a song I should imagine myself singing while accompanying with the harp. That way I might put a few more 'breathing' spaces into the music. It was a good point and one I have to think about on the clarinet, because I have to breathe, but had not considered this with the harp. He read out the marks and because mine was the highest I was the winner! It was very close though and I am sure my fellow competitors will go on to have successes in the future. After a break we heard the Grade 5-6 and 7-8 category. Most played on pedal harps but there was a lever harp in each class so it was good to see what was possible on the instrument at those higher levels. I look forward to being allowed to try 'New Blue' by Deborah Henson-Conant which had a great section written to sound like a walking bass line. The morning finished with the ensemble class. Two harp duets and a flute and harp duet gave really impressive performances.
Rohan has the manouvering of harps down to a fine art and at one point we were running 15 minutes early, very rare for a festival. She is the master of organisation and huge thanks to her for her initial arm-twisting and being there on the day helping things run smoothly.
The adjudicator was friendly and encouraging and during one of the breaks told us that he knew very little about the harp (just in case we were wondering what his qualification to talk about the harp was) but as an organist he understands how much goes into a performance, by that he meant the technical challenges of getting the right notes, changing levers, moving pedals, often with both feet. While different parts of the body are moving just one thing should come from the body and that is the music. If he shut his eyes he should not be aware of the technical difficulties the player might be experiencing. He did say he was now thinking about taking up the harp... with Rohan!
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