Author: cheriegullerud

Right now I am working on an online Theatre Arts Curriculum for the Metro East Web Academy. This is pretty exciting stuff!  The school is in Gresham, Oregon, two hours away from my home. I’ll be teaching as well, and I was worried about how much availability I would need for my students until the Vice Principal told me they had one teacher who’d been in New Orleans all year, so I guess I have nothing to worry about.  https://www.mewebacademy.org/

This should be a good fit for me, since I can still keep my tutoring students, my voice students, my harp gigs, my choir accompanying position, and my long-term sub position in English at Ashbrook Independent School. Still working on getting MY SON PINOCCHIO, JR ready for this summer’s Majestic Theatre Summer Adventure.

With a house of 3 generations  there is no down time.  Danny, my youngest son, leaves on a mission for two years in just 10 days. He will serve the Spanish Speaking people of Southern Utah and he will learn Spanish in Mexico City for six weeks first. One Grandson just turned four. Another will turn 2 next week. The littlest is just 2 months, and the oldest girl will be 7 at the end of May. My third son, Stephen, will be 28 in a few days! How can I have kids this old already?

The fridge ate our house, so the floors have been torn up and we are waiting to finalize our designs for remodeling the house. Sigh. We all moved into the house behind us. The one good thing about having a temporarily deserted home nearby is that the whole house is our music studio and we can practice at any time of day or night without fear of waking anyone!

Last night we watched THE SECRET LIFE OF ARIETTY. Both Eric and I loved Mary Norton’s THE BORROWERS when we were young. What a beautiful adaptation of such a sweet story! The revelation for both of us was Cecile Corbel, a French Canadian folk harpist who composed all the music for the film.  Hauntingly beautiful Irish/Turkish/Japanese music with harp, her lovely voice, cello, violin, drums and 12 string guitar. Check her out!

http://www.cecile-corbel.com

Ceclie Corbel ARIETTY’S SONG

This is a compilation of favorite Celtic songs, including “The Water is Wide,” “Women of Ireland” and originals, mixed with the varied sounds of the ocean. Great for soothing bedtime music or for calming anxious souls.  $15, includes shipping. Contact me via artscherie@gmail.com to order. Samples coming soon!

Last week I played with the Nowhere Band at the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland, Oregon.  We all dressed like we were from the 1970’s as we played the entirety of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band for the 50th anniversary.  What a thrill! I was featured on “She is Leaving” and added to the cacophony at the end of “A Day in the Life,” plus a glissando or two on “Within You Without You.” Tremendous fun!  It was great to pull out all the stops on my Big Blue harp and use it for what it was designed for.

After 30-odd years I have jumped on the Website Bandwagon.  Watching the first six harpists build an online presence, and now seeing hundreds more, makes me think the internet water is warm and it’s time to take the plunge.  My two Arts Loves are Music and Theatre, specifically Harp and Directing.  I am partial to Poetry and Writing as well. You never know what will turn up! Stay tuned for photos and audio files of my past and ongoing projects.  Ask questions, read musings, and come and see what I am up to!