tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373557832024-02-28T05:18:12.747-08:00Winter HarpUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-90656123445571622662011-12-23T10:48:00.001-08:002011-12-23T10:48:51.434-08:00Thank You from Winter Harp<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrYezeFQ6RdDFD23MVHeVF257amJ59A_qxzEtG3upW9X2QgNsvDQjodKyavCNWsIFMq6Onc4eZsSXPoljeja4wvDw5y5FYCahq_Y5vt6FikM61AuUz2QXrIMiJtVSWc92EKcq/" target="_blank" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrYezeFQ6RdDFD23MVHeVF257amJ59A_qxzEtG3upW9X2QgNsvDQjodKyavCNWsIFMq6Onc4eZsSXPoljeja4wvDw5y5FYCahq_Y5vt6FikM61AuUz2QXrIMiJtVSWc92EKcq/s500/IMAGE_4BBDE754-5480-4585-8A6A-97ACDD9B4D17.JPG" id="blogsy-1324666095141.6775" class="alignleft" alt="" width="265" height="379"></a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">At one of our concerts a woman remarked to her friend: “When we go to sleep tonight, we’ll have Winter Harp’s magical music dancing in our dreams.”</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">And so it should be. Magical music should dance in our dreams and in our lives day and night. And ‘magical music’ can be a smile passed to a stranger, a hearty laugh with a friend, a kind act to one in need.</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">2011 is almost over. It is poised to be swept into the past. And it takes with it the joys and sorrows that it brought. What heart has no cares? What soul no sorrows? Life has its ups and downs and through it all time ticks on. Adorable babies are born into our families. Loved ones pass away. Friends come and go.</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Today the sun shines and the mountains are draped in snow. As I gaze upon them I wonder at the beauty of our world -- such a precious home in which we live.</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Yes, life ticks on, but know that around you, in the crisp winter air, in the snow-covered trees, in the smiles and laughter of others -- there is magical music. Hold it in your heart. Let it dance in your dreams.</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for inspiring us. Without you, Winter Harp and its music would not exist. We thank you from the very bottom of our hearts.</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">And now, may the beauty and holiness of the season rest with peace upon your soul.</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">And may the New Year bring you much health, joy and contentment.</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 17px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Lori Pappajohn</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Winter Harp Director</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"><br></span></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgPHFGwCYJk5IxZMTsZz6B7_8a6J0QNH-a5tmf5ooV5qsRaC_7a1kgJana7J42v52hkEK3yO1LPY02kQONCmdaIS6CEQv7kAjhly41wM1iwuKu5m9TyCQJ4bhdgCXh-Q0vC2h/" target="_blank" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgPHFGwCYJk5IxZMTsZz6B7_8a6J0QNH-a5tmf5ooV5qsRaC_7a1kgJana7J42v52hkEK3yO1LPY02kQONCmdaIS6CEQv7kAjhly41wM1iwuKu5m9TyCQJ4bhdgCXh-Q0vC2h/s500/IMAGE_36C93D6B-14C4-4FBF-AF2A-25F012DAA605.JPG" id="blogsy-1324666095139.1355" class="clearleft" alt="" width="291" height="512"></a></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; "><br></span></div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-58140061372092110812011-12-17T09:15:00.001-08:002011-12-17T09:15:18.988-08:00DwayneHere is a photo of Dwayne Harder -- he's the man who makes Winter Harp sound so good. Dwayne is our sound man for our Lower Mainland concerts. He is the world's best sound man -- believe us!! Calm, cool, collect, knows exactly what we need in our monitors, and he has a great sense of humor.<br />Here he is at the Capilano University theatre just after our concert. Don't ask me how he knows what to do with all those buttons -- never mind the stack of electronic gear behind him.....<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/StExpeditus/IslandBlog?authkey=Gv1sRgCIm3noXow6Xj3gE#5687147088893086050'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSexx7m0JV_y3FTRZXgwD0V0AQB3460P05Ldk0uWKYqvvI9srqea6ANuUSwuvqRg7SDpVgUfmEie7xtZNAQfmmfzNSJL6ILCtF4br6_hxZ_MOktNr8_jYc_ivbB2ZK1CdM6CVd/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-65079101078076767622011-12-17T09:12:00.001-08:002011-12-17T09:12:06.011-08:00EstherOur classical harpist Esther Cannon is a smart cookie. When she's waiting to go on stage she's doing this Rubic's Cube which is some 15 times harder than the usual one -- note how many squares it has! And yes, she completes it pretty quickly.<br /><br />Esther recently won the concerto competition at Trinity College. That means a harp concerto will be written specifically for her. Now that's cool.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/StExpeditus/IslandBlog?authkey=Gv1sRgCIm3noXow6Xj3gE#5687146260060382786'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJI9TPYG3PqN_TDPWX2UbopBtQjYH6vLZB1hsxroJthOFAZ8UFth6L2D9QV2lEDxhCPDxpt_Eo_nv8Q3XPVQszHhWMT57Q7MtnKj64WFVu4l2nK5O7u6yKfIUXN3DQcppF3UvT/s288/0.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='275' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-82593326590332349312011-12-13T16:20:00.001-08:002011-12-17T10:44:55.525-08:00The Tour of the Island<blockquote type="cite"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal">The tour of Vancouver Island went phenomenally well this year, thanks to a bit of help from Mother Nature; I recall having to drive the three hours from Courtney to Victoria during a blizzard a few years ago. The flakes were as big as oranges, and I passed many spun-out vehicles along the highway. </span><br /></p><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" title="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_SqxPhmqbOFx5BWoY5gqk8giDfT7X-ZVf4O08DqfCTDoDts82Ar7M8OGiIFChCx18i65HEdgkUsw0Ho58UA439dNW1Qsphtf0sCF8S5CPPsDBlozYRFdWcSH64UrA4LC30Jv/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852987.0088" class="aligncenter" alt="Test" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_SqxPhmqbOFx5BWoY5gqk8giDfT7X-ZVf4O08DqfCTDoDts82Ar7M8OGiIFChCx18i65HEdgkUsw0Ho58UA439dNW1Qsphtf0sCF8S5CPPsDBlozYRFdWcSH64UrA4LC30Jv/s500/IMG_0051.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><span style="font-size:78%;">How to pack a van for a tour.</span></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">The ferry ride was a pleasure, and coming into Nanaimo is always a bit exciting for me, since I know the local waters around Departure Bay very well from having raced in Nanaimo's famous Bathtub Race for three years, and escorted tubers for many more years before that. The view up to the Winchelsea group of islands, the outer limit of the race, was spectacular and they stood out in the distance across the shimmering silvery waves.</span></span></p><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; FLOAT: right; CLEAR: right; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOo-bE4UwCB8XFjoJZCtQLjtfzjTxEC-yK3CXgtr-GGgN2qMDIoVmsLIXFcLnkOjDb7jxDF8xk6kGLwb_HamCxrDUat9wpyMv7_EmOjnwTE0vUb9j4cSPbMkzrm5de6OMo3PE/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852925.9695" class="alignright" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOo-bE4UwCB8XFjoJZCtQLjtfzjTxEC-yK3CXgtr-GGgN2qMDIoVmsLIXFcLnkOjDb7jxDF8xk6kGLwb_HamCxrDUat9wpyMv7_EmOjnwTE0vUb9j4cSPbMkzrm5de6OMo3PE/s500/IMG_0058.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">This year’s first stop was Courtenay, where we play at the Sid Williams Theatre. As the driver of the van with the largest amount of gear, it felt great pulling up to a venue where there were lots of eager theatre techs keen on giving me a hand to load in. The techs at the Sid Williams Theatre are consummate professionals, and after a brief sound check and running over a couple of numbers, we had the sound we needed in the house and through the monitors on stage. It is really quite a luxury which we take for granted, but having four separate monitor mixes on stage makes it much easier to follow what’s going on at the extreme end of the stage. Having professionals that know the venue and their equipment is also a joy. Working with happy, positive people is such a treat. Our backdrops are huge theatrical stage size affairs, and putting them up and lighting them properly are always a challenge in smaller theatres, but the crew went all out and did a great job. </span></span><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" title="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURX4lSSpCjy2fQm49IzWACXm6NqsT_PwXyAajWmjyLbHSRlHynOGpFZvfhSk8SShzH4zXM2TvjFK4n_l2UyaOZgvKB23eR7Ep0jDcOT_5nMofAsPFVk7_yobwoLTGwVNKEBF2/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852995.7136" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURX4lSSpCjy2fQm49IzWACXm6NqsT_PwXyAajWmjyLbHSRlHynOGpFZvfhSk8SShzH4zXM2TvjFK4n_l2UyaOZgvKB23eR7Ep0jDcOT_5nMofAsPFVk7_yobwoLTGwVNKEBF2/s500/IMG_0061.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><span style="font-size:78%;">Janelle and Roger discuss program notes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0b6029;"> </span></span></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">Joining us for the Island leg of the tour was Roger Helfrick, an amazing medieval vocalist and harpist. Roger’s talent and almost-encyclopedic knowledge of early music never ceases to amaze me, and it is always a pleasure getting to share the stage with him.</span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eBOwBOMpKnEnhgvri9z362t1wcBWOBEEgLcM6Vs1W6T56UJqx6y5LO49KfHvJhPDnp67iX6vp4Ph_6ZqN1uYgNGobKeKpP1hnulWeUdnr1tFYDr-tgUu-NDoxj74AeKL9UD5/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852920.206" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eBOwBOMpKnEnhgvri9z362t1wcBWOBEEgLcM6Vs1W6T56UJqx6y5LO49KfHvJhPDnp67iX6vp4Ph_6ZqN1uYgNGobKeKpP1hnulWeUdnr1tFYDr-tgUu-NDoxj74AeKL9UD5/s500/IMG_0064.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">After we were satisfied with the stage setup, we indulged in another Winter Harp tradition, dinner at Tita's Mexican Restaurant. Their hot and spicy tortilla soup really hits the spot on cold wintry nights.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">The sold-out house treated us to a long standing ovation, which means a great deal to us. Afterwards we went up to the lobby where they had set up tables for us to autograph our CD’s. As usual, the bar in the lobby puts together wonderful concoctions which they brand with our name. This year’s Winter Harp beverage was hot mulled cider with a shot of schnapps.</span></span></p></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">Afterwards, as is also our tradition, we unwound at the English style pub back at the hotel. The fireplace, dark panelling, and enormous high-back leather wing chairs you can disappear into, are the perfect place to unwind after the frenetic intensity of a stage performance. Tragically, their blender was broken, so my annual habit of drinking <span lang="EN">piña </span>coladas (the official drink of Puerto Rico since 1978 and Ernest Hemingway’s favourite beverage) while wearing a tropical shirt and sun glasses was interrupted. In any case, unlike other snow and ice bound years, it was almost warm outside, so the rejuvenating quality of tropical drinks was not as essential: imbibing is strictly for medicinal reasons you understand. </span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">The next day, Friday, I awoke early, wolfed down some breakfast, and made my way to the theatre where the rest of the ensemble gave me a much appreciated hand loading up the van, and I made my way to the Port Theatre in Nanaimo to leave the back-drops so they could get them installed and lit for our shows on Saturday. After that I drove to Victoria just in time to bring the folding percussion riser so Lauri Lyster could get her space organized on stage. Our promoter in Victoria, Colin, had everything ready, and our sound man almost immediately started patching us into his system. The Alex Goolden Performance Hall is a fantastic late Victorian space, something almost out of Harry Potter.</span></span></p><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmZYqeL-CNeTIhfHx4dqd-sz67ettA2DkCADkjHQ3FB2yACKnYI51KW71f0Y5PnpFSK06XjwAlgCH36DL0-Fs2JSZkJlJii0XyIk-YlMBx2Xb3OIUl5ISqlho_DVQUU7d8S62/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852929.7515" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmZYqeL-CNeTIhfHx4dqd-sz67ettA2DkCADkjHQ3FB2yACKnYI51KW71f0Y5PnpFSK06XjwAlgCH36DL0-Fs2JSZkJlJii0XyIk-YlMBx2Xb3OIUl5ISqlho_DVQUU7d8S62/s500/IMG_0069.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" title="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0ohdoxZFqnRk0G8ZCL5ochT-4bl568lG1nla9WBgMyZC8ImeGbUnDTXquGaXzyl-sQ364tyFH-lrWVWq093Pdn3Eh28I5xxRvOVDccBJyuAgS5WpLV5Jc4smvD1cBGaoOU6U/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822853000.9314" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0ohdoxZFqnRk0G8ZCL5ochT-4bl568lG1nla9WBgMyZC8ImeGbUnDTXquGaXzyl-sQ364tyFH-lrWVWq093Pdn3Eh28I5xxRvOVDccBJyuAgS5WpLV5Jc4smvD1cBGaoOU6U/s500/IMG_0086.JPG" width="500" height="890" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0b6029;"> </span></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; FLOAT: right; CLEAR: right; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvuzIpPRmUPbHSQySLZ0pEVPwjrv8F1QXTaC3fWCay1NWOo63gu1mQV9WkmFjU6dLL38_hGhfPHT-AQKQIl4vvIYGrk4gFhNRBgfZAF-9swBR5FufISZwrQHaxob6vNavMmIk/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852950.773" class="alignright" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvuzIpPRmUPbHSQySLZ0pEVPwjrv8F1QXTaC3fWCay1NWOo63gu1mQV9WkmFjU6dLL38_hGhfPHT-AQKQIl4vvIYGrk4gFhNRBgfZAF-9swBR5FufISZwrQHaxob6vNavMmIk/s500/IMG_0082.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">The interior of this former church is mostly sonically bright surfaces, stone, lath and plaster, wood, stained glass, thus extremely acoustically alive, with the enormous natural reverb these old Victorian halls are famous for, so setting up the sound levels is always a challenge. Too much amplification and the entire show becomes one enormous muddy mess. Too little boost and some instruments, such as the drums, block out the softer instruments, such as the harps, and an unplugged show becomes a rock concert. After some trial and error, we arrived at a happy medium, which is always at best an educated guess because a hall will always be acoustically very different once 600 people are seated.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">After a quick bite to eat, we put on our costumes and hit the stage. There is a ritual in getting dressed too as this picture demonstrates.</span></p></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0q7TIKcE2rThRanhY_v9n5KFPalT9r6fcRX_YjoBF1C90tBQAKO0eFTEwFkt9Zp71jkuWsUpUGrq5E_wjLd5GYmH3eoE3J-KAzBgZmecCUFCfSQJDkRZFtKUxke9zjwYr7KrN/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852963.9988" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0q7TIKcE2rThRanhY_v9n5KFPalT9r6fcRX_YjoBF1C90tBQAKO0eFTEwFkt9Zp71jkuWsUpUGrq5E_wjLd5GYmH3eoE3J-KAzBgZmecCUFCfSQJDkRZFtKUxke9zjwYr7KrN/s500/IMG_0092.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">The show went really well, and the sound was crystal clear. As much as I like performing in theatres with mist effects, dramatic lighting, and mobile scenery, playing in a beautiful old Victorian church has a different feeling, almost making it all about the material, and the words, rather like an orchestral recital of an opera. There is an almost Baroque quality to it. We received a warm heart-felt standing ovation from the near capacity audience, the whole evening being deeply magical.</span></span></p></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">Victoria has always been one of my favourite places to play, and I always feel that I never have enough time to walk around familiar haunts during the tour. During the year, there is always an excuse not to visit the provincial capital, and it’s one of those things that may require an addendum to the list of yearly resolutions: visit Victoria more often.</span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; FLOAT: right; CLEAR: right; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36uqQbLOE1gJFwgoAQobE_KddyRQ5_p2MXwzA8u3sg7LYch2qwKSwFQSQEtOciwRvykTCQ7NhiQ12HGkZW8g3Tr4ISWvGyGtxRmCZtuMwSc2YSW1BEwhhODmfBqGwItggLG-Q/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852950.565" class="alignright" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36uqQbLOE1gJFwgoAQobE_KddyRQ5_p2MXwzA8u3sg7LYch2qwKSwFQSQEtOciwRvykTCQ7NhiQ12HGkZW8g3Tr4ISWvGyGtxRmCZtuMwSc2YSW1BEwhhODmfBqGwItggLG-Q/s500/IMG_0108.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">The next day, we repacked our gear and drove up to Nanaimo. It was a pleasant day, and again, almost perfect driving weather. Compared to Victoria, our show in Nanaimo is a theatrical production with big sound and elaborate lighting. The Port Theatre is one of the most technologically up-to-date venues we play, and the sound and light technicians always do an outstanding job. The enormous stage also allows us lots of room to spread out and not feel like we're playing on top of each other. As time is tight, we have out meals catered by the always excellent <a href="http://themoderncafe.ca/">Modern Cafe</a>. Extra, extra points and special mention of their Bengal Curry pasta dish. Wow! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">As is my custom, I do a pre-concert talk about the instruments and the ensemble in general, and this year I had the good fortune of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">having Patrick Ball explain the origins of the metal strung harp, and Jeff Pelletier talked about his flutes. Afterwards someone from the audience asked about the cost of our instruments, which is something I’d never really considered: it turns out that the combined value of our gear is about the same as the price of a house almost anywhere in British Columbia (except the Lower Mainland).</span></span></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTUvCSMc1A5wc1tO8bRQxNHO48rE_0OAagNC4zGwDcCDWwSavL9YH0yv-E1NlGhdtCAaaFm7-LoGtmqrHsf8MgEHi4EPB1Wvo9LAz0rE0oeReg3YV0Ynj78nKSGcTpWbwCtyv/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852918.651" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTUvCSMc1A5wc1tO8bRQxNHO48rE_0OAagNC4zGwDcCDWwSavL9YH0yv-E1NlGhdtCAaaFm7-LoGtmqrHsf8MgEHi4EPB1Wvo9LAz0rE0oeReg3YV0Ynj78nKSGcTpWbwCtyv/s500/IMG_0110.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">As is also another of our traditions, we had an after-concert night-cap at the elegant Minnows bar and lounge at the Coast Bastion, one of our favourite hotels of the whole tour. Breaking yet another annual tradition, they had run out of <span lang="EN">piña </span>colada mix, a disaster for me, but the resourceful bar tender whipped up some fruity concoction with bananas and tropical fruit, so I managed to get my fix of essential cold-dispelling vitamins: strictly for medicine reasons you understand. Apparently having a night-cap at the hotel is also an annual tradition of many audience members, because we almost received a second standing ovation when we entered the lounge, despite being out of costume.</span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">The rooms at the Coast Bastion are spa-like and very relaxing, and I always look forward to coming back for Bathtub Racing weekend, when the whole town is in a great celebratory mood. Nanaimo is a city with heart.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0b6029;"> </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span">After a high quality sleep, I had a great breakfast nearby, and proceeded to load up the van for the final Island concert in Duncan. The lighting in Winter Harp shows is critical, and it takes almost as much careful seeing as careful listening to appreciate the subtlety of some of the effects. This takes quite some time to set up and it is a testament to lighting technicians who “get it” and set up the appropriate mood to match the music. </span></span></p><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPn0CCrSfpGgfPnvRmHZMqwZQvtkV275wNhovh0pNTcYWrCD3Y2c-P1xHvR4VJ0iLiUTy4ya4uITrc-R7YeQHF383Sde7tT87QsMOkiijOfu67r-EJFp0qCcLtIxpKfteCrZf/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852958.6821" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPn0CCrSfpGgfPnvRmHZMqwZQvtkV275wNhovh0pNTcYWrCD3Y2c-P1xHvR4VJ0iLiUTy4ya4uITrc-R7YeQHF383Sde7tT87QsMOkiijOfu67r-EJFp0qCcLtIxpKfteCrZf/s500/IMG_0120.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" title="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaIiz5B6H8RskmelSOgNW8Q03SmBREnfumTcDWjESHxR-hT3Nzm68Bl4krGD_cAGkQ_HNGj03ApemX-EYxKj-GR2BaWZBZsDwxfENtj-Ab48MCgvMf_Tu35VwrWXsUtjXzquN/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852957.6465" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaIiz5B6H8RskmelSOgNW8Q03SmBREnfumTcDWjESHxR-hT3Nzm68Bl4krGD_cAGkQ_HNGj03ApemX-EYxKj-GR2BaWZBZsDwxfENtj-Ab48MCgvMf_Tu35VwrWXsUtjXzquN/s500/IMG_0121.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" title="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZCqKKpK4983tOi7g0IMd-c9w2mf2TvIykvLzcQocaNluWyAN9U-enHQ8DX7_PigMD3fpeFjz6DZ06hz_pV6fceEGRcnI9pboqX5h-ZsZ2OUgltEe16cH5oWEKu7coVTLYaqp/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852983.8025" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZCqKKpK4983tOi7g0IMd-c9w2mf2TvIykvLzcQocaNluWyAN9U-enHQ8DX7_PigMD3fpeFjz6DZ06hz_pV6fceEGRcnI9pboqX5h-ZsZ2OUgltEe16cH5oWEKu7coVTLYaqp/s500/IMG_0113.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal">Special thanks to all the technicians, volunteers and friends of Winter Harp for making this part of the tour so enjoyable. It’s a pleasure to come back year after year.</span></p></blockquote><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xmgBbdpAKcvrbHrGah-Rw8rdmpaFa3pgYWRtYhe7gw3m4rttBjnfI1YS1CFpb4bUrYYZxKVlwNvXSMtcRoDLWYucaY7FUJ2ZlMeq5M8JgeIkNCWt6LOeX2w5qRhWav_j4A7g/" target="_blank"><img id="blogsy-1323822852981.5574" class="aligncenter" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xmgBbdpAKcvrbHrGah-Rw8rdmpaFa3pgYWRtYhe7gw3m4rttBjnfI1YS1CFpb4bUrYYZxKVlwNvXSMtcRoDLWYucaY7FUJ2ZlMeq5M8JgeIkNCWt6LOeX2w5qRhWav_j4A7g/s500/IMG_0119.JPG" width="500" height="281" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-79228402602069966382011-12-07T08:08:00.000-08:002011-12-07T10:17:52.609-08:00Concert with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPkovSyqSrJ8jCTPsYzFpqrBJRQygDh5DiuEKyUC0EEDwp7uw9-q3aFyzFDjq16ZP8eOj3FmqHZp1lUF2ErJeitikrP6R7nbFXbFsxdjUa_3i25b1L_sRAX9gEc4yaTknWrAN/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683448796227949970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPkovSyqSrJ8jCTPsYzFpqrBJRQygDh5DiuEKyUC0EEDwp7uw9-q3aFyzFDjq16ZP8eOj3FmqHZp1lUF2ErJeitikrP6R7nbFXbFsxdjUa_3i25b1L_sRAX9gEc4yaTknWrAN/s400/IMG_0003.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> Here we are warming up --up can see the risers where the choir will stand</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><span style="font-size:78%;"></div></span><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:180%;"><strong>Concert with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir</strong></span></div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;"></span></div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">by Lori Pappajohn</span></div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">If you’d visited the dressing rooms prior to our concert with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir in New Westminster Dec. 4, you would have seen something a bit different -- a massage table.</span></div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">Our harpist Janelle needed some delicate neck work, so our registered massage therapist Annette Johnston was working her magic. Annette is an amazing healer and over the years has helped many a Winter Harp performer who has been ill. A number of years ago one performer was so ill she almost fainted. But after Annette worked on her for 20 minutes she was energized enough to play the concert.</span><br /></div><br /><div align="left"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">Annette was the official masseuse of a famous American rock band. She toured with them on their bus through the US. And once, when they were in Europe, they were so desperate for her that they gave her one day’s notice to get on a plane -- and they flew her first class all the way to Germany.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">Annette Johnston works out of the Sixth Street Wellness Clinic in Burnaby. So if you are looking for an excellent registered massage therapist -- she’s your gal. (By the way, the two chiropractors she shares the clinic with work on some of North America’s top hockey players and Olympic athletes.)</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">But back to the concert. We had so much fun performing with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir. There’s nothing like playing your harp right in front of 80 men singing their hearts out. And such power. You should have heard them on our fun song Christmas Comes But Once a Year. The Irish song urges one to put their cares aside on Christmas and eat, drink and be merry -- for Christmas comes but once a year.</span></div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">I must say that song was particularly jolly with all those men singing the fun verses such as: <em>“Pass the goose around the table; now is the time to spread good cheer. Put all cares for tomorrow; Christmas comes but once a year.”</em></span><em><br /></div></em><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">The concert with the choir always seems to fly by. Before we knew it, it was over and we were saying our good-byes to the 80 men -- that takes a while! Every singer deserves a hug!</span><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683449478665853922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC19QmTdhH5BPD4bfMAwx-rPNvWaN-RbzSRwyYofsJxRAaJl87QUk7XmMgTLZV6vcXmTdiPF1F9WU3i9xxtpoVSh58u1zH5gg2dX_PvgPTtzv9OzHinJKhXnVyRtO2pAYFT_Yz/s400/IMG_0021.JPG" /> <br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">About 1/2 the choir is in this photo.</span></p><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:100%;">There were close to 1,000 people at the concert, which pretty much packed the theatre out. There was even a couple of people who came over from Vancouver Island especially for this concert. And they plan to see Winter Harp again when it goes to Nanaimo!</span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><span style="LETTER-SPACING: 0px"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left"><br /></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-9971595603889196822011-12-06T00:39:00.001-08:002011-12-06T10:08:00.064-08:00WinnipegWinnipeg is always a fabulous event, and much of this is thanks to the tireless work of Janelle's wonderful parents who treat us like rock stars. We are shuttled from the airport in a limousine, have an amazing relaxing stay at the <a href="http://www.innforks.com/">Inn at the Forks</a>, a world class resort/spa hotel, and the group dinner this year was incredible.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/06/75.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 5px" border="0" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/06/s_75.jpg" width="281" height="210" /></a></center><br />We had a limousine ride to <a href="http://www.hermanos.ca/">Hermanos</a>, a Uruguayan restaurant which is over-the-top wonderful. There is definitely a Latin-American vibe to the place, and Janelle's parents Brian and Rachelle had made special arrangements with the owner to have an elaborate all-you-can-snarf barbecue, with amazing creamy mash potatoes, three different types of salad, wonderfully moist and strong garlic bread, and heaps of sausage, pork, chicken, and beef, done on a coal grill by an expert in the art of the barbecue from Brazil. All of this was washed down with brilliant Chilean reds, and finished with outrageous chocolate and cheesecake desserts.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/06/76.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 5px" border="0" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/06/s_76.jpg" width="281" height="210" /></a></center><br />Janelle met up with an old friend:<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/06/77.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 5px" border="0" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/06/s_77.jpg" width="281" height="210" /></a></center><br />Back at the hotel we all turned in for the evening, it having been a day of some energy expenditure. To paraphrase a line from one of our past readings, "<em>we slept like slumbering wintering bears. Twas noon before we came downstairs."</em> This was literally true in almost every case.<br /><br />As for me, I had a leisurely morning, consolidating some luggage, having a very late lunch, and writing heaps of emails.<br /><br />We arrived at the theatre at 3:30 p.m., and fortunately Brian had the foresight to have our instruments brought to the stage the day before, so everything was well acclimatized at this point, and tuning issues were minimized. I can't speak highly enough about the crew at The <a href="http://www.pantagesplayhouse.com/">Pantages Theatre</a>, a stately edifice from the turn of the century which is very reminiscent of Vancouver's opulent Orpheum Theatre. There is a peculiarity to these old theaters; the acoustics are invariably excellent, and the sightlines for this near sold-out audience are also very good; there are few bad seats. Clearly something has been lost in the art of theatre design, not to mention decoration. The gilded columns, painted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and elegant lobby belies the fact that this is a very state-of-the-art theatre, with excellent sound, lighting, and fly technology.<br /><br />Special thanks to our sound and light men, Gary and Bernie, who make us shine and sing on stage, literally. The boisterous standing ovation we received at the end of the concert also belongs to the masters of sound and light at this majestic theatre!<br /><br />The flight home the next day was by way of Calgary, where we had a two hour stop over. With the expert tutelage of Jeff, Laurie and Janelle I learned a new skill; the art of playing cribbage! This may well become the official pass time of Winter Harp lay-overs and pre-concert Green Room waits. There is a bit of irony in playing with a deck of cards that includes images of people in costumes similar to what we wear on stage.<br /><br /><br />- Posted from my iPadUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-78245572478784005562011-12-05T20:40:00.001-08:002011-12-05T20:43:17.580-08:00Spruce Grove<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Alberta</span></div><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3177.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3177.jpg" border="0" width="281" height="210" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br />The prairie leg of our tour started off with a quick flight to Edmonton. Flying with heaps of baggage is always challenging, but kudos to the friendly people at WestJet Airlines who put up with our wild eccentricities. The odd shape of our instrument travel cases always causes raised eyebrows and much curiosity from both fellow passengers and baggage handlers. The fact that everything is oversized leads to many conversations about flying with harps and medieval instruments. As they are passed through the large format X-ray machines, the checkers often comment on the ornate shapes and geometry of the instruments: it's not everyday that they see an X-ray of a harp, much less a nyckelharpa, or a psaltery. <br /><br />The second obstacle in traveling with such a bewildering arsenal of instruments is getting them back at the other end once we land. This year, just for variety, the roll-up door of the over-size baggage area clamped down on the psaltery case, and no amount of pushing or shoving allowed us to free it.<br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3178.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3178.jpg" border="0" width="210" height="281" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br />Arranging the two rental vans onto which we loaded our luggage was also an event. The rental company had only set up two days before, and their software had just been installed, so naturally our reservations were not in the system (why would they be!) despite my having reservation reference numbers, etc. Nevertheless, we always try to leave extra time for just such an occasion, so we eventually sorted it out and made it to the theatre in good time. <br /><br />The Royal Inn Hotel in Spruce Grove, Alberta still has an autographed concert poster from when we played and stayed here in 2007, and despite the fact that four years had passed, the neighborhood and shops around the hotel felt familiar, and we quickly settled in. <br /><br />Both shows at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove were sold out, or very nearly so, and again, the excellent technical support of both the sound and lighting techs was very much appreciated. The managers looked after us well, with all sorts of treats in the green room, and the theatre let us pack in early. Our sound people had us set up and sound checked quickly and efficiently. Horizon Stage is an intimate setting of just 318 seats (which is why we play two shows), and the semi-circular arrangement of the seats makes it almost feel like playing in someone's living room. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3179.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3179.jpg" border="0" width="281" height="210" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br />As is always the case when traveling between Vancouver and the Prairies, the fact that humidity in the Lower Mainland is typically somewhere between 90 and 100% (essentially we live underwater) compared to the 10-20% of the Prairies wreaks havoc with the stability of the tuning of our instruments. Wooden instruments shrink, pads on flutes dry out, and gut strings tighten. We always spend a great deal of time tuning before the show, and we like to acclimatize the instruments for as long as possible, with many tunings in between. The shows went well, and we had standing ovations both evenings. It's really a great venue, and we enjoy playing here tremendously. <br /><br /><br />- Posted from my iPadUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-50553471158210517642011-12-05T20:14:00.001-08:002011-12-05T20:15:30.931-08:00SecheltThe Winter Harp touring season started out peacefully this year, saved as we were from the customary snow storm which often greets our first concert, and the extra last minute change in plans which this often entails. Patrick Ball, our harper/narrator and I spent a wonderful evening at our good friend Maureen's, who had her granddaughter April visiting. April, like Maureen, is also a harpist -- so we had 3 harpists all under one roof. One of the highlights of our trip to the Sunshine Coast is a visit to Maureen's wonderful home and visiting with her Cairn terriers. This year a triumvirate of furry faces greeted us as we settled in for the night, and as always we were left completely dogged out. Cairns are remarkable dogs, and rate very high in cuddliness on the doggy affection index. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3128.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3128.jpg" border="0" width="281" height="210" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3129.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3129.jpg" border="0" width="281" height="210" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br />The drive to the theatre was unremarkable this year; we have battled through snow drifts in the past. The marquee at the venue, which doubles as a movie theatre, paired us up with the latest installment of the Twilight franchise; stranger combinations have occured in our past: sharing a theatre with the rapper Snoop-Dogg comes to mind. The theatre let us pack in early and our sound people had us set up and checked quickly and efficiently. It always feels reassuring getting back into the swing of concerts, the entire ritual of the green rooms, changing, pulling pranks, and the friendly banter before a show.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3130.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3130.jpg" border="0" width="281" height="210" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3131.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3131.jpg" border="0" width="210" height="281" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br />Aside from some initial technical problems with the stage monitors, the sold out capacity show went very well. We had our first standing ovation of the season, which is always warmly received. Also when we were headed back to Vancouver on the ferry, seated in the cafeteria eating, several fans came up to us and thanked us for the great concert. One couple had come from Vancouver specifically to see us in Sechelt. They'd seen Winter Harp each year in a different venue, but they'd never seen Winter Harp in Sechelt before -- so they made the journey by ferry across Howe Sound to the Sunshine Coast.<br />A great start!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/12/05/3132.jpg"><img src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/12/05/s_3132.jpg" border="0" width="281" height="210" style="margin:5px" /></a></center><br />- Posted using BlogPress on my iPadUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-66279953306199743462010-12-07T11:33:00.000-08:002010-12-07T11:34:37.169-08:00Emails From Fans<strong>We love getting emails from you -- and here's a real keeper:<br /></strong><br /><em>"Being the rock & roll kind of guy that I am, my girlfriend had to drag me kicking and screaming to your troupe's recent performance here in Winnipeg. At the time, I could have named a half dozen things (shovelling the sidewalk, clipping my dog's toenails, etc) I would rather be doing than being locked in a downtown theatre for two hours listening to fairy music. Three days later it would be impossible for me to shower you and your Winter Harp troupe with any more deserving accolades than you've already received. Suffice to say your harp playing left my knees weak and my mind spell-bound. Never have I experienced such visual grace coupled with such strength and finesse."</em><br /><br /><em> -- Ken in Winnipeg</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-14130119708696782582009-12-23T15:46:00.000-08:002009-12-23T15:57:40.240-08:00A Time of Dreaming<div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7REcTRdx0isQbaKIEmruT9C57pKUl38elQ0N70XMXjfkKbKeHpQFBLwRJpjb5hPbAoWa-FBhlX6TFLaCTH0d6Ur29z3nybpgIeh6FkwZ2LF2XCKz7UPeq9fzMUb-xLQO0eS7/s1600-h/winterhol1_card_lantern.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 265px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 379px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418584010624139698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7REcTRdx0isQbaKIEmruT9C57pKUl38elQ0N70XMXjfkKbKeHpQFBLwRJpjb5hPbAoWa-FBhlX6TFLaCTH0d6Ur29z3nybpgIeh6FkwZ2LF2XCKz7UPeq9fzMUb-xLQO0eS7/s400/winterhol1_card_lantern.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>T</strong></span>hey say Christmas is a time for dreaming -- a time when hope meets disappointment, when laughter meets tears, when all that we have done in the year is behind us, and our path for the New Year lies open and untrodden before us. Yes, Christmas is a time for dreaming. </div><div align="left"> </div><span style="font-size:78%;"><div align="left"><br /></span><strong>W</strong>e want to take this opportunity to thank you -- all of you whom we have seen during our winter concert tour. Thank you for coming to our concerts, for dreaming with us, for laughing with us, for celebrating, for being part of Winter Harp and the memories and joys of stories and music. </div><div align="left"> </div><span style="font-size:78%;"><div align="left"><br /></span><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">C</span></strong>hristmas is a time for dreaming -- may all your dreams come true. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><em><em>Lori Pappajohn<br />Winter Harp Director</em></em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-16206819482309645252009-12-23T13:32:00.000-08:002009-12-24T15:27:39.909-08:00Behind the Scenes @ Winter Harp<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8MVWII25gTCM4wB1peohSbdHTgDH09EdGb1ja8HdBvGwq1-6XhLearhC3gPwvc7YLoLR9Y9dj99hN6KKkzj6J2XyR_q7CxLoq0m5BCYISg90kNZPeg-sOo2EccwaHRHRfCgJ/s1600-h/CIMG8263.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418570323996019506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8MVWII25gTCM4wB1peohSbdHTgDH09EdGb1ja8HdBvGwq1-6XhLearhC3gPwvc7YLoLR9Y9dj99hN6KKkzj6J2XyR_q7CxLoq0m5BCYISg90kNZPeg-sOo2EccwaHRHRfCgJ/s400/CIMG8263.JPG" /></a> <div align="justify">The shows in Nanaimo, North Vancouver and Maple Ridge this year were overseen by our lighting and effects tech Roger. Our sound engineer Dwayne manages every aspect of our sound in New Westminster, North Vancouver, Vancouver and Maple Ridge. Having consistent sound and lighting is such a great relief, and these unsung members of the Winter Harp ensemble deserve a great deal of credit for the look, feel and sound of our shows.<br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEIgr_fo0FiQFglB5XcRQLsp_IcFiNiWiqvny3j4ZNwM4nWN3um9kBb_5oLVSIcPUjj5vW9OZCfUo8n0CUZJdfTQsC6XrJ8fc6hGPB6aXldN4NiWGazXeFveoX8G7ufGRXTGT/s1600-h/CIMG8238.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418566128144875410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEIgr_fo0FiQFglB5XcRQLsp_IcFiNiWiqvny3j4ZNwM4nWN3um9kBb_5oLVSIcPUjj5vW9OZCfUo8n0CUZJdfTQsC6XrJ8fc6hGPB6aXldN4NiWGazXeFveoX8G7ufGRXTGT/s400/CIMG8238.JPG" /></a> During the set up for the North Vancouver show we discovered that there was a loose connection somewhere in the transducer built into the harp. Dwayne and the other sound techs and I quickly did some "open harp surgery" to remedy the problem, but just in case we also set up an acoustic microphone nearby. As it turned out, it was likely a patch cord issue and the problem never reoccurred after that sound check.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduk2KbtnD8C9uI52pcB5rxs28Hi27Z3KIpVAAQseCcHc7muYIhnZvZ8_DW0OXRITvgb63-5g0L0772gqc4vmO4d8Odw_6E8O1zQ52F52PqALwKoTYIuC7669uE4v3g6gXw21k/s1600-h/CIMG8211.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418563582720310354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduk2KbtnD8C9uI52pcB5rxs28Hi27Z3KIpVAAQseCcHc7muYIhnZvZ8_DW0OXRITvgb63-5g0L0772gqc4vmO4d8Odw_6E8O1zQ52F52PqALwKoTYIuC7669uE4v3g6gXw21k/s400/CIMG8211.JPG" /></a><br />Many years ago when we played to audiences of 100 or less, we would often play entirely acoustically. While historically correct, it also limited the venues which we could play in. As the show grew in size and scope, amplification become essential, though we always strive for a very natural acoustic sound. Having lots of microphones on stage is not ideal since they are too susceptible to being bumped and getting tripped over, and as the distance between a microphone and an instrument is critical, it limits movement on stage. Consequently, as much as possible the instruments have transducers built into them which transfers the vibrations of the sound into the mixing board and produces a very clean and consistent signal.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_OW2aSrStaq0puqe9BW_TEP-SUsWycugPiZiSuV9Y9fXX6hBQvlAagKIqHrWjqnV540Rbyl0eneHYQtpfJ5ybmwG2IQm-tEWxsI4sy5vocIKN0f4FTcoBOv4YmxyyubVV5KI/s1600-h/CIMG8146.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418563563149242674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_OW2aSrStaq0puqe9BW_TEP-SUsWycugPiZiSuV9Y9fXX6hBQvlAagKIqHrWjqnV540Rbyl0eneHYQtpfJ5ybmwG2IQm-tEWxsI4sy5vocIKN0f4FTcoBOv4YmxyyubVV5KI/s400/CIMG8146.JPG" /></a> <div align="justify">Long before we setup, Dwayne is busy checking connections and making sure everything works properly before we get a chance to play a single note or run a single song. Often we just show up, plug in, and play.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBermqhLDhehkUOjNsKcfz74bV4xE4Tf_ZC27ks7G-3VEulMZ5N4Zvqf7eQ-UmrTKuja2b4ciQahflhC_LqLp1mxROYqW1Tx_kNP97kK3xvU3tHc_5n5Rq8GZuZVF3y_HFvBFP/s1600-h/CIMG8226.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418564716821313858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBermqhLDhehkUOjNsKcfz74bV4xE4Tf_ZC27ks7G-3VEulMZ5N4Zvqf7eQ-UmrTKuja2b4ciQahflhC_LqLp1mxROYqW1Tx_kNP97kK3xvU3tHc_5n5Rq8GZuZVF3y_HFvBFP/s400/CIMG8226.JPG" /></a>Amplification requires monitors onstage, otherwise we can't hear ourselves as the sound is moving outwards into the audience and away from us, and that slight delay, though tiny, is enough to make it difficult for the musicians to actually hear their own instruments.<br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418563577033108146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iAwzuGb1_spmGnBNUx2aQN60ywtZBFXxu9D0R0PS_T1eu4KLXM14IFV04hNFCDP8f7W1THCLTldzDLEhenSKTM0fTagYvCblQUqsUBZFdERUjTwI9do991xJY0pgyDieC6Hs/s400/CIMG8155.JPG" /></div><div>Consequently, we need to adjust the monitors on stage so that we can hear ourselves, yet not influence the sound which is being broadcast into the house. Usually it's a matter of compromise, we don't want any drums in our mix - they are loud enough, but we do need the bass of the harps, since that is a much softer sound and gets quickly buried under vocals and other instruments. This all goes fairly quickly because we all know what we want and where, though minor tweaking is always required depending on the acoustics of the room itself.</div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418564730998349666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0wOJgFx6-oQi_W0IEaaO2hpnGoJgfJmNWla0RfmrdQUjPpZB5Xhg9bBPcWaqDUn1zp4vbb1HQQahRiPr6q4VlzF61NomIWXW4mI2WvLU7Z8Ui6_xTrJVve4ZoS3yrpPFiK39/s400/CIMG8235.JPG" /> During sound check we often play musical pranks. Mark is famous for playing the melody line of a song which we are about to play, but transposing it exactly a 1/2 tone up or down, which drives people with perfect pitch crazy but is hilarious nevertheless. Here he is with a couple of blobs of wax behind his glasses. </div><div><br />Vocal microphones are the last thing which are set up once we have the instruments and monitors up to level, since we like to establish where the music is going to be first before we layer that on top. Setting up for the loudest vocal and instrumental sections is quite often hilarious since we don't run an entire number. Here is Caroline giving Dwayne an impromptu max level.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418566116181302770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-jFoLnaquYG-t7regHp5OMOu0imLfjXQ2EHjyIjYooqqO2EjzmxKJLXNGoohIe-qILNLRXXqWl3UaE1Grm5eQbD0LVcXQ-CJuu5wEvL-iDY1tQhaaPQSVgnP3Y0qyBUpDbgu/s400/CIMG8236.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><div>This year I had a rare opportunity to actually go into the audience in one number where I play the symphonie to imitate a distant set of bagpipes from the back of the theatre. This little excursion is not without the possibility of amusing, if not disastrous consequences. Once when I disappeared backstage and made my way down an outside corridor to the front of the house, it never occurred to me to check whether all the doors I walked through could actually be opened on my return. As it turned out, one of them was a one way door- it locked behind me. After playing my number I quickly retraced my steps to discover, much to my horror, the locked door. There is only a very brief instrumental and narrative number before I play the opening chords for the next song on the psaltery. This was a disaster! I had to get back on stage now or else there would be an awkward silence. It occurred to me that the loading door in the back was likely still open. So I dashed outside from the front of the house, with ushers no doubt thinking I was quite mad, ran down the street in the pouring rain. Anyone walking or driving down the street that night probably wondered where someone carrying a symphonie and wearing a medieval outfit and a look of terror on his face was going in such a mad panic. I made it just in time and quite out of breath to slowly walk towards the psaltery as the last notes of the harp slowly rang off into space. Those people in the very front rows might have noticed that the shoulders of my tunic and my hair were wet, and the occasional drop of water fell off my hands. </div><div>The rest of the times this little trip mid-show went very smoothly and I even had the rare opportunity to take a photograph backstage during a song. </div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418566136537031394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pz__UU8qBXSIq7fHKDVqo4iTyFKFy7T24Ye3Kwyy9b0746EP2lETRe7MsDwtjIrkB9IRFm68SMFV8bFj-x3DZM8Ify3INX0qIGJtBfWWXarqwhruNWV4PmjuPrsVsS0zwkMc/s400/CIMG8258.JPG" />Another behind the scenes tradition which the members of Winter Harp enjoy at the end of the season is a celebratory dance. It never ceases to amaze me the other gigs which Winter Harp members have done - Janelle has played with Kanye West, Bruce has played traditional Chinese music, and Mark has played in a Mariachi band. It is the latter skill which we call upon to do our end of season happy dance. </div><div><br /></div><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyPjuaI4V6aZKxl5RYufRUztc3BfiEnvFQ2t0OvKgEdhHWGTkicbmJxZr6ZwSf2pnt1_XlgmkozbmM' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-49850234153578797772009-12-15T15:01:00.000-08:002009-12-24T15:36:57.126-08:00The Tour to Date<div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">This year's new line up of players in the Winter Harp ensemble received a crash course in touring. After an afternoon show in Gibsons Nov. 27, we flew to Winnipeg and played at the Pantages Theatre. Amazingly this year, the temperature was actually above freezing and there was not a trace of snow to be seen. After checking into our rooms, we loaded into the theatre for the concert the next day and had a brief rehearsal. As we ran over the show, snowflakes started to fall, and by the time we were done, the ground had a beautiful light dusting of snow. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><p align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415629905013286434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgE0O4bbtm6EXdQplNmYHRCvBJRo7aceoeCl7DdK4lBWRv2lT-KdrO75tvQN4g3TI2RqwgN1gtM7eMLktVE-u-C0wji6vdygbs4QMatztFeXPXQTZ4495LCZ79XUm4ifq3Xb-/s400/CIMG8027.JPG" />Later, we drove to Janelle's parent's grain farm just outside Winnipeg where Janelle had the opportunity to reunite with her pet cat. </p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415629918810631138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HBklGpsNfWGMruc2nZ3CYZyGxmbpbjQnyQlwucvhnAwOkF29r3sp-6FD3Lh6n6UtdQscU3FPOK0mABZhK4sP_DoNGwTXzsmv_lhAY9_byctTCKOhDSnpenw2wOUugytjgnGi/s400/CIMG8028.JPG" /> <p align="justify"><br /><br />We all had a fabulous dinner of light curry with rice and broccoli. Of particular interest was <a href="http://www.wedgefarms.com/">a new grain </a>which is grown in the prairies and which blended wonderfully with the basmati rice. It's little discoveries such as this which make touring so much fun. After dinner, we gathered round the fire and Winter Harp's narrator Ron Halder did a dramatic recitation of a heart warming and very funny piece of fiction which he had written. Afterwards we had a decadent chocolate cake for dessert, and Bruce and I entered into a joke competition; we each alternated telling jokes, and amidst all the laughter we quickly lost track of how late it was, so bidding everyone a fond goodnight we retraced our tracks back to Winnipeg and enjoyed the amenities of the first rate hotel.<br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN23yXIaM8iq2VTZ4KbIeJZ8GEKnG35IRBjnxCbUqtbl8D7gPcnZb0PGn7NLOtROYdvIrHPBgz8-xTmDH_-h37AMa3U1wm4vsjvru1kECZ-4NwPbdZ7sP3WYdZuuhvDe_eEFM/s1600-h/CIMG8030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415630956475158162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN23yXIaM8iq2VTZ4KbIeJZ8GEKnG35IRBjnxCbUqtbl8D7gPcnZb0PGn7NLOtROYdvIrHPBgz8-xTmDH_-h37AMa3U1wm4vsjvru1kECZ-4NwPbdZ7sP3WYdZuuhvDe_eEFM/s400/CIMG8030.JPG" /> <p align="justify"></a><br />The next day we arrived at the theatre early to get the sound and lights set up, and as always, the crew at the Pantages Theatre and Janelle's parents did a fabulous job creating a magical back drop for us to play against.<br /><br /></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKycYavrk0RGF_ynl6j761ZNBNjwdoae_QeTsIRofcvvpurT1ROYQsyOFrYilD6NYoqTyF_2ha53qui8RxS005tuiGO71xr11EYrgj3MXB-SjrgHjHOSwlyQqNDmWqeTCbqI8/s1600-h/CIMG8060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415632467236622402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKycYavrk0RGF_ynl6j761ZNBNjwdoae_QeTsIRofcvvpurT1ROYQsyOFrYilD6NYoqTyF_2ha53qui8RxS005tuiGO71xr11EYrgj3MXB-SjrgHjHOSwlyQqNDmWqeTCbqI8/s400/CIMG8060.JPG" /></a>We flew back to Vancouver and the next day Lori, Janelle and I rehearsed with the Vancouver Welshman's Choir in preparation for our show in New Westminster's Massey Theatre. Playing with the choir is always a treat -- 90 enthusiastic voices really adds a spectacular dimension to the show. In some cases just the humming of so many voices adds a beautiful rich depth to a piece which is transcendent. </p><p><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdF5TiWVkZ1f9rEHc-vj8CVwrJRk_WzXJ9Z10ezmnuZIj-WZRU688lg82Gszg-0V1EHa80ijzORVD1C5i7WM8qqsUYueqrBWCXmMqNjXrAopzSZ4cO9eII8-SW4Lf4RlMgWwA/s1600-h/CIMG8082.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 94px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415633494889120770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdF5TiWVkZ1f9rEHc-vj8CVwrJRk_WzXJ9Z10ezmnuZIj-WZRU688lg82Gszg-0V1EHa80ijzORVD1C5i7WM8qqsUYueqrBWCXmMqNjXrAopzSZ4cO9eII8-SW4Lf4RlMgWwA/s400/CIMG8082.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0-t3QHJf1aNdS3Cg5WZcCpNuAAm9Q0RYkvygWF3RJhf3YInmntaRg8bNizpHxRrfhQgPIpcLVU2EJXABmBHLk-MbIQ6snY58QLQBHA8NagHpLf7YP91Q50cT11z2zuLbaykL/s1600-h/CIMG8108.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415633486075658098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0-t3QHJf1aNdS3Cg5WZcCpNuAAm9Q0RYkvygWF3RJhf3YInmntaRg8bNizpHxRrfhQgPIpcLVU2EJXABmBHLk-MbIQ6snY58QLQBHA8NagHpLf7YP91Q50cT11z2zuLbaykL/s400/CIMG8108.JPG" /> <p align="justify"></a>A few days later was the start of the Vancouver Island tour. Packing all the gear for our shows is often a challenge, as well as doing the logistics of what goes in which van, and maintaining temperature and humidity control for the various instruments. Hats off to the Mazda corporation for their design of the Mazda 5, which is a hybrid of a passenger car/mini van, but amazingly will seat three people and carry a full sized concert harp, a Celtic harp, a harp dolly, and all the luggage for the three passengers. Here is a picture of how it all fits!<br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o4PVLuKcguBH7G1f7I8K9vBWXy6gqsQz0kUy_DobpV95qcjuyeG2SSHcHgSfU8HbtijPQ948vz3H6tpGU9R8UTtXthg9Iou5eXp3v3UwwD0YalM6C2CLGT68bic6pZ42J3xQ/s1600-h/CIMG8118.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415634753559617858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o4PVLuKcguBH7G1f7I8K9vBWXy6gqsQz0kUy_DobpV95qcjuyeG2SSHcHgSfU8HbtijPQ948vz3H6tpGU9R8UTtXthg9Iou5eXp3v3UwwD0YalM6C2CLGT68bic6pZ42J3xQ/s400/CIMG8118.JPG" /> <p align="justify"></a>We sailed to Nanaimo where I did a quick television interview, and off we went to Courtenay for two concerts. Courtenay is a really lovely town and the staff at the Sid Williams Theatre is very professional and always makes us feel welcome.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdnDXz5oZ9H-cYvbQCURdl7JGXCEsPgOgwQCWUP8Zt9IoVQNyRvZezm_gmaRz58kd4ayakMeJaYX9LZVcDjylpeGXztmcDMkVUq1F5NezE6fOAnOy5f8zry7oYHPguR_uqCx4/s1600-h/CIMG8129.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415636235159761346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdnDXz5oZ9H-cYvbQCURdl7JGXCEsPgOgwQCWUP8Zt9IoVQNyRvZezm_gmaRz58kd4ayakMeJaYX9LZVcDjylpeGXztmcDMkVUq1F5NezE6fOAnOy5f8zry7oYHPguR_uqCx4/s400/CIMG8129.JPG" /></a> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415636245958158114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4CgBD4xrqKvGM7akPPVbRhW4Z7Uv98zFK4Hr4HGaQrja5iDf6T2ckhmi4ZoXuuKF_4EyOeKK0aAc-4LoTiO7vHwgU3_AIT8bwwkzjV707cL9SE3lmYphefcQOrvt2LGtqlSf/s400/CIMG8130.JPG" />A special highlight of playing in Courtenay is that they always set up a table in the lobby after the show where we can autograph CDs and meet audience members. </p><p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgzinby8CuRYQcWWnNxaIWTpiLA9-2mlTlkH4nSKhrjF0RyDi1wgeZvR2qqdf8nZlGTLNoXy7Omxs5byCW5Uxdmhc7NGxKH08l4CcYup4FsS-o0Nx6oxrba5vf3L9VM5509Ly/s1600-h/CIMG8137.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415873749463705250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgzinby8CuRYQcWWnNxaIWTpiLA9-2mlTlkH4nSKhrjF0RyDi1wgeZvR2qqdf8nZlGTLNoXy7Omxs5byCW5Uxdmhc7NGxKH08l4CcYup4FsS-o0Nx6oxrba5vf3L9VM5509Ly/s400/CIMG8137.JPG" /></a><br />After Courtenay we had a long drive ahead of us to Victoria so we started out early and made excellent time without a trace of snow. All along the way there were beautiful displays of thousands of icicles coming of the rock cliffs and embankments on the highway. After setup and sound check we walked across the street for a Japanese dinner, and our percussionist Bruce did a quick rhythm tutorial while we waited for our food. This is how percussionists pass the time.<br />Here he demonstrates playing 11 against 4.<br /></p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dywqCJuM14cw6RkNawOrubeZvzBx9HB_1WzoM0MqdwhreEi14qx8fOUvrTw5z9N2I40IyIdiz9veyQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>And here is a demonstration of a Brazilian rhythm.<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dywO2uuK3ZN570l1HscB_UgmtHJQIvzPuN80LFaeuKlXST4lgqFlntSF8TUxLrqv2yttFmZgB5kh2o' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="center">The Alix Goolden Hall in Victoria is particularly lively, and very little amplification is required.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATqOsp9HPt-8LkZib_8NIgq2VRvNYM5j-mgcmMOhWgHG2d-tWpBlmNFGtsd4ywskGNGrJbJtT8W2KXhygmTmqkdzssFpeC8jR4mLfBR_JioZ43B9EZnRBzpaqaRnqScjzuUVV/s1600-h/CIMG8144.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415877768119992418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATqOsp9HPt-8LkZib_8NIgq2VRvNYM5j-mgcmMOhWgHG2d-tWpBlmNFGtsd4ywskGNGrJbJtT8W2KXhygmTmqkdzssFpeC8jR4mLfBR_JioZ43B9EZnRBzpaqaRnqScjzuUVV/s400/CIMG8144.JPG" /></a> The two shows in Nanaimo are always a real pleasure to play. Bruce and I did a preconcert lecture before the afternoon show as is the long-standing tradition. The technicians at the Port Theatre are some of the best I have ever met, and kudos to them for making this venue so fantastic and ideal for our performances. Add to this the catering from <a href="http://www.tourismnanaimo.com/directory/listing/modern-cafe/">Modern Cafe </a>for lunch and dinner and it makes playing there a real treat.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415882503235242738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kFCF8fKDr5vm4THmIu98BckLxUCG-pnAV4Opem_VJMLt9Rzi_msGGVAM_ikD2WrgktUweCa7lZ54GT1yauV06bxL60nOsu71Ol-He1-tK_e0d0aHmw6HQw4PRLGSJrl08c_6/s400/CIMG8169.JPG" /><br />Because we play two concerts back to back, the couches backstage are very much appreciated, since after driving up from Victoria, setting up and sound check, and doing a lecture and show, it's easy to feel a bit drained. A short rest revives everyone and we're quickly energized for the second show.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUBlwEfaVnLYo7jUCsRh6iBPpygTpycBR4I7N__SmE4HI4SnzS8tt164JEhiA7lkGJnCdOsm3oIh44lBd7KQG76KGGSsDzGvKM5HjVe2VV5242XvIPAzJMGOo55w7yE0YMUUD/s1600-h/CIMG8158.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415879539421091570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUBlwEfaVnLYo7jUCsRh6iBPpygTpycBR4I7N__SmE4HI4SnzS8tt164JEhiA7lkGJnCdOsm3oIh44lBd7KQG76KGGSsDzGvKM5HjVe2VV5242XvIPAzJMGOo55w7yE0YMUUD/s400/CIMG8158.JPG" /></a><br />We often get into interesting discussions while back stage in the change rooms, and it turns out that both Bruce and Mark have a keen interest in Chinese music. Here is Mark demonstrating how he imitates the traditional Chinese violin on his classical Western violin.<br /><br /><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwUG1e87ftRNPBO7jIwlCkWGGV0CT-oh7Ub3GqqMrMfPdPDA8sKHjDchezgbF6vdc8rL3SsAwHHcAc' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p></p><p align="justify"><br />Afterwards, we all relaxed at the Minnows Lounge at the Coast Bastion where we stayed and had a celebratory gathering where many of the people who had been to our concert also met up with us. Nanaimo is a friendly town and I look forward to returning soon for bathtub racing season. After a good night's sleep at the Bastion we took a morning ferry back to the mainland and are looking forward to the rest of the tour.<br /></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovSLqdAcL04WXC9hoTDYnbxJB8v49TZPJArPu8lmUMqpTn48qGlP9wQB3XeB9q4KWblkbv-04F7LAnz2BP3crlU0j72VFwwCjQb6pwPwjWbVhFARwn-2JvhCy29eCtr4FxH-o/s1600-h/CIMG8173.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415882511771532610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovSLqdAcL04WXC9hoTDYnbxJB8v49TZPJArPu8lmUMqpTn48qGlP9wQB3XeB9q4KWblkbv-04F7LAnz2BP3crlU0j72VFwwCjQb6pwPwjWbVhFARwn-2JvhCy29eCtr4FxH-o/s400/CIMG8173.JPG" /></a> <p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-25946622720470245132009-07-31T21:22:00.000-07:002009-08-01T11:49:42.986-07:00Tub Racing 2009. Team Winter Harp<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfroUNEUrTNeXaD9XsbYwdyMk9ln5hJYN5gBGZUBmut9ExvlQGrxRY5FDW_WURF0jK5KwCbkFp2lI8z8IhskUrEpjo1pJYBRTxqzC394H7GNEqQMVKexn_LcqFEYoR8YzIVvb3/s1600-h/Title+of+Poem.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 110px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365048967686151218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfroUNEUrTNeXaD9XsbYwdyMk9ln5hJYN5gBGZUBmut9ExvlQGrxRY5FDW_WURF0jK5KwCbkFp2lI8z8IhskUrEpjo1pJYBRTxqzC394H7GNEqQMVKexn_LcqFEYoR8YzIVvb3/s400/Title+of+Poem.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">Of a tub and a gale is my briny tale,<br />Of things that splash on the main,<br />Of trials and terrors, and minor errors,<br />That make up the tubbing refrain.<br /><br />The waters of the Port, have seen many a sort,<br />But the strangest they ever did see,<br />Was a tubber of mirth, of Catalan birth,<br />(where soft watches melt just like Brie).<br /><br />Now tub 415, had much to contrive,<br />With unique features and gear.<br />The Winter Harp troupe, which sponsored this group,<br />Plays the Port Theatre each year.<br /><br /></div></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDqc0sb9nHhXyxwmR74Ja7hdGx3tzNjwazjmoytBrKu6rglKR38ECzEfqY8ch7i0u17KH4BoJlfXuu_S9oSxF07Ziy2daMKliArdJY-HvyJvVP_egpU3f70oxIn5iKIvFqwI6/s1600-h/Tub+decals.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365039273890212050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDqc0sb9nHhXyxwmR74Ja7hdGx3tzNjwazjmoytBrKu6rglKR38ECzEfqY8ch7i0u17KH4BoJlfXuu_S9oSxF07Ziy2daMKliArdJY-HvyJvVP_egpU3f70oxIn5iKIvFqwI6/s400/Tub+decals.jpg" /> </a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The crew left town, and booted on down,<br />To Horseshoe Bay in the dark,<br />It had been a long day, and getting away,<br />Was not exactly a lark.<br /><br />At the crack of dawn, the crew straggled on,<br />And breakfasted at Café Modern.<br />Then getting the tub, threw a prop on the hub,<br />And gave local waters a churn. </span><br /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /></p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQMvnE87gNHboTHjqQjIU1sSH4ko1rf4rcdRQGVfiu7Cs3RcvD9NLehxzniIDNgaw69Psy7IBUZm9f9de200pK79ElEM7v4C_ZU4BauHYHayI8QtZlzNK_3ShzH1DRhRxkTzc/s1600-h/kingoftheworld.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365040875389207362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQMvnE87gNHboTHjqQjIU1sSH4ko1rf4rcdRQGVfiu7Cs3RcvD9NLehxzniIDNgaw69Psy7IBUZm9f9de200pK79ElEM7v4C_ZU4BauHYHayI8QtZlzNK_3ShzH1DRhRxkTzc/s400/kingoftheworld.jpg" /></a><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">The Master of the Sea, Gus, did decree<br />That the tub must make 30 an hour.<br />"To run that low, will certainly slow,<br />And the chances of winning will sour."<br /><br />With various heights tried, and all certified,<br />To change speed a bit each time,<br />Pace was gained, but wave handling strained,<br />Though the tub still turned on a dime.</span> </p><br /><p align="center"><br /><br /><br /></p><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8SxuAKOb3k9E6A8iEl5pt7GvkSkQbd3RLamvYoreZkc81R1IEo70_p3aKz2wMGk_XSJdbDh-wJNkLj2GdpyLLdtApJ2n3xjmG0ywlp97QRqpssKuJqQ_3I8gF6qhPd5ckDya/s1600-h/Tubtrials.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365040416852194674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8SxuAKOb3k9E6A8iEl5pt7GvkSkQbd3RLamvYoreZkc81R1IEo70_p3aKz2wMGk_XSJdbDh-wJNkLj2GdpyLLdtApJ2n3xjmG0ywlp97QRqpssKuJqQ_3I8gF6qhPd5ckDya/s400/Tubtrials.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With the motor set, lunch was 'et,<br />And the tub was taken for teching.<br />"The numbers a bit small, so felt pen them all,<br />And we'll sign you up with our blessing."<br /><br />Now the old Port town , like an old wedding gown,<br />Has history to rival the East.<br />With timeless grace, it hosts The Great Race,<br />In the spirit of Hemingway's feast.<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDQcqx4EAAgI5UoHWXvdhQLQz7YaXSfSdvoUH5-B3q0mIgPhjcJ6ipBL_amfOTZsfxKER4xBrFu4k-KcvDLE4gHNWTkX7nj4jOi5Z5c7GcOJAIpWDEOV3MUEmc5bstMvYJGBE/s1600-h/Fireworks.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365039860733113234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDQcqx4EAAgI5UoHWXvdhQLQz7YaXSfSdvoUH5-B3q0mIgPhjcJ6ipBL_amfOTZsfxKER4xBrFu4k-KcvDLE4gHNWTkX7nj4jOi5Z5c7GcOJAIpWDEOV3MUEmc5bstMvYJGBE/s400/Fireworks.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The events that night, were jocund and light,<br />With friends witty and wry.<br />Fireworks of all sort, lit up the whole Port,<br />And lightning filled much of the sky.<br /><br />The dawn that came, was remarkably tame,<br />And the meeting succinct and quick,<br />But the winds soon came out, and sloshed waves about,<br />So the seas were no longer slick.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6aQfnTn2xHjRwgJSbXuSNchKkNJ0Q-ax7uGNt2DvyBNqBa4EoDPkNqLoP-GLal5dAkKb9EffkdAnfhn4Y6p3nMMnGZ9lcmEm01fE4ZuCi33EtSuJ6CcUNw-1aaCfOWdJdSlM/s1600-h/pulling+the+tub+out.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365044882595433602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6aQfnTn2xHjRwgJSbXuSNchKkNJ0Q-ax7uGNt2DvyBNqBa4EoDPkNqLoP-GLal5dAkKb9EffkdAnfhn4Y6p3nMMnGZ9lcmEm01fE4ZuCi33EtSuJ6CcUNw-1aaCfOWdJdSlM/s400/pulling+the+tub+out.jpg" /></a><br />The crew did their best, the tub to wrest<br />And start it on its fateful way.<br />Numbers applied, large on each side,<br />Thanks to Ben, Jan, Fred and Jay.<br /><br />"I love the smell of two-stroke in the morning,"<br />Yelled the skipper of 415.<br />The white ship was launched, the drain holes staunched,<br />And the tub engine came alive.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiogaBqFv-km6zCDvLkFUdSJnDuKah1XIJEMJ8ZIokb_DEPc3VCZnTBiS6sLu8FSh1583NnKXxNT3106Pb58AoU4Esdv8tzFr3MBc-MC-GfBrD1wdnudMzsUaWuqcxFLw0jNC/s1600-h/TheLaunch.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365044467980597186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiogaBqFv-km6zCDvLkFUdSJnDuKah1XIJEMJ8ZIokb_DEPc3VCZnTBiS6sLu8FSh1583NnKXxNT3106Pb58AoU4Esdv8tzFr3MBc-MC-GfBrD1wdnudMzsUaWuqcxFLw0jNC/s400/TheLaunch.jpg" /></a><br />The tubs milled about, and all gave a shout,<br />When the last cannon signaled the start.<br />The commotion in the ocean filled all with emotion<br />Like an opera by Amadeus Mozart.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzK0Bs_9CXKIUJVd54Lx4wcNCni5nlsbsx5KAldPYoN0eUGKv9mNa2fAqdC3DTqICbwkkiViGcEPg1it2SO9g_McaYNrKqT_8Ce0rxtRMptO-a2Ct1Ogm0DhZcKAv9_gBxMhh6/s1600-h/Race+start.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364857911961591314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzK0Bs_9CXKIUJVd54Lx4wcNCni5nlsbsx5KAldPYoN0eUGKv9mNa2fAqdC3DTqICbwkkiViGcEPg1it2SO9g_McaYNrKqT_8Ce0rxtRMptO-a2Ct1Ogm0DhZcKAv9_gBxMhh6/s400/Race+start.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The start of the race, had a frantic pace,<br />With tracks where boats have just roamed.<br />The small engines howled, the big engines growled,<br />And the seas were churned cloudy and foamed.<br /></span><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zXqZ9wKflMKcuDkZWC5IARbRuix2648I3VCYxF36XFpxVokIbrYVCBNUJCFioFi14iGKoknbhPjo4BTkxH_YACGXPCEzcq3RoMiwzPtlTno-k8wIUKVbSCxlMZYZmfac_QNC/s1600-h/tubfromthefront.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364851003946946882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zXqZ9wKflMKcuDkZWC5IARbRuix2648I3VCYxF36XFpxVokIbrYVCBNUJCFioFi14iGKoknbhPjo4BTkxH_YACGXPCEzcq3RoMiwzPtlTno-k8wIUKVbSCxlMZYZmfac_QNC/s400/tubfromthefront.jpg" /></a> </p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">In this turbulent mix, the tubbers tried tricks,<br />To get ahead of the deafening maelstrom.<br />The fastest roared past, with the slower aghast,<br />At the acres of jetsam and flotsam.<br /><br />The harp tub surged on, and past many along,<br />Till it hit a large snag of sea kelp,<br />Finding reverse, (the crew feared the worse),<br />The tubber freed it up with no help.<br /><br />Around the bottom isle, in a single file<br />The tubbers past the first post.<br />Now all were exposed, and often bulldozed,<br />By waves surging off the far coast.<br /></span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364849960939203074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlt_JFgopiePUJqzQ4ZkaQ3dpQ3vjJvn-N_0FZGWd1hqac-uTlByon0iXeo9q_AUYAZIorfS6twgCrFKvBjxyigLWRlJDd_PHYExXgaV3dtqWU3Srzx1KtybaJ5_opptgeIC8L/s400/tub+flying1.jpg" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">The tub surged forth, aiming to North<br />Till they neared the Isle of Winchelsea.<br />The tub ran well, pounding into the swell,<br />And the engine screamed like a banshee.<br /><br />But near sight of the top, the engine did stop!<br />To the great consternation of all.<br />The skipper was zapped, cresting waves lapped,<br />Into the little white hull.</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCm6b771NIZ1r2L9L_dspwNPWx-v3AHeg-RT6IwbQw1n34LASu5eOiBNx3GqLXueJ9-PhdIfZ42gvtT1nDCwvYZtYDRdtgjvaNrTcqjKBP7hM-13CXcIQbPS26iZ2Dey1yszJy/s1600-h/tub+frying.jpg"></p></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364851882507773122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCm6b771NIZ1r2L9L_dspwNPWx-v3AHeg-RT6IwbQw1n34LASu5eOiBNx3GqLXueJ9-PhdIfZ42gvtT1nDCwvYZtYDRdtgjvaNrTcqjKBP7hM-13CXcIQbPS26iZ2Dey1yszJy/s400/tub+frying.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCm6b771NIZ1r2L9L_dspwNPWx-v3AHeg-RT6IwbQw1n34LASu5eOiBNx3GqLXueJ9-PhdIfZ42gvtT1nDCwvYZtYDRdtgjvaNrTcqjKBP7hM-13CXcIQbPS26iZ2Dey1yszJy/s1600-h/tub+frying.jpg"><br /><p align="center"></a></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span>With the bilge pumping out, the crew gave a shout,<br />And brought the tub in at the side.<br />The engine did start, but without much heart,<br />And off it raced on the tide.<br /><br />The tub went anew, but in yards just a few,<br />The engine sputtered and died.<br />"Gentlemen please" said Joaquin with unease,<br />And the chase boat gurgled aside.<br /><br />The following seas, threw waves with the breeze,<br />And churned the waters like Charybdis.<br />Ben grabbed the front, and the tub was buoyant,<br />But much on this ship was amiss. </span><br /><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364852269572629842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6-LU3gHn3PeYn2Pz3VcV8QBnnUZ4K4JcPddn8VS_pA8IRgwoP2LSPNBkkljr1TbrQZC5vl5Njk4mAWq-rv9gin7U7U6RO1bUc6mQ1I9WaEtOhE4BiD1RADgzGRXHf_J573Xm/s400/tub+sinking.jpg" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm getting fried" the skipper cried,<br />"And the engine dies at speed!"<br />The switch at the wheel, had ruptured a seal,<br />A quick cut, now the back had the feed.<br /><br />He started again, though he thought of the strain,<br />Of this trouble now hopefully past.<br />But quick as a wink, the bathtub did sink,<br />And the engine gave its last blast.<br /><br />They gave it a turn, and tied to the stern,<br />The tub was safely aboard.<br />The crew returned, a hard lesson learned,<br />At the end of a crimson kill cord.<br /></span></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGvIZIc7guykE0hjV_pgWfbZka-JyqFcYdAtMu7O6VwUl5qtGbB17p-Jufxqo5Gkf7gvIpjJ6eqMOUAKO5SRll4MWUdQmCroFXqfTDRZDuIQgAPu7NLcbSrlQlxOwY-30yAp2/s1600-h/tub+on+boat.jpg"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364852724503224722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGvIZIc7guykE0hjV_pgWfbZka-JyqFcYdAtMu7O6VwUl5qtGbB17p-Jufxqo5Gkf7gvIpjJ6eqMOUAKO5SRll4MWUdQmCroFXqfTDRZDuIQgAPu7NLcbSrlQlxOwY-30yAp2/s400/tub+on+boat.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">"Bathtub control," said Jay to console,<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;">"We failed to carpe diem." </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">"We're out of this race, and stopped giving chase. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">We've simply run out of helium." </span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">With natchos and brew, and coladas too, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">The soggy crew was soon drying. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">With resolve anew, and much laughter too, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">Joaquin promised to "never stop trying." </span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">The team will return, much glory to earn,<br />And race through gales and a storm. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">For so long as we try, and the odds we defy,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">We shall live a life less like the norm.</span></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYKjR5w31EV3n1pPI6EIkTQslyqfpU8WbHUcvuOKuCJkDVFT9y0_H3gq2rT5lz2hJwzHo3Cl14d5x8aftIrDflwXiRtZDf_6MIg6Y9drWDVLT4iAQmOBjNS_sXaTG7KLMZpMR/s1600-h/How+Far+I+Travelled+revised.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365068987531157138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYKjR5w31EV3n1pPI6EIkTQslyqfpU8WbHUcvuOKuCJkDVFT9y0_H3gq2rT5lz2hJwzHo3Cl14d5x8aftIrDflwXiRtZDf_6MIg6Y9drWDVLT4iAQmOBjNS_sXaTG7KLMZpMR/s400/How+Far+I+Travelled+revised.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><br /></p></div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-27706366266919912052008-12-24T22:46:00.000-08:002008-12-24T22:52:38.236-08:00Thank You<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUevZb56bnQuAQkx-PfpGIJ8Hl7ZYpc64DnfsWadEvYzxsoTRYPTldTYk413P2uQepxis6frU1H7tQhipE81MTS3LstZC5hZ2AEgKUuoC-UGNSu-iv7MspSIjNM0B1mzRSSYW/s1600-h/winterhol1_card_lantern.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283615800324165506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 265px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 379px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUevZb56bnQuAQkx-PfpGIJ8Hl7ZYpc64DnfsWadEvYzxsoTRYPTldTYk413P2uQepxis6frU1H7tQhipE81MTS3LstZC5hZ2AEgKUuoC-UGNSu-iv7MspSIjNM0B1mzRSSYW/s400/winterhol1_card_lantern.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>A Year End Thank You</strong></span></div><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>from Winter Harp Director</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Lori Pappajohn</strong></span><br /><br /><div align="left"><br />As I write this, the snow that fills my garden is turning twilight blue and the pale winter sun is setting into the western sea. The darkest night, the solstice, is behind us and now the days are getting longer. Each day there is more light, more light, more light. The year’s timekeeper has finally turned her face towards far-off spring. Last week, walking over the snow-covered land, I found pussy willows -- the early promise that yes, warmth will return. </div><div align="left"><br />I want to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the coming year. And to thank you for being part of Winter Harp. </div><div align="left"><br />Each year one or two concerts stand out in my memory. And this year it was the Vancouver concert at St. Andrews Wesley Church. This magnificent structure was built in the style of a medieval cathedral with stained glass windows, soaring stone arches and room for close to 1,000 people. The night was cold, the old church drafty -- and it was as if the audience and Winter Harp were huddling together for warmth. </div><div align="left"><br />Inside that beautiful space, Winter Harp told the stories of Christmas and winter -- we wove the magic, the music drifting high into the dark arches of the ceiling. And then it was over. The stage lights were turned off, and the large, heavy wooden doors opened so the audience could leave. And as the doors swung open, it was as if something mystical had occurred -- the wintery scenes we had created inside with stories and songs were happening outside. Snowflakes filled the air, somersaulting down the sky. It was as if we were walking into Narnia -- a breathtakingly beautiful world of snow. </div><div align="left"><br />There were magical moments at the other concerts, too -- far too many to recount. But in short, the magic occurs because you, the audience, come to see us. You may not know it, but you bring the magic in with you -- with your memories, your joyous faces, your tears, your sighs and your applause. What you give us, we give back to you. </div><div align="left"><br />We can’t thank you enough. 2008 has been a tumultuous year for many of us -- a year of ups and downs. But through it we persist, strengthened by your presence around us at these concerts. It is the time of year to be thankful for all we have -- and to search our hearts for how we may help those less fortunate now and throughout the year. And it is a time of rejoicing -- through stories and songs we danced through the darkest nights of the year. And now, the light is returning. </div><div align="left"><br />To all of you a very Merry Christmas and the very best in all you do in the coming year.<br />See you in 2009. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br />Lori Pappajohn<br />Winter Harp Director</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-72737356886587766112008-12-22T10:07:00.000-08:002008-12-24T09:50:07.717-08:00The WrapThe last few concerts in this year's series really emphasized the winter in Winter Harp, both on stage and off. The West Coast was hit by a powerful storm that dumped a couple of feet of snow in some parts. Things quickly returned to normal, however, and everything went off without a hitch.<br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCfhtUEztUnWDUjZltCus3nqeWmAJv9RLbLJqbzHs47ZRhF4H41FRvBuNpopgqGiC3h8I5cLWxwSA30btIiXUyZs6c-Kx4xd1RluFMq6AZi9XIdhqJ0qIUdFVgsdDGWx9P9_S/s1600-h/IMG_2714.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282776422620447378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCfhtUEztUnWDUjZltCus3nqeWmAJv9RLbLJqbzHs47ZRhF4H41FRvBuNpopgqGiC3h8I5cLWxwSA30btIiXUyZs6c-Kx4xd1RluFMq6AZi9XIdhqJ0qIUdFVgsdDGWx9P9_S/s400/IMG_2714.jpg" border="0" /></a>Scott illustrates the proper technique (borrowed from subway pushers in Tokyo) of loading two harps and assorted gear into a mini-van.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJAR0rdcnGowhyphenhyphengqbA0BONkLt2eW0_wxLOQQsbelRsilPj14FOL3EnX0wdVrsYygvUgwMyJtz4-KtA5p5IwVUDUc3TjamtwpEpqUFOdjUvY7uh3gcTTazh-DQ2nDzOKoVns9O/s1600-h/Winter+Harp+2008+189.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282680871064468754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJAR0rdcnGowhyphenhyphengqbA0BONkLt2eW0_wxLOQQsbelRsilPj14FOL3EnX0wdVrsYygvUgwMyJtz4-KtA5p5IwVUDUc3TjamtwpEpqUFOdjUvY7uh3gcTTazh-DQ2nDzOKoVns9O/s400/Winter+Harp+2008+189.jpg" border="0" /></a> Conditions are always challenging in Vancouver, because of the size and age of the venue, it does suffer from cross currents and drafts. Besides making the candles flicker dramatically and thus necessitating a change-out at intermission, it makes tuning continuously (sometimes even between numbers) a necessity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ_K0xmZ4CGoLCd9uCctWDUTXSDOmu4lC7iLgO43yko52hrub2_nrCIshdwXLqJis9ulBTLKsTfR4Nqw23OYbCFbck3-si5fFWhTiSEXzx5BxcbulcMLrTe6KMk42lozxc0rg/s1600-h/Winter+Harp+2008+167.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282680842277027378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ_K0xmZ4CGoLCd9uCctWDUTXSDOmu4lC7iLgO43yko52hrub2_nrCIshdwXLqJis9ulBTLKsTfR4Nqw23OYbCFbck3-si5fFWhTiSEXzx5BxcbulcMLrTe6KMk42lozxc0rg/s400/Winter+Harp+2008+167.jpg" border="0" /></a> During sound check, we also are always looking for sight lines. Here is typically what I would be seeing: Janelle and Lauri through a forest of harp strings.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCHqUTShiKN-HmK-jZ1yYHhgsIHIWpurBZUV2Fic0cZNxnIHCr7xztibZX5auVUA-FOJWADxxeCMkhCvN8ttbBm8GCefir7MrULC4Gny3Qa9cqdJmjOuWIieSmxlKhrjQKFyU/s1600-h/Winter+Harp+2008+194.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282680881347500898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCHqUTShiKN-HmK-jZ1yYHhgsIHIWpurBZUV2Fic0cZNxnIHCr7xztibZX5auVUA-FOJWADxxeCMkhCvN8ttbBm8GCefir7MrULC4Gny3Qa9cqdJmjOuWIieSmxlKhrjQKFyU/s400/Winter+Harp+2008+194.jpg" border="0" /></a> It is always such a pleasure to perform in Vancouver at St. Andrew's Wesley Church, as the setting is so beautiful with the stained glass, and massive stone arches. It always makes us feel as if were are in Medieval Europe. And the snow falling outside after the concert, as people left, made it especially magical this year.<br /><br />Our final concert of the tour was in Maple Ridge at The ACT with its beautiful setting. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiZVWNNJhQAksjD8Vvg2NuXyZManvgq5_lvfMnUy8k1WvgD1CkrExZanJZDLMH4FbJgZIkXZDF6FzivJvKD-XczqGX4PYy4-GsJewrv1vCGMara4QEMxV7THOrkJEzSAytxBh/s1600-h/IMG_2719.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282776411666466386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiZVWNNJhQAksjD8Vvg2NuXyZManvgq5_lvfMnUy8k1WvgD1CkrExZanJZDLMH4FbJgZIkXZDF6FzivJvKD-XczqGX4PYy4-GsJewrv1vCGMara4QEMxV7THOrkJEzSAytxBh/s400/IMG_2719.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Winter Harp co-founder and former narrator Alan Woodland was at the Maple Ridge concert. He joined Lori Pappajohn on stage for a brief, but wonderful reunion as they did the free CD draw. Alan is a well-known figure in Maple Ridge, not only for perfoming with Winter Harp, but also for his popular column in the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times newspaper. The audience loved seeing Alan back on stage -- even if only for a brief moment. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSR9IePWAMZNum3otcjSiamkkUME_s4b2hZFqpuXpRJB2dBMOPMbB-uTY2JOHONxVg_j8cOOOda08IPW0fPHXNXe7BIjqTYlRA7A_hyphenhyphenEasZF3CRbbijzurPE-FeR9HgpcrgnT/s1600-h/100_0122.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282882064668869378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSR9IePWAMZNum3otcjSiamkkUME_s4b2hZFqpuXpRJB2dBMOPMbB-uTY2JOHONxVg_j8cOOOda08IPW0fPHXNXe7BIjqTYlRA7A_hyphenhyphenEasZF3CRbbijzurPE-FeR9HgpcrgnT/s400/100_0122.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWovTSCWiuuThdA1rRp_btzfPauow0X3eznvx5csyf2jna2htl8Eh_3aiPwxFcUxxE2emMOzgl5R1UY-3GgzQ3MH-UXxZLymzYvTwRctdP5j041Xra-UJsJNd8Py_RoQlnc93X/s1600-h/100_0120.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282882059043858066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWovTSCWiuuThdA1rRp_btzfPauow0X3eznvx5csyf2jna2htl8Eh_3aiPwxFcUxxE2emMOzgl5R1UY-3GgzQ3MH-UXxZLymzYvTwRctdP5j041Xra-UJsJNd8Py_RoQlnc93X/s400/100_0120.JPG" border="0" /></a> During intermission, we all usually have to go back on stage to tune and I have noticed that the bass <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">psaltery</span></span></span> always draws a great deal of attention. It is a very unique instrument due both to its <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Gothic</span></span></span> appearance as well as to it's ethereal sound.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PtjiDhWRasBMMRb4k370XgCpVn9JTFkyu-qaDx0jb1It5eDMPNLFpphSMCYRetRsIxoXucG1qwI0ugmuzxt-e2AANGBASei7OYYoYNukE40A482aE43zgDqzhia2U-fZFwWT/s1600-h/100_0110.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282882051718529618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8PtjiDhWRasBMMRb4k370XgCpVn9JTFkyu-qaDx0jb1It5eDMPNLFpphSMCYRetRsIxoXucG1qwI0ugmuzxt-e2AANGBASei7OYYoYNukE40A482aE43zgDqzhia2U-fZFwWT/s400/100_0110.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXPt9bBzFWYmRSRgz47g6y6aDfgvQe8fdxnuDpsZmO5W32DG8l74nleqGO0NASfxJEOPipvUzw87yI8leE4BozIaeILUwCxCA8XzK1hB5Q_64DE9uQxdxWEEp69TjJ5cW648H/s1600-h/100_0050.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282882052221506898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXPt9bBzFWYmRSRgz47g6y6aDfgvQe8fdxnuDpsZmO5W32DG8l74nleqGO0NASfxJEOPipvUzw87yI8leE4BozIaeILUwCxCA8XzK1hB5Q_64DE9uQxdxWEEp69TjJ5cW648H/s400/100_0050.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKi6y4cCURCGPYui1YYwGVtcXhiWVpULFLg_ay9Br7c7AvTRsOlsIUk82iipkVb6-C7JNlQZoq1tlvqtOfk3rAdQupeh4I5Skm149qeyx7CUhY25ZpN-yk8CYaNDLaXeXwJJZ/s1600-h/100_0041.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282882044510953042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKi6y4cCURCGPYui1YYwGVtcXhiWVpULFLg_ay9Br7c7AvTRsOlsIUk82iipkVb6-C7JNlQZoq1tlvqtOfk3rAdQupeh4I5Skm149qeyx7CUhY25ZpN-yk8CYaNDLaXeXwJJZ/s400/100_0041.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7C1EqETmSQHX3imeXfd9cVh0-peOB1bZ4VKHt51sSOaATapZ0-yYSioAYlOer2ns-sa8uKdNakRow4rq4Ig-3ozf9QvcNmFZ-pguthEuqNiIuhROS6mKjqcnRGAYefilx8bn/s1600-h/IMG_2727.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282766535905877874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7C1EqETmSQHX3imeXfd9cVh0-peOB1bZ4VKHt51sSOaATapZ0-yYSioAYlOer2ns-sa8uKdNakRow4rq4Ig-3ozf9QvcNmFZ-pguthEuqNiIuhROS6mKjqcnRGAYefilx8bn/s400/IMG_2727.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />***********************<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">After all is said and done, this year was unique in many respects. Beside the many sublime moments that I am grateful to have shared with my fellow musicians on stage, there were other really quite special memories off the stage. Though I am sure I will miss out something important, here is my list of memorable experiences in no particular order:</div><br /><br /><div align="left"><strong>-Getting to meet Queen Isabella:</strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EOGJWMk2tWmr5wWePPTQ-oRgu2mxD7611tLfQBMxxeovjk6pkQ5j5keMkudPi3Yme-R6cKl2wt1G6nS-yQ1E8cmA-7aaQSvMiQnitVdiBVLagVxDl1gfhWoHz0MFwG0ykaEZ/s1600-h/CIMG2285.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283063411484403202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 366px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EOGJWMk2tWmr5wWePPTQ-oRgu2mxD7611tLfQBMxxeovjk6pkQ5j5keMkudPi3Yme-R6cKl2wt1G6nS-yQ1E8cmA-7aaQSvMiQnitVdiBVLagVxDl1gfhWoHz0MFwG0ykaEZ/s400/CIMG2285.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div align="left">Queen Isabella is a <a href="http://www.canadogs.com/BreedCairnTerrier.htm">Cairn Terrier </a>who spent the first few years of her life in a puppy mill and was horribly abused and likely kept in unspeakably nasty conditions. Somewhere along the way she lost her entire left ear. Fortunately, our friend Maureen is a very active member of the Cairn Terrier rescue network, and after the puppy mill was shut down, they sent her Queen Isabella to nurse back to health. The curious name stems from the fact that the dogs were apprehended on October 12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span></span></span>, Columbus day, so the dogs were named after key historical figures of the Spanish court in the 15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span></span></span> century. As well as Christopher Columbus, there is King Ferdinand, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Bartolomé</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">de</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">las</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Casas</span></span></span> , <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Américo</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Vespucio</span></span></span> , and Columbus' three ships, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Pinta</span></span></span>, Nina, and Santa Maria.<br /></div><div align="left">The amazing thing about Queen Isabella is that despite having had a very hard life to date, she has an amazing personality and is really very trusting of people, despite how people have treated her. It could be argued that this sort of altruism is simply a sign of lack of intelligence, but that is not the case. Queen Isabella is a very smart dog, and it quickly becomes apparent that she simply enjoys every second of her new life. She is curious about everything, as soon as I took my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">nykleharpa</span></span></span> out of its case she examined every square inch of it very carefully. As soon as I started to play she sat quietly and listened. Then she jumped up on the couch next to me to get a better view. She obviously loves music. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">She is being very well treated and will soon make a complete recovery. I have no doubt that she will soon be adopted by very lucky new owners. When confronted by such optimistic joy after having gone through so much horror, it really underlines the shallowness of much of what preoccupies most of our days. Other dogs might have been scared of humans, or been <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">aggressive</span> or emotionally disturbed. Here is a being who has embraced life and decided to make the best of it no matter what.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVAbObcElcnKN2KwkcXvxK6JOdO2TnS7oBb23mkRdRGlIGOjqBfdzoSpaLGd0OKgAkxwjOmGu64KP-Nj9nfzYITC1nX18QSMp7DIqb90inpQicAZJN9oY3kjE8c_q2f2nOZ6Z/s1600-h/CIMG2291.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283063423665023602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVAbObcElcnKN2KwkcXvxK6JOdO2TnS7oBb23mkRdRGlIGOjqBfdzoSpaLGd0OKgAkxwjOmGu64KP-Nj9nfzYITC1nX18QSMp7DIqb90inpQicAZJN9oY3kjE8c_q2f2nOZ6Z/s400/CIMG2291.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />- <strong>Getting to meet </strong><a href="http://www.hamstringsmusic.com/index.htm"><strong>James Ham</strong></a><strong> and having a brief talk about the future of musical instruments</strong>.<br /><br /><div align="left">After our Victoria concert at the Alix Goolden Hall, we were thrilled to meet James Ham who brought along a violin made by Douglas Martin and built out of <a href="http://www.hamstringsmusic.com/NewProjects.htm">balsa wood, carbon fibre, and steel</a>. It is really quite remarkable what is possible if we ignore our preconceptions of what a violin should look like, or what it should be made of, or even how it should be played. Mark Ferris, our violinist, took the instrument out for a test drive and was blown away. Here is a short sequence of what it sounds like. </div><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyzOEeZeSn4p_l0tew5wFZpJrtc-IKMmzgpXXyIZ1b_qIn6ur2yORoL3wjyF_lpSCf8f8QGS6drQFM' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="left">I think as more and more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">luthiers</span></span></span> realize the potential of 21st century materials, we will start seeing traditional instruments of such an amazing quality that they will rival the best that has ever existed. In the past these would only have been available to the best performers in the world. Imagine a world where every violin, even student models, is as good as a Stradivarius, and the best are even better.<br /><strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong>-Dinner with Janelle's parents' and the members of Winter Harp.</strong> </p><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrbQCQZePjre-Eb_cFSeP3ZJxXX3nG6RiI1Z3c_kX7yvZhibhjoLX8LPf5SLZWuAJgkgm_VruxfTjJAPuQrI3iFAhVguEOad1VP7ui-T2DciWrIYO0UMXf3P3iVEB8UQqJnyq/s1600-h/IMG_2677.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282776408021245570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrbQCQZePjre-Eb_cFSeP3ZJxXX3nG6RiI1Z3c_kX7yvZhibhjoLX8LPf5SLZWuAJgkgm_VruxfTjJAPuQrI3iFAhVguEOad1VP7ui-T2DciWrIYO0UMXf3P3iVEB8UQqJnyq/s400/IMG_2677.jpg" border="0" /></a> The prairies are a remarkable place, and even though I have cycled through some parts of it in Summer, the great expanse of the land is something which really has to be felt to be appreciated. Having lived my entire life surrounded by mountains and the sea, it feels a bit uncomfortable at first being in a place where there are no boundaries or natural landmarks. This effect is amplified in Winter because even the palette of colours is reduced to just muted shades of light grey, light blue and a million shades of white. In Vancouver, going towards the mountains is North, South is Richmond and flat, West is the ocean, and East is the Fraser Valley. It's impossible to get lost. Outside of Winnipeg, there are no obvious references. One could drive for hours on highways that look exactly the same through out the province and be heading 180 degrees in the wrong direction. On a uniformly overcast day, even the sun doesn't give any hints of the cardinal points. Amidst this almost surrealistic landscape, Janelle's parent's home is an oasis of culture, warmth, colour and mirth. Rachelle and Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Nadeau</span></span></span> treated us like royalty, and we are forever grateful for a wonderful evening. </div><div align="left"><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qUY3wkctOPDr6_pTHgKYALXnK138aPaw9ly9KNFrGyH9gfzDt1RYc7WgprxkQZ8-DqXquhQ6MKcUtOuffotAJJ_7nk2-37CEOulRLk0csuUe6NohEnRaNGYiRAn9uCDzmJtN/s1600-h/IMG_2674.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282779293817666370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qUY3wkctOPDr6_pTHgKYALXnK138aPaw9ly9KNFrGyH9gfzDt1RYc7WgprxkQZ8-DqXquhQ6MKcUtOuffotAJJ_7nk2-37CEOulRLk0csuUe6NohEnRaNGYiRAn9uCDzmJtN/s400/IMG_2674.jpg" border="0" /></a>String players are naturally very cool dudes. But being <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">chauffeured</span></span> around in a limo in -25C temperatures in Winnipeg in December makes it über cool.<br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4ZzXBJeDEW1J1fYlsIEdiMBiXQ_DeIjH3giG_QbhNdBU0Z3CG2xKtQyirtHw9DunpzWN5NJ0_DCPya_-pYcMnhRDP0h5B1K6gJXb-5dlGZ1ysx_6CWmzV2iRY8NWN3muFbZc/s1600-h/IMG_2691.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282776422492313922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4ZzXBJeDEW1J1fYlsIEdiMBiXQ_DeIjH3giG_QbhNdBU0Z3CG2xKtQyirtHw9DunpzWN5NJ0_DCPya_-pYcMnhRDP0h5B1K6gJXb-5dlGZ1ysx_6CWmzV2iRY8NWN3muFbZc/s400/IMG_2691.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>-<strong>All the amazing meals at restaurants on the tour</strong>. </p><p>Leo's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Tapa's</span></span></span> and Grill in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Gibsons</span></span></span> is typical Greek fare, exactly what you would expect in BC where we are spoiled for almost everything. What is unique about Leo's is that the waiters, and I really hope they are also the owners, have a great quirky, almost edgy, sense of humor.</p><p>Special mention goes to the restaurant at the <a href="http://www.innforks.com/">Inn at the Forks</a>, <a href="http://www.innforks.com/dining/">The Current</a>. I had the pleasure of having breakfast and a wonderful lunch there. The food is stupendous and meticulously prepared. The staff is very attentive and polite, as well as transparently efficient. Every meal was a treat. </p><p>In Courtney, <a href="http://www.titas.ca/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Titas</span></span></span></a> never ceases to please. Great portions, and can Mexican food ever be anything but festive? The tortilla chicken soup especially hit the spot. Just the ticket before playing a concert in winter. </p><p></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn8IeSqwtTkXwoGz5c6MYl2KYCLJ0Pbi4PBQULGeyTLOjukeGS-aEfmpNSuVvdErsIY2RtIyfmXQm6t5FyygE1tAU3DZVGSUfYrPewmI5-GDvP4LJf5TCzM7nes05vmMLLj_s/s1600-h/IMG_2708.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282782947703351714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtn8IeSqwtTkXwoGz5c6MYl2KYCLJ0Pbi4PBQULGeyTLOjukeGS-aEfmpNSuVvdErsIY2RtIyfmXQm6t5FyygE1tAU3DZVGSUfYrPewmI5-GDvP4LJf5TCzM7nes05vmMLLj_s/s400/IMG_2708.jpg" border="0" /></a> In Victoria, <a href="http://www.futaba.ca/main.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Futaba</span></span></span> Japanese Restaurant </a>was exactly what was needed to satisfy our troupe's cravings for all things Japanese and "get us to the church on time" - it is across the street from the Alix <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Goolden</span></span></span> Concert Hall. </div><div align="left"><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">veggie</span></span></span> burgers on <a href="http://www.bcferries.com/">B.C. Ferries</a> are quite nice. The French Fries are made by <a href="http://whitespot.com/">White Spot</a>, and are delicious, but Janelle, Lauri and I once spent an afternoon feeding these to the sea gulls by hand who I'm sure thought they were doubly delicious. </div><div align="left"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluCmY_9-EfBDxW8VgoJVm2f1V5buhf37WLh-dDBmgsvN42o6pFvk7-LvsnWkv5wbMCdCoJ-TykWxS93qUrZpugju1oDj1gyTFa10-PoWS2BWFEGJ4rDxtMsXDQkdjE8oHPamu/s1600-h/CIMG2263.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282885453844607490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluCmY_9-EfBDxW8VgoJVm2f1V5buhf37WLh-dDBmgsvN42o6pFvk7-LvsnWkv5wbMCdCoJ-TykWxS93qUrZpugju1oDj1gyTFa10-PoWS2BWFEGJ4rDxtMsXDQkdjE8oHPamu/s400/CIMG2263.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJqDDz6N-CjKJuwk2h2F9pYj54lUzVYMYfaGF52jHlEUU1Dsi3ZZjSjr9qo1i2mRK9TvU3E_UShA6FM6vXmIdhjKbhHdc2DNqbx9poTaosQiTiLVCBUTEFbCRPsMDq9VvlSu2/s1600-h/CIMG2262.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282885449099586642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJqDDz6N-CjKJuwk2h2F9pYj54lUzVYMYfaGF52jHlEUU1Dsi3ZZjSjr9qo1i2mRK9TvU3E_UShA6FM6vXmIdhjKbhHdc2DNqbx9poTaosQiTiLVCBUTEFbCRPsMDq9VvlSu2/s400/CIMG2262.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TEh84_y797CiyVRmN92XYS_rbeMsXwhrwzN6lNakGn3yyXhAIdFhXppZeiFsQwfZEyB2M8r_lBdJZyWFZaoqvL48ne2LzxXvqRdIbBPYKnDp64LBoWTFdM3RGZ2Zpln90QYO/s1600-h/CIMG2267.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282885444442428306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TEh84_y797CiyVRmN92XYS_rbeMsXwhrwzN6lNakGn3yyXhAIdFhXppZeiFsQwfZEyB2M8r_lBdJZyWFZaoqvL48ne2LzxXvqRdIbBPYKnDp64LBoWTFdM3RGZ2Zpln90QYO/s400/CIMG2267.JPG" border="0" /></a><strong> </strong></div><div><strong>-All the great volunteers who help us put on these shows.</strong></div><div>There are many ways to patronize the arts, but in the case of Winter Harp, we have a dedicated and loyal core group of volunteers --everyone from ticket sellers to people who light the candles at intermission.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMDn4qDC-6fyokw7W8vgda5sJg0MSqBiuVgEXLzsJlw2kLJEmdt3zRuiTac_oKj-6WXYeLhNxO-Kb-FeX9Iiz10lhTxW549pdxraNKHZEp_phzF-aRn7ZMSvA7-fDxT-lDfh1/s1600-h/Winter+Harp+2008+185.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283053372190267106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMDn4qDC-6fyokw7W8vgda5sJg0MSqBiuVgEXLzsJlw2kLJEmdt3zRuiTac_oKj-6WXYeLhNxO-Kb-FeX9Iiz10lhTxW549pdxraNKHZEp_phzF-aRn7ZMSvA7-fDxT-lDfh1/s400/Winter+Harp+2008+185.jpg" border="0" /></a> Winter Harp is lucky to have its own professional harp tuner. Dr. Bess Lu has a wicked ear when it comes to tuning. Here she is working on Lori Pappajohn's harp with Lori checking up on her. <p><strong>-The Amazing Disappearing Harp Dolly.</strong><br />After we played our last concert in Maple Ridge, we were packing up and Janelle discovered, much to her horror, that her harp dolly was missing. It had been left back stage right next to Scott's almost identical harp dolly. A quick inspection of the stage did not uncover anything. So a search was made in all the offices, cars, and even the front of the house. Still nothing. The entire stage was now packed up and there was absolutely nothing on the floor, yet still no harp dolly. My first thought was that it had been stolen, but that didn't make a great deal of sense either; there were far more valuable things back stage to steal. Everyone was rather annoyed at this disappearance because it would be a huge inconvenience to Janelle plus a lot of money to replace. The theatre staff were equally annoyed at something this strange. As I searched the snow drifts outside for tracks (and finding none) it occurred to me that I was only thinking in two dimensions. Perhaps the missing dolly had not in fact rolled away. Sure enough, I looked up and there it was hanging from the ceiling. The long horizontal bar that raises and lowers the sets had caught the strap on the cart when the curtain was down. At the end of the show, when the bar was raised up to the ceiling, the dolly cart went sailing up in the air with it. There it was, dangling precariously 30 feet above us (click pictures for greater detail). </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFc8JgPEbe1K_PQM6Ut4HpN71NCOUElhoBDyy6fSZWEYmj7IiSWCRSKoi8KM51FyZvvA3Oo2lZaIkjUss2UvgNE43B8MFIRiAFF3tP2Hfv2Ra2beswq5bdMuir7gPjqox2aqn/s1600-h/IMG_2740.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282764533039233106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFc8JgPEbe1K_PQM6Ut4HpN71NCOUElhoBDyy6fSZWEYmj7IiSWCRSKoi8KM51FyZvvA3Oo2lZaIkjUss2UvgNE43B8MFIRiAFF3tP2Hfv2Ra2beswq5bdMuir7gPjqox2aqn/s400/IMG_2740.jpg" border="0" /></a> The only thing more endearing than a happy ending story of a boy reuniting with his lost doggy is a story of a girl reuniting with her lost harp dolly.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeAScEntQAL1fYA9noimdRXKidMwQJIya5w4dCGJguoK-g25HIQEIC6CP_NES-sMTNA1o8MNDfhMcpPpmyxyjb2PQdTIyzLwXQv44rGDH9VQXPe7fhUF-DJIA8I1WpeS_u2lg/s1600-h/IMG_2742.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282764538310970258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeAScEntQAL1fYA9noimdRXKidMwQJIya5w4dCGJguoK-g25HIQEIC6CP_NES-sMTNA1o8MNDfhMcpPpmyxyjb2PQdTIyzLwXQv44rGDH9VQXPe7fhUF-DJIA8I1WpeS_u2lg/s400/IMG_2742.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /></div></div></div><br />The End </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-44593471125266186112008-12-15T22:43:00.000-08:002008-12-22T16:18:45.617-08:00The Tour So FarThe Winter Harp tour to date has been very well received, and we have all had a wonderful time playing for so many different audiences.<br /><br />Playing at the Pantages Theatre in Winnipeg is always a treat, and combined with the warm hospitality and wonderful friendship of Janelle's amazing parents, the trip goes off without a hitch. The flight was wonderful and <a href="http://www.westjet.com/">WestJet </a>was as always reasonable and accommodating to our merry gang of musicians. Transporting gear by air is always a challenge, but the happy team at WestJet made the whole experience very low stress. We were met at the airport by Janelle and her family, and we were all whisked away by stretch limo to the delightful hotel, (<a href="http://www.innforks.com/">Inn at the Forks</a>)which is more of a resort/spa than merely accommodation.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280399003921286786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVC3jn_notIuYd62FZazlgOWe9p9CM-ZOqnFXDs_kuaZVqNLDo8UZALGg635dxT45sru8G1Nxc1JYOaZBEx17tm8Vvko84RhzOIMLiZrlM5pfc8aPMWby9CKqSt2kJ-mxR_y1/s400/Winterharp2008-002.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280399026585209778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxgDRETa4c2BSpYF7O-CYi0bR0zu376ZyYgIm6l-ZzkBu5MgCr1B1rH0YQNpkInN-vfHVIhhsIDUr5IunM0lsoSK6D0l0HB1XLC0XJWJuF4RVLyWUoxv3fxwUyKo6Paomm7T-/s400/Winterharp2008-001.jpg" border="0" /> After checking in and depositing our luggage, we were invited to dinner at Janelle's parent's farm, a short drive outside of Winnipeg. Janelle's father Brian gave us a quick tour of the whole operation which was really fascinating and informative. We saw first hand how seeds are cleaned, packaged and warehoused.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX1EapCweiREV70WBag6PydOLewuKlC6DEvb0FI2UkXncVeSvEgJL5Sk4HrKrfYmkWHbNi7BEMbN0QIXH45qiJiyT6KcyL3mrWDBMy2yVfOl9qsLYYTdDE_t1BXYm5kct-aon/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280399001501066130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX1EapCweiREV70WBag6PydOLewuKlC6DEvb0FI2UkXncVeSvEgJL5Sk4HrKrfYmkWHbNi7BEMbN0QIXH45qiJiyT6KcyL3mrWDBMy2yVfOl9qsLYYTdDE_t1BXYm5kct-aon/s400/Winterharp2008-003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmhO4O9gY81efniK68jBGlyLQyZ3h417tNNZGg3ZB77smkvWUla1jGJF2BIxE3ZUq7mIyj4bL0NgfzKPJj2rPpFu3qPyDPoq_Ou9KwnJDJfTp0ik0rcYOugmfviECSzYLAUbp/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280398545757072114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmhO4O9gY81efniK68jBGlyLQyZ3h417tNNZGg3ZB77smkvWUla1jGJF2BIxE3ZUq7mIyj4bL0NgfzKPJj2rPpFu3qPyDPoq_Ou9KwnJDJfTp0ik0rcYOugmfviECSzYLAUbp/s400/Winterharp2008-010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MXeQhlIqKxiu7ftTvCYtEw_KX6LBBPugqzAMgG0kR6K_wENr_AhQAwsHt2ek7ARkpCK8P_c8gucN_NWe9y9Y4mb3cLTl6yPCCbiL1oNQw9zj8QhYNV5Nx0-goWdQylIsYoQG/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280398544651223714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MXeQhlIqKxiu7ftTvCYtEw_KX6LBBPugqzAMgG0kR6K_wENr_AhQAwsHt2ek7ARkpCK8P_c8gucN_NWe9y9Y4mb3cLTl6yPCCbiL1oNQw9zj8QhYNV5Nx0-goWdQylIsYoQG/s400/Winterharp2008-013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The whole operation is really very interesting and I always feel like I would love to come back in the fall during harvest and see the whole thing actively working.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvEfyRmwZNvEfK2hFJjjiEJeQQldUByZQr2hBH0v5n3SwlGUFaYkacmr0-5qbR2iQUlmJBDAFtjCNc2OKfUzaswXQOJCwUTEv7P2TqmCfw1MHffDhw6OyBwIP8AkqfEeD4d2L/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280398540697900114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvEfyRmwZNvEfK2hFJjjiEJeQQldUByZQr2hBH0v5n3SwlGUFaYkacmr0-5qbR2iQUlmJBDAFtjCNc2OKfUzaswXQOJCwUTEv7P2TqmCfw1MHffDhw6OyBwIP8AkqfEeD4d2L/s400/Winterharp2008-014.jpg" border="0" /></a> Janelle had a chance to show Lauri one of the machines she drives around during harvest.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDK2mYJJrpEhVMIsK77zNQD_F7G-0bue4I1xp_ulwN0qr8rJeTrSs1-Xmi6mGr78qUqZz7Dp7r_D89HzSTaKQj3hGWeq7PRHaYTT8SXVsOAocria9oT8seEP_muInPH4KTRUQA/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-021.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397726916936642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDK2mYJJrpEhVMIsK77zNQD_F7G-0bue4I1xp_ulwN0qr8rJeTrSs1-Xmi6mGr78qUqZz7Dp7r_D89HzSTaKQj3hGWeq7PRHaYTT8SXVsOAocria9oT8seEP_muInPH4KTRUQA/s400/Winterharp2008-021.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div>The next day we set up the show at the theatre. The <a href="http://www.pantagesplayhouse.com/index_2.htm">Pantages Theatre </a>is a magnificent ornate Edwardian theatre, and the staff and technicians are very professional and first rate. The sound check went well and the concert was well attended.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YwFnwbgFz_ohcmt4PgK-FuBMH94_KBReDpkn7DbEgs4cvfPYJTTmX5wA7dYg_KWXoxOOVJmgTSXW2xpu8FQNVMzXUotB9cr48mgb55ekFLtg6eMgScrG_UJ-_M4P7R_jlDRD/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-027.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397722060628402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YwFnwbgFz_ohcmt4PgK-FuBMH94_KBReDpkn7DbEgs4cvfPYJTTmX5wA7dYg_KWXoxOOVJmgTSXW2xpu8FQNVMzXUotB9cr48mgb55ekFLtg6eMgScrG_UJ-_M4P7R_jlDRD/s400/Winterharp2008-027.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xt_vJ-nxRw4j2gSIvxA7vireHMFi0utaSe2pGYMfqvDYp7F69Rxs7LVk0Nw8l3gl9RmzYYsrL_gXmGQuKjNFwlZEEQkA-K-VL4rbmarZJZ-Qxu0WefBAyyl2ow9yyYauF143/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397724548268802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xt_vJ-nxRw4j2gSIvxA7vireHMFi0utaSe2pGYMfqvDYp7F69Rxs7LVk0Nw8l3gl9RmzYYsrL_gXmGQuKjNFwlZEEQkA-K-VL4rbmarZJZ-Qxu0WefBAyyl2ow9yyYauF143/s400/Winterharp2008-034.jpg" border="0" /></a> Afterwards, Janelle's mother Rachelle had arranged for a reception with drinks and cookies, and we all had the opportunity to mingle with the audience and get their feedback.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VovP2ecS9Thnq_No3ZIWNzJmVC5_e3uijg2v_itFA8dqf1MPvWd3quznQuDjculFUvgMafTxuTU5aGAjjBptGsykh-3eWJ6hhr5YFYayn-02aJToLtq5GqMnHmcQn5SbkiQ-/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397706274478434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VovP2ecS9Thnq_No3ZIWNzJmVC5_e3uijg2v_itFA8dqf1MPvWd3quznQuDjculFUvgMafTxuTU5aGAjjBptGsykh-3eWJ6hhr5YFYayn-02aJToLtq5GqMnHmcQn5SbkiQ-/s400/Winterharp2008-036.jpg" border="0" /></a> The second concert on Saturday was very well attended, virtually sold out, and we had another Winter Harp first, a very brave gentleman proposed on stage during intermission, accompanied by the strains of Pachebel's Cannon played by Janelle.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNd8CJebtzcKp0WZSLRMPWITCb2h1M3EeGAVNOLWsTqu-1f5eGHEELQvKO3qLJ5psX_NvGpwnwTEeBjh9ckftXlGRfGs_44-qY6QPhle-MgneQiurWaJAvm3tUXKmWeekZsj9/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-040.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397673406995202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNd8CJebtzcKp0WZSLRMPWITCb2h1M3EeGAVNOLWsTqu-1f5eGHEELQvKO3qLJ5psX_NvGpwnwTEeBjh9ckftXlGRfGs_44-qY6QPhle-MgneQiurWaJAvm3tUXKmWeekZsj9/s400/Winterharp2008-040.jpg" border="0" /></a> Though it was intermission, enough people caught the proposal that after they hugged, the whole audience broke into spontaneous applause.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHogPftXdkbbokrG0aKninvLNN7KwDwnc8XFxSB1zZ2WZF8xILSMNVUHxpuVFHdBSwSoQdgiuBVPYzuvwpFdO6oJYdWVUE_sy56SSCCXxYFu1xMl6SXOJEEPYwYKv0AGUZn5Jt/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-043.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397100274980178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHogPftXdkbbokrG0aKninvLNN7KwDwnc8XFxSB1zZ2WZF8xILSMNVUHxpuVFHdBSwSoQdgiuBVPYzuvwpFdO6oJYdWVUE_sy56SSCCXxYFu1xMl6SXOJEEPYwYKv0AGUZn5Jt/s400/Winterharp2008-043.jpg" border="0" /></a> The reception the second night was wonderful as well. Here we are in a slightly silly mood showing off our socks!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWXWa4-T4PyE4ZYv9sd3b_LSnHzHrXg7mojQV3zojO851x98Z5oOFhLTCPC_rbBhv2XA_X8avo7wi88aAydGepDacT3Ern764dCvEjn42zq44gMa827z-A58e7UbE9j0Dxm_U/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-047.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397092609395058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWXWa4-T4PyE4ZYv9sd3b_LSnHzHrXg7mojQV3zojO851x98Z5oOFhLTCPC_rbBhv2XA_X8avo7wi88aAydGepDacT3Ern764dCvEjn42zq44gMa827z-A58e7UbE9j0Dxm_U/s400/Winterharp2008-047.jpg" border="0" /></a> Back at the hotel, Lori had asked me to stock up on the toiletries in the room. Last time she was here she was so pleased with the quality of the soaps and lotions that she longed to come back just for that reason. As it turns out, the products which the Inn at the Forks uses are made by a local BC company,<a href="http://www.deservingthyme.com/"> Deserving Thyme</a>, so you don't have to go to Winnipeg and save up your hotel soaps - the company has a great mail order website.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdv1yX41O-88IB8rn6-8ILAMsakPaZ5A2cJ8nTRyM71Y3W3aGM6KkW-yqTAkLH3w6gqdTozZp56bFZfXpY8iWC5t7yWHd_hg79E4wUyoBcl9FQNd-Tng1sEDWDA2cTzs9yftm/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-059.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397084988156562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdv1yX41O-88IB8rn6-8ILAMsakPaZ5A2cJ8nTRyM71Y3W3aGM6KkW-yqTAkLH3w6gqdTozZp56bFZfXpY8iWC5t7yWHd_hg79E4wUyoBcl9FQNd-Tng1sEDWDA2cTzs9yftm/s400/Winterharp2008-059.jpg" border="0" /></a> The next day after the final concert in Winnipeg, we had to get up early to catch the first flight home because we had a concert at the <a href="http://www.masseytheatre.com/">Massey Theatre </a>with the <a href="http://www.vwmc.ca/">Vancouver Welsh Men's Choir</a>. The choir is a very friendly and jovial crew directed by the very talented Jonathan Quick, and everyone in Winter Harp looks forward to playing together with them every year. After rehearsing and playing the same pieces in concert, it is really quite a treat to play the exact same piece accompanied by a 100 male voices in harmony. On the quieter pieces, the lovely multi part harmony blends beautifully with the harps and ancient instruments. On the more lively melodies, having that much power behind us really blows our hair forward. It is amazing how loud the human voice can get.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2FiHhPLYFwGYRegTrz0e6K_fAIpT0YSo4CA5em32naBGYeeZbvedBTnidorKit2btAnCTP6OJrrmLTQW5ILiIfH8kZu1Y6NfNTOQKRPSRvNA8YcgrBseGQqXjsKzxZgowBmG/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-071.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397081236672322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2FiHhPLYFwGYRegTrz0e6K_fAIpT0YSo4CA5em32naBGYeeZbvedBTnidorKit2btAnCTP6OJrrmLTQW5ILiIfH8kZu1Y6NfNTOQKRPSRvNA8YcgrBseGQqXjsKzxZgowBmG/s400/Winterharp2008-071.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HLMCKPdCtcC2WL6CgENA6BPDaDILnJWbxGzs3LKQEp148eUaqaUQ9o4UgSb8EaZq3yEAbgcBwZLu-JbQby2ctSpIdqpmUKtHdKvGIVJC9xek7acSKVFSeEACxw5Hp2Rx7NVy/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-078.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280397075550793506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HLMCKPdCtcC2WL6CgENA6BPDaDILnJWbxGzs3LKQEp148eUaqaUQ9o4UgSb8EaZq3yEAbgcBwZLu-JbQby2ctSpIdqpmUKtHdKvGIVJC9xek7acSKVFSeEACxw5Hp2Rx7NVy/s400/Winterharp2008-078.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDoXXIkt1cP9IzcGLq40JDfjL0Fk_JNzB7SvB-Ezd-RUjcxRrbB51YZV8W4tdv4sGBbo4qAMo4xR3VJKg3G-S8MvfAs_xdP4awds3N6nduwx6gKtRFSPHJuRxtIarF8kwTK_Ej/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-082.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280279244450712706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDoXXIkt1cP9IzcGLq40JDfjL0Fk_JNzB7SvB-Ezd-RUjcxRrbB51YZV8W4tdv4sGBbo4qAMo4xR3VJKg3G-S8MvfAs_xdP4awds3N6nduwx6gKtRFSPHJuRxtIarF8kwTK_Ej/s400/Winterharp2008-082.jpg" border="0" /></a> The next two concerts at Courtney started our five concert tour of Vancouver Island. The staff at the <a href="http://www.sidwilliamstheatre.com/">Sid Williams Theatre </a>always does a bang-up job of set decoration, and this year was no exception. The lighting was magical, and the effects on the back drop behind us as we played were enchanting.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnBXp13T7GpHu5jEilXq2GWkcVEhoXqErN6T_dXO_gsTACoLu-hRHmsvKxITOFoXz7Y94KJsCnCz_ckGgF4BjPNUrRqc2RYByc4pHRRPSs66fc3lMXrld-Xop-LS1Ug6kFmw_/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-091.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280279247037341938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnBXp13T7GpHu5jEilXq2GWkcVEhoXqErN6T_dXO_gsTACoLu-hRHmsvKxITOFoXz7Y94KJsCnCz_ckGgF4BjPNUrRqc2RYByc4pHRRPSs66fc3lMXrld-Xop-LS1Ug6kFmw_/s400/Winterharp2008-091.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdpnbk4cvq0qkzpFca3KsWkeF_jgWdOAmgSzaQefOCKLOAZw8htIeXawM6UsT_0XLjpY3PqVYg_BARMJAG1DV9rbXia5WWYIA7sIRibZ3TrrObSR3Umkm17MxnMYJzAHX2XJT/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-094.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280279242004798194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdpnbk4cvq0qkzpFca3KsWkeF_jgWdOAmgSzaQefOCKLOAZw8htIeXawM6UsT_0XLjpY3PqVYg_BARMJAG1DV9rbXia5WWYIA7sIRibZ3TrrObSR3Umkm17MxnMYJzAHX2XJT/s400/Winterharp2008-094.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k7T2QuRglEl89DRkvT0ix6n8FOsDvGB9jOaHn5QoFFK364kItGn0kFpB3EHXORjEop2rt_k7wZmK8Of-t55Sspq0t_g8AlJmJ61yUl_ADDe8vBF1zgDn3ywh1Pn5PFKskKBQ/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-101.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280279236662117618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k7T2QuRglEl89DRkvT0ix6n8FOsDvGB9jOaHn5QoFFK364kItGn0kFpB3EHXORjEop2rt_k7wZmK8Of-t55Sspq0t_g8AlJmJ61yUl_ADDe8vBF1zgDn3ywh1Pn5PFKskKBQ/s400/Winterharp2008-101.jpg" border="0" /></a> After the sound check, we went out for dinner. We decided on a very nice restaurant called "<a href="http://www.fluidbarandgrill.com/">Fluid Bar and Grill</a>." We told Janelle to save us a table. She took this job very seriously. <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv4qnNM9MFmoreKs53CqSI_fRe4Lto4d4Ws9sqlvc1DjoGBQQweQNbxeADJ_iCbi_W-weXQP79_XsjOXs2dzcy7anvXmkSGd7-CSgaDEpfK6h-UtGu8MY7uLvI55dyvoSh7Wi/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-103.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280279237440214850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv4qnNM9MFmoreKs53CqSI_fRe4Lto4d4Ws9sqlvc1DjoGBQQweQNbxeADJ_iCbi_W-weXQP79_XsjOXs2dzcy7anvXmkSGd7-CSgaDEpfK6h-UtGu8MY7uLvI55dyvoSh7Wi/s400/Winterharp2008-103.jpg" border="0" /></a> The concert went very well, the sound and lights were spot on, and a good time was had by all. Since we were already set up from the day before, the concert the next day was very easy, and we had the luxury of the whole morning and afternoon to do relax and enjoy the sights of Courtney. For dinner that night we went to a very fine Mexican restaurant called <a href="http://www.titas.ca/">Tita's</a>, which served us up a great dinner including a lovely corn tortilla chicken soup, very welcome on this frosty evening, and enormous portions.</div><div>We played the second concert and were very pleased to discover that the bar at theatre had created and named a drink after us: hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps, whipped cream and multi-coloured chocolate sprinkles. I think that is a fair representation of the Winter Harp experience if it were distilled into a festive beverage.<br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwAnD1hQw5LgBY9G8CkIhFKNzJDooxXpHkh6QnTI6EV3yU6DvfL2zVgK_8iTLT45rfwXM9ZWWSNPMMQFKB5SVejDr2iQffvhSw98j4zyxhgkKCYD2d6Dj3ZoflmiDg5KmbUyL/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-105.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280278405339908786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwAnD1hQw5LgBY9G8CkIhFKNzJDooxXpHkh6QnTI6EV3yU6DvfL2zVgK_8iTLT45rfwXM9ZWWSNPMMQFKB5SVejDr2iQffvhSw98j4zyxhgkKCYD2d6Dj3ZoflmiDg5KmbUyL/s400/Winterharp2008-105.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnhNzBnUJzNQNNRxevRYz6FJ3iM1fj0AfpKQbneMBXw9fWggUDNpgOaJDxkBTJOXnAhEft5-lRnC115Q__dRLTCQgUgCnjzm4xFaVaQwGm41tv70Mj8kNdsMLh9ge8ySgvpCc/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-106.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280278405998693394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnhNzBnUJzNQNNRxevRYz6FJ3iM1fj0AfpKQbneMBXw9fWggUDNpgOaJDxkBTJOXnAhEft5-lRnC115Q__dRLTCQgUgCnjzm4xFaVaQwGm41tv70Mj8kNdsMLh9ge8ySgvpCc/s400/Winterharp2008-106.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcNhAgisbJNQGGJg6AFvb0v9Cdaoq9znxk4ZHA9iUsEqbCBfKY-i1tVX1lYIN9KnSS1jEF2LKeX3dVepr1JEtZW2O5YBJ5rT3YO8NtFIp5J8a3pGAz0Ot4qhBolIdjpDMN1mb/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-108.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280278722337490114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcNhAgisbJNQGGJg6AFvb0v9Cdaoq9znxk4ZHA9iUsEqbCBfKY-i1tVX1lYIN9KnSS1jEF2LKeX3dVepr1JEtZW2O5YBJ5rT3YO8NtFIp5J8a3pGAz0Ot4qhBolIdjpDMN1mb/s400/Winterharp2008-108.jpg" border="0" /></a> The next day we drove to Victoria which was a bit challenging since it started to snow, quite heavily at times, and made driving pretty challenging. At times there were snowflakes the size of baseballs and it was building up quite impressively on the roads. Despite this, we arrived in town in good time and Colin, our manager for Victoria did a bang up job as always of getting everything set up. Also wonderful is the growing trend in Victoria of having audience members dress up in Medieval garb. Needless to say, we encourage this whole-heartedly.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPnnVHurPBGhrL8eQ3DcqNNJoxKFgJFgqpDkYiFFWS1nTV-vdZbhrNkSdRLgtGQdOxM6w1900_9YU7ZBRfeb_oaTiI0R7-omGCVa0muVBbs2yaBrnxDwqnQ_fYboShV0NBGxK/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-124.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280278398662668066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPnnVHurPBGhrL8eQ3DcqNNJoxKFgJFgqpDkYiFFWS1nTV-vdZbhrNkSdRLgtGQdOxM6w1900_9YU7ZBRfeb_oaTiI0R7-omGCVa0muVBbs2yaBrnxDwqnQ_fYboShV0NBGxK/s400/Winterharp2008-124.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRuq4OEHvDDmdf-GqtuMermk50vBwJgRfs-5HKswpST_IlzRpY0Cv1YWR4ZilECWUeQCTIbgERgqP_4f5MwMoBy7MpJz4Auv4Ghgl6p4hzmWF_shsmL7UPOrOHVljp99bvaSY/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-125.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280278397944638274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRuq4OEHvDDmdf-GqtuMermk50vBwJgRfs-5HKswpST_IlzRpY0Cv1YWR4ZilECWUeQCTIbgERgqP_4f5MwMoBy7MpJz4Auv4Ghgl6p4hzmWF_shsmL7UPOrOHVljp99bvaSY/s400/Winterharp2008-125.jpg" border="0" /></a> The next day we drove to Nanaimo to do the last of the two Island concerts. The <a href="http://www.porttheatre.com/">Port Theatre </a>in Nanaimo is such an amazing facility and the staff, as always, are wonderfully professional and helpful. We did our sound check, I did the pre-concert talk which I do every year, though this year Scott helped me out with a short talk about the pedal harp.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwZSrAkO8TAzXlM9aGKnipVEJME7YCBZlonEl_x-ejQ2JR5k_3v9b4bA9Siox70er-80kRVrS0oAMs0zATimIiYJZk6GiKybvT5M05otMAaabb6ESfFNmaMIVkZ3kdI5KrHhQ/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-135.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280276952781783074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwZSrAkO8TAzXlM9aGKnipVEJME7YCBZlonEl_x-ejQ2JR5k_3v9b4bA9Siox70er-80kRVrS0oAMs0zATimIiYJZk6GiKybvT5M05otMAaabb6ESfFNmaMIVkZ3kdI5KrHhQ/s400/Winterharp2008-135.jpg" border="0" /></a> Because we do two shows back to back on the same day at the Port Theatre, our meals are brought to us back stage, and this gives us a bit more time to play around on stage. We were in a funny mood that day, and we toyed with the idea of doing a Bizarro-world Winter Harp, where every member would switch around and do another job. Janelle tried out what it would be like to be the percussionist, Lauri checked out the pedal harp, and Mark thought he'd take a stab at narration.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280276813225535346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX-wFoKT0F5Vpw_Jkds_kH3K6gc6rhNSC4GJuhj_emciQoMGt04Q2bLNULy1kebIToZX-BWLEz2VPeFIehe8In-Yw89r367Cpkb4JxEiwsWCx17RAWD6yRy22nBD5MWW9h6b6/s400/Winterharp2008-136.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIvS9Em8uBUHlfzrXwslGAfBeDanGW14Zzs7V-UFeAOvQnJIT9zwAawkyPPs8V2IDIEBGGgoeILpy-mqqKbjav3yHHogrE8S39dgZqk8538EvX7dKgUaAoJgpyJ4Cx4M4zKbD/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-139.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280276812204469682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIvS9Em8uBUHlfzrXwslGAfBeDanGW14Zzs7V-UFeAOvQnJIT9zwAawkyPPs8V2IDIEBGGgoeILpy-mqqKbjav3yHHogrE8S39dgZqk8538EvX7dKgUaAoJgpyJ4Cx4M4zKbD/s400/Winterharp2008-139.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi-iudRCqcYQ7pbBcqnFlU0dqAu9X56PMsINEBl9JyEKbVdgr1t42r-IYd0PGGZ6RYgTkjNHvupJkWcttcWJUA7GvGkuF1JbZmL-VcKoa2_a6MsPyuigeELzRGOuXH2ZRUY5c/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-140.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280276811155671026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi-iudRCqcYQ7pbBcqnFlU0dqAu9X56PMsINEBl9JyEKbVdgr1t42r-IYd0PGGZ6RYgTkjNHvupJkWcttcWJUA7GvGkuF1JbZmL-VcKoa2_a6MsPyuigeELzRGOuXH2ZRUY5c/s400/Winterharp2008-140.jpg" border="0" /></a> Just as we were leaving the theatre, the first flakes of snow began to fall, and when we woke up the next day we found Nanaimo covered in a fluffy white blanket of Winter Wonderland snow. </div><div>It was magical and the perfect end to an enchanting tour.</div><div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawZZFSKEJoX1LAq3boWibDmNE87ZASBJNLT96aU_qn8B2dw5JngvqtZ2z_eXv9wc0IvAcAuBGwypWiFWgIBXb-VhTYU8SP3Tj_kThJ478Cq-znYArrAhDwu3wtAiVUrcIg3LX/s1600-h/Winterharp2008-146.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280276805339756626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawZZFSKEJoX1LAq3boWibDmNE87ZASBJNLT96aU_qn8B2dw5JngvqtZ2z_eXv9wc0IvAcAuBGwypWiFWgIBXb-VhTYU8SP3Tj_kThJ478Cq-znYArrAhDwu3wtAiVUrcIg3LX/s400/Winterharp2008-146.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-90617796117227706742008-12-09T12:31:00.000-08:002008-12-17T11:16:50.522-08:00Gypsy and the Princess<div align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">A fairy tale for children of all ages</span> </div><div align="left"><br />Not that long ago, and not that far away, lived a beautiful black horse named Gypsy. She was as sweet as sugar and had lived a long and good life, taking many a girl on swift canters through the sun-dappled woods as well as on high-stepped prances in colourful pageants. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_iuPsSvTubXmNxxnQ68sLi-4OFsKz_2quXjLk8yPWgGMvHa54OiCkZ-U6TyO_Us5n2DX5ISBqXO_2Gq7VFFZaZPFMuQiOn3fEdzSgrTCMGLPhgJqBtB5J7QhN_mCtmzS4Ad_/s1600-h/100_5612.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280839849225622114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 375px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_iuPsSvTubXmNxxnQ68sLi-4OFsKz_2quXjLk8yPWgGMvHa54OiCkZ-U6TyO_Us5n2DX5ISBqXO_2Gq7VFFZaZPFMuQiOn3fEdzSgrTCMGLPhgJqBtB5J7QhN_mCtmzS4Ad_/s400/100_5612.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The years had passed by, as years do, and Gypsy grew old. No longer did she yearn to gallop through the meadows or trot in the arenas as she had in the days of her youth.<br />Her owners had no more use for her, so they took her to auction. Not many people want an old horse. And so Gypsy stood, head a bit low, back a bit drooping, awaiting her fate.<br /><br />Little did Gypsy suspect that a princess would fall in love with her and lead her home. The eight-year-old child, who lives in the foothills of BC’s wild Monashee Mountains, was looking for a gentle, sweet horse. And Gypsy was just that. And, as the princess weighed a mere 50 pounds, Gypsy would hardly notice the extra weight on her old back.<br /><br />Gypsy’s new home was a small slice of paradise. The black mare had her own little barn, her own paddock, and a princess who fed, watered and brushed her. And she soon came to discover that every day she was allowed to roam wherever she pleased. No fences stopped her. The grass in the wild meadows was hers, the grass in the open fields was hers, the grass along the shaded pathways was hers -- as was the grass of the broad and wide castle lawn. (Okay, a little exaggeration here. It’s not actually a castle -- it’s a gorgeous 5-star health spa. But when you stay there you are treated like royalty -- so it must be a castle. But back to the story . . . )<br />Now and then Princess Brittany and her sister Princess Kelsi took Gypsy on rides -- small rides that were perfect for a young girl and an old horse.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277898244815731826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznrG-zsGL-pjx2Y5JDGHHvAIXexsAkQcmjcmHyYUtWZCjSW7kKPylbDitYUEdnJk1UiAB8v1SUerh1qR8VukQNdrQF_yFnJgxZKc4Rd1IZKa-Z5HZSLuSoB1veKYVgXwjkd7s/s400/100_5851.JPG" border="0" /><br />And so it was, that every morning during the hot summer and warm fall, Gypsy would walk up the long hill from her barn to the castle lawn. There she would graze for an hour or two, taking naps on the shady castle porch and standing at the kitchen door, hoping for a carrot or apple to come her way.<br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277894821063971202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisx9x4LQE6PaWTnYCYVeRoyK-JB1kz6aly5oynmB1PGol0bs-00zznVABiGQXV89Pq8jVfQ6FKYVeuLQv42BxZTK0Mi_1Fg4CQw6-QXbXWT48lLmp9wrXFbR2fdysofdcae2ls/s400/100_5704.JPG" border="0" /><br />And every day she would lower herself down onto the soft grass, lie quietly or roll. And often she would share the lawn with the castle’s resident hound Sir Chancelot, commonly known as Chance.</div><br /><div><br />And when the princess and her harpist friend Countessa Lori Pappajohn dressed Gypsy in colourful attire, she stood quietly and respectfully. After all, she too, was a princess -- a horse princess who was fortunate to find a paradise kingdom to call her own. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277897867970837522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxn6SQB1uvT2cihFjc3g2oNWvcdZuk9a9vL8eAE9J1no9xeQXBoHqJqQwfV6-0yK-XLu3fNXf-e0CFpXaobxxzhXulxcwkuxVzi8MsTkMC8WMNLVkzrcw1gB81h5r_-c5EuD2/s400/IMG_0143.jpg" border="0" /><br />The moral of this tale is simple: sometimes when you feel as if you are at the end of your road, hold on to hope. The next bend may take you to a hidden paradise.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZaGroEG_WEPRC9FucE_BYrlmBTC0XyxPsLG8o5eY9YT59i3Y236VicrK-wIm2F0i5HOXwYnp6CF9O_leIafrfAGJx8Gv8dCpfVrYbv5Ww33nqPvwwSkYj6SA9Zsn7zbcQjn7/s1600-h/IMG_0158.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277898920530473346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZaGroEG_WEPRC9FucE_BYrlmBTC0XyxPsLG8o5eY9YT59i3Y236VicrK-wIm2F0i5HOXwYnp6CF9O_leIafrfAGJx8Gv8dCpfVrYbv5Ww33nqPvwwSkYj6SA9Zsn7zbcQjn7/s400/IMG_0158.jpg" border="0" /></a> For more information on Gypsy’s home, visit <a href="http://www.silverhills.ca/">http://www.silverhills.ca/</a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-62637498007771700772008-12-06T22:06:00.000-08:002008-12-10T00:26:14.329-08:00Winter Harp tour dedicated to the memory of Florence Weekes<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInc2hi1Mh91dquPa_t_m50ggfenx9m6Z1di0aGHE9PjZ4a-NqdJi899IGrCrIdD5S1KGuq91iV-68iaXiawJkB00b7Y67Ba7gwX5VAkO5AXOn6_75S6wlf3Z6IoXFnhUYDHIy/s1600-h/Train.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278074000279950114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 288px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInc2hi1Mh91dquPa_t_m50ggfenx9m6Z1di0aGHE9PjZ4a-NqdJi899IGrCrIdD5S1KGuq91iV-68iaXiawJkB00b7Y67Ba7gwX5VAkO5AXOn6_75S6wlf3Z6IoXFnhUYDHIy/s400/Train.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Florence dressed in a boiler suit and standing in the doorway of a train caboose while on a writing assignment in the 1940's.</span><br /></div><br /><div align="justify">It was with great sadness that we learned that writer Florence Weekes passed away. She was 86, and she left this world on Nov. 29.You, our audience, will recall her work Come Share the Bird -- the hilarious tale of eating far too much turkey at Christmas.Winter Harp narrator Alan Woodland discovered the poem years ago when he was researching Christmas writings.<br /></div><div align="justify">In 1999, Alan and Lori Pappajohn decided to record the poem and so went on a search for its author Florence Weekes. Was she still alive? Did she live in Britain? Perhaps she was American. We were curious whether we’d find her and where she’d be living.It turned out that, much to our surprise, she was close at hand in Victoria. Florence was taken aback by our request -- mainly because no one had ever asked her permission before even though many had used her poem. Florence was quite correct in her frustration. </div><br /><div align="justify">More often than not, artists’ works are taken for granted. How many times have people copied CDs for their friends, or downloaded them for free off the Internet? The numbers of free downloads are in the trillions. An artists’ work is how they pay for their groceries, their rent, their gas, and the many other bills that assail us all. Florence, rightly so, was asking for respect for her creation. And we were happy to give her that. We came to an agreement, and her poem became an integral part of Winter Harp.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">A number of years ago, Florence was in the audience when her poem was read at our Victoria concert. It was a high point in her life -- and a great honor for us. </div><br /><div align="justify">Florence was born in Winnipeg and grew up in Ontario. During the war, when there was a shortage of men for local jobs, she became a reporter. She was in her early 20s, young and adventurous. She recalled being taken up in a bomber over the Great Lakes to do a story. She also recalls the challenge of a young woman entering what was then a man’s world -- journalism.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGryxiOfAA4F-G1WCq2anKEje5UNZlmx4ZpoXR_8tjKvD-8QTkgYffEA_woaCfs5-Fe3YZB2ZMChEY1QcbXcN9Kunww5WehvulIWv-yn4KaDC8LLgTwSIxRMLo-MS9JlIZbNZ/s1600-h/scan0007.jpg"><br /><br /><p align="center"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2ae7GgqTp5Tg7DZ4mxY9nGdzIWaYLVy5g8GugWksAUF8FB7WC__DuzdN_SkVrFjA9tQ9eqpo-1yQtbXF5ZwK_rbMPDnEYSIfW_wMe5xQknZAGN9SNC7ydCHccd0lLyzHC5cV/s1600-h/park.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278074351015679314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 199px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 332px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2ae7GgqTp5Tg7DZ4mxY9nGdzIWaYLVy5g8GugWksAUF8FB7WC__DuzdN_SkVrFjA9tQ9eqpo-1yQtbXF5ZwK_rbMPDnEYSIfW_wMe5xQknZAGN9SNC7ydCHccd0lLyzHC5cV/s400/park.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo of Florence taken by the London Free Press and ran with an article Florence wrote in 1944.</span><br /></p><div align="justify">In her later years Florence moved to Victoria because of the mild winters. She loved nature and she loved to walk -- year ’round no matter the weather. Even in her later years, she would don her rain gear, take her walker and head out into the misty west coast weather. During the course of her life Florence wrote numerous poems, essays and articles which were published in newspapers and magazines. Even up until 10 years ago, she was still being published in newspapers. And when the Internet came along, she found a whole new way to write and communicate her works, right up until her death. Florence and Lori Pappajohn identified with each other as both started as reporters at a young age and both had a great passion for writing.Upon her death, Florence willed the copyright of her poem Come Share the Bird to Lori Pappajohn. “I can’t say how honored I am,” said Lori. “When you think about it -- it is so Victorian, pre-Raphaelite -- writers willing poems to each other. Other people are willed money, diamonds and estates -- but who do you know who is willed a poem? How wonderfully unique. I am truly humbled.”This Winter Harp tour is dedicated to the memory of Florence Weekes and her dedication to writing and art. Thank you Florence for a poem that has brought so much joy and mirth to so many.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-55231965273641210282008-12-01T13:46:00.000-08:002008-12-08T15:32:36.183-08:00The Symphonie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KypwVr_TYQI0yt04Mj81vFr4gOD96X13O2LOAJAqI92OU1HTCZh9grGElLbP9xhHnUPXsEOfWToxClkJLGEA9QkGFgWJJBNAzyRbLZ_InDInB_OsogKbNGHzOehv-vI3N2Bf/s1600-h/manuscript1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274943759068884722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KypwVr_TYQI0yt04Mj81vFr4gOD96X13O2LOAJAqI92OU1HTCZh9grGElLbP9xhHnUPXsEOfWToxClkJLGEA9QkGFgWJJBNAzyRbLZ_InDInB_OsogKbNGHzOehv-vI3N2Bf/s400/manuscript1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Are there pipes in that thing?</div><div><br />That's the question audiences are asking about Winter Harp's latest acquisition. This year I added another rare and unusual instrument to the collection: a symphonie. It is best described as an early hurdy-gurdy and it dates back to the 12th century where it was popular in Southern France and Northern Spain. The instrument has a distinctive sound -- almost bagpipe-like. It is about two-feet long and has a crank handle at one end which the player turns with the right hand. A rosin covered wheel rubs against the strings, very much like a violin bow rubs across strings, causing them to sound. The keys, when pressed by the fingers of the left hand shorten the strings and thus create the different notes. The symphonie also includes drone strings which is what gives it its characteristic bagpipe-like sound.<br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMjLh1cRdEb4dGauAQN6gMYr2vVuBQnw7AY4qBO8n_JFu3iOKW36o5wts6aRC8UOoIKalv9HUzc-AXUe5AOCPfiaFCmJWOGfqx0G-tzeBoTuCWfgHzNPP4ySyNM6Vchtt5Edd/s1600-h/exterior.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274944047035995762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 169px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMjLh1cRdEb4dGauAQN6gMYr2vVuBQnw7AY4qBO8n_JFu3iOKW36o5wts6aRC8UOoIKalv9HUzc-AXUe5AOCPfiaFCmJWOGfqx0G-tzeBoTuCWfgHzNPP4ySyNM6Vchtt5Edd/s400/exterior.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The symphonie is related to the organistrum that you see at our Winter Harp concerts. The organistrum, first described by Odo of Cluny (c. 878-942), dates to the 10th century. It could be considered the father of the symphonie which dates to the 12th and 13th centuries.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5XFFVR6hZ1mrmXRgdZW46SPnFzh9zOc0nmYZgKYmRGeKFBGPDVql5Ju0g58aMOuoz4ZfRtVRIGLD-g9oKhruQJrM6akNfVpN1TjbKlvqb2HR0cT4Nl3uXR4lXLGh2zjtcbpb/s1600-h/manuscript2+cantiga.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274945065545745522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 356px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5XFFVR6hZ1mrmXRgdZW46SPnFzh9zOc0nmYZgKYmRGeKFBGPDVql5Ju0g58aMOuoz4ZfRtVRIGLD-g9oKhruQJrM6akNfVpN1TjbKlvqb2HR0cT4Nl3uXR4lXLGh2zjtcbpb/s400/manuscript2+cantiga.jpg" border="0" /></a>One of the best depictions of the instrument is contained in the <a href="http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cantigas/">Cantigas de Santa Maria </a>collected during the reign of <a title="Alfonso X of Castile" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_X_of_Castile">Alfonso X El Sabio</a> (1221-1284). Some of these songs are in Winter Harp's repertoire. It’s one of the largest collections of monophonic (solo) songs from the Middle Ages. All of the songs at least mention the Virgin Mary, and every 10th is a religious hymn. Some of the manuscripts containing this music also contain colored miniatures showing pairs of musicians playing a wide variety of instruments.<br /><div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifB7VKwyFsPWaM99xwdPn6N5QOXgim5mif9FiyZr_XFbbet26MSg2omZ4P6V45Sxr1h7BBQCHFOHYzTk_xrDPnOsnl-jG7lkhmjgBWoHCU6q-WEx0L-BrFun65AIYbxdOXxFjl/s1600-h/interior.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274944314809541698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifB7VKwyFsPWaM99xwdPn6N5QOXgim5mif9FiyZr_XFbbet26MSg2omZ4P6V45Sxr1h7BBQCHFOHYzTk_xrDPnOsnl-jG7lkhmjgBWoHCU6q-WEx0L-BrFun65AIYbxdOXxFjl/s400/interior.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div>I had been looking for a symphonie for several years, and there were certain things which I wanted on an instrument that were not exactly “common” or even entirely historically correct. However, I wanted to have something which could be made to look and sound historically accurate, but which would secretly have the capability of playing a much wider repertoire. In my case, I specifically wanted a chromatic keyboard – the originals would have only been able to play in one key. The other thing which I wanted was a trompette, also likely not original, but very useful and characteristic of later hurdy-gurdies. Another useful feature which having a box-like instrument allows is extra keys disguised as normal playing keys. In my case, my instrument has five keys which don’t actually play notes, but are designed to engage and disengage strings without having to open the lid and disengage a string. Finally, a cleverly concealed internal electronic tuner and pickup allows the instrument to be played in concert and compete with all the other amplified instruments. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAY6CevYa7HVg1mGV7szH-CDhJR3G2iuh18d_V0L72TtvpBAdLnLP6clv1DKBoovsGGkpyfAGQbUJ9HXYuQrq6vHCDM0B843sKfYGCt9ttwWHsOpNse0rdCnzBhN-ORrOhqEx/s1600-h/symtuner.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274944800079694162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAY6CevYa7HVg1mGV7szH-CDhJR3G2iuh18d_V0L72TtvpBAdLnLP6clv1DKBoovsGGkpyfAGQbUJ9HXYuQrq6vHCDM0B843sKfYGCt9ttwWHsOpNse0rdCnzBhN-ORrOhqEx/s400/symtuner.jpg" border="0" /></a>If any of you are interested in acquiring a symphonie, or any other type of hurdy-gurdy for that matter, I can’t recommend <a href="http://www.hurdy-gurdy.org.uk/index.html">Neil Brook </a>highly enough. He is an excellent craftsman and his instruments are as innovative as they are practical. As well, he is willing to experiment and do custom work (within reason) so a unique instrument is definitely possible.<br /><br />Winter Harp's other unique medieval-styled instruments include the nyckelharpa, the cello-nyckelharpa and the bass psaltery. Learn more about the instruments on the instrument page at <a href="http://www.winterharp.com/">http://www.winterharp.com/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-50062841225473437642008-10-26T18:52:00.000-07:002008-11-07T01:20:57.505-08:00I'm too Jung to be a Freud:<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong></strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Candles as an "enlightening" psychoanalytic tool</strong></span> </div><div align="left"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU5xaDWzqu1h_RsPtUZFT86VGPz-0hJwSaE8Yo7RQ1Qtzi8MtnjF0ajEKYc-d1DyfJoYV3vSvbgPKmuI26Q4aw3bVBBXBdbY0DpkZsKzPPtiJXtIjftxF2ZrAk7t48sKICbTY/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261776640537781730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU5xaDWzqu1h_RsPtUZFT86VGPz-0hJwSaE8Yo7RQ1Qtzi8MtnjF0ajEKYc-d1DyfJoYV3vSvbgPKmuI26Q4aw3bVBBXBdbY0DpkZsKzPPtiJXtIjftxF2ZrAk7t48sKICbTY/s400/2.jpg" border="0" /></a> At first, the job seems simple: go to a major box store and purchase all the candles required to put on a series of Winter Harp concerts. The math is simple: 2 candelabras times 25 candles each times the number of shows and about half as many in case there is a draft and we have to replace candles at intermission. This year that amounts to some 900 candles.<br /><br />The logistics are a consideration. What does that much wax look like? The answer, once I had it loaded up, was essentially a complete shopping cart level full. "That's a lot of candles" said a young woman shopper buying a single package. "I'm not into the whole electricity thing" I reply. She seems satisfied by this explanation.<br /><br /><br />Pushing something this heavy through a store filled with shoppers is also an exercise in harrowing near-misses. Finally I reach the long lineup at the cashier and breath a sigh of relief.<br /><br />"You into some sort of ritual?" asks the gentleman in front of me in the lineup.<br />"<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Umm</span>, you could say that," I say trying to be as vague as possible.<br />The worried look on his face betrays that he is thinking about large Victorian mansions on moonless nights filled with cloaked figures. He moves forward in the line.<br /><br />A middle aged woman joins behind me in the lineup.<br />"You're quite the romantic guy I see" she says, looking at my cart.<br />"<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Umm</span>, we actually use these on stage" I reply.<br />"On stage? You mean in public?"<br />"Yes, for the act."<br />"The... 'act'?"<br />"Yes, there's several. It's quite popular."<br />"I'm sure it is" she says, looking astonished.<br /><br />I'm at the cashier. "You always buy this many candles?" she asks, not looking forward to scanning an entire shopping cart of one item.<br />"It's not what you think..."<br />"How many?"<br />"One hundred and twelve packages of eight."<br />"You look honest"<br /><br />I pay and wheel my purchase to the parking lot and neatly pile everything into the trunk.<br />It's not everyday that I get mistaken for an anarchistic ritualist with a suspect side act: buying candles as an exercise in the projection of inner personality conflicts.<br /><br />Truth is not always stranger than fiction.<br />In my case it is far more wonderful than the most feverish imaginations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-71982096029485241752008-10-21T20:22:00.000-07:002008-10-22T11:22:22.791-07:00Alfredo Ortiz<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwh43N3i5GtQ6b9-e1r5jPH5ne5huY7xz-YfpOio9jHwTkBum9MyRf7H94Kio1I9Apio0nr473LvkHa4CclIrFHbR9Bb9OpAhZcTvcCfLcbVJcje_ayjJgUI3tajDNA3ZmvEug/s1600-h/Ortiz.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260045114769208674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwh43N3i5GtQ6b9-e1r5jPH5ne5huY7xz-YfpOio9jHwTkBum9MyRf7H94Kio1I9Apio0nr473LvkHa4CclIrFHbR9Bb9OpAhZcTvcCfLcbVJcje_ayjJgUI3tajDNA3ZmvEug/s400/Ortiz.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;">South American harpist visits Vancouver</span></strong><br /></span><br />The famed South American-style harpist Alfredo Ortiz was in Vancouver in September where he gave a workshop for some 20 harpists. This was Ortiz’s first visit to Vancouver -- and we were thrilled to have him. Ortiz plays the Paraguayan harp and specializes in performing the lively music of South America. He has numerous CDs, DVDs and music books about how to play this music with its intricate and fascinating rhythms.<br /><br />After the workshop, Ortiz gave some special one-on-one coaching to Winter Harp harpists Lori Pappajohn and Janelle Nadeau.<br /><br />Ortiz is one of the top-performing South American harpists in the world. Besides having a medical degree, Dr. Ortiz’s background includes studies and work in the fields of music therapy and sensory motor learning in South America and at California State University-Long Beach and UCLA (University of California-Los Angeles).<br /><br />His workshops have been presented internationally at universities as well as harp events including the World Harp Congress, the National Conference of the American Harp Society and the International Folk Harp Conference.<br /><br />If you have not heard Paraguayan or South American harp you may be<br />surprised at the difference from classical and Celtic harp. It is lively music you'll want to dance to.<br /><br />For more information visit <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.alfredo-rolando-ortiz.com/" target="_blank">http://www.alfredo-rolando-ortiz.com/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-23563539618916918452008-10-18T08:34:00.000-07:002008-10-21T20:06:22.347-07:00The Ashcroft Opera House<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ESe80tP3vgfSxU81QfHqkCZOguu0-eeGowc-g8KhNboIuRZsSVYRqnW6cz4ayNhP4HwT55vi0HeQPTjMqgC5puQ7uj-0WfT9kKRkxIbZzmQ7e-G8S1KU0t7n5Y5ylG68qx-0/s1600-h/Ashcroft.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259809047296302050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ESe80tP3vgfSxU81QfHqkCZOguu0-eeGowc-g8KhNboIuRZsSVYRqnW6cz4ayNhP4HwT55vi0HeQPTjMqgC5puQ7uj-0WfT9kKRkxIbZzmQ7e-G8S1KU0t7n5Y5ylG68qx-0/s400/Ashcroft.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br /><div align="left"><strong>Visit the Ashcroft Opera House</strong><br /></div><div align="left"><br />If you are going anywhere near the Ashcroft or Cache Creek area, plan your trip so you can take in a concert and a meal at the famous Ashcroft Opera House. This is probably the most unique venue in all of B.C. -- for a number of reasons. First, it is in the middle of nowhere. It brings in top acts, it serves the world’s best vegetarian food, and the owner is one of those fascinating people who you could spend hours talking to because his life is so amazing. And you need to go this fall, as its season ends in November.<br /><br />The Ashcroft Opera House, as its name implies, was indeed an opera house. Built in 1889, it was THE place to be for miles around. Dances would start at 8 p.m., with a full course meal served at midnight, followed by more dancing which often continued until dawn. Those were the good old days.<br /><br />For years the old opera house has sat neglected and empty. But a couple of years ago, entrepreneur and five-star chef Martin Comtois bought it and is returning it to its former glory.<br /><br />Martin loves great music, so he brings in some of B.C.’s top bands and acts to perform on his stage. And every concert is preceded by a meal lovingly cooked by Martin. And this guy can cook. We’ve eaten many exquisite vegetarian meals -- and his are by far the best. The guy knows all those secret ingredients that makes every dish so good you actually dream about them later.<br /><br />If it’s a hot sunny day, Martin may even take you swimming in the local swim hole in the Thompson River. Okay, this isn’t actually swimming. This is jumping into a semi-dangerous, fast-moving river and having it sweep you along at a brisk 30 kph. You have to keep your wits about you to swim into shore at the right moment to avoid being tossed and hammered through the rapids further down stream. It’s a real thrill to float on the water and watch the shore, 10 feet away, whipping by at 30 kph. Makes you feel like an Olympian -- if you survive.<br /><br />But back to the Opera House. You can catch Winter Harp’s Joaquin Ayala, Lori Pappajohn and Janelle Nadeau performing there on <strong>Sunday, October 19.</strong><br /><br />Learn more about this great venue and what acts are scheduled by visiting <a href="http://www.ashcroftoperahouse.com/">http://www.ashcroftoperahouse.com/</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-6608028033578461222008-10-06T08:29:00.000-07:002008-10-06T08:41:54.211-07:00Tribute to Jurgen Gothe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6F5InZwq6SjN60bAWWzs1MMVpxfcmyuwAR_K_YRiDxOMJ8IWj0iSteE-0epoqDFWJ89S3B8_hyphenhyphenFpZpktHJvpsp6JaBDPt4Wao6ITk0F5hgfwveOdFymInaO2B6YHhftUyw05/s1600-h/Jurgen+plays+the+harp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254065850951096738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6F5InZwq6SjN60bAWWzs1MMVpxfcmyuwAR_K_YRiDxOMJ8IWj0iSteE-0epoqDFWJ89S3B8_hyphenhyphenFpZpktHJvpsp6JaBDPt4Wao6ITk0F5hgfwveOdFymInaO2B6YHhftUyw05/s400/Jurgen+plays+the+harp.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> Jurgen Gothe tries his hand at playing the harp with a little encouragement from Winter Harp members (right) and Detroit jazz harpist Christa Grix (left).</span><br /></span><div></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Harp Tribute Concert Thanks Jurgen Gothe of CBC Radio</strong></span></div><br /><div>Winter Harp had the honour of playing in a multi-harp concert in September that was a tribute to CBC Radio’s Jurgen Gothe. Over the years, Jurgen has played a generous amount of harp music on his show -- and harpists wanted to thank him for it. When you think about it, other than CBC, there aren’t a lot of stations that play harp music. By playing harp music, Jurgen helped raise awareness of the instrument and he also helped further the careers of the harpists he played.</div><br /><div>Jurgen played Winter Harp frequently -- and for that we are forever grateful. Thanks to him, people nationwide learned about our ensemble.One Christmas Jurgen played our entire CD -- Child’s Christmas in Wales. And that was a real honour for us. Jurgen also played a lot of music by Detroit jazz harpist Christa Grix. And she was so thankful to him that she flew out from Detroit to be in the tribute concert held in North Vancouver.<br /><br /></div><div>The concert brought some tears, for as we know, Jurgen’s famous Disc Drive show is no longer on CBC Radio. The concert closed with a jazz version of Disc Drive’s theme song featuring harps, drums and bass. It was a nostalgic moment. And as harpist Alys Howe said before she played: “Jurgen -- we miss you!”The concert was a fundraiser for the World Harp Congress which will be held in Vancouver in 2011. The congress will showcase the world’s greatest harpists in a week-long harp extravaganza. Performers at the tribute concert included: Elizabeth Volpe-Bligh, Lani Kranz, Josh Layne, Kaori Otaki, Alys Howe, Christa Grix, Blanche Olivar, Lauri Lyster, William Fawcett, Rong Jun and Winter Harp with Lori Pappajohn, Janelle Nadeau, Joaquin Ayala and Lauri Lyster.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-9882409299194876962008-09-11T21:04:00.000-07:002008-09-16T23:19:29.677-07:00Racing Tub Part II<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Racing Tub!</span></strong> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>Team Winter Harp</strong></em></span> </div><div align="center"><strong>Part II</strong></div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSm4cecsAn9uU2u0fHRETNOIynjLuRHH3IkGl3wJVgEGVjlyPb_w5dyn98zVBSaZSc8rGE6vr2l4YumV5nP5_f0zH3SE5BlA_ohCN_W-BGq2bbxPRY-mWZtfZvos2R43x8fe9V/s1600-h/IMGP0039.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244995473065900946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSm4cecsAn9uU2u0fHRETNOIynjLuRHH3IkGl3wJVgEGVjlyPb_w5dyn98zVBSaZSc8rGE6vr2l4YumV5nP5_f0zH3SE5BlA_ohCN_W-BGq2bbxPRY-mWZtfZvos2R43x8fe9V/s400/IMGP0039.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I've had so many emails regarding bathtub racing that I am adding a few more pictures and videos of the event. To answer the most frequent question, yes I am crazy. To answer the second most frequent question, yes it does hurt. Sometimes a lot. Here is some sage advice about what the trick is from T.E.Lawrence:<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BYNElueJj_w&hl=" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" fs="1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></div><br /><br />Finally, I was asked what the view of the ocean looks like when running something as low to the water as a racing tub. Here is a picture of what the driver of a tub is normally seeing:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIt3jcYKx73SpXP1RX45FUBApasps4gYmyS4AtpR_jdj58L4A8gOITO1vKUSqocVS9CrEEmU5PqyPu4dAHKHIMEQYWEpESIJT_aK7DCgPTQQYflKfA26KzOipaGn6Xi8i-R64/s1600-h/IMGP0061.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245003110101416098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIt3jcYKx73SpXP1RX45FUBApasps4gYmyS4AtpR_jdj58L4A8gOITO1vKUSqocVS9CrEEmU5PqyPu4dAHKHIMEQYWEpESIJT_aK7DCgPTQQYflKfA26KzOipaGn6Xi8i-R64/s400/IMGP0061.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The following picture is taken shortly after the start. It gives some idea of how lumpy water can get when it's churned up by 40+ boats.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSU2GanFLVQAT2UZO7aw4UjOHojmIjA5D-nA_-404AnMlWouxc5a8YbFVeplW8F3Cmrx5SHGAMGwaBESevfimtEmuzAN_xwB9mILMgO3jHT5lRRNkFgWd3k_dZ7-cQuBZ1vhj/s1600-h/IMG_9977.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244992362449515538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSU2GanFLVQAT2UZO7aw4UjOHojmIjA5D-nA_-404AnMlWouxc5a8YbFVeplW8F3Cmrx5SHGAMGwaBESevfimtEmuzAN_xwB9mILMgO3jHT5lRRNkFgWd3k_dZ7-cQuBZ1vhj/s400/IMG_9977.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Notice that despite all this, I'm landing quite flat. This is considered good form.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPE3B83KXBEOXYJl2k7Ctka4Ck5LjXzZRtmar6edleLhcr_ru52SyPTtPiOMT3VMKjp_v8uZt6wQbvlmGdd9dM0cGmZ4xD0eyaomo16VY6KyckUPoHD22bM6jyvb2__BOtR7H/s1600-h/IMG_9979.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244993236848236786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPE3B83KXBEOXYJl2k7Ctka4Ck5LjXzZRtmar6edleLhcr_ru52SyPTtPiOMT3VMKjp_v8uZt6wQbvlmGdd9dM0cGmZ4xD0eyaomo16VY6KyckUPoHD22bM6jyvb2__BOtR7H/s400/IMG_9979.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Here is what the tub looks like at full speed in calm water. Yes, this would be considered calm water in this race:<br /><br /><div align="center"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-7RDd08Cqx8" width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></div><br /><br />Here is the tub in slightly rougher water. Of great importance in this sequence is that despite the fact that I'm getting lots of quality air time, I'm still managing to land reasonably flat and not losing much plane and thus speed. There is room for improvement in this respect and we'll have some innovations next year which will definately help. In tub racing, flat = fast.<br /><p></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2CGeQhR-s2Y" width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></div><br /><div align="left"><br />This final video is what the tub looks like in reasonably lumpy water. The trick in this sort of thing is to try to steer around waves and try to flatten the course out as much as possible. Jumping off the top of each wave is pretty counter-productive and it's too easy to get off plane. Even worse, getting lots of air wastes time slows things down since the prop is spinning freely in the air like an airplane and not producing any thrust. When it lands back in the water its bringing along lots of air, and it has to hook up again. This all takes time and costs speed. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><p align="center"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Kh0dvAAikWA&hl=" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" fs="1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></p><div align="left"><br />The final picture is a close up of the tub after the race. It was literally "harp breaking."<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlxfqR2dYsgG3Cckujbxhj26Kw0dtkTXL0IP1uv4NNAhbJHVCO72vSE_w7d4Z1C8N9aKI-MATh0WGNFeBOhCMtwowhnZ4A43vaGsooNUOrQ1vpuPCvWwbiON3XyZuhONqFWQt/s1600-h/IMGP0080.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244998311636824306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlxfqR2dYsgG3Cckujbxhj26Kw0dtkTXL0IP1uv4NNAhbJHVCO72vSE_w7d4Z1C8N9aKI-MATh0WGNFeBOhCMtwowhnZ4A43vaGsooNUOrQ1vpuPCvWwbiON3XyZuhONqFWQt/s400/IMGP0080.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />All is well in the land of tubbing and the fiberglass gods have smiled upon me. The tub has been repaired and beefed up, and we'll do a lot more testing before the next race to figure out what works and what doesn't. Stay tuned sports fans!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355783.post-39240483849110342312008-09-02T15:10:00.000-07:002008-09-12T06:08:23.709-07:00Tub Racing!!!<div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27j6IDbKCrYjceYU6o4Q7bTL-fmfxbKcUimK2eVxIHPgZNhsFdUOZ2gx8ZeGeRHGsUxB4-gYLGqoT0lxaeXd1Sw7yVVX43jUwQIQS_DnKE7VFFsIoeQEzDBGCtm64GDJJdXJH/s1600-h/2007_08182008bathtub0041.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241553121409899090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27j6IDbKCrYjceYU6o4Q7bTL-fmfxbKcUimK2eVxIHPgZNhsFdUOZ2gx8ZeGeRHGsUxB4-gYLGqoT0lxaeXd1Sw7yVVX43jUwQIQS_DnKE7VFFsIoeQEzDBGCtm64GDJJdXJH/s400/2007_08182008bathtub0041.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><em>When Winter Harp's medieval instrument player Joaquin Ayala isn't playing his rare instruments, he's often up to all sorts of crazy and fun adventures. This past summer he decided to enter the famous Nanaimo Bath Tub race. And his sponsor was Winter Harp. Heck, why not have a Christmas harp ensemble sponsor a summer bath tub racer?! Nanaimo is one of our favourite places to play -- so it seemed a natural fit. So, with Winter Harp emblazoned on the side of his tub, Joaquin took to the salt chuck. Here is his story:</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The City of Nanaimo has been holding a very peculiar and arcane race since the late 1960's which involves a flotilla of 50 to 100 small high speed boats each of which, according to the rules, must contain <strong><em>"a component that conforms to the general shape and design of an old style roll edge bathtub".</em></strong> The boats are powered by a small outboard motor of 8 horse power, but certain modifications are permitted which significantly increases their efficiency. The course leaves Nanaimo harbor, goes up the coast around the Winchelsea group of islands and back for a total run of 36 miles. Most of the race, certainly the hardest stretch, is the climb up the coast, since there are always severe head winds and waves of 3 to 5 feet, or more, are not uncommon. The sport should probably be considered "extreme" in as much as it is a race and it does involve pounding very heavily in very tiny boats through very rough water. Tactics, strategies, technology, and the tenacity of the pilot all combine to make this a very real, if not altogether serious, test of the ingenuity and fortitude of the contestants. Certainly after competing in this race I can say with utter confidence that after racing tub, everything else has the volume turned waaaay down.<br /><br /><br />For my part, I have never really had much of an interest in spectator sports or athletic competition, but having said that, I would be the first to say that running the bulls in Pamplona is far better than being an armchair Hemingway. In this spirit, I commissioned a bathtub and acquired a motor complete with surface piercing propeller and with the help of a very talented rigger, Mr. Jay Willoughby, we put the thing together and did a couple of experimental runs. As usual and as is my preference everything was left to the last minute (thus allowing the maximum opportunity for spontaneity and improvisation). I only managed to get a couple of hours of "seat time" in the tub, but I learned quickly enough that these type of boats are extremely unstable at low speeds and that each wave has to be read correctly and quickly to steer through, around, or under it to avoid flipping over. Whereas in a larger boat reading every single wave is not essential, or even possible, in a craft this small and this light it is essential. The power of 8 horses is very substantial when considering that the boat weights a little over 70 pounds and even with the weight of the motor, fuel and driver, the power to weight ratio is a bit over 40 lbs per horse power - fast enough to get into lots of trouble. The tubs spend much of their time out of the water, and landing badly can have disasterous consequences.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241552549670060530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeaGlE1uk7oK1NgSDUxtdPLSh0VQX99NzA_zpYb0px-oGj71bNPNyukB8WgKVePgRb7R2PXIx-eli7liIg0N_qbYqxenJzS6F9mdreWYoiC5YCVJsmm9r4ox3dvE1Qzn_CITV/s400/2007_08182008bathtub0004.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-T7dAI93tJQ5VYGqInYwBaFGo9Mo9FLE51WXQV9nMOQeUjqD85OAtATr_DCNC9NvdCXL3bOEUWiqvfsrRpiNA5qxtA5rqdHdtuF7x7MFiwvF8UtWLC4giczK4-i2K_k7CTFKy/s1600-h/2007_08182008bathtub0014.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241566514465624338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-T7dAI93tJQ5VYGqInYwBaFGo9Mo9FLE51WXQV9nMOQeUjqD85OAtATr_DCNC9NvdCXL3bOEUWiqvfsrRpiNA5qxtA5rqdHdtuF7x7MFiwvF8UtWLC4giczK4-i2K_k7CTFKy/s400/2007_08182008bathtub0014.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The day of the race came, and after the initial pilot and escort boat captain meeting, we all jumped in our craft and started milling about the start line. The starting gun went off, very quickly the waters became extremely turbulent with the wake of dozens of tubs, and very shortly thereafter the more significant waves generated by dozens of escort boats. The general principle I have noted is that if one can make it out of the harbor, the chances of finishing are greatly improved. Much of the capsizes and collisions take place because too many boats in too small a space too closely grouped together can create chaos of epic proportions. The waves can develop into 7 foot monsters which can make the tubs totally disappear in the troughs until it is too late to take evasive action.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241553482962362882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxuhFClqi-UOuGlYy2bk3vJcI5iHrq-oLEkXOAHsINsA66TLhevbTMyrEba91j8bT3hdXtl3B1p9-3q_qSlvhG3GZGKD4EWUlNxagTyB8DDhmPn8KsTHQn4BYDiN-TW7hPJBt/s400/2007_08182008bathtub0029.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p>During all of this I was trying to stay out of harm's way by picking areas of least congestion, and as it turns out this was a strategic mistake because there are no areas of least congestion. The things one learns. I managed to get around Entrance Island and start the journey up the coast when I encountered some technical difficulty. The first thing that gave out was the (required) oar which was held down by Velcro straps to the bow deck . I was about to toss the whole lot into the ocean, but I thought better about polluting the environment, so I put it under my leg in the tub and continued on. After passing many tubs I saw the helicopter flying overhead following my progress and realized that this was a good sign since that usually means that I was getting pretty close to the front of the pack. I was going pretty fast at this point and I later learned I had just zipped by the tub which would eventually win in my category. In fact, at this point I was about sixth from the lead -- victory was within my grasp. I could almost taste victory - but such is the fickle nature of the tubbing gods that even thinking such thoughts is seen as hubris and is immediately punishable by another taste not so flavourful, namely brine.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241553973626969890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygezVDRvX7hvuwTzhnphB1u3fJcc2LwwF0t2EZfu_zwrkA1L9xM1BZQNlHuI0Hk1TFgz0Evk88R76Wei1m5qI878lA0p20o76384B2-sZUCFisOOS3lmoytitBBmKzc_EmTOD/s400/2007_08182008bathtub0028.JPG" border="0" /><br />A series of unfortunate incidents followed in quick succession. Racing now across calmer water, I decided it was time to throw the paddle overboard regardless of the environment because I couldn't feel my leg anymore - I'd been pounding for half an hour against this stupid oar rather than against the high density padding which lined the tub. In so doing I accidentally pulled the safety lanyard, thus stopping the engine. Normally not a big deal, just reattach the lanyard and restart, but all the pounding had made great cracks in the hull. The only thing keeping me afloat was the fact that I was moving so quickly. As soon as I slowed, the water poured in. Suddenly down I went -- tub and all. I was laughing so hard that I couldn't right myself as the tub became unstable as it sank and a wave came over the top and rolled the boat over throwing me in for a swim. Some quick rope work by my assistants on the escort boat saved the tub and motor from going to the bottom in 300 feet of water, and we managed to drag it on board. Gallons of water spilled out. She was a wreck.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFGX7hqsyh1n3aWpQyzhyDQ7_mr8b2yI9XrHJq6oRr0PAjB4Mgl3QSZWOpvyR9rqb-AdPYN7H6N4ZwhCWZGhxyt6Yv5WG_cduOcsVyZlVuxTIjNBvWI5QUQAH_aMERvmwrWW8/s1600-h/damage1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245120625648603282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFGX7hqsyh1n3aWpQyzhyDQ7_mr8b2yI9XrHJq6oRr0PAjB4Mgl3QSZWOpvyR9rqb-AdPYN7H6N4ZwhCWZGhxyt6Yv5WG_cduOcsVyZlVuxTIjNBvWI5QUQAH_aMERvmwrWW8/s400/damage1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The tub sits in the fiberglass shop now being rebuilt and further modified to include extra floatation as well as a whole new deck and engine mounts. Back at the pub, the winner of the Stock class came in, my fabricator having built his tub (and many others on the circuit), and we filled the trophy cup with beer and all had a drink. It was something out of Le Mans, except it was Coors rather than Champagne, bathtubs rather than race cars, and Nanaimo rather than Sarthe, France.<br /><br /><p></p><p></p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyKcbDdXpP8q-jIy6NLN-N0xuCKavK7NrqjxquDANhsJB_RtMRMCI7rfwNEeGWmbxcf_BYOCqO93SY' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><br /><br /><br />I had a fabulous time in Nanaimo, and I really love the town. It's a combination of the faded glory of New Westminster with the easy living high quality of life characteristic of the Gulf Islands. As always, I'm looking forward to the concerts in December, but I will definitely be back next Summer to compete in the Great Bathtub Race which I intend to finish this time.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241563900087269442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemEUotnGtrxsxp4DrARL7peJNj8HaiOX0p9d9t9OAm55d8rxDjSawoJju8OOqGtk5IBxuojnlr0u41Cqxn5RSON4YGyNTyOarsLPB_pTTbetYBk5FwJRCWgkPQCmJB__BDz6M/s400/damage3.JPG" border="0" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0