Author: Tom Miller

It was a noisy, crowded room for Food Bank today.  As people waited, snacking on popcorn at small tables, I wandered around and played my harp for various individuals.  Finally I arrived at a table with a friendly middle-aged woman. I asked her if she’d like a song, and she enthusiastically responded with a yes, so I played her a melody… Read more →

Tom had ducked into Best Buy in Redding, California, while I contentedly seated myself outside on the concrete bench not far from the automatic doors.  I opened the deep purple harp case, pulled out my 24-string harp, tuned it and began to play.  A homeless man, weathered and muttering softly to himself,  came by and put some trash in the… Read more →

As I pull into the blazing hot parking lot at Montgomery Park. there’s a sprawling oak tree ahead with grass and shade. Cool and peaceful. Should I play harp there? I glance over my shoulder at the brightly colored playground; I can just barely see over the fence. If I can spot any children there, I’ll go. Then I see… Read more →

There we were in Mike’s Used Appliances.  It’s small, but there’s hope in the air.  We just might get the help we need here.  We’ve brought our gas stove with the dysfunctional oven, but they also have reconditioned gas stoves if they can’t fix ours cheaply.  We leave our stove there and head out for a quick bite while they… Read more →

It was Food Truck day, and I was asked to go over to a kind-looking woman in her 40’s who was sitting alone with the food she just received.  We introduced ourselves and I began listening to her story, her situation, her health issues and her husband’s health problems.  As she spoke, I started to hear a song from the… Read more →

I had a few minutes to spare so I took a seat at a table just outside the entrance of an Ithaca coffee shop, pulled out my harp and began playing. As people entered or left the shop, some looked happy to hear me and others ignored me.  Then one lady smiled broadly as she walked in, and when she came out… Read more →

Today I popped over to Subway, and, sure enough, they didn’t have any ambient music playing.  Smiling, I bought a lemonade and asked if I could play my harp.  The woman at the register agreed, so I sat down near the window, and began playing, softly at first and then a little more strongly.  I was letting my fingers wander… Read more →

It was after the rehearsal for the Worthy Concert coming up.  We were practicing “Mary Did You Know” with cellos and percussion, Klezmer clarinet and singers.  I had at least an hour to spend somewhere, and I didn’t want to have to go out in that under 30 degree weather.  So I looked around Lincoln at Cornell for a spot… Read more →

Just a quick one this time.  It was Food Bank at Reach Out.  5:00 p.m. and cold and getting dark outside.  Inside the Fellowship Hall everyone was all warm and cosy having popcorn and cookies.  They were all waiting for numbers to be called for them to go outside and fill boxes with food to take home.   I had played… Read more →

I wandered into the East Hill Laundromat in Ithaca, NY with a small harp.  This laundromat often doesn’t play music – an ideal spot for playing into the atmosphere and hopefully blessing people who are waiting for their laundry.  At the far end of the room I spot a boy, about 5, who is being admonished forcefully to “go over… Read more →