Note-worthy Experiences
Connect With Us
  • About Us
    • Our Studio >
      • Studio Director
      • Behind the Scenes
      • Employment Opportunities
    • Teacher Features
    • Testimonials
    • In the News
    • Tuition and Payment
    • FAQs
  • Music Lessons
    • Meet Our Teachers
    • Group Classes >
      • Flute Fundamentals
      • FREE Brass Studio Class
      • How To Help Your Child Practice Effectively
      • Piano Guild Audition Prep Workshop
      • Practice Tips For Intermediate And Advanced Piano Students
      • Online Vocal Warm-Up Mondays
      • Online Group Workshop for Strings Students
      • History of Music Online Group Class
      • The History of Rock Music Online Group Class
      • Online Composing Class
      • A deeper look into Music Theory
    • Bass
    • Brass
    • Cello
    • Clarinet|Saxophone
    • Flute|Piccolo
    • Guitar|Ukulele
    • Harp
    • Oboe|Bassoon
    • Percussion
    • Piano
    • Violin|Viola
    • Voice
  • Consulting & Services
  • Blog
  • Gallery
    • 2019 Winter Recital
    • 2019 Spring Honors Recital
  • Resources
    • Explore an Instrument
    • Family Fun Nights
    • Merit Scholarship Competition
    • Music/Instrument Sales&Rentals/Piano Moving&Tuning
    • Music Resources
    • Note-worthypalooza 2021
    • NWE Policies/Photo Release and Student Information Form
    • Songwriting/Composing Competition
  • Contact

Meet Alix's Oldest Friend

9/21/2018

1 Comment

 

By Alix Raspe 

Picture
Allow me to introduce Luna, my oldest and best friend. Luna’s not your typical companion; she’s not a beloved stuffed animal or a neighborhood pal. She is a Style 85, Lyon and Healy Concert Grand harp. Now, how did a toddler become attached to an ninety pound, six foot high, widely unpopular musical instrument? My parents definitely weren’t musical. The only performing art they introduced me to was “Big Bird Meets the Orchestra.” Yet, by the age of five, I was obsessed with the harp.

It all began while watching Duchess in Walt Disney’s “The Aristocats.” Though the Scat Cats were entertaining, I was completely mesmerized by Duchess. At that moment, I didn’t want to “Be a Cat”; I wanted to “Be a Harpist”. This dream was a self-proclaimed commitment. Nothing would change my mind; nothing would stop me... except maybe my parents.
Not only was the harp an expensive investment for a five year old; it was three times my size. Mom and Dad tried to sell me on piano lessons, but I remained resolute. As a compromise we agreed on piano lessons for three years and harp lessons thereafter.

My obligatory interest in piano lasted exactly two minutes. Sitting at our baby grand piano, my eyes skipped over the keys and immediately focused on the inner strings. I had to pluck those strings. I dragged the piano bench to the side, climbed up, and started picking at all 230 wires. When Mom arrived home from work, she found me headfirst inside the piano. Afraid that the lid might crash on my head or smash my fingers, Mom insisted that “piano string plucking” become a supervised activity. She assumed that this provision would suppress my need for a harp. Little did she know.

A year later I made an even greater discovery. While rehearsing on my grandparent’s upright piano, I noticed that I couldn’t visibly see strings. But there had to be strings. My grandmother had no rule against “piano string plucking,” so I proceeded to pop the top, pull out the soundboard, and plunge my fingers through the soundboard’s crevices. At that moment my grandmother walked into the room and witnessed a scene right out of “A Day at the Races.” Like Harpo Marx, I had pulled apart a piano and proceeded to play the wires. Though the soundboard didn’t fit back into the piano, my miffed grandmother joined the battle for harp lessons.

Finally three excruciating years of piano lessons passed. I earned the nickname, “The Terminator,” thanks to two destroyed pianos and countless broken wires. My Mom kept her promise and she enlisted former jazz harpist, Ruth Berman Harris, a spunky ninety year old lady with severe arthritis. As I watched her play throughout her pain, my respect and devotion to the harp intensified. Mrs. Harris started my early harp education, leading me to then study with June Han at Juilliard Pre-College in high school, Bridget Kibbey at New York University for my Bachelor’s, and Jessica Zhou at New England Conservatory for my Masters in Music. Stated simply, harp was my calling, and Luna will be my friend for life.

Alix is a graduate of New York University and New England Conservatory. She 
has received numerous awards as a soloist including: the Annapolis Music Festival Maestro Award for Outstanding Soloist at the age of 13, the NYU Excellence in String Performance and Leadership Award, and the NYU Orchestral Excellence Award. She has taught harp for Note-worthy Experience since May of 2018. 

1 Comment
Kadhja Bonet link
11/30/2020 03:59:44 am

Its really helpful information

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015

    Categories

    All
    Berklee
    Cello Lessons
    College
    Community
    Competitions
    Composition
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Events
    Family Fun Night
    Guitar
    Harp
    Honors Recital
    Lessons
    Music Creativity
    Music Goals
    Music Instruments
    Music Lessons
    National Piano Guild
    Piano Lessons
    Practice|Homework
    Recitals
    Recommendations
    Resources
    Royal Conservatory
    Shop
    Social Media
    Summer
    Voice Instruction
    Voice Lessons
    Workshops

    RSS Feed

      Contact Us

    Submit

Contact Us

All Copyrights Reserved (c) 2015-2021

About Us

Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio LLC, located in Sudbury, Massachusetts, provides private in-home and online/virtual music lessons to students of all ages in the Boston MetroWest area including Concord, Wayland, Weston, Wellesley, Newton, Lincoln, Lexington, Sudbury, and Boston.  Contact Renee Bordner at 978.443.0480 or rbordner@note-worthyexperiences.com

​Not a member of our studio yet? Join our mailing list to receive news and updates!

What Our Students Are Saying

Picture
Picture
Read Reviews

Our Privacy Policy