Harpist Arcola E. Clark passed away on Feb. 18, 2026. The following tribute is reprinted here with her family’s permission:
“Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1942, [Arcola E. Clark] crossed an ocean to express her calling, and in doing so left an indelible mark on musical life in Vienna. Arcola began her musical journey at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. Under the mentorship of the distinguished Velma Froude, she was a standout performer in the harp and vocal ensemble, a foundation that shaped her dual expertise in performance and pedagogy. After her tenure at Bowling Green State University, she moved to the Netherlands to study with the celebrated Phia Berghout. This path led her to Vienna, where she secured a prestigious position as solo harpist with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra. A dedicated educator, she served as professor of harp at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, mentoring international students while holding dual citizenship in the United States and Austria.
“On a personal note, Arcola’s friends described her as a person who consciously built community through music, food, and fellowship. ‘She made her friends, your friends.’ Arcola was also part of a larger story—the story of African American musicians who carried the vibrance of their traditions into great concert halls around the world and enriched them in the process. Despite its reputation for formality and stiffness, Vienna welcomed a young Black woman whose native country refused, simply on color, to recognize God-given gifts. Arcola E. Clark walked a path that required not only talent and discipline, but courage. She walked it with joy and grace.”
—Maria Alexander-Bridges
