Stories from the Street - a note

Last night was a night for stories. A woman put down a note with a shekel on top of it and this is what it said.


You make the people dream.

Thanks!

And I thank you for the note.

Story from the street - Chavi

Here is the story in Chavi's own words.

"When Muriel let me play the harp, at first I was excited and then I got kinda scared, cuz how do I actually play this big harp I had never touched in my life, but when I actually touched the strings, I felt that I can really express what I feel inside. Even I don't know how to play a song with the harp, I was able to play the song that my heart was playing. I played just the emotions I felt inside. This thing is a very good way to express our emotions!

Chavi

A Story from the street - Oranit

I met Oranit last night. She had gone to Malcha Mall to celebrate a friend's book being published. It was to be a real event, and she was especially excited because there was going to be a harpist playing at the event. Well, she got there only to find out that the event was next week. For some reason, she passed through Ben Yehuda on her way home.She had sooo wanted to see a harp because since childhood she had dreamed of playing a harp. She asked her parents for one and they bought her a piano instead. I told her it was probably because harps were not so available in Israel then. They still aren't today but we're working on it. She was very excited to see a harp on Ben Yehuda St., and of course I did let her play a bit and encouraged her to think about getting a harp now.

Diana from Texas - Never give up

Diana's words,

"I was so touched to hear the beautiful and soothing music that Muriel was playing on her harp. I asked her how I could compensate for a missing finger and she encouraged me to persevere to learn, which I am going to do."

Diana was tying to learn guitar and was discouraged because of a missing finger on her left hand. That is the hand that normally does the fingering. I told her about the boy at my collage who played trumpet and bass guitar. I do not remember hes name. I did not really know him. But I saw him play his bass guitar one time in a recital. Total amazement. On his left hand he had a thumb and an index finger. I think it may have been a birth defect but I'm not sure. Well, he did more with those two fingers than most people do with a full hand.

Then I told her about two videos on you tube that I ran across. One is a woman in China. It showed her planting rice in the rice paddy, washing herself and dressing, cooking a meal and eating. The thing is, she had no arms. She did everything with her feet.

The second video was of a young man in Wales, busking (playing on the street) playing guitar and singing. He had to sit because, you see, he too had no arms. He was doing it all with his feet. I had to see a few videos before I could believe he was actually playing, but he was. See it for your self. Here's the link.


Sorry the link didn't work. Till I find out why, you can go to my youtube channel. It is on my group, Buskers from around the world. There is a link on this blog and then click on groups, and then the buskers group.

Stories from the Street - Music for a broken heart

A few months ago N from Haifa sat and listened to my music for quite some time. He had told me he was sad because his girlfriend had just broken up with him. Last night he was there again. He told me he had really felt like the end of the world, but my music spoke to him and told him it wasn't. It was a big world and there were plenty of other girls out there. I asked him if he would like to write it down for me to put on my blog, and he did, but it is in Hebrew. He translated it for me and it was beautiful, but I will need help getting it on the blog.

guest harpist, fire on Ben Yehuda ?

Last I night was a beautiful night on Ben Yehuda. It wasn't cold at all when I went out and got just a bit chilly later. I play much better when my hands are not cold, or freezing, which happens sometimes.

I had a guest harpist last night, Inge from South Africa, where she plays professionally on a concert pedal harp. She played very beautifully on my harp, I like to let other harpo\ists play on my harp. It adds a ittle variety to rom my repertoir and it gives me a chnce to hear how my harp sounds. Thankyou Inge for your nice music.

I was sitting there last night and all of a sudden I saw smoke billowing from the front of Bank Discount. It seemed to be comming from one of the money machines. I watched people walking by for quite a few minutes(at least 5) and nobod seemed aware that anything was happening. I don't dare go even a few feet from my harp because many people would not hesitate to come over and start messing with it. They actually try it when I'm sitting there playing.
I started thinking of calling it a night when I started smelling a very bad odor . It reminded me of the night in Tel Aviv(I used to live there). I was plating in my regular spot on the corner of Dizengoff and King George violin or recorder(pre harp days). I saw a stream of smoke coming from a window in the bank. I think I'll leave that story for another day. Anyway, back on Ben Yehuda, I was distracted, and then when I looked again the smoke had stopped. A friend went to check it out and it seems it had something to do with the lighting decoration put up for Independance Day celebration. A whole section of the lights were out.


Afterwards, sittingout there I started thinking about my blog and making notes and I think I have some good ideas which is good because this writing thing does not come easy to me. I'm a music person, not a word person.

well one idea I had was to have a baby count. My favorite audiences are the children. I love playing for them, and especially the babies. I'm going to report on the babies I play for, the ones that stop and lister, not the ones who just stroll on by.
there were about 3 earlier in the evening but not since I had hte idea. Music is so important and it is VERY important for babies to listen to music. More on that subject later.