The Green Bike Series
I make my home now on the Canadian Prairies, in sunny Manitoba. Winters here are crisp but bright, with many days of blue skies and sunshine! Over the years I have lived in or visited many different parts of Canada and much of that travelling has involved playing the harps which I have schlepped to various places and gigs across the country. The fun of exploring new places and playing for new audiences is the reward for travelling with a harp in tow!
During the years of the pandemic when travel was restricted, I created a virtual experience to meet my desire for travel and for playing the harp. The project, named The Green Bike Series, was inspired by my travels to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, home to family and friends. It incorporates visual media of photography and sketching, as well as original music in a digital presentation format, including access via this website to audio recordings and sheet music. After a winter of virtual harping, it’s to Cape Breton I go! I have a (green) bike waiting for me and also a harp I can select from the many fine lever harps built for me and my students over the years by my father, Arthur Germani.
A trip to Cape Breton would not be complete without biking the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail. The 92km multi-use trail, stretching from Port Hastings to Inverness on the west coast of Cape Breton Island, is a converted railway bed from when the steam engine trains transported coal from the mines. The trail makes for a beautiful ride, meandering along the coast, then inland following rivers and hillsides, and down beside lakes and valleys. The inclines are mostly very gradual, which makes me marvel at the ingenuity and engineering that went into the construction of the rail route. What a legacy for us to enjoy, now!
The beauty of nature and the exhilaration of a good day’s bike ride are inspiration for creating reminiscences of these trips through art and music. The Green Bike Series consists of twelve bike rides, their titles reflective of places and views along a particular part of the trail, each accompanied by favourite photos, a sketch, and an audio recording. The sheet music for each bike ride is prefaced by a sketch, and the composition is written and arranged for solo harp. The music varies in character and expression through harmonic and rhythmic invention, and is coloured by the use of special harp techniques and effects. “Pedalling to the Pub,” Dancing on the Waves,” “A Coastal Celtic Air,” and “Foxplay” evoke some of the trips along the trail. The digital presentation, with links to the music, can be found on the blog page.
Enjoy the ride as you follow the journey of The Green Bike in the upcoming next twelve blogs.
