Mary Jane Ballou: News

This is wedding time in St. Augustine, Florida. The weather isn't too hot. Everything looks lovely. And the brides can't resist the opportunity to be married in the beautiful gardens and parks.

I love weddings - everyone's happy. People look their best. And they always love the harp!

Yes, the final session of the expanded St. Augustine CD was Tuesday. There's still the mixing ahead, but this definitely deserved a small celebration - lobster bites at the AIA Aleworks seemed in order.

Saturday, 2/23, was the Northeast Florida Highland Games - and the harp event was a blast! We had competitions - including storytelling with the harp in addition to the usual categories. Nancy Bick Clark gave a great workshop. Her husband, Frank, taught bodhran basics. And combined, the two of them gave a great mini-concert.

I sold two harpsicles to excited new harpists and enjoyed meeting and playing with so many of my colleagues. Mark your calendar for next February and join us.

On Sunday, it was the Jacksonville Bridal Fair - and there were brides, mothers, fiances, little sisters, girl friends all over the place. I played for four hours and effectively lowered the blood pressure of the photographers and wedding planners who surrounded me. The bonus for me - showing so many people how beautiful live music can be. (And it doesn't hurt the bookings either.)

The last month has been lots of arranging. And there was a "field trip" to Orlando to meet with Sylvia Woods, one of the best harp arrangers out there. Of course, she does her arranging in her condo on Kauai, Hawaii. Mine is done in downtown St. Augustine. On a holiday weekend like this, the carriages will keep clip-clopping down the street until midnight. And since much of the material I'm working on dates from the period of horse-drawn conveyance, I find it quite inspirational.

The new years always starts, for me anyway, with resolutions and lists. This time I'm truly attempting to carry out some of the resolutions.

Right now, I'm working on some new material for a re-issue of my St. Augustine CD, expanding some of the sets, giving some of my arrangements a second look. This has meant research into the music in this city's history (almost 450 years' worth) and the temptation to be drawn away into endless Internet research.

But you'll love the Civil War medley. Trust me, you will.

Well, we're finally here in 2008. Last night I sang for a Solemn Vespers at the Cathedral-Basilica in St. Augustine. Today, it's time to look ahead to this new year and I've got some wonderful plans. How about you?

Well, it's the day after Christmas - and I hope everyone had a good one. I certainly did - Masses to play for on Christmas Eve and morning, a dinner, and two parties. The last of the parties also featured a wicked wassail.

Now it's time to clean up and get ready for 2008. For those with a respite from work, enjoy. For those who went back to work today, enjoy the respite from your celebrations!

Yes, there's just Christmas Eve and Morning left. Of course, all the carols requested are in different keys than I usually use, but what's the point of working freelance if you can adapt?

This year I'm quite taken with both melodies associated with "Away in a Manger." Every year there seems to be one carol that rises to the top. And that's the lucky one this year.

Last evening, I wandered through St. Augustine in the Las Posadas procession, enjoyed a musical Nativity by the Community of Hope, and then visited the Castillo de San Marco.

Our ancient fort (now a National Historic Park) was having its annual night-time open house, complete with military re-enactors from every period and music.

And who did I hear on the stairs but Janine Newfield, the wonderful violinist who played with me on two tracks of At Midnight in Bethlehem. Go over to "Listen" and hear us on Silent Night and Away in a Manger. She's very cool.

If you're a musician or entertainer, it can be hard to imagine life after Christmas at this point in the season. Because that's all the music folks want to hear.

And it's easy to find yourself on the doorstep of the new year with little else under your fingers. However, I've got some very interesting plans for next year. Of course, right now I don't have any time to work on them.

If you find yourself in the same fix - not necessarily because of gigs, but because you're drowning in wrapping paper and cookies with colored sprinkles, take a minute. Take a minute and think about next year.

Well, it was Art Walk this evening - and for once, it didn't rain. The variety of visual arts always amazes me. I hope people were buying. I did my part.

This week I'll be starting the Christmas music season from 1-3 p.m. on WFCF St. Augustine, 88.5 FM. While we're no longer on the web, if you're in our listening area, c'mon by.

I never play the music you'd expect - and this week will be no exception! Hat tip to Bill for reminding me about putting this show up on my website. That's what friends are for!

Well, if you weren't there, you missed a good time on Monday, 12/3/07, at the Historic Cafe in St. Augustine. I joined Janine Newfield and a passel of students and some other great musicians for a musical evening. The students ranged from very small to adults and there was something for everyone to play. Our appreciative audience included more than the parents and we surrounded the students with harp solos, clarinet/violin/bass, and harp and violin.

Thanks so much to the Historic Cafe for their commitment to live music on the First Monday of every month!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of playing at my old stomping grounds of Holy Faith Church in Gainesville. It was a delight to see old friends and play with the choir and Cristina and Richard. There was the Salve Regina and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel to start off Advent. And this church also has gree donuts after every Mass!

I'll be joining Janine Newfield, a fantastic violinist, and some of her students for a free holiday concert at the Historic Cafe in the Wachovia Bank Building in St. Augustine. We'll be previewing some of the pieces we recorded together for "At Midnight in Bethlehem." And of course, there will be lots of other beautiful music of the season.

Last night I spent some quality time playing the harp for a giant supermarket. This is the flagship store for the region and it was time for "Taste of the Holidays." And that made it my "Christmas Carol Kick-off." People nosh and listen some great music (from me, of course).

What was the best about the evening? An older lady telling me about seeing Mary O'Hara perform and the children who stop and stare. They've never seen a harp and many have never seen live music. One little boy came back several times. Maybe in the future he'll find some music of his own?

Yes, this is a new web site. And setting these things up can be daunting! This is going to be the place for enjoying some "Music for Musing," finding out where I'll be, and letting me tell you about my music and my self. Right now - gotta practice! Back with more soon.

Wow! Am I glad that's done. We recorded the last two tracks on the salterio for At Midnight in Bethlehem (after over 30 minutes tuning the 118 strings).

Then we mixed down those two tracks plus three from the prior session.

Now it's time to finalize the order, balance the dynamics (the salterio's resonance is way bigger than that of the harp), and finish up the insert copy.

It's coming - stand by for countdown to launch!