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Eight years ago, we began our journey as husband and wife. ❤️   Through many ups and downs, gains and losses, adventures and ordinary days, we are so thankful for God’s protection, guidance, wisdom, and grace through it all. Eight years has given us quite a collection of little traditions and memories. We used to spend our weekends watching Live PD. We’ve explored nine Alabama State Parks together. We’re currently on our third “Three Year Question a Day” book (highly recommend!), and we’re making our way through our Alphabet Date Nights—we’ve made it all the way to the letter U! Links for: Book one Book two Book three Early on we divided up the household chores in a way that works well for us. Chris does the laundry, takes care of the trash, and cleans the kitchen after dinner. I clean the bathrooms, meal plan, and cook. And we do most of the grocery shopping together. One of my favorite traditions started on our honeymoon cruise. We had crème brûlée, and somehow it became our anniversary tradition. So every year, we make sure to have crème brûlée to celebrate another year together.  And then there’s the Christmas decor situation. We both absolutely love fall… but somehow we each entered this marriage with a large amount of Christmas decorations. So now we have approximately enough Christmas decor to decorate a small village. Eight years later, I’m still thankful that God chose us for each other. We’ve grown, changed, learned, laughed, struggled, celebrated, and built a life together—and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. 
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Thank You for Joining Me in the Garden!Thank you so much for joining me today for Music in the Garden! Whether you stayed for one song or spent the whole time listening, I’m so glad you stopped by. There’s something especially lovely about live harp music in a garden, and I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to share some music with the Prattville community. Thank you for listening, chatting, taking pictures, sharing my music, and especially for your generous support! If you’re curious about what I do beyond today’s music, I’d love to tell you a little more. Note: Click the red text throughout this post to explore additional information, photos, and videos. A Little About Me I’ve been playing the harp professionally for almost 20 years, including the past 8 years here in the River Region. I’m also a pianist, and I provide both harp and piano music for events and services. I love helping people find just the right music to make an occasion feel special—whether that means elegant background music for a celebration, beautiful music for a church service, or something quiet and meaningful for a time of remembrance. You’re welcome to look around my website to learn more about my services, music, and rates. River Region Harp Ensemble I’m also the director of the River Region Harp Ensemble, a local group of harpists who come together to share the beauty of ensemble harp music with our community. Each December, we present a FREE Christmas concert at Millbrook Presbyterian Church. Mark your calendar! Monday, December 14, 2026 7:00 PM Millbrook Presbyterian Church FREE ADMISSION I’d love to see you there! Music Lessons in Prattville I offer private lessons in harp, piano, and music theory from my studio in Prattville. At the moment, I have one Monday 11:00 AM opening available for a teen or adult student. If you’re looking for piano lessons for a younger child or need an after-school time, I’m also happy to point you toward other wonderful local teachers. Just reach out, and I’ll be glad to send you my list of recommendations. Keep Me in Mind for Your Next Event As you plan future gatherings, I hope you’ll keep live music in mind! Your next event might be the perfect occasion for a little harp or piano music: ✨ Bridal luncheons & teas ✨ Rehearsal dinners ✨ Cocktail hours & receptions ✨ Anniversary celebrations ✨ Birthday celebrations ✨ Afternoon teas ✨ Fundraising dinners ✨ Award ceremonies ✨ Open houses ✨ Corporate events ✨ Church services ✨ Funeral visitations & celebrations of life ✨ Holiday gatherings ✨ Book club gatherings ✨ Private dinner parties ✨ And so much more! If you’re gathering people for something meaningful, there’s probably a place for music. Whether you’re celebrating, welcoming, remembering, gathering, or simply enjoying time together, live music can add something truly special to the occasion. Thank You, Prattville! Thank you again for coming out to Music in the Garden and for supporting live music in our community. I’m grateful for every person who stopped to listen, every kind word, every question, every share, and every tip in the jar. Your support means more than you know! And this isn’t the last garden gathering! Stay tuned for another Music in the Garden this fall. I hope to see you there! — Bethany Murphy Bethany Studios Harpist • Pianist • Music Teacher  In the Bleak Midwinter — A Free Harp Solo Arrangement There is something especially beautiful about hearing a familiar hymn on the harp. Recently, I welcomed a new harp student who is just beginning his journey with the instrument. During one of our conversations, he mentioned how much he would love to hear In the Bleak Midwinter played on the harp. He thought it was such a beautiful song. Since he is a beginner, I was inspired to create a simpler harp arrangement that would be approachable for a newer player while still capturing the quiet beauty of the hymn. And once I had finished it, I thought, Why not share it? So here it is! I’m offering my arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter as a free PDF download. My hope is that it will be useful to beginning harpists who are looking for a beautiful piece that isn't quite so intimidating to learn. Whether you're a student, teacher, church musician, or simply someone who loves this hymn, I hope you enjoy playing it. If you use the arrangement, I'd love to hear about it! Feel free to tag me or send me a message and let me know how you're using it. Want to support my arranging? The sheet music is free, but if you'd like to support the time that goes into arranging and preparing music like this, you're welcome to leave a small tip. [VENMO] There is absolutely no obligation. I'm happy to share this arrangement with you! Happy playing! Bethany Murphy Harpist • Pianist • Teacher [www.bethanystudios.com] 
Looking for Piano Lessons? Here's How I Can Help One of the questions I receive most often—especially during the summer—is: "Do you have openings for piano lessons?" Summer is a season of transition. Families are planning for the new school year, adjusting schedules, and here in the River Region we also welcome many military families who are settling into the area. It's the perfect time to start looking for a music teacher. Who I Currently Teach At this time, my studio is focused on teens and adults who are looking to learn piano in a relaxed, encouraging environment. I teach Monday through Thursday, and my schedule currently has limited availability. If you're a teenager or adult interested in lessons, I'd love to hear from you! We can talk about your musical background, your goals, and see if we're a good fit. Looking for Lessons for a Child? Many inquiries I receive are from parents looking for piano lessons for younger children. While I don't currently teach children, I don't want families to feel like they've reached a dead end. If I'm not the right fit for your family—whether because of your child's age, your preferred lesson time, or my schedule—I'm happy to point you toward other excellent teachers in the area. Finding the right teacher is important, and I'd much rather help you connect with someone who fits your needs than simply say, "Sorry, I can't." Don't Hesitate to Ask Even if you're not sure whether I teach your age group or have an opening that works with your schedule, feel free to reach out. If I have availability, wonderful! If not, I'll do my best to connect you with another teacher who may be a great fit. My goal is simple: to help more people enjoy making music. Whether that's in my studio or someone else's, I'm always happy to help.  How My Teaching Schedule Has Changed Over the Years When I first began teaching music lessons, I taught year-round. Lessons started early in the morning and stretched into the evening. I taught six days a week. If a lesson happened to fall on a holiday, I would schedule a make-up lesson because I wanted to accommodate every student and family. And sometimes, that's exactly how a teaching career begins. We say yes to everything. After I got married, I made my first major adjustment. I decided I would only teach during the hours my husband was at work. That simple change gave us our evenings and weekends together, and it was one of the best decisions I could have made for our family. A few years later, I realized that many teachers did not offer make-up lessons for every holiday. I took a look at my calendar and created a list of holidays that would simply be observed as studio holidays. Most of them happened to align with days my husband was already off work, allowing us to enjoy those occasions together. Then came another season of life: motherhood. After having children, I made the decision to take six weeks off each summer. My spring semester now ends in May, and lessons resume after the Fourth of July. What once felt impossible now feels essential. As our family rhythms developed, I also aligned my December schedule with my husband's work schedule. Since he receives two weeks off at Christmas, I now teach only during the first half of December and return to the studio after the New Year. Along the way, we've added a spring break and a fall break as well. Spring break falls during Holy Week, between Palm Sunday and Easter, and fall break takes place during Thanksgiving week. Looking back, I can see that each change was made with some hesitation. I worried that students might leave if I wasn't available all the time. I worried that families would prefer a teacher with fewer breaks and more flexibility. What I discovered was the opposite. When I have time to rest, plan, and be present with my family, I become a better teacher. I bring more creativity, more energy, and more enthusiasm to each lesson. The fear that I would lose students never materialized. In fact, I now maintain a waiting list and continue to receive inquiries throughout the year. Inquire here! Sometimes growth isn't about adding more. Sometimes it's about creating healthy boundaries that allow you to serve others well for the long term. Live and learn. I'm grateful for the lessons that experience has taught me—both in music and in life. May 10th was National Small Business Day, and it reminded me of the time I woke up to find a public hearing sign planted in my front yard. 😅 A few years earlier, the city had told me I couldn’t teach music lessons from my home without a business license. So I went to get one… only to be told I lived in a residential area and couldn’t operate a business there. After quite a bit of back and forth, we left believing I would have to shut down immediately. The very next day, they called back and said they had researched it further and determined that music lessons fell under “fine arts and tutoring,” meaning I could continue teaching and receive a license after all. So after moving to a new home and receiving HOA approval to teach there, I was more than a little surprised to discover my property was going before the Board of Adjustment. It was listed publicly in the newspaper, and a few sweet friends came with me to the hearing for support. One concerned citizen stood up and announced that she had driven past my house, noticed how close the homes were together, and declared that she would NOT want to live next door listening to “plink, plink, plink” on the piano all day. 🎹 (We later learned she didn’t actually live near me — she simply attended meetings regularly to voice concerns.) When the board asked if I wanted to respond, I explained that I had been teaching for over 20 years and had never once had a neighbor complain about music or noise. They also asked whether I hosted recitals or large events at my home, and were quite satisfied with my answer: no. In the end, they approved my license, and it still hangs proudly in my studio today. Running a small business often involves far more behind-the-scenes challenges than most people ever realize.  Our 2026 Harp and Piano Spring Recital Friday night’s Spring Recital was such a special evening! This was our longest recital to date, coming in at just over an hour and fifteen minutes, and it was filled with beautiful music from start to finish. We had 11 piano students and 3 harpists perform, with a wonderful variety of styles—everything from hymns and classical pieces to pop favorites. The program ended with a lovely harp and piano duet of Canon in D, which was a perfect way to close the night. One of my favorite parts of teaching is walking alongside each student on their musical journey. Seeing fingering patterns finally click, hearing difficult passages come together smoothly, and watching pieces that took months of practice come to life in performance—it never gets old. Each recital is especially meaningful because I know where every student began and how far they’ve come. Watching them share their music with family, friends, and even a few strangers is incredibly rewarding. We’ll have two more weeks of lessons before a short summer break, and lessons will resume in July. I’ll have a couple of openings for teens and adults (beginner through advanced), so now is a great time to reach out if you’re interested. One question I’m often asked is why we continue lessons after the recital. I’ve found it’s so important to sit down with each student while the experience is still fresh. We talk through their performance, celebrate growth, and set clear goals so they head into summer with purpose and direction. If you’ve been thinking about music lessons, I’d love to connect. It would be an honor to guide you (or your student) on your musical journey. Day 30 – Highs/Lows The highs are easy. I truly love what I do. Getting to be part of weddings, special events, and meaningful moments—and knowing the music brings a sense of peace, beauty, and elegance—is something I don’t take for granted. It makes me so happy to hear that people enjoy it, relax, and remember those moments. I really do feel honored every time someone trusts me to be part of their day. The lows? Sometimes it’s the practical things—changing strings, handling the business side, or traveling at night. And yes… there are times when I’m not chosen for an event, and that can be a little disappointing. But those moments are small compared to the bigger picture. The positives far outweigh the negatives. And even the harder parts have solutions, rhythms, or people (like my husband!) who help carry the load. At the end of the day, I still love sitting down at the harp and playing. And I’m really thankful I get to call this “work.”  Day 29 – Harp in Numbers My harp, a Prelude: 38 strings 36 levers 44 pounds 64 inches tall The harp is played with just 8 fingers (no pinkies!) Harps can range anywhere from 19 to 47 strings Pedal harps have 7 pedals I started harp lessons at age 17 I purchased my harp at age 22 I’ve been playing professionally for 15+ years I’ve studied with 2 harp teachers And have taught 12+ harp students (and counting!) Lessons: 45 minutes weekly $180/month Events: $200/hour Wedding ceremonies: $400 Lots of numbers… but each one represents a story, a student, or a special moment.  Day 28 – Harp Mobile “Can I help you?” the salesman asked. “Yes… can you pull that SUV up, put the back seat down, and let me try my harp in it? If it fits, I’ll be back.” That was my car-buying strategy. 😊 You can look up storage space online, but the way seats fold (or don’t) makes all the difference when you’re trying to fit a harp. That first vehicle sold before we could go back for it, but shortly after, we found a Mazda5. I brought my harp, tried it out, and it fit perfectly. We test drove it, sat down to do paperwork… and another salesman came over asking for the keys because someone else wanted to test drive it. That made me feel pretty good about the decision—especially since it was my first car. I drove that Mazda for nine years and absolutely loved it. In October 2025, it was hit at an intersection and totaled. Thankfully, my husbandand son were both okay—we are so grateful for that. But still… it was hard. It may have “just been a car,” but it was my harp-mobile for along time. After a lot of research (thankful for my husband on that one!), we ended up test driving a Chrysler Pacifica—and it checked every box. This one fits both my harp and my children’s harp… and both car seats. Just a few weeks after getting it, we were all able to load up and head to a Christmas concert together. That moment alone made it feel like such a gift. If you’re considering getting a harp, don’t forget to think about the “harp mobile” too.   |
Bethany MurphyWife, mother, small business owner, music teacher and performer. Categories |
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