Alternative Harps in Concert

A unique blend of improvised and composed music will be showcased by harpists Brandee Younger, Mia Theodoratus and Riza Hequibal on August 27 at Theater 80 St. Marks. The chic trio announced today that they will demonstrate their talents fusing jazz, classical and world music.

These compelling harpists consist of Younger, a soulfully buoyant personality who has been featured in many avant garde settings through her work with jazz masters including Ravi Coltrane, Charlie Haden and Jack Dejohnette; Theodoratus, a veteran of the NYC underground jazz and rock scene is part of Dueling Harps with Ann Magnuson, her duo Adam & Mia and is part of the Hanuman Sextet; and Ms. Hequibal, an interpretive soloist known for her brilliant work with trumpeter Marcus Printup of the Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra, is redefining the jazz standard and ballad on harp.

Each of these harpists can be heard on recordings (with other artists like Leona Naess, TV ON The Radio, Common, Ryan Leslie, Cassie)-now it is the time to hear them take over the stage for themselves.

The evening will feature each harpist demonstrating their adventurous take on the harp's potential in a broad musical setting. Their diverse backgrounds in jazz, hip hop, baroque pop, funk and classical styles will ensure the harp's continued presence in creative music for the 21st century.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2009
8:00 p.m.
$10

Theatre 80 St. Marks
80 St. Marks Place (at 1st Avenue)
New York, NY

For more information, contact Mia Theodoratus at harpgrrl@gmail.com.

It's Summer Now...

Now, summer is half over already and most of the weeks have been harp-filled with performances, teaching, big band and recording. While teaching at the Elyrica Harp & Flute Camp, I’m taking this time away from playing the harp to reflect on the past few months, and look forward.

This winter, I took a trip along with harpist Megan Sesma, to Guatemala as part of the Guatemala Harp Project. We brought over supplies and music and worked extensively with the harp instructors and students at the National Conservatory of Music in Guatemala City and El Sitio Cultural Center in Antigua. Please write me if you'd like learn more details about this trip. What a rewarding experience!

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This summer has been eventful as well. I was honored to play two sold-out sets at the Bluenote Jazz Club with the legendary Jack Dejohnette, Ravi Coltrane & Kenny Davis. The night was to benefit Jazz Reach, an organization dedicated to teaching jazz through live performance, multi-media educational programs and informative clinics and master-classes for student musicians and ensembles. We played compositions by Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane and Jack Dejohnette. We also played an arrangement of Michael Jackson’s hit “Human Nature” that Ravi Coltrane made for quartet. (photo credit, Doug Kim)

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That brings me to the event that still has me in shock, some 4 weeks later: The death of Michael Jackson. It’s difficult to even say those words! He was a true talent with a strong purpose on this earth! Here’s one of my favorites. Michael Jackson singing the standard, “All the Things You Are".





It seems everyone is performing MJ now. I’m just waiting to see some harp arrangements pop up!

The Guatemala Harp Project

For Immediate Release:

Two versatile harpists, Brandee Younger and Megan Sesma, will be showcasing their love for teaching and performing through the Guatemala Harp Teaching Project.

February 17-26, the two talented instrumentalists will be volunteering their time to travel to Guatemala to coach and teach master-classes for a short period of time at venues which will include El Conservatorio Nacional de Musica in Guatemala City, and El Sitio Cultural in Antigua. Their teachings will also include harp projects in Jocotenango and San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala.

The Guatemala Harp Teaching Project was initiated by the Harping for Harmony Foundation, whose mission is to promote harmony and community, locally and globally, through harp music. International and domestic programs focus on Peace, Childhood, Livelihood, Health, and Democracy.

Donations for this project will provide additional materials to build harps, and compensation to musicians from Guatemala who are currently involved in childhood and community development projects. A budget of approximately $100 can provide one harp or 20 hours of harp music in Guatemala.

Sesma and Younger will utilize their harmonious flair to contribute to the musical education of over 35 students in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala City and Antigua. Not since Floridalma Robles, Guatemala National Symphony harpist, died in 2000, has there been a professional harpist in the country of Guatemala.

The goal, however, is for the project to be self-sustainable. The Shoreline Chapter of the American Harp Society is supporting this project through purchase of sheet music, orchestral parts and supplies, with some help from the Long Island Chapter of the American Harp Society, and American harp companies as well.

Younger, a Long Island native and specialist in nonconventional harp arenas, will be offering her whimsical instruction which will span many genres of harp music. She is well-known for her work with with jazz notables such as Ravi Coltrane and Reggie Workman, Hip Hop artists Common and Ryan Leslie as well as with an array of orchestras including the Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Ensemble Du Monde, and the Red Bull Artsehcro, a “non-conformist” orchestra. She is the Vice President of the Long Island Chapter of the American Harp Society and currently teaches privately in New York and on the harp faculty of the Hartt School Community Division, at the University of Hartford in Connecticut.

Sesma, the 1st enlisted principal harpist with the United States Coast Guard Band, is a multitalented performer of orchestral and harp chamber music and has performed at many venues ranging from Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow Russia, the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Carnegie Hall and numerous concert halls in South America. She has also shared the stage with such legendary contemporary and popular musicians as Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall and Dianne Reeves. Sesma is on faculty at the Centerbrook Music School in Connecticut and is the harp instructor for Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut and the adjunct instructor of harp at the University of Connecticut. She is also President emeritus of the Shoreline Chapter of the American Harp Society.

Patrice Fisher, the president of the harp society of New Orleans, officially started the project in 2003 after visiting Guatemala many times in 1984 with her Guatemalan husband, Carlos Valladares, and she currently travels annually to the Central American country to support the harp project.

Contacts:

Guatemala Harp Project
Patrice Fisher: ecoslatinos@gmail.com

Is January Over Yet?

We’re not even 2 full weeks into January and looking forward makes it feel like the month is almost over! I rang in the New Year at the Harlem studio, Stadium Red, the homebase of the oh-so-talented producer, Omen (Be sure to get his upcoming album, "Be The Judge" and Not because I'm on it ;). What an awesome recording facility—the former studio of jazz pioneer, Ornette Coleman.

The weekend started out with a powerful meeting of the minds: fellow harpistas, Robbin Gordon- Cartier, Rashida Black, and Riza Hequibal. Thanks Robbin, for all of your insight & music!! I had the opportunity to work with Ryan Leslie last weekend as well. We performed a beautiful song of his, “Golden Days”, duo-just harp and voice. It has been well over a year since I’ve last worked with him, and during that time, his career has soared! 150% deserved. He is definitely one of the hardest working men I know.

A few concerts and trips to Connecticut later, I’m really just looking forward to Guatemala! Next month, I will be taking a trip over with harpist, Megan Sesma of the United States Coast Guard Band to donate music and supplies, and coach and teach other harpists. More to come on that later…

...Right now I think we're all looking forward to the same thing: Inauguration
In today's mail, out of the blue, was an invitation to Inauguration. What are the chances?

The Staircase

No matter how much research I do beforehand, every now and then, I end up facing a flight of stairs alone. I don't know if all harpists dread stairs, but I do! Many harpists in NYC don't mind, because they have harp movers to move their harp, but what about those jobs you have where you don't have a mover?

I approach the top or bottom of a staircase and one of two things happen: An overly anxious man runs and insists on helping me. But it's not really help...they want to do it themselves but don't realize how cumbersome (not heavy) the harp actually is, and they don't know how to take directions. My heart starts racing and I start running my mouth insisting that they stop. I can't sit watching my harp being thrown in the air! If I had a limitless supply of harps, it would be fine, but I don't. So, it's either that, or nobody offers to help. People watch and ignore. Both are equally frustrating. What's the solution? I wish I could carry my little brother in my back pocket because he's a very well trained harp mover! After all these years, I'm STILL working it out...

Sound!

Sound...it's a lifetime journey. I have had sound issues for quite some time, because I mostly play an acoustic harp. After struggling with different mics and mic placements, I got a custom pickup made by a bass company. Actually, there were 3 pickups in the harp, not 1.

Fast forward to now: I use and endorse the Barcus Berry Piano & Harp Planar Wave System (4000). It's a powerful little pickup, and I use two of them. I can also switch them from harp to harp, which is fantastic!

Again, it's a lifetime journey! I'm happy now, because my main concern is being audible over powerful drummers.

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If you're into electric harps, the Salvi has a new model out--the Echo. I've only tried 3 or 4 electric harps, but for me, this one takes the cake. It sounds very natural. I played the Echo for the Detroit Jazz Festival and everyone complimented the sound it produced!!!

Everyone has their personal preference when it comes to sound. It's a process of trial and error until you find what you like.

Web Design

Aesthecize Media designed both my general and wedding websites (www.brandeeyounger.com & www.wedding.brandeeyounger.com). It boasts a huge portfolio of both artist and business websites. Aside from amazing web designs, Aesthecize Media offers photography and print services.