Ballroom Marfa Art Fund

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Mary Lattimore & Jeff Zeigler Coming to Town!

8 Jul 2013

Mary Lattimore's harp. Courtesy of the artist.

Mary Lattimore’s harp, on the streets of Philadelphia. Courtesy of artist.

It’s a ways off, but we are beyond excited to announce that harpist Mary Lattimore and synth player and luminary producer Jeff Zeigler will head down here December 30 to play our annual New Year’s silent film/live score project. I first heard Mary’s work on Frosty’s MPR Dublab show and was instantly struck. We’ll have more details as we get within shouting distance of the event (or winter) (or even fall), but in the meantime, check out Mary’s work with Jeff here, and read this 2011 AV Club interview with Mary here:

The A.V. Club: Of all the instruments in the world, how did you choose the harp?

Mary Lattimore: My mom is a professional harpist, so I was always around harps—my mom’s harpist friends and the kids that took lessons from her, going along to her symphony rehearsals—and I was always listening to her work on parts and pieces, so the harp’s always been a part of my life. When it came time to learn how to play, I was 11 years old and I didn’t enjoy it so much at first, but the better I got the more it became my own. And now I have this 30-year story with this instrument that feels like a sister or something. It’s gone everywhere with me.

I think the harp is the most rewarding and complex, most beautiful and magical lush instrument. If you’re into it, you get over the paying for it: the longish car to take it around, the first-floor apartment you always have to have, the space it takes up, the 47 different strings, the maintenance, and the getting to know its layout and mechanics. You can’t have a glamorous manicure. It takes a long time to feel comfortable on it; you don’t feel masterful very quickly.

I think that if you find yourself drawn to the sound of the harp in particular, nothing else sounds like it, so it sort of picks you. You measure things out, and if your love for that sound comes out on top, there’s not really a question of harp versus guitar. It’s something weird and special to have in your life.”