Celtic Sprite: I know you grew up listening to the Irish band Clannad on Sunday mornings and having a good connection to folk harp music. Please tell us about your first encounter with the harp as a musical instrument... When you decided to try a career as a harpist, was it love at first sight for you?
RIKA: My first exposure to the harp was at a very early age. My father used to listen to a lot of Celtic music and had Vinyl/CDs of Alan Stivell, Andreas Vollenweider, Clannad and other artists. However, I remember wanting to learn how to play the harp after watching concerts of orchestras on TV more often and finding the instrument so beautiful.
Celtic Sprite: You studied classical harp for eight years, but how did you get started on the Celtic harp? Do you consider yourself as a self-taught folk harpist ?.
RIKA: I started taking lessons when I was 10 years old. However, I always found it difficult to practice pieces from notes. Especially when I didn't like them personally, which was often the case for classical music. So, at some point, I lost interest and, as a teenager, I was on the verge of quitting.
Fortunately, my father was able to change my mind and I joined a harp ensemble in a music school. I had more fun making music with other people. At the age of 18, I stopped classical lessons completely. I had previously been to the "Harfentreffen", a harp festival here in Germany, where you can attend various workshops. I took part in a workshop on Breton music with Dominig Bouchaud and was very enthusiastic.
I have to say that I especially like dreamy folk tunes in minor keys and there are a lot of them from Brittany. Motivated by the workshops, I started to play by ear simple melodies of medieval bands that I heard at that time.
Playing by ear was never practiced in lessons, so it was a new experience for me. That's what led me to folk music. The simplicity of the beautiful melodies fascinates me. For me, there is something primal about them that triggers a deep longing and a sense of familiarity at the same time.
Celtic Sprite: I have noticed you have several band projects like Laurelin, "Faeryglen", and "JOSEH", but you also play as a soloist as RIKA isn´t it?
RIKA: I have played in several band projects over the years. "JOSEH" is the project of my boyfriend, kind of singer/songwriter/indie-folk. I started to work with him in 2013. We have played a lot of concerts since then. I used to have extreme stage fright and didn't dare to play in front of people. Fortunately, I was able to get rid of that for the most part during my time with JOSEH.
My duo partner from my project, "Faeryglen", has emigrated and another project, "Laurelin", is not active anymore. But exactly: there is still my solo project RIKA, which I pursued more actively in the last 2 years. In addition, I still have a project together with 2 actors, in which we perform musical readings.
In general, I would say that I slipped into being a musician. I would never have imagined that I could do this, but as time passed, I realized that this is exactly what I wanted to do.Playing concerts and touching people emotionally. After I got my bachelor's degree in Musicology, I decided to give it a try as a musician.
Celtic Sprite: Living in a country used to instruments like the celtic or folk harp...how did you managed to get yours?
RIKA: My harp is still from my youth. Back when I started playing in the ensemble, my parents bought it for me.
Celtic Sprite: Please, tell us about your lever harp, what model is it? Do you own a second model?
RIKA: It's a Bavarian Fischer single pedal folk harp. I also have a little harpsicle harp that I purchased for travel in 2011. They've also sponsored another harpsicle harp for me. They appeal to me since they are compact and light, yet they also produce excellent sound.
Celtic Sprite: While playing the harp live, do you include traditional folk music besides the one of your own?
RIKA: Yes, I mix traditional folk music with original compositions. I occasionally play pop at weddings, depending on what is requested.
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