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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. 
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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.   Day 27 - Favorite Thing to Listen To Since I listen to more than just music, here’s what you’ll usually find playing on my phone or in the car… Most mornings, I start with listening to the Bible. Last year I went through The Bible Recap, and this year I’m listening through the ESV on the Bible app. For podcasts, my favorite (and the one I actually stay caught up on!) is Simple Purposeful Living by Erin Port. If I could meet one person right now, it would probably be her—she’s been such an inspiration to me. I’m also looking forward to reading her new book Tiny Tweaks, Happy Life. Other podcasts in my rotation include The Crystal Paine Show, The Lazy Genius, Be a Blaze!, The Jasmine Star Show, and Truth for Life Daily Devotions. In the van, Paisley usually requests The Collingsworth Family Radio. Since it’s on Pandora, it rotates through similar artists, so we get a mix of family groups and men’s ensembles. I also have a station called Anne of Green Gables Radio that I turn on when I want background music I won’t sing along to—it leans more Celtic, which I really enjoy. And recently, I added something new. I found myself feeling a little robotic in my own playing—wondering what people actually hear and feel when they listen. I know what they say, but I wanted to feel it too. So one evening, I turned on the TV, opened YouTube, and just listened to harpists. All kinds—men and women, young and old, sacred, classical, Celtic, fast, slow… And it was wonderful. Peaceful. Beautiful. The kind of music that makes you stop and just… breathe. Now, I’ll often listen to harpists as I scroll on Instagram or Facebook and imagine I’m sitting in the audience, hearing it for the first time. And that right there—that feeling—is why I keep playing. For you. For the quiet moments. For the “wow, that was beautiful” moments. What do you love to listen to?  Click photo to hear a harp song titled "Stillness". One of my favorites. Day 26 – Harp Crush My dream harp has always been my Prelude—and after 19 years, I’m still completely happy with it. If I ever did consider a pedal harp, I’d be drawn to the Lyon & Healy Style 85E (especially in ebony to match). I’d also be curious about the Salvi Daphne 40 as a smaller, more portable option. But truly? I love what I have—and I have no plans to change it.  Day 25 - Away from the Harp Professionally, if I’m away from the harp… I’m at the piano. With my family, I’m making memories. For fun, I’m usually in the kitchen—most likely baking something sourdough. In my dream world, I’d also be a gardener with flowers blooming all around the house. With friends, I’m building relationships (often over coffee… or something baked). In the past, I’ve dabbled in photography. When the weather is nice, you’ll find my kids and me outside—sunshine, water, and all. I’ve been reading more this year (thank you, library prizes, for the motivation!). And I still try my hand at art—mostly sidewalk chalk and the occasional painting project. Do I stay busy? Yes. But it’s a mindful, purposeful, my heart is full kind of busy.  Day 24 - Regrets If I had to name a few regrets, most of them would fall into one category: not starting things sooner. I wish I had learned how to use a music program years ago. I have several projects on my list now—but they all take more time than I can realistically give at the moment. And honestly? That’s okay. As a small business owner, I do wish I had focused more on the business side earlier on. I started teaching as a teenager and didn’t charge much—sometimes nothing at all. Even now, I’m still learning how to promote what I do and put myself out there. For a long time, I’ve caught myself thinking, “There are others who do this so much better than I do.” But I’m learning something important. Harpists in other parts of the world—the ones I admire—can’t do what I do here. This is where I’ve been placed, and these are the people I get to serve. And that matters. Every time I’m asked to play for an event or take on a new student, I’m reminded what an honor that is. One of my favorite things about teaching—especially now that I work mostly with teens and adults—is seeing that it’s never too late to learn something new. (My oldest student is almost 85!) So instead of holding onto regrets, I’m choosing to move forward-- to keep growing, keep learning, and keep building what’s in front of me.  Day 23 - How I Mark My Music Most of this post probably needs pictures… but here’s a little behind-the-scenes of what you’re seeing. The biggest rule I learned from my first harp teacher: lever changes are marked in red. Always. That way, when I see red coming up, I know my left hand needs to be ready. And for me—nothing else gets to be red. That color is reserved. 😊 Beyond that, my music can look a little… creative. I use sticky notes, stickers, arrows, and little reminders like “smile” or “breathe.” One of my favorites—someone once looked at my music and said, “I know the harp is a string instrument… why does it say breathe?” The answer: because I used to hold my breath through harder passages without even realizing it. My teacher caught it and made me write it in. Now I don’t forget. I also tend to use:
What about you? Any favorite ways you mark your music? |
Bethany MurphyWife, mother, small business owner, music teacher and performer. Categories |
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