Shar's HARP RAMBLINGS: December 2007

Hello there from wintery Sudbury! Yes... I am here in December, just back from Edmonton and on my way to Sturgeon Falls in the morning before returning to a snow laden Toronto!

This Fall-into-Winter has been an incredibly busy time for me, with fabulously fun concerts, workshops and adjudicating in Washington, BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. One of the exciting tours I was part of was with the group Winter Harp (www.winterharp.com). Winter Harp features harps, violin, medieval instruments, percussion, poetry and song. I performed with the group to mostly sold out audiences in Winnipeg, Courtenay, Victoria and two in the Edmonton area. One of the Edmonton area concerts was recorded to be broadcast this coming Friday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. (mountain time) on CKUA Radio in Alberta. For those outside of Alberta, you can catch the broadcast on your computer at www.ckua.com. The broadcast was recorded during the concert last week at Horizon Stage Theatre in Spruce Grove, near Edmonton. CKUA will broadcast one hour of the two-hour concert. Harpists for the CKUA broadcast were Janelle Nadeau on pedal harp and myself on Celtic harp (alternating harpist for Lori Pappajohn). I had a fantastic time playing with the group.

The one unfortunate non-happening event this December will be my Music for a Winter’s Eve Concert. With regret there simply were not enough days in in the month to accommodate for this annual concert in Toronto. Although...winter isn’t over yet! There is still January, February and March...maybe...just maybe it may be scheduled in the new year!

Check out my upcoming concerts in the new year. The ROM concert with George Koller and myself could be fun and an opportunity to see the new ROM crystal! Susan Piltch and I also have a number of concerts coming up in southern Ontario. And...it’s never too early for you harpists to sign up for the workshops that I will be giving in Quebec and BC.

Mostly, I want to wish you all a joyous holiday season and much beauty for your new year.

Shar’s upcoming concerts and workshops:
2008
January 13: concert – TORONTO, Ontario – 2pm – Royal Ontario Museum’s Salon Sundays – Sharlene & George Koller (bass) <http://www.rom.on.ca/programs/rom_sundays/index.php>
January 26: concert – OAKVILLE, Ontario - 10am & 11:30am - Oakville Symphony Orchestra’s Kids concert “meet the harpist” <http://www.oakvillesymphony.com/outreach_kids.html>
February 29: concert - GANANOQUE, Ontario – Sharlene & George Koller (bass) <http://www.concertgananoque.ca>
March 16: concert – TORONTO, Ontario – Temple Sinai, 210 Wilson Avenue – Sharlene & Susan Piltch (flute/piano)
March 24: concert – TORONTO, Ontario -
March 28: concert: - ORANGEVILLE, Ontario – Sharlene, Susan Piltch (flute/piano) & George Koller (bass) <http://www.orangevilleconcerts.ca/season2007_2008.htm>
May 2-4: workshop retreat – NARAMATA, British Columbia
May 26: concert – OAKVILLE, Ontario - Halton Youth Symphony: special guest...will include a harp concerto and orchestrations of pieces written by Sharlene <http://www.haltonyouthsymphony.com>
June 23-28: workshop retreat – LAC MACDONALD, Quebec <http://www.cammac.ca>
July: Elora festival
August 12-16: workshop retreat – WELLS, BC <http://www.imarts.com/artschool>

More rambles and concert dates to come in the next rambling...

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Shar's Summer Harp Ramblette: July 2007

Hello from the beautiful Quebec Laurentians where I am teaching this week... and escaping the intense Toronto heat! Having a great time with the enthusiastic harp students... and enjoying the inevitable summer thunder storms here on this beautiful lake.

I seem to be mountain hopping this summer. From the Laurentians I am heading to British Columbia next week for a number of happenings. If you happen to be near Comox/Courtenay, the Sunshine Coast, or Victoria... come say hi and enjoy some harp music!

Here’s where I will be playing:

Shar in British Columbia: JULY 2007

VANCOUVER ISLAND, British Columbia
MUSIC FESTIVAL: July 6-8
Vancouver Island Musicfest
at Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds, Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, BC
My appearances will be:
Saturday: “MORNING NOTES” on the Grierson Community Stage - 10:15-11:30am
Saturday: CONCERT on the Woodland Stage - 1:00-1:50pm
Sunday: WORKSHOP on the Instructional Workshop & Spoken Word Stage – 12:00-12:50pm
info 1-866-898-8499 / http://www.islandmusicfest.com

ROBERTS CREEK, British Columbia - sign up NOW!
WORKSHOP: July 9-13
Coast String Fiddlers Camp
at Roberts Creek, Sunshine Coast, BC
This is the most amazing week of harp playing amid a fantastic fiddle camp. Learn new harp tunes, check up on technique, learn about arranging and improvising, ensemble playing, a little Celtic music, maybe a little South American ...find out more at:
http://coaststringfiddlers.com
CONCERT: July 13 given by the Fiddle Camp teachers at the Rockwood Centre in Sechelt.

VICTORIA, British Columbia
CONCERT: July 15, 9:00pm (open stage starts at 7:30pm)
The Victoria Folk Music Society
at Norway House, 1110 Hillside Avenue, Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC
info 250-413-3213 / http://www.victoriafolkmusic.ca

Shar elsewhere: JULY 2007

SOMERSET, New Jersey, USA
HARP FESTIVAL OF WORKSHOPS, CONCERTS AND MORE: July 19-22
Somerset Folk Harp Festival
at Doubletree Hotel, Somerset, NJ
This is an incredible harp festival celebrating the folk harp in all its aspects: with workshops
for everyone’s interest, concerts galore and many exhibitors ... a chance to shop for a harp, music, CDs...
http://www.harpsomerset.com

PARRY SOUND, Ontario
Festival of the Sound
CONCERT CRUISE: July 29, 7:00pm
Sunset on the Bay Cruise “Strike the Harp”
Parry Sound on Georgian Bay
Concert with “Strike the Harp”:
Sharlene, Celtic harp
Loretto Reid, Irish flutes, concertina
George Koller, bass
Enjoy a gorgeous sunset cruise on Georgian Bay with Celtic harp, flutes, whistles, concertina and bass. Frolicking jigs and reels and beautiful airs will set your feet tapping and your voices humming along to the music of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Truly a magical evening.
http:// www.festivalofthesound.ca

Shar further down the road:

NOVEMBER 2007
SEATTLE, Washington, USA
WORKSHOPS & CONCERTS: November 2-4
Dusty Strings Harp Symposium
http://www.dustystrings.com

2008
January 26: concert – OAKVILLE, Ontario - 10am & 11:30am - Oakville Symphony Orchestra’s Kids concert “meet the harpist”
February 29: concert - GANANOQUE, Ontario – Sharlene & George Koller (bass) <http://www.concertgananoque.ca>
March 28: concert: - ORANGEVILLE, Ontario – Sharlene, Susan Piltch (flute/piano) & George Koller (bass) <http://www.orangevilleconcerts.ca/season2007_2008.htm>
May 2-4: workshop retreat – NARAMATA, British Columbia

And more to come in the next rambling...
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Shar's Harp Ramblette: April 6, 2007
A wee ramble with a bit more exact detail for the CBC broadcast this Sunday PLUS concert info for Alberta & BC.

CBC concert broadcast airings on Sunday April 8th:

1. CBC Radio Two 94.1FM (1pm)
2. CBC Radio One 99.1FM (8:05)
3. online: radio2.cbc.ca (upper right hand corner) from 13:00 Eastern time
   

harp: Sharlene Wallace, Lori Gemmell, Monika Stadler
fiddle: Oliver Schroer
accordion: Joseph Macerollo
bass: George Koller

http://www.cbc.ca/onstage/index.html
http://www.cbc.ca/onstage/feature2.html


APRIL & MAY CONCERTS:

ALBERTA concerts:
harp: Shar
bass: George Koller

EDMONTON CONCERT:

• date : Wednesday April 25
• time : 7:30 p.m.
• place : TransAlta Arts Barns (Westbury Theatre), 10330 - 84 Avenue, Edmonton
• tickets: $15 Available at the door
• info: www.shawbumanis.ca (Nora) / harp@sharlenewallace.com
  
  CALGARY CONCERT:
  

• date : Friday April 27
• time : 8:00 p.m.
• place : Calgary Unitarian Church (Wickenden Hall), 1703 1st Street N. W. (16th Avenue at First Street NW), Calgary
• tickets: $15 Available at the door (or to reserve call 210-0158 before noon or after 7:00 p.m.)
  

• CONCERT: Friday MAY 4 at 8pm
• at Chalmers Chapel, Naramata Retreat Centre, Naramata, BC
• Tickets $14 in advance from theharplady@shaw.ca / or at the door
  

• WORKSHOP: MAY 4-6
• High Spirits 8th Annual Spring Celtic Harp Workshop
• at Naramata Retreat Centre, Naramata, BC
• information: theharplady@shaw.ca

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Shar's New Years Harp Ramblings: January 2007

Can you believe it? 2007!

Can you believe it? No snow!

Here in Toronto, that’s all we can talk about. Despite this creepy Spring like weather here in Southern Ontario that has forced my daffodils and peonies up and a rosebud to form, I have been thankful for the easy driving conditions as I tour about our province.

October to December was fabulously busy with concerts in Ottawa, Vankleek Hill, Camden East, Hamilton, Sioux Lookout, Dryden, Winnipeg, Deep River, Oshawa, Oakville, Toronto. Susan Piltch joined me for many of these concerts as we continue to celebrate our new CD “Anticipation”. Having George (Koller) playing bass with us for a number of these concerts was great fun. And how beautiful Northern Ontario is! Thank you to all who welcomed us so warmly on our tour.

After a few relaxing days in the Muskokas (I have to tell you about the turkeys!), I am back in the throws of preparing for numerous upcoming concerts and projects. With my harp friends Lori Gemmell and Monika Stadler we will be giving three concerts - in Oakville, Barrie and Toronto. The Toronto concert, to be broadcast on CBC Radio, is a little special as I have also invited George Koller (bass), Joseph Macerollo (accordion) and Oliver Schroer (fiddle) to join us. Should be a wild time!

Speaking of wild ...have you ever seen a wild turkey live and up close? Well, there I am ...enjoying my peaceful vacation ...standing at the kitchen window ...I look outside and and there they are ...TWELVE wild turkeys! The most enormous turkeys I’ve ever seen. Like big flamingos ...on short legs ...not as pink. Well, actually not pink at all. They were absolutely stunning. Two days in a row they visited. Lurching and pecking about the property. Truly wild.

I ramble on ... Below is my upcoming schedule. Hope to see you soon. Cheers, Sharlene


SHAR’S Winter to Spring schedule ...so far:

OAKVILLE, Ontario
CONCERT: Saturday FEBRUARY 10th at 8pm
St. Jude’s Celebration of the Arts “A Festival of Harps”
Lori Gemmell, Classical harpist
Monika Stadler, jazz harpist
Sharlene Wallace, Celtic harpist
at St. Jude’s Anglican Church, 160 William Street, Oakville
Tickets $28 available from St. Jude’s 905-844-3972 / also available at L’Atelier Grigorian, Oakville

BARRIE, Ontario
CONCERT: Sunday FEBRUARY 11th at 2:30pm
Lori Gemmell, Classical harpist
Monika Stadler, jazz harpist
Sharlene Wallace, Celtic harpist
Georgian Music Concert “Harps Beautiful”
Central United Church, 54 Ross Street, Barrie
Tickets available at the door

TORONTO, Ontario
CONCERT: Tuesday FEBRUARY 13th at 8pm
Lori Gemmell, Classical harpist
Monika Stadler, jazz harpist
Sharlene Wallace, Celtic harpist
with special guests
Oliver Schroer, fiddler
Joseph Macerollo, accordionist
George Koller, bass player
CBC Radio’s “OnStage” presents “No Strings Attached – A limitless look at music for harps”
Glen Gould Studio Theatre, CBC Building, 250 Front Street West, Toronto
http://glenngouldstudio.cbc.ca/concerts/current/feb.html
Tickets $30, $26 students/seniors
Available 416-205-5555 http://glenngouldstudio.cbc.ca/concerts/buytickets.html

Monika Stadler's appearance is supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum/Austrian Embassy Ottawa

KINGSTON, Ontario
CONCERT: Sunday APRIL 1st at 2:30pm
Soloist with the Kingston Symphony Association
“A sinfully sweet combination. Principal Flutist Donelda Gartshore and Harpist Sharlene Wallace perform Mozart's delightful Concerto for Flute and Harp. Hear more of Sharlene's masterful playing in a piece written especially for her by Canadian composer Rodney Sharman. In a fitting conclusion to the program, enjoy one of Haydn's London Symphonies - Symphony No. 99 - in all its grandeur”
Casual Classics Series Three - Spring Strings
at Sydenham Street United Church, 82 Sydenham Street, Kingston
http://www.kingstonsymphony.on.ca/
Tickets: General Admission: Adult $30.00 /Senior: $25.00 /Student:$20.00 /Child: $13.00 /Student Rush: 7 days before performance $13.00
Available At: The Grand Theatre Box Office, 185 Sydenham Street
Phone: 613-530-2050
Online Ordering www.grandtheatre-kingston.com


EDMONTON, Alberta
TBA CONCERT/WORKSHOP/MASTERCLASS: end of April

NARAMATA, British Columbia
CONCERT: Friday MAY 4th at 8pm
at Chalmers Chapel, Naramata Retreat Centre, Naramata, BC
Tickets $14 in advance from theharplady@shaw.ca / or at the door

NARAMATA, British Columbia
WORKSHOP: MAY 4-6
High Spirits 8th Annual Spring Celtic Harp Workshop
at Naramata Retreat Centre, Naramata, BC
information: theharplady@shaw.ca

LAC MACDONALD Music Centre, Quebec
WORKSHOP: June 25-30
CAMMAC harp retreat workshop
info: 1-888-622-8755 / national@cammac.ca
http://www.cammac.ca/english/TabLM/Summer/Adult/week1.shtml

VANCOUVER ISLAND, British Columbia
MUSIC FESTIVAL: July 6-8
Vancouver Island Musicfest
at Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds, Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, BC
info 1-866-898-8499 / http://www.islandmusicfest.com

ROBERTS CREEK, British Columbia
WORKSHOP: July 9-13
Coast String Fiddlers Camp
At Roberts Creek, Sunshine Coast, BC
http://coaststringfiddlers.com

SOMERSET, New Jersey, USA
Somerset Folk Harp Festival : July 19-22
at Doubletree Hotel, Somerset, NJ
http://www.harpsomerset.com