YOMÍ
THE FIRST TIME I SAW A HARP, I WAS SWEPT WITH AN UNCONTROLLABLE URGE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. I WAS 7 YEARS OLD, AND MY PARENTS THOUGHT I WAS ABSOLUTELY NUTS. “WHY NOT THE FLUTE?” MY DAD WOULD ASK WHENEVER I’D BRING IT UP… BECAUSE THE INSTRUMENT I WAS OBSESSED WITH WAS NOT JUST A SIMPLE PURCHASE. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, AND THAT LITTLE GIRL PERSISTED, THE PARENTS GAVE IN. (THANKS MOM AND DAD.) FROM DRIVING ME TO EACH HARP LESSON, MAKING SURE THEIR NEXT CAR COULD HOLD MY LARGER THAN LIFE INSTRUMENT, THEY MADE SURE THAT THAT YOUNG HARPIST COULD PURSUE HER DREAMS. I WAS CLASSICALLY TRAINED FROM THEN ONWARD, JOINING MY HIGH SCHOOL’S ORCHESTRA AND PROUDLY PLAYING RECITALS. EVENTUALLY I STOPPED FINDING MYSELF IN CLASSICAL MUSIC, AND STEPPED AWAY FROM MY HARP TO TRY OTHER OUTLETS WHERE I COULD BETTER EXPRESS MYSELF. A COUPLE YEARS PASSED, I DABBLED IN PHOTOGRAPHY, PAINTING, SCULPTURE, COOKING, ALL THINGS I STILL LOVE TIL THIS DAY… BUT I FOUND MYSELF REALLY MISSING MY HARP. I ENDED UP RESTRINGING THE OLD GAL, AND GIVING HER ANOTHER SHOT. (YES, MY HARP IS A LADY, A NAMELESS BEAUTIFUL LADY.) THE JOURNEY TO WRITING MY OWN MUSIC ON HER STARTED WITH COVERS, AND QUICKLY TURNED INTO ME RECORDING DEMOS OF MY OWN MUSIC IN GARAGE BAND. I STARTED ATTENDING OPEN MICS ALL OVER CHICAGO SEEING HOW PEOPLE WOULD RESPOND, WHILE ALSO TRYING TO GET OVER MY VERY REAL AT THE TIME STAGE-FRIGHT. AT THE OPEN MICS I ENDED UP MEETING A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PRODUCERS AND ARTISTS IN CHICAGO WHO WERE LOOKING TO COLLABORATE, THUS STARTING MY CAREER AS A STUDIO MUSICIAN. TIME PASSED, AND GARAGE BAND DEMOS TURNED INTO ABLETON MASTERS. NOW, I WORK REGULARLY IN ABLETON WITH MY HARP, STILL SEARCHING AND DIGGING FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SOUNDS WE CAN MAKE. I’VE FOUND REAL HEALING WITH MY HARP. I’VE FOUND A REAL COMMUNITY WITH MY HARP. I’VE NEVER FELT SO FILLED WITH LOVE AND LIGHT UNTIL I INCORPORATED MY PASSION INTO MY EVERYDAY. AND NOW, ALL I COULD EVER HOPE FOR, IS TO PASS THAT ON TO YOU. WE ALL COULD USE A LITTLE HEALING, BECAUSE HEALING IN ITSELF IS AN ONGOING PROCESS. I HOPE THAT I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THAT JOURNEY FOR YOU. I HOPE YOU KNOW, THAT ON THIS DAY, YOU ARE LOVED. AND I’LL DO MY BEST TO MAKE YOU FEEL THAT WITH THESE 33 ELECTRIC STRINGS OF MINE. THAT IS MY PROMISE TO YOU. CHEERS TO THE JOURNEY. YOURS, MINE, AND OURS. SINCERELY, YOMÍ