Is your Lyre in search of a Lyrist?

The Board of the Lyre Association of North America is very proud of our lyre rental program.  We recognize that finding and buying the lyre of your dreams can be an enormous commitment of time, money, and psychological energy.  In support of anyone who would like to play the lyre but isn’t ready to make that kind of investment, we have always made it one of our key member services to provide lyres to rent as a stepping stone to purchasing a forever instrument.

LANA offers a variety of beautiful rental lyres, built in European and American lyre workshops, and in varying sizes for beginners, seasoned players, and those working with young children.  Many of our lyres are available through our rent-to-buy program, and we make every effort to match the right lyre with the lyre player.  Monthly fees for lyre rentals range from $25 to $35 per month, with the option to rent for two years before committing to purchase.  A bonus to renting through our program is enrollment in the Lyre Connection program, which matches beginners with volunteer mentors!

Would you like to help new lyre players begin their journey with a rental instrument?  Do you have a lyre that has been sitting in the back of a closet or one just not being played that is in need of a lyrist to bring it back to life?  We would warmly welcome your donation of such an instrument and would be happy to restore your lyre to good condition for use by a new lyre player.  Through our rental program, your lyre will bring joy to players for years to come.

We are also glad to advertise used lyres for sale by LANA members through our website and our blog.  We can help assess your instrument and offer suggestions for a sale price, and we will list it until it is sold.  This is a great way to reach out to the lyre community with your used lyre!

Please contact Julia Elliott at juliabelliott@gmail.com or (978) 352-5581 to donate or to sell a lyre. 

Thank you,
Julia Elliott (for the Lyre Rentals Committee)

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Regional Workshop in Wisconsin

The Rafael Foundation for New Impulses in Music presented a workshop featuring Veronika Roemer in Pewaukee, Wisconsin on August 6-8.

The workshop took place in a local church with a spacious room large enough for 16-20 people to work along with a table full of resources for the participants, and another three long tables where a variety of instruments were displayed.

On Friday evening, Veronika led the group through singing and interactive work with gongs, metal rods, and Bordun lyres. On Saturday morning, the group was introduced to the children’s lyre, which was followed by Gail Sauter’s presentation of her story, ‘Little Lyre, Sing to Me’. 

On Saturday afternoon, Veronika introduced us to wooden rhythm instruments and finally to the metal instruments. We worked together throughout the weekend to improvise and create soundscapes with all these beautiful instruments. 

This valuable and engaging workshop concluded with Veronika performing on the solo chromatic lyre and then Veronika and Debbie Barford offering Colin Tanser’s duet, Sun Child.

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NEW – Free Download of Lyre Music from John Clark

We are pleased to be able to include with this blog post a free download of music composed by John Clark from Northern Ireland. He has added the following note about this lovely piece entitled "The School of Life". Thank you, John!

"The School of Life" was composed for a Christian Community confirmation for the school Youth Service, but it could also be played as a birthday greeting. The top part can be played by beginners and the bass part for slightly more advanced players. A metronome marking of 72 would be the slowest it should go, but it could be a little faster – perhaps as much as 90.

With best wishes,
John C

The School of Life can be found in the LANA STORE under PDF Downloads (https://lyreassociation.org/pdf-downloads/clark-john-school-of-life)

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Annual Report from the Lyre Association of North America

Dear LANA members and friends of the lyre,

We are very happy to share with you our 2021-2022 Annual Report of the Lyre Association of North America. You will hear the voices of each one of our Board members in the various committee summaries. The compilation of reports included in this edition provides an exciting picture of the diverse programs and activities that have characterized this last year for our Association! Please click on this link to read the full report.

2021-2022 LANA Board Members

Nancy Carpenter, President, Michigan
Sheila Johns, Vice-President, Ecuador
Julia Elliott, Secretary, Massachusetts
Margo Ketchum, Treasurer, Pennsylvania
Debbie Barford, Illionois
Diane Barnes, New York
Wendy Polich, Colorado
Colleen Shetland, New York
Sally Willig, New Jersey
Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, Emeritus, PA

Report on Kimberton, PA Regional Lyre Gathering

Last weekend, I participated in a wonderful lyre gathering that was led by Veronika Roemer and hosted by Margo Ketchum. Playing music together always offers a lovely opportunity for working in brotherhood and opening ourselves to the higher realms through the musical tone, and this experience was no exception. We played selections of music from Lothar Reubke, Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, Kerry Lee, Edmund Pracht, George Frideric Handel, Anna Cooper, and several other composers. The music included a lyre arrangement of "Stairway to Heaven," which was especially beautiful! -Sally Willig

From the Lyre Connection Working Group

One of the tasks of LANA’s Lyre Connection program is to assist new members who need one-on-one help in getting started with playing the lyre. Are you an experienced lyre player or a lyre teacher? Would you be willing to offer a few introductory tutoring sessions to a new member of our association? Basically, you would be connected directly with the new member and then provide short-term assistance and encouragement for them to develop some basic skills that would lead toward more independent work with the lyre. This could be done in person or online. We are looking for a commitment of one to three short sessions to guide a new member in the first (or further) steps toward learning to play the lyre. Particular suggestions for how to conduct the sessions can be found on the LANA website (https://lyreassociation.org/lyre-connection).

We appreciate any consideration you could give to participating in this mentoring program. This is a relatively new service for LANA that is entirely dependent upon the generosity of our more experienced members. One small gesture of reaching out to a new member can make all the difference as to whether or not the member will be able to sustain the enthusiasm needed to develop their skills on the lyre.

Here is the link to the mentor questionnaire.

For more information, please contact Diane Barnes at dianeibarnes1@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from you,
Diane Barnes and Suzanne Mays
For the LANA Lyre Connection Working Group

In Memory of Kerry Lee – Wednesday 8/10/2022 (7:30pm)

The invitation below is for all who would like to attend the Lee family gathering, and to those who are not able to, know that an in-person memorial for Kerry Lee will be happening in Kimberton, PA at 7:30 pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, August 10th. Maybe you can send some thoughts in Kerry's direction as well? It would be neat to have memories of Kerry span the country, and even internationally!

The family of Kerry Lee would like to invite you to join a gathering of family and friends, to share with each other memories and stories about our mother. We will have chairs placed in a circle and anyone and everyone can stand and speak to us all. Things you may want to share could be: what is your favorite memory, something she may have inspired in you, how she made you feel? We would all like to share these special moments with you, to hear how she affected the people and environment around her. Music is also welcome, as well as poems or quotes; what musical piece or saying reminds you of Kerry? We would just ask that you keep the music pieces short so that everyone who wants to, can have a chance to share.

The Kimberton, PA event will be Wednesday 8/10/2022, 7:30pm-8:30pm at Rose Hall in Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, 1601 Pughtown Rd. Phoenixville, PA 19460. Contact: Jennifer at jennbreimhurst@gmail.com, 814-643-1375.

Thank you for remembering our mother. –Jennifer, Heather and Cameron Lee

Book Review: "Scales – Harmonious Exercises for the Lyre," by John Billing

If someone were to ask me which collection of lyre exercises I had found to be the most useful in the building up of my own lyre technique, I would have to answer without question: John Billing’s Scales – Harmonious Exercises for the Lyre.

Self-produced in a very straightforward format, John dispenses with any introduction or opening fanfare and just dives right into the work, which is a well-appreciated John Billing signature approach to learning the lyre! What he manages to do in 15 pages of clearly explained steps is to present a rich wealth of graduated exercises that, if followed and practiced faithfully as he suggests, will literally guarantee a robust lyre technique, which is a claim I make without reservation! For 12 years, Channa Seidenberg and I provided each of our students in the Resonare Foundation Course in Music out of Anthroposophy with this slim volume to practice between sessions (and for the years to come), which was entirely possible for the students because in his accompanying text in this booklet, John sits right at the shoulder of the player, explaining and inspiring the student to apply and work through each exercise. Those of our students who took this up always made noticeable progress – even just during the one year of our course.

The exercises are structured in 7 parts. Each one is a complex of exercises related to a theme, which, though not explicitly stated, could be approximately summarized as follows:

• Exercise #1 – Fingering Dexterity

• Exercise #2 – Interval-based Scale Sequences

• Exercise #3 – More complex Interval-based Scale Motifs

• Exercise #4 – Harmonic Interval-based Scales with RH/LH Fingering Indications

• Exercise #5 ¬– Combining Harmonic Thirds as Ground Tone with Scale Patterns

• Exercise #6 – Combining Harmonic Sixths as Ground Tone with Scale Patterns

• Exercise #7 – Moving Both Scale Tones and Related Thirds and Sixths

It should be said that once any player has thoroughly mastered Exercise 1, the subsequent Exercises 2 and 3 alone provide excellent technical material for years to come. Exercises 4-7 are clearly more advanced but fully based on the acquisition of the skills that anyone can develop in the first three complexes of exercises.

The beauty of this collection is that no one will ever outgrow its value, since these technical exercises unfold in a purposeful, structured sequence that, in my experience, build a powerful technical foundation that can take one well beyond the skill level that most lyre players usually acquire just by improvising or playing pieces of music here and there. John has set out to demonstrate that just like with every other musical instrument, any student who sincerely wishes to become a serious and competent player can absolutely do so if he or she has the discipline to follow a well-laid out path of technical development. Through this valuable booklet, Scales: Harmonious Exercises for the Lyre, John has provided all of us with just that. (This booklet is downloadable as a pdf; click the title to go to our store.)

Book Review: “Playing the Lyre with Joy, Vol 2” by Anna Cooper -and- Tanser Family Crowd-Funding

If you are looking for music to engage and enliven your lyre group this summer, we have the book for you!  “Playing the Lyre with Joy, Volume 2” by Anna Prokhovnik Cooper has a rich variety of pieces for lyre ensemble (in addition to one solo piece) that will without a doubt become some of your group’s new favorite music.

There are 11 pieces in this volume.  Beautifully published by Upper Esk Music, this volume has a diverse offering of pieces and is very accessible to groups of all levels.  There are two pieces arranged specifically for beginning players:  two duets from “The English Dancing Master” (1651).  As well as one challenging, but extremely rewarding arrangement of Schumann’s glorious “Träumerie.”

 The majority of the pieces in this book are for lyre trios (2 sopranos and 1 alto) and they span the centuries, with music from the Renaissance up to some very contemporary pieces.  In the classical realm, there is a lovely arrangement of “Variations on Greensleeves” (from the original composition for recorder and harpsichord) and Schubert’s “Serenade.” 

 Unique to this volume is its selection of contemporary pieces for lyre trios.  “From the Northern Lands” by Japanese composer Sada Masashi is absolutely beautiful and very moving as arranged by Anna Cooper.  There is also “Pink Lady” by British composer Pamela Wedgewood and “Farewell to Stromness” by Peter Maxwell Davies.  Colin Tanser’s beloved “Sea Mist” and the timeless “As Time Goes By” appear in this collection as well as an original composition by Ms. Cooper, “Le Flaneur.”

 Anna Prokhovnik Cooper’s talents as a teacher and performer clearly inform her settings for lyre ensembles and soloists.  She knows how to choose music suitable for the lyre, and her arrangements are consistently beautiful, playable, and joyful.  You will find yourself returning to this volume of music for years to come!

Click here to see Playing the Lyre with Joy, Volume 2 in LANA’s store.

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In addition to this review of Anna's latest lyre arrangements, the Board of LANA would like to share with you a special fundraising opportunity that Anna has shared with us on behalf of the family of another of our beloved lyre composers, Colin Tanser.

Dear LANA friends,

I am writing this appeal on behalf of the Tanser family, for Lisa Attias (Tanser), who is Colin and Jennie Tanser's oldest daughter. Within our lyre circles, Colin was a much-loved lyrist, teacher, therapist, composer, and friend, who was the guest master teacher at the 2006 International Lyre Conference in Belfast, where we first experienced his beautiful piece "Everyman" for lyres and children's voices. He was also the guest teacher for one of your LANA conferences a number of years ago and has written a lot of beautiful and valuable lyre music that continues to be played and enjoyed all over the world.

Colin died last year of Parkinson's disease, after a very difficult time during Covid when his family was unable to visit for his last entire year of life. The Tanser family is now going through another crisis, as Lisa now has stage 4 melanoma, having struggled with cancer for 20 years. She has found a clinic in Germany that hopefully can help her, but it's an extremely expensive process, and requires several trips to Germany.

We friends of the Tanser family are reaching out to you all to ask for some help for this critical situation. Jennie has sold Colin's lyres to help with the fund, and Lisa and her husband Jeremy have a "Just Giving" page for anyone who feels that they can contribute even a small sum to help.

We would be exceptionally grateful for any help or support. Lisa is in our prayers.

With love and gratitude,
Anna Prokhovnik Cooper.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lisa-attias/updates/7a33f?utm_term=xPrkxE6Qq

Regional Lyre Gatherings with Veronika Roemer

All are invited to a small lyre get-together with Veronika Roemer at Margo Ketchum's home in Kimberton, PA on July 30-31, 2022 from 9 am to 5 pm each day. There will be a 3-hour session with a break each morning (9:00 am to 12:00 pm) and afternoon (2:00 to 5:00 pm). We are asking $5 per session (or $15 for all 4 sessions) to help defray Veronika’s expenses. On Saturday afternoon we will play pieces in memory of Kerry Lee, who died on Sept 8, 2020.

Each session will be independent, so feel free to come to one or two or all of them. We will have music for all playing levels, unison and in parts, and will address special technical questions such as damping, repeated notes, and more. Some sessions will also include singing, with and without the lyre.

To sign up, please fill out this form by July 27.
For questions, please contact Margo at lyrists@gmail.com or 610-608-9281.

L-R: Christiane, Margo, McKenna, Melanie, & Veronika

Music Workshop
Introducing New Impulses in Music

August 5 & 6 – 2022
New Vision Church: N14W27995 Silvernail Rd. Pewaukee, WI (just south of I-94 / at the SS EXIT)

Instructor: Veronika Roemer

In each workshop session we will sing, play various instruments such as bordun lyres, wood, and metal instruments, do rhythm games and more.

Friday night - 6:30 -9:00 pm

• Introduction to New Impulses in Music – gongs, graces, and sacred rounds. (Bordun Lyres)

Saturday morning - 9:30am -12:00 noon

• Pentatonic lyres and lullabies.

o “Little Lyre Sing to Me” story. Story time is - 9:30 10:15 You are welcome to bring a 5- to 7-year-old child. Pick up must be arranged for children by 10:30. All children and drivers are invited to STORY TIME free of charge. No childcare available.

• 10:30-12:00 Continuation of kinder lyre for adults.

Break for lunch 12-2 - Bring your own lunch - lunch on your own or - or pre order boxed lunches.

Saturday afternoon - 2:00-4:30 pm

• Seasonal, international, and festival songs and rounds. Metal instruments and improvisational soundscapes. Solo lyre demonstration.

Cost of individual workshops: $35.00 each – All three sessions $90. Cash or check only – payable to Rafael Foundation.

• Please RSVP by August 1st

• Day of event walk-ins will be permitted as space allows

• A limited number of scholarships are available.

Event Sponsored by: The Rafael Foundation for New Impulses in Music Board of Directors: Gail Sauter – President, Lori Brunt – Vice President, Julie Schramke – Treasurer, Dawn Imes – Secretary

RSVP AND REGISTRATION FORM

New Impulses in Music - August 5 - 6th 2022

Full Name: __________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

CITY__________________ STATE________ ZIP____________

Email: ______________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________

I plan to attend:

o ____Friday night 6:30 -9:00 pm

o ____Saturday morning 9:30 -12:00 am – Child*__________

o ____Saturday afternoon 2:00-4:30 pm

AII THREE SESSIONS $90.00 - Individual sessions $35.00 each -

_____Box Lunch on Saturday add $15.00

_____Cheese _____Meat ______Vegetarian ______Gluten Free Bread

CHECK ENCLOSED ________________Payable to: Rafael Foundation Inc.

MAIL TO: JULIE SCHRAMKE- Treasurer, 2008 Oaklawn AVE., Waukesha, 53188

• Please RSVP by August 1st to: j.schramke58@gmail.com 262) 547-5572

• A limited number of scholarships are available please submit your request on form.

• *All children and drivers are invited to STORY TIME free of charge. No childcare available.

• **A limited number of private music lessons may be coordinated with Veronika directly. (½ hour minimum @ $1.00 per minute – Saturday evening only.)

• Covid consciousness steps will be Observed. Masks, hand sanitizer and spray disinfectants will be available.

• Please do not attend the day of the workshop if you have symptoms or have been exposed.

• Refunds will be cheerfully honored.

Lyre Rentals

LANA’s Lyre Rental program offers a variety of beautiful rental lyres, providing the opportunity for players of all levels to rent before making an investment in buying a lyre.  Many of our lyres are available through our rent-to-buy program, and we make every effort to match the right lyre with the right lyre player.  Monthly fees for lyre rentals range from $25 to $35 per month, with the option to rent for two years before committing to purchase.  A bonus to renting through our program is enrollment in the Lyre Connection program, which matches beginners with volunteer mentors!

The lyres we currently have available for rent are:

• Choroi pentatonic children’s lyre with 7 strings

• Rose small soprano student lyre with 27 strings (g-a’’)

• Gartner small soprano student lyre with 27 strings (g-a’’)

• Salem small alto lyre with 35 strings (G-f’’)

• Gartner alto lyre with 38 strings (E-a’’)

Please contact Julia Elliott (juliabelliott@gmail.com or 978-771-7372) with any questions or to rent a lyre through our program.

Featured Rental Lyre

The Lyre Association is pleased to feature this special Salem small alto lyre through our rentals program.  Built by Horst Nieder’s workshop in Germany, this small alto lyre is made of a variety of woods, including maple and elm. It has a warm, beautiful tone. This lyre has been lovingly maintained and well played by its previous owner. We are delighted to include this Salem small alto lyre in our inventory as we continue to expand our rental options for our members.

LANA member Christiane Landowne with the Salem Small Alto Lyre

Further news from the International Lyre Conference

Dear friends,

As of June 2nd, our World Lyre Conference has 40 registered participants from 12 countries around the world (CZE, AUT, BEL, IRL, ECU, MYS, CHE, DEU, ISR, GBR, USA, FRA). Our Pedagogical Lyre Conference has 16 registered participants. We can therefore confirm the holding of the conferences on the planned dates of August 5–7th and August 7th–14th, 2022 in the Czech Republic, specifically in the Castle Stables and in the Monasteries of Český Krumlov.

All the information about the Program and the practical information about the Accommodation, Conference Fee, Transport, Food as well as the Sign-Up Form for registration can be found on our website: https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/world-lyre-conference2022. The pre-booked accommodation is extended until the end of June.

We look forward to meeting you at the 8th World Lyre Conference.

Sincerely,
Helena Hlaváčková
Organizer and Coordinator of WLC

World Lyre Conference 2022

Please note: LANA’s Financial Aid deadline is June 30. You can find the Financial Aid form at the following link: https://forms.gle/BnSm8W6CHQ33y6CQ9.

Last call for registration for the 8th World Lyre Conference

Dear friends,

The international conference in the Czech Republic is quickly approaching. We wish to remind everyone that the deadline for registration with the reduced conference fee is May 30th.  The deadline for pre-booked accommodation in Český Krumlov is also May 30th. 

The program of this unique conference is here.

The conference is designed for more than 100 participants in the large hall of the Castle Riding Hall. However, if the number of registered participants is still lower than 100 by the 30th of May, we have now arranged for the possibility to hold the conference in smaller castle premises with a smaller number of workshops. 

In any case, we encourage everyone to please register before the 30th of May. 
We look forward to seeing you and wish you a beautiful summertime.

Helena Hlaváčková
Organizer and Coordinator of the World Lyre Conference 2022

LYRE 2022 UPDATE

In order for the upcoming international conference to go forward, a minimum of 100 participants need to have registered by May 30th or the conference will once again have to be postponed until next year. We strongly encourage all LANA members and friends who are considering attending this conference to register as soon as possible in order to be reflected in those numbers! When you register, the conference fees can be sent to LANA and will be held there until after May 30th for easy reimbursement OR conversion to Czech krone and sent on to the conference organizers, according to the outcome of the numbers registered. For practical purposes, plane reservations could be booked after May 30th.

In case you missed it, here is a link to the most updated conference brochure. We would also like to remind all members that the LANA's Lyre 2022 Financial Aid application was sent out last week to offer support to potential attendees among our membership. The deadline for application is June 30th. You can find the Financial Aid form at the following link: https://forms.gle/BnSm8W6CHQ33y6CQ9.

Colleen Shetland for the LANA Board

Book Review: FOR A MOMENT – ‘Listen to the Listening’, by Stephan Kühne

by Debra Barford

Stephan Kühne trained as a music therapist with Maria Schüppel at Musiktherapeutische Arbeitsstätte in Berlin and works as a music therapist at a community hospital in Berlin. In this collection of music, he shares 32 of his compositions for lyre, used at various times when working with children and adolescents on psychiatry wards, with others on cardiology units, and for those with chronic pain.

Most of the compositions can be attempted by even a beginning lyrist, but they are deceptively simple for more experienced lyrists to master. The tone, tempi, and modes are variable, but all challenge the lyrist to enter into an inner listening relationship, which requires time and practice to develop. Almost all of the pieces are for solo lyre, with two written for three lyres.

As I have worked with these pieces, I have decided that the first and last ones are among my favorites. The first, Zeit Vergeht (Time Passes), with its large melodic intervals that must be made to move smoothly from one tone to the next, with ear and heart following, leaves a kind of ‘after-listening’ that invites one to stop and actively listen to the resounding of the silent movement that occurs once the playing is finished. The last piece, 21st of September, has a melodic gesture that alternates between 4 and 3 beats per measure, blurring the exact meter, and extending the melodic movement with each phrase. By the end of this short piece, the sounded tones, which started in the middle of the lyre, extend both downward and upward in a widening gesture that results in a feeling of inner expansion and balance in the lyrist – and, I imagine, in the listener as well.

FOR A MOMENT – “Listen to the Listening”
Contents:
Zeit Vergeht – Time Passes
Wohlgemuth – Light Hearted
Wie es ist – It is What it Is
Fragend – Questioning
Nicht Allein – Not Alone
Im Schwung – In the Swing
Piece in e-minor
Osterwind – Written Easter Sunday
Im Glockenklang – Bell Sound
Mit dem Wasser – With the Water
Sonne – Sun
Im Moll – In minor
Zwei Geschwister I – Two Sisters I
Zwei Geschwister II – Two Sisters II
Zu Zweit – In Twos
Für Drei Ganz Verschieden – Trio with unique parts
Zum Abend – In Evening
21st of September

Click here to see Listening to the Listening in LANA’s store.

International Conference – Lyre Symposium 2022

Lyre Symposium 2022

World Lyre Conference 2022

The Presence of Spirit:
Playing the Lyre as an Art of Presence

LANA is pleased to share the updated news from our Czech colleagues that as of May 1st, the international lyre conference or "Lyra-Symposium" in the Czech Republic is on track to go forward as planned with the weekend pedagogical conference running from August 5–7 and the main conference taking place the following week from August 7–14, 2022.

As of April 9th, neither Covid vaccines nor tests are now being required to enter the country, therefore it should be possible for everyone who wishes to travel to Český Krumlov.  It is recommended, however, that travelers check requirements for specific airlines and countries they might be traveling through to get to the Czech Republic as well as with the US Embassy regarding any requirements for re-entering the US.

Since payment must be made in the Czech currency, LANA is prepared to assist with this process.  Please send your registration payment via LANA's website, and LANA will arrange the international exchange on your behalf after receiving your payment.

Register for the 2022 World Lyre Conference here: https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/world-lyre-conference2022, then click LANA’s website link to submit payment) – and we’ll do the international exchange on your behalf. Please confirm via email to Margo Ketchum at lyrists@gmail.com.

(Or mail by check to – Lyre Symposium c/o LANA, 2237 Kimberton Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460.)

Symposium fees:

*Reduced fee (for students under 26 years, seniors with fixed incomes, and expectant parents)

Up until May 30th: Amount to pay (as of today) –

• Fee for participants – 6450 CZK or $285.30 USD

• Reduced fee* – 3860 CZK or $170.74 USD

After May 30th 2022:

• Fee for participants – 7450 CZK or $329.53 USD

• Reduced fee* – 4860 CZK or $214.97 USD

Lyre rental cost – 1200 CZK or $53.08 USD

Note: The conference fees can be refunded in full up until the end of June 2022 or at any time, should the event be canceled by the organizer.

LODGING: Map showing accommodations

• Rooms range from 300 CZK (from $13.27 USD) to 3000 CZK (to $132.70 USD) per night

• See: https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/symposium-2020/prakticke-informace

Please check the conference website for updates: https://www.lyra-symposium.cz/en/world-lyre-conference2022.

We are hoping that many of you are considering making plans to join your international colleagues for this important conference.  We understand that the current situation is quite difficult for everyone, and we do not know what the future holds. The words of Flavia Betti, lyre teacher from Brazil, speak deeply to our current world situation: “The living strength of the tone has never been more evident to me. Never has music been more needed…” Recognizing the importance of music and especially of the lyre at this time as well as all of the important impulses from teachers, players, and lyre builders, we continue to prepare optimistically for the 2022 World Lyre and Pedagogical Conferences.

The 8th World Lyre Conference in Český Krumlov aims to revive the lyre community with joint creativity, and to support the lyre community in the Czech Republic, but above all to bring the quality of live lyre music played on many lyres to the contemporary world. We cordially invite all of our lyre colleagues throughout the world to join us!

Colleen Shetland and Sheila Johns for the LANA Board

The Silent Minute

Peggy Grimshaw from the Arion Lyre Association has shared the following thoughts as an addendum to our new Lyre Mantle initiative taken in response to our current world situation. In conjunction with our lyre playing, perhaps we can consider joining others worldwide with this additional inner observance.

Instead of the helplessness with which we express our concern about the current situation in Ukraine, we can use powerful and non-violent means to try to make a difference. Since 1940, the activity of the Silent Minute has lived – beginning with English military officers who experienced the hopelessness of the fight against Hitler's Germany.

Major Wellesley Tudor Pole, who initiated the silent minute, wrote the following:

There is no power on earth that can withstand the united cooperation on spiritual levels of men and women of goodwill everywhere. It is for this reason that the continued and widespread observance of the Silent Minute is of such vital importance in the interest of human welfare.

Since 1940, in the time before the Battle of Britain and the so-called Blitzkrieg, people all over the world, of different faiths, have agreed that every evening at 21:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), a moment of silence would be observed – a moment of meditative peace, in which everyone considers a prayer for peace, a saying, a poem, or an ideal to provide a portal for cooperation with an “unseen but mighty army” in the subtle realms.

The impulse was later taken up again – in 2001, on the occasion of 9/11 – and it is still alive today.

Thank you for sharing this inspiring proposal with us, Peggy!

The World Lyre Conference 2022

Dear friends of the lyre,

We are pleased to announce that registration for the World Lyre Conference 2022 will be open on Sunday 13th of March, and you will find all of the information on our updated website -
www.lyra-symposium.cz.

We regret that in our current world situation, we cannot predict what may happen tomorrow,
much less in August, but we can choose to be more present for this moment, and hopefully, our
conference will be held this year in Ceský Krumlov, Czech Republic from the 7th to the 14th of August, with the Pedagogical conference from the 5th to the 7th of August.

Thank you for your patience and goodwill in accepting this situation as it is, staying fully present
in the moment, and being aware of possible changes that may arise.

With warm regards, with peace and with hope,

Helena Hlaváčková (Bartošová) with the WLC team
Organizer and Coordinator of World Lyre Conference 2022

St. Patrick’s Day is coming!

Check out our online music store for Irish music arranged by some of your favorite lyre composers. We have music for solo or ensemble collaborations … some in convenient PDF format. Let the beauty of Irish melodies enliven your lyre playing this season!

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Click on each title for a review or to see it in our store!

By John Billing:

• Music from Ireland, Volumes 1 and 2 (in PDF and print copy)

• From Ireland with Love (in PDF and print copy)

• Bridget Cruise and Other Tunes by Turlough O’Carolan

• Carolan’s Own: A Collection of Pieces by Turlough O’Carolan

• Music of Turlough O’Carolan, Book 1–3 (in PDF)

• Six Melodies by Turlough O’Carolan

• Irish Music

• Celtic Song (free PDF)

• Turlough O’Carolan (audio CD)

By John Clark:

• Irish Traditional Slow Airs, volumes 1–5

By Anna Prokhovnik Cooper:

• An Irish Collection

By Petra Rosenberg:

• Charlie is My Darling (a collection of British folk songs, some from Ireland)

By Cecilia Unsworth:

• Miss McDermott (free PDF download)

• Come with me to the West (traditional songs from the British isles, some from Ireland)

Book Review: Irish Traditional Slow Airs Volumes III - V

By Dr. Andrea Intveen, Music Therapist, Ulm, Germany

Volumes III through V of John Clark’s arrangements of Irish traditional Slow Airs are now available in LANA's online Music Store. As in the previous two volumes, the tunes come in three different versions: First, the tune on its own, then the same with embellishments and chord indications, and last but not least, the tune with harmonies, as well as chord indications. Volume III contains 30 tunes, Volume IV another 32, and Volume V adds another 44 tunes to the collection. The pieces are intended for solo or ensemble playing on melodic and accompanying instruments.

Personally, I have been playing them on my small Gärtner alto lyre that I only got fairly recently after not being able to play lyre for quite a few years (due to the lack of an instrument). I actually find the pieces in all five volumes ideal for getting into it again, having become a bit “rusty” on the lyre. I usually play the tune on its own and later with harmonies – I haven’t had the courage to approach the embellished versions yet. This usually works quite well for me, and mostly the fairly limited range of my small instrument isn’t a problem. Very rarely, a few notes are “missing” but it is easily possible to improvise around it. The tunes are also nicely playable with guitar, tin whistle, low whistle, or violin – just to mention a few possibilities.

In working my way through the books, I found some favourites among the pieces. For example, “Port Na bPúcaí” (Tune of the Fairies, No. 84, Volume III). I perceived it as etherical, light, and clearly modal in quality. The harmonies – perfectly set by John with movements of parallel fifths – give the tune a lingering impression. Or No. 76 in the same volume (Marbhna Luimní/Lament for Limerick): I heard it for the first time played by the Chieftains many years ago (“Limerick’s Lamentation”), and played it on tin whistle myself. It’s one of the few pieces in this whole collection I actually knew before. I really enjoyed playing John’s version with its absolutely gorgeous harmonies on the lyre. Tune No. 101 in Volume IV with the impressive title “Separation of Soul and Body” was apparently wrongly attributed to Turlough O’Carolan. But whoever the original composer was, it is a lovely melody – again brought to life in a most beautifully melancholic way by John’s harmonies.

“Last Night, As I Was Thinking of the Ways of the World” is piece No. 153 in Volume V. While playing through it, I perceived it as calm, pensive, and almost dreamlike. I also liked No. 168 in the same volume very much (“The Song of the Blackbird”), possibly because of its peaceful character.

The few tunes I mentioned here are of course only a fraction of the vast collection John created. They are all quite special in their own way and very well worth playing. This collection of Irish slow airs is a gem for every lyre player, no matter what skill or level of playing. I can only vaguely imagine the enormous amount of work that is behind this very impressive compilation of tunes. I would highly recommend these books to any lyre player.