Wedding at Pere Marquette Lodge | St. Louis Harpist
Another beautiful outdoor wedding! This time at Pere Marquette State Park, on the grounds directly across from the Lodge. Very convenient for guests having one venue for the ceremony, reception, and lodging, and all right on the Illinois River. Just an hour outside of St. Louis, it is the perfect rustic escape. The lawn where the […]
Wedding Ceremony Music – Harpist in Central Illinois
What a special day to be able to play for the wedding ceremony of a couple I’ve known for years and see every Sunday at church! Doug and Dianne were married at Wesley Chapel United Methodist in Jacksonville on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Dianne wasn’t picky about the music – she just wanted […]
Springfield Illinois Harpist ~ Music for an Open House
Heritage Health in Springfield hosted an open house for their new hospice center, and harp music was the perfect background! Guests enjoyed appetizers and desserts as they had a ribbon cutting and toured the newly remodeled facility. Music included popular songs familiar to all generations, from “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to “Hey Jude,” along […]
Harp Music for Mother’s Day – Central IL Harpist
This was my second Mother’s Day since gaining the name “Mama,” and it was such a pleasure to spend it with the mothers and daughters at Centenary UMC in Jacksonville! My own mother (who spent countless hours on the road driving me to harp lessons) and daughter were able to come along. The church held […]
Wedding at Allerton Park – Central Illinois Harpist
My second Allerton wedding of the year! Sarah and Mike had a perfect spring day for their outdoor ceremony in the Sunken Garden. As guests assembled, I played a variety of classical music. For the wedding party processional, they chose the theme from “Jupiter” from Holst’s The Planets. Sarah’s entrance music was the Scottish folk […]
Harpist in Central Illinois ~ Allerton Park Wedding Ceremony & Reception
One of my favorite things about being a wedding harpist is when another musicians chooses me to provide the music for her wedding. I loved working with Bethany (and her mom, Heidi) to put together the perfect soundtrack for the big day! She chose classical pieces for the ceremony, but not the traditional wedding music. The prelude music […]
Funeral Music in Central Illinois
It was the greatest honor to play for the funeral of the 102-year-old Dr. Bone. I grew up in the house next door to his, and Jacksonville lost a kind and generous soul with his passing. He was much-loved, and a great singer in his own right. It was quite fitting that his funeral service featured […]
Harp Music for Lent | Church Service in Jacksonville, IL
March 5th was the first Sunday of Lent, and I was invited to play for the service at the First Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, Illinois. For the first time, my daughter (now nearly 2 years old) was able to accompany me to “mama work.” With so many surrogate grandparents around, I knew she’d be in good […]
Home Harp Concert in Springfield, Illinois
Home concerts are a special treat, and this one was to celebrate the birthday of a lifelong local supporter of music and the arts. It was arranged by the guest of honor’s daughter who lives in New York, and I spend the noon hour playing harp in their Central Illinois living room. They requested a variety […]
New Owner of Musikgarten Studio
I am so excited to announce that I am the new owner of The Music Factory ~ a Musikgarten studio in Springfield, Illinois, offering music and movement classes to children from birth through age 10! My daughter Menai is attending classes there (we started last summer when we moved back from Nigeria), and I am very excited […]