I thought, for fun, I’d share my artistic process for my new album, Light So Brilliant: Carols and Tunes for Christmas. Make sure you read “artistic process” as meaning “a summation of all the internal dialogues I’ve held with myself, and God, since last November.” I’m okay with you thinking I’m crazy.
November (2014)
“Hmmm. I really wish I had a Christmas CD. Maybe it’s time…”
“No. You should write all the arrangements and play them for a whole Christmas season before you record them. To make sure you really like them.”
“That’s such a sensible suggestion. If I start arranging this week I’ll be able to play some of them this year…”
December
At various concerts, gigs, and events, “Do you have a Christmas CD?”
-Miserably, “Not yet.”
January
“It’s time.”
“But I thought you decided you were going to write all the arrangements and then … ”
“I changed my mind.”
“Are you sure-?”
“Yes.”
“What theme do you want?”
“French carols! I want it all to sound like that one song from Andrew Lawrence King’s Miracles of Notre Dame CD.”
“They had drums. And old-fashioned oboes.”
“Do I know anyone who plays old-fashioned oboe?”
Starting to arrange, “This is so much fun!”
An hour later, “I need more coffee.”
“Hmm. If I could just remember that one chord that needs to go there.”
After improvising for ten minutes, “That’s it! It’s an F!”
“What a lovely F chord,” playing the whole song three times through to admire the F chord.
Sitting down and playing arrangement from yesterday, “I still like it.”
“Good.”
Completing another verse, “I need more coffee.”
“Ooh! I should check my e-mail.”
Hours later, still “checking” e-mail, “I should work on the CD.”
Going over and writing another verse, “What if I added a cello?”
“But what would the cello play?”
February
“If I arrange a song every two weeks, I’ll get it done in time to record in July.”
“There aren’t really as many French carols as I expected. And if I record only French carols, then I can’t include I Wonder as I Wander.”
Staring to typesetting various hand-written scribbles, “Was that supposed to be an A or a B?”
“Is Carol of the Bells public domain?”
“Ooh, what about adding a cello?”
“Too much work.”
“But pretty…”
“But if you write a cello part it has to be awesome. Can you do awesome on a cello?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s what I thought.”
March
“If I arrange a song a week, I’ll get it done in time to record in July.”
“Hmm. Does this arrangement sound too English?”
“Ha! This song that I’ve been arranging for two weeks is the same one Diane has been learning in her lessons for the past few lessons, only with a different title. I feel like I should have realized that earlier…”
“I wish I had time to take wintery pictures when there was still snow on the ground. Lord, could you please make it snow this week?”
The next evening it starts snowing. I wake up on Monday morning to see the world covered in a magical white blanket. “Dad, it’s Steph. You need to come over quick and take photos of me in the woods!”
April
“Should work on Christmas arrangements…”
“I really like these harmonics, but every one will add to the cost of the cd in terms of recording fees…”
May
“I don’t feel like working.”
“You still have three more arrangements to finish.”
“I have no more ideas. I’ve used them all.”
Resorting to reward-based motivation, “If you finish one more song today you’ll get to put a star sticker next to its title on your To Do list.”
June
“Lord, help! I need a third verse of The Holly and the Ivy and it needs to be amazing. What do I do?”
Suddenly (and inexplicably) wondering what “Joyful, Joyful” would sound like as a bass line for The Holly and the Ivy, I try it, and love it.
“And I don’t even like Joyful, Joyful.”
“Thank you, Lord!”
Working on Christmas arrangements, “I’d rather be mowing the lawn…”
July
“Wow, that was … interesting. You need to practice everything with a metronome.”
Practicing with a metronome, “Now it sounds like I’m a robot.”
After unpracticing with a metronome, “You’re human again!”
“Okay. Everything is in good shape, except that Traveler is still not done.
After playing it a million times to see what’s wrong with it, “What if you take out the C sharp?”
“But there’s something funky about the rhythm now…”
After several days of pondering, revelation strikes during a student’s lesson. “I need to think of it like a slip jig instead of a waltz!”
“Only one more song.”
August
(To a friend) “I have dates!”
(Friend’s husband) “Wait, you have a date?”
“Recording dates!”
September
The day of recording: “Oh, I want coffee!”
“No coffee until you’re done recording.”
“Maybe just a little?”
Driving home, “Wow, that went so well! I wish I could play like that every day.”
A few days later, “Why do my arms have to hurt so much right now?”
E-mailing: “Steve, I’m so sorry to cancel on you but could we postpone our next recording session a few weeks?”
October
Last day of recording. “Wow! I’m actually done!”
After several days of listening intently, cross-referencing notes on various takes, mistakes, buzzes, finger clicks, cracking wrists…
“I really like this music.”
Waltzing around my kitchen to Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella, “I really like this music.”
E-mailing intently: “Dear Mr. Banks, My name is Stephanie Claussen. I’m looking for a location to host my upcoming CD Release Concert on December 4th or 5th, featuring music from my new album, “Light So Brilliant” …”
“Dear Ms. Johnson, My name is Stephanie Claussen. I’m wondering if your coffee shop would be interested in hosting my upcoming CD Release Concert on December 4th or 5th, featuring music from my new album, “Light So Brilliant” …”
“Dear Josh, I’m writing to follow up on our phone conversation regarding the possibility of performing at your café on December 4th.”
November
“The music is almost done. The art is almost done. I’ve approved almost all the final details. And I have a cd location! God bless the Coffee Shop NE.”
“This is MediaExpress calling to let you know your master copy is ready for final approval.”
At MediaExpress. “Hmm. A couple things to tweak….”
Two days later, “This is MediaExpress calling to let you know that your second master copy is ready for you to look at.”
At MediaExpress again, “It’s perfect!”
“Now all I have to do is wait until December.”
“Hmm. What should I do next year?”
Continue reading about life as a harpist: Three Reasons Not to Become a Professional Harpist.
Stephanie Claussen is a professional harpist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She performs on her harp throughout Minnesota in various concerts, recitals, and collaborations with other musicians. Consider signing up for her e-mail newsletter to be notified directly of upcoming performances and important announcements.
Grass Photo Credit: sunshinecity / Foter.com / CC BY