Higher Ed Harp Directory (and Collegiate Advice)

The 2026 edition of our college harp directory is compiled from our ongoing online College Harp Program Directory. Check the online directory for contact info, updates, or to add your own program.

American University in Bulgaria

Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Anna-Maria Ravnopolska-Dean
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 12
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: A liberal arts school with education recognized in the U.S. and Europe, offering majors and minors from Business Administration to Computer Science. The harp program offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced study with Anna-Maria Ravnopolska-Dean, continuing the French Harp School tradition. Curriculum includes masterclasses, tailored repertoire, Bulgarian and contemporary works, solo recitals, and secondary piano instruction.

Anderson University

Anderson, Ind.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Heaven Fan
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M.E., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers instruction in technique, repertoire, literature, audition preparation, competition skills, and pedagogy, along with opportunities to perform in collaborative, orchestral, band, choral, operatic, and jazz settings. Graduates go on to hold teaching and orchestral positions. Scholarships and assistantships are available.

Appalachian State University

Boone, N.C.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Amber Joy Koeppen
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.E., M.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Cert., B.S. in Music Industry Studies, B.M.Therapy, M.M.Therapy
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harpists performance opportunities as soloists, orchestral and chamber musicians, and recording artists, with access to an in-house recording studio. Students have performed with regional symphonies including the Symphony of the Mountains, Johnson City Symphony, and Western Piedmont Symphony, and can gain teaching experience through outreach programs and Cannon Music Camp. Graduates have gone on to graduate assistantships and careers as music therapists, professors, and in the music industry. Two scholarships are reserved specifically for incoming harp majors.

Arizona State University

Tempe, Ariz.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Charles W. Lynch III
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 7
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly lessons, masterclasses, and harp ensemble recitals, along with opportunities to perform for peers. Orchestral and chamber music opportunities are also available. A partnership with Mesa Public Schools Music Education gives graduate students experience working with the largest public school harp program in the country. Students also collaborate with peers across the Herberger Institute for the Design & Arts. Degree programs include performance, music education, and music therapy.

Augustana College

Rock Island, Ill.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Erin Freund
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes orchestra, symphonic band, concert band, chamber music, vocal ensemble accompanying, solo recitals, harp pedagogy, and harp ensemble, with opportunities for regional, national, and international tours with large ensembles. Graduates go on to pursue graduate school in harp or other academic areas.

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tenn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Claire Burney
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M.E., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers instruction in standard solo and orchestral repertoire to prepare students for careers in music. Students have performance opportunities with the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and chamber groups. Graduates go on to pursue graduate studies, establish teaching studios, and build varied careers as orchestral and recording harpists. Scholarships are available.

Baldwin Wallace University

Berea, Ohio
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Jody Guinn
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Weekly lessons offer study of standard, practical harp repertoire throughout the four-year program. Studio classes include orchestral repertoire, A Ceremony of Carols, and the complete Nutcracker Ballet, along with opportunities to perform for peers. Orchestral and chamber music opportunities are also available. Graduates go on to attend universities or conservatories offering master’s degrees.

Ball State University

Muncie, Ind.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Joanne King
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Prof. Cert., B.S.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 7
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers conservatory-style training in a university environment with weekly studio class, harp pedagogy, harp ensemble, orchestral repertoire, chamber music, symphony orchestra, opera orchestra, wind ensemble, symphony band, and new music ensemble. Undergraduates choose from degree programs including performance, education, and music media production. Graduates pursue careers in orchestras, college teaching, arts administration, and freelancing.

Bard College

Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Mariko Anraku
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Five-year program leading to both a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Arts in a field other than music. The harp program, led by Metropolitan Opera Orchestra associate principal harpist Mariko Anraku, offers performance opportunities in the Conservatory Orchestra, chamber music, harp class, and orchestral harp class. Also offers a Master of Music in Instrumental Studies. Graduates go on to graduate schools, orchestra jobs, and chamber music programs.

Bard College-Longy School of Music

Boston, Mass.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Alix Raspé Gray
Degrees offered: M.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert., M.M.E.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Graduate-focused conservatory preparing musicians for sustainable careers through a blend of artistic training, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. Its Catalyst Curriculum pairs musical excellence with real-world skills like project creation, audience engagement, and career development.

Bates College

Lewiston, Maine
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Virginia Flanagan
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers private weekly instruction for credit to music majors and non-majors, with performance opportunities in orchestra, chamber, jazz, and popular ensembles. The college rents a harp as needed for students.

Belmont University

Nashville, Tenn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Sarah K. Crocker
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers lessons in classical and/or commercial harp, weekly harp seminars, and instruction in harp literature, technique, and pedagogy, with performance opportunities including symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, world fiddle ensemble, jazz and commercial ensembles, and choral, opera, and musical theatre collaborations. Recent students have performed with Andrea Bocelli, Michael W. Smith, and CeCe Winans. Scholarships are available.

Berklee College of Music

Boston, Mass.
Type of school: College
Harp instructors: Felice Pomeranz, César Secundino
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Studies Cert.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 8
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers degrees including a B.M. in Performance, Music Therapy, Music Production/Engineering, Electronic Production and Design, and Professional Music, plus an M.M. in Jazz through the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. The harp program includes improvisation orchestra, symphony and Broadway orchestras, world string ensemble, video game orchestra, chamber music, jazz groups, jazz harp ensemble, and internships, with improvisation instruction now offered for guzheng players.

Biola University

La Mirada, Calif.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Gretchen Sheetz Kirby
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harpists the opportunity to study music at the conservatory level while pursuing Christian faith, with performance opportunities in symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, and chapel services. Students frequently collaborate with composition students, many of whom go on to film scoring careers in Hollywood. Located in Los Angeles County, Biola gives harpists access to one of the most diverse freelance and studio work markets in the world.

Bob Jones University

Greenville, S.C.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Emily Waggoner
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M.E.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 6
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes chamber harp ensemble, orchestra, opera, band, harp pedagogy and literature classes, orchestral literature classes, performance classes, choral and harp performances, soloist-with-orchestra opportunities, competitions, and music harmony, analysis, and literature courses, along with private lessons. Graduates go on to performance and teaching careers and advanced music degrees.

Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Boston, Mass.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Krysten Keches, Charles Overton
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Studies Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 6
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers B.M., M.M., and A.D. degrees for harpists. Charles Overton and Krysten Keches lead lessons, studio classes (often featuring guest artists), pedagogy classes, and chamber music coachings. Students have access to a dedicated harp studio and practice room, and study within blocks of Symphony Hall, home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Boston University

Boston, Mass.
Type of school: University
Harp instructors: Franziska Huhn, Jessica Zhou
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 6
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a tight-knit musical community within the broader context of a major research university. Students have access to the largest and most advanced practice room facility in Greater Boston, academics and electives across the university curriculum, and ample opportunities for ensemble, chamber, and solo performance. Graduates go on to careers in performance, teaching, mixed media, and hybrid fields.

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, Maine
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Virginia Flanagan
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly hour-long lessons for credit, open to students of all levels regardless of major. Ensemble opportunities include orchestra, band, chamber, jazz, and other groups. The college rents a full-sized pedal harp for student use, though there is limited room to store a private harp.

Brigham Young University

Provo, Utah
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Nicole Brubaker Brady
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., B.M. Commercial Music
Harp students last year: 50
Number of school harps: 11
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Wide range of performance opportunities, including five orchestras, three bands, several choirs, and jazz, contemporary, and chamber groups, with international tours for top ensembles. Harp courses include pedagogy, literature, orchestral excerpts, arranging, jazz, and harp ensemble. Studio includes about 50 harpists, including 8–10 majors and over 40 minors. Graduates go on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees, fill principal harp positions, and teach in music schools.

California Institute of the Arts

Santa Clarita, Calif.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Alison Bjorkedal
Degrees offered: B.A., M.F.A., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers training in a wide range of musical styles and cultures through a stylistically open approach. Degree programs include the Experimental Pop and Performer/Composer paths, along with B.F.A. and M.F.A. in Harp Performance. No official harp minor, but students may take harp lessons each term. The program also offers a Writing for Harp course co-taught by Anne LeBaron and Alison Bjorkedal.

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, Calif.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Linda-Rose Hembreiker
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Places students in the Southern California music scene, near the Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA Music Center, recording studios, and other performance venues, offering opportunities for professional growth during and after their studies. Some programs allow students to combine music study with other academic interests, with the option to fulfill California music teaching credential requirements. Graduates freelance and teach in the LA area and internationally.

Carleton College

Northfield, Minn.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Elinor Niemisto
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 7
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes orchestra, band, chamber music, folk instruments, harp ensemble, and private lessons on all orchestral and Chinese instruments. The music department is housed in a new, high-tech building, with Band, Orchestra, and Choir rehearsing nearby along with Dance, Theater, and visual arts. Students pursue a liberal arts curriculum that includes music, preparing them for graduate school and professional advancement.

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pa.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Gretchen Van Hoesen
Degrees offered: M.F.A., M.M.E., Artist Dip. or Cert., A.D., B.F.A.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Carnegie Mellon’s School of Music, founded in 1912 as one of the five schools of the College of Fine Arts, offers separate programs for undergraduate and graduate students. The school provides conservatory-level training within a university setting.

Carthage College

Kenosha, Wis.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Anne Morse Hambrock
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers harp students opportunities to participate in orchestra, band, choir, jazz ensemble, improvisation, arranging, and pedagogy. Harp lessons are available to all students, regardless of major. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, the small liberal arts college supports both students pursuing professional harp careers and those who wish to continue playing harp alongside other academic interests.

Chicago College of Performing Arts-Roosevelt University

Chicago, Ill.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Lynn Williams
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Students study with faculty members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera of Chicago. With an average studio size of two, students receive individualized instruction and exposure to Chicago’s professional arts scene. Weekly private lessons and performance class cover harp maintenance, pedagogy, business development, and audition prep. The Orchestral Studies program prepares students for careers in orchestras, chamber ensembles, and teaching.

Cleveland Institute of Music

Cleveland, Ohio
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Trina Struble Bourne, Jody Guinn
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and advanced degrees in harp performance, continuing the Salzedo tradition with applied lessons taught by CIM alumni. The curriculum includes orchestral repertoire, chamber music, and specific repertoire such as The Nutcracker Ballet and A Ceremony of Carols. Students have playing opportunities in the CIM orchestra and opera productions, with potential to freelance in the region.

College of Charleston

Charleston, S.C.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Abigail Kent
Degrees offered: B.A., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers two harp pathways: traditional Celtic lever harp and classical pedal harp. Students can pursue a music major, minor, or an Artist Certificate in Performance within a liberal arts curriculum. The program is located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina.

The College of New Jersey

Ewing, N.J.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: André Tarantiles
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers small classes and numerous performance opportunities. The Music Education department reports 100% job placement upon graduation, and U.S. News ranked TCNJ the top public college in its Regional Universities category for 2024. Graduates have gone on to major conservatories and universities for further study.

Colby College

Waterville, Maine
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Anna Cooney
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers ensemble opportunities in orchestra, band, chamber, jazz, and student-organized groups. Weekly lessons, available in hour or half-hour increments for credit or non-credit, are open to music majors and non-majors of all levels. The college owns a Lyon & Healy Ogden lever harp and a small medieval harp, with room to store a pedal harp.

College of William and Mary

Williamsburg, Va.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Anastasia Jellison
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly private harp lessons—twelve per semester—with options for 30- or 60-minute sessions. Students may also participate in orchestra and chamber music. The newly completed music building includes an expanded harp studio, and a new Lyon & Healy 85CG harp is available for student use. Graduates go on to teach, perform, and gig.

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, Colo.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Kathryn Harms
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., B.M. Composition, B.M. Music Therapy
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers individualized instruction for undergraduate and graduate students, tailored to their degree plans and professional goals. Performance opportunities include orchestra, opera, wind symphony, and chamber music, with studio recitals featuring solo and harp ensemble works. Double majors are welcomed, including an applied harp option within the music therapy program. Scholarships and partial assistantships are available for master’s students.

Concordia University-Irvine

Irvine, Calif.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Gretchen Sheetz Kirby
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students access to a personal harp room with a Lyon & Healy 23 and a Lyon & Healy 85E, as well as state-of-the-art recording studios. Students participate in a range of ensembles and study with faculty from multiple musical genres. Musicians also have opportunities to play for chapel services, serve at local churches, and perform in sacred music recitals within Concordia’s Christ-focused environment.

Connecticut College

New London, Conn.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Megan Sesma
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers courses, ensembles, and individual lessons open to both majors and non-majors. Students engage with music as performers, scholars, and creators while working closely with faculty in classroom and studio settings, receiving personalized attention.

Curtis Institute of Music

Philadelphia, Pa.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Elizabeth Hainen, Noël Wan
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 7
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers full-tuition scholarships for all students, plus need-based financial aid. Harp students receive weekly lessons from Elizabeth Hainen and perform with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Curtis Opera Theatre, Student Recitals Series, lab new music ensembles, and chamber groups. The curriculum combines one-on-one training with coursework in musical studies, liberal arts, and career studies. Graduates pursue solo careers and positions in major orchestras and opera companies.

Dartmouth College

Hanover, N.H.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Alix Raspé Gray
Degrees offered: B.M., M.F.A.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Welcomes instrumental recordings or performance videos from first-year applicants showcasing exceptional performing arts talent. Through the Individual Instruction Program, students receive weekly private lessons with regional instructors. The music curriculum includes a redesigned Major, Modified Major, and Minor. Dartmouth also offers an M.F.A. in Sonic Practice, a three-year, fully-funded graduate program for composers, artists, and scholars working with sound.

DePaul University

Chicago, Ill.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Julia Coronelli
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers equal focus on solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire, preparing students for auditions and orchestral careers. Facilities include a new music building with state-of-the-art concert and recital halls, along with two new harps. Generous scholarships are available at all degree levels.

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pa.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Ruth Hunter
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers harp students private lessons, solo repertoire, music theory, and ensemble opportunities in orchestra, band, and chamber music. Students can pursue another major while continuing their musical development; any student may participate in ensembles regardless of major or minor status. Graduates go on to graduate school or professional careers in their chosen field.

Duke University

Durham, N.C.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Laura Byrne
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers harp students opportunities to perform harp solo, chamber music, Duke Symphony Orchestra, and Duke Wind Symphony. Students study harp repertoire with an emphasis on strong technique, relaxation, musical interpretation, and expression, with special attention to mastery of significant compositions. Chamber music opportunities are available to all advanced students in the harp studio. Graduates go on to graduate school and successful careers.

Duquesne University-Mary Pappert School of Music

Pittsburgh, Pa.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Gretchen Van Hoesen
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., B.S. Music Therapy, B.M. Technology, M.M. Therapy
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers programs in Music Education, Performance, Music Technology, Music Therapy, and Composition. Students have direct access to faculty who are Grammy Award winners and internationally known artists, with opportunities to connect historical practices with modern technology and methods.

Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester

Rochester, N.Y.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Bridget Kibbey
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 12
Number of school harps: 7
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers individual instruction, orchestral studies, theory, and music technology, with an optional double degree at the University of Rochester. IML coursework fosters entrepreneurial skills for careers as soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and educator. Facilities include state-of-the-art recording studios, two recital halls, and a historic theater; the Rochester Philharmonic rehearses in the building. Graduates win orchestral positions and solo competitions.

Emory University

Atlanta, Ga.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Elisabeth Remy Johnson
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes orchestra, symphonic band, and chamber music, with double majors welcome to participate in the studio.

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Fla.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Noël Wan
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 13
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students a wide range of performance opportunities, including orchestras, opera orchestras, wind orchestra, bands, chamber music, early music, new music, and world music. With over 500 concerts annually and more than 40 ensembles, students gain extensive experience, including opportunities with nationally recognized recording ensembles. Degree programs include Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy, Composition, Commercial Music, and Music Theory.

George Mason University

Fairfax, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Taylor Fleshman
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Located near Washington, D.C., offers students the opportunity to pursue other academic interests alongside harp study, including a double major. Harpists participate in weekly private lessons, studio classes, master classes, Mason Symphony Orchestra, Mason Wind Symphony, and chamber groups. Students may bring their own instrument or use one of the university’s two concert grand harps. Scholarships are available based on audition.

Georgia State University

Atlanta, Ga.
Type of school: University
Harp instructors: Elisabeth Remy Johnson, Ellen Foster
Degrees offered: B.A., M.M.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Georgia State University’s harp program includes orchestra, symphonic band, opera, chamber music, and pedagogy.

Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory

Toronto, Ont.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Judy Loman, Angela Schwarzkopf, Heidi Bearcroft
Degrees offered: B.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly 1.5-hour private lessons with Judy Loman and orchestral repertoire classes with Toronto Symphony Orchestra principal harpist Heidi Bearcroft. Harp students perform in orchestra, opera, and various chamber ensembles. In addition to private lessons, the program includes weekly harp performance classes. The school admits a small number of harpists each year and offers generous scholarships. Graduates go on to win competitions and jobs with major orchestras.

Gustavus Adolphus College

St. Peter, Minn.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Phala Tracy
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students performance opportunities in symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, chamber music, and studio class. Instruction focuses on building strong, relaxed technique (facility, clarity, strength, control, endurance) and intensity of listening (phrasing, dynamics, tone, momentum, character), while developing a broader understanding of rhythm, pitch, melody, and form. Students are encouraged to explore arranging music themselves, with guidance as needed.

Hollins University

Roanoke, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Morgan Mackenzie Short
Degrees offered: B.A., Prof. Studies Cert.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students training in Celtic harp, World Music, and Classical harp techniques, open to majors, minors, and non-majors. Ensemble opportunities include orchestra, wind ensemble, and world music ensembles, with frequent solo and chamber performance opportunities through bi-semester student recitals and honor showcases. Generous scholarships are available for music majors and minors.

Indiana University-South Bend

South Bend, Ind.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Heaven Fan
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a personalized, interdisciplinary college experience, with opportunities to interact with theatre, dance, fine arts, communication, and new media artists. The program is guided by internationally known faculty within a small-class setting. Graduates go on to graduate schools or careers in the field.

Indiana University-Jacobs School of Music

Bloomington, Ind.
Type of school: University
Harp instructors: Elzbieta Szmyt, Sarah Bullen, Fan-Fen Tai
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., B.S. w/ Outside Field
Harp students last year: 36
Number of school harps: 13
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: One of the largest harp departments in the world, welcomes harp majors, elective students, pre-college, and adult learners. Harp majors receive private lessons and weekly masterclasses with Elzbieta Szmyt, plus orchestra classes with Sarah Bullen. The program includes harp ensemble, chamber music, pedagogy, and literature courses. The school has three recital halls, an opera theater, several recording studios, and hosts the USA International Harp Competition.

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Anastasia Pike
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Combines conservatory-level training with the resources of a large public research university. Alumni have pursued graduate work at major conservatories and gone on to careers as performers and educators.

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo, Mich.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Michael Maganuco
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a personalized, interdisciplinary college experience, with opportunities to interact with theatre, dance, fine arts, communication, and new media artists. The program is guided by internationally known faculty within a small-class setting. Graduates go on to graduate schools or careers in the field.

Lakehead University

Thunder Bay, Ontario
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Teresa Suen-Campbell
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes weekly lessons, studio classes, chamber ensembles, and guest artist masterclasses, with equal emphasis on solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire. Lessons are offered online and in person. The program has a longstanding association with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, providing mentorship. Students develop skills in transcription and composition alongside traditional repertoire. Scholarships are available.

Lake Michigan College

Benton Harbor, Mich.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Meg Rodgers
Degrees offered: A.D.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers more than 50 associate degree programs, including Fine Arts. Students have opportunities to perform and develop their skills while exploring a variety of subjects. The campus offers dorms and a full student life experience. Graduates go on to four-year institutions or into technical fields with hands-on experience.

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Kristin Szandzik
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly harp lessons and large ensemble opportunities including orchestra, jazz band, symphony orchestra, and contemporary worship groups. Students study alongside peers and faculty in a supportive community. Graduates go on to graduate school.

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tenn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Sarah K. Crocker
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers private lessons in classical and/or commercial harp, with instruction in technique, literature, and pedagogy. Students can perform with wind orchestra, studio and jazz orchestras, commercial and vocal ensembles, chamber groups, and the professional Green Hills Wind Symphony. Audition-based scholarships are available for in-state and out-of-state students.

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Amy Nam
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers music scholarships regardless of major. Students perform with choir, orchestra, chamber ensemble, harp ensemble, and band, with national and international tour opportunities, including a Vienna tour every four years. Private lessons with Professor Amy Nam, second prize winner in the 2024 DHF World Harp Competition, emphasize artistry, musicianship, and technique. Graduates pursue careers in music education, conducting, opera, and performance.

Mercer University-Townsend School of Music

Macon, Ga.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Calista Anne Koch
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students majors and minors with opportunities in pedagogy, chamber music, jazz ensemble, chorus, wind ensemble, harp ensemble, and other ensembles. The program emphasizes freelance performing, with students building a marketable repertoire and learning self-promotion skills. Students have opportunities to perform in the community, at local venues, and to shadow Professor Koch at events. Graduates work as music educators and performers both nationally and abroad.

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Ruth Hunter
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students private lessons, solo repertoire, theory, and ensemble opportunities in orchestra, band, and chamber music. Program is set within a Christian liberal arts environment with a small campus and dedicated faculty. Students are prepared for graduate study or professional careers while gaining performance experience in a supportive setting.

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Mich.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Juan Riveros
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Cert.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a range of performance opportunities, with harpists studying and performing standard literature with the College of Music orchestras and wind ensembles. Students work individually with Juan Riveros to develop their skills and pursue their goals as musicians. Graduates go on to careers in performance, arts administration, and music education.

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Sarah K. Crocker
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harpists lessons in classical harp, studio classes, and instruction in harp literature, technique, and pedagogy. Students perform with symphony orchestra, concert and chamber orchestra, wind ensemble and symphonic band, world music ensembles (Chinese Music, Salsa, Steel Band), jazz and commercial ensembles, and choral, opera, and musical theatre collaborations. Scholarships are available.

Montclair State University-John J. Cali School of Music

Montclair, N.J.
Type of school: University
Harp instructors: Kathryn Andrews, André Tarantiles
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers private lessons and performance opportunities with orchestra, opera, musical theatre, wind symphony, choir, and chamber groups. Located close to New York City, the school offers Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Music, and Master of Arts degrees, with programs in Jazz Studies, Music Education, Music Therapy, Performance, and Theory/Composition. Graduates pursue careers in music, music education, and other fields.

Nashville State Community College

Nashville, Tenn.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Phyllis Taylor Sparks
Degrees offered: Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers applied harp instruction through private lessons, available both in-person and via Zoom. The program is designed to accommodate nontraditional students of any age, with no formal background required. Lessons are tailored to individual students, and many students go on to a four-year university.

New England Conservatory of Music

Boston, Mass.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Jessica Zhou, Franziska Huhn
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Cert.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Open to undergraduate and graduate students, with faculty including Jessica Zhou, principal harpist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Franziska Huhn. Students perform regularly and collaborate with peers across genres and styles. NEC and the Boston Symphony Orchestra recently announced the BSO x NEC Alliance, formalizing artistic collaboration between the two institutions and creating new opportunities for students to work with world-class musicians.

New World School of the Arts

Miami, Fla.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Laura Sherman
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Conservatory for high school and college students pursuing careers in music, dance, theatre, and the visual arts. Students can earn a high school diploma, an Associate of Arts degree, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Music degree. Sherman teaches music theory and harp and coaches harp students in the school’s orchestra at the Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami. Graduates go on to perform, teach, or continue to graduate degrees.

Northwestern University-Bienen School of Music

Evanston, Ill.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Lynn Williams
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 6
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students weekly private lessons, studio class, harp pedagogy, advanced study of orchestral, opera, and ballet literature, harp ensemble, and guest artist masterclasses. Performance opportunities include Symphony Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Opera, and Harp Ensemble. D.M.A. students may pursue a Graduate Assistantship position.

Occidental College

Los Angeles, Calif.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Alison Bjorkedal
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: As the only liberal arts college in the heart of Los Angeles, Occidental gives students access to the city’s vibrant music scene. Lessons and ensemble opportunities are available to non-majors, along with a music minor. Students work with faculty of professional musicians, including a Grammy Award-winning harp instructor. Includes a recording studio and computer lab. A lever harp is available; students must bring their own pedal harp for lessons.

Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma City, Okla.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Emily Duncan
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers wide study of solo repertoire, with performance opportunities including university orchestra, wind ensembles, chamber ensembles, opera and musical theatre, and harp ensemble. The close-knit studio fosters a community of harpists who learn from and support each other. Scholarships and financial aid are available.

Pasadena City College

Pasadena, Calif.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Alison Bjorkedal
Degrees offered: A.D.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Ranked #1 in awarding Associate Degrees for transfer in Southern California, offering a debt-free path toward a four-year college. Students study on the school’s pedal harp with a Grammy Award-winning teacher in a new Performing Arts Center. The music department offers state-of-the-art facilities, with performance opportunities including orchestra and the yearly Rose Parade honor band. Graduates transfer to colleges and conservatories including CalArts and Westmont.

Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Md.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: June Han
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 12
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: The Peabody Conservatory harp program offers training for 21st-century musicians, with students performing with the Peabody Symphony, Opera, and Wind Orchestra, and exploring chamber and cross-disciplinary work. The program includes weekly Performance Seminar, guest artist masterclasses, and a monthly off-campus recital series. Applicants may pursue double-major opportunities, such as pairing harp with Recording Arts, or double-degree programs with other Johns Hopkins departments.

Pomona College

Claremont, Calif.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Alison Bjorkedal
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 12
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Part of the Claremont Consortium, offers a high faculty-to-student ratio and access to classes across the five Claremont Colleges. Music lessons are free, and the average class size is 15. As the founding member of The Claremont Colleges, Pomona shares resources including a research library, clubs, and dining halls with four other undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. Graduates go on to varied careers, with many continuing to graduate school.

Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music

San Juan, P.R.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Elisa Torres
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.E., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Develops professional proficiency through solo, chamber, concert band, and symphony orchestra performances, as well as orchestral repertoire courses and the opera workshop. The Puerto Rico Music Conservatory has more than sixty years of experience training musicians and educators. By the end of the program, students build a professional portfolio and gain a clear understanding of audition and performance repertoire.

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

Cardiff, U.K.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Kathryn Rees
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Postgraduate
Harp students last year: 9
Number of school harps: 7
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a Bachelor of Music in harp performance, including solo and technique lessons, chamber and orchestral coaching, jazz, and contemporary modules, along with a Master of Music in Harp or Orchestral Performance and a Postgraduate Degree in Advanced Performance. Students study 1:1 lessons, weekly harp class, and workshops on early music and the Welsh Triple harp, with a team of tutors led by Kathryn Rees. Harpists are in demand for events across Wales.

Rutgers University

New Brunswick, N.J.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: André Tarantiles
Degrees offered: B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., A.D.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Supports motivated and serious students, offering an abundance of performance opportunities. Graduates have gone on to orchestra positions and teaching appointments.

Sacred Heart University

Fairfield, Conn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Wendy Kerner
Degrees offered: B.A., B.M.A., M.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a supportive community where harp students can pursue a B.A. in Music, a Minor in Music Education, or an M.A. in Teaching with CT certification. Faculty tailor each student’s musical experience based on skill level and interests. Students may also take private music lessons or participate in ensembles alongside other majors. Performance opportunities include concert band, orchestra, small ensembles, and solo performances.

Saint Mary’s College

South Bend, Ind.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Heaven Fan
Degrees offered: B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a community where students develop close relationships with faculty and fellow students, within a curriculum emphasizing learning, community, faith, spirituality, and justice. Graduates go on to graduate schools or careers in the field.

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

San Francisco, Calif.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Jennifer Ellis, Katherine Siochi
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Prof. Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 7
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Prepares students for careers as modern musicians through instruction with Jennifer Ellis and Katherine Siochi. Curriculum includes harp performance, orchestral training, pedagogy, composition, transcription, and business skills. Undergrads may add a concentration in leadership, teaching, or technology; grad students choose mock audition, solo, or composition tracks. SFCM has seven school harps and merit scholarships are offered to admitted students.

Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah University

Winchester, Va.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Lynnelle Ediger
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Students receive weekly lessons and studio classes with Lynnelle Ediger. Performance opportunities include orchestra, chamber music, wind ensemble, opera, harp ensemble, touring, and recording, plus pedagogy and music business classes. The program emphasizes collaboration across music, theater, and dance. Graduates pursue professional careers using performance and collaborative skills.

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, W.Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Tula Ruggiero
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers individualized attention within a full range of study, including private instruction, chamber music, theory, and history (with specialties in jazz and Appalachian studies), and large ensembles. Housed in the Frank Arts Center, with teaching studios, practice rooms, and Shipley Recital Hall. The school owns a Salvi Symphony pedal harp for student use, with room for personal instruments. Financial aid is available.

Southern Adventist University

Collegedale, Tenn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Merrie Beth Eubanks
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp majors in performance, theory and literature, worship studies, and music education. Ensemble opportunities include symphony orchestra, wind symphony, jazz ensemble, choir, chamber music, and harp ensemble. Scholarships available.

Southern Methodist University-Meadows School of Music

Dallas, Texas
Type of school: University
Harp instructors: Emily Levin, Naoko Nakamura
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.F.A., M.M.E., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Combines individualized instruction with a collaborative musical community. Students explore a wide range of repertoire and perform regularly in solo and ensemble settings, developing artistry and confidence. Graduates go on to build careers on stage, in the studio, and beyond.

St. Olaf College

Northfield, Minn.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Rachel Brandwein
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Includes two full orchestras, two concert bands, seven choirs, chamber music, harp ensemble, jazz, early music, and coursework in theory, history, pedagogy, and composition. Ambassador ensembles tour annually in the U.S. and internationally every three years. Non-majors may audition for ensembles, apply for music scholarships, and take private lessons. The nationally recognized Christmas Festival is broadcast on PBS annually.

State University of New York at Fredonia

Fredonia, N.Y.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Sonja Inglefield
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., Music Therapy
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes private lessons, performance seminar, orchestra, opera, wind ensemble, chamber music, contemporary music, pedagogy, and a personalized repertoire progression. Harpists may also major in Music Therapy, Sound Recording Technology, or Jazz. Students benefit from affordable tuition rates, which offers free tuition to qualifying New York families, and additional scholarships.

State University of New York at Purchase

Purchase, N.Y.
Type of school: College
Harp instructors: Lisa Tannenbaum, Beatriz Martin-Ruiz
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Artist Dip.
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers individualized weekly lessons, studio classes, chamber music, orchestra performance opportunities, seminars, and music technology courses. Students develop their skills through collaborative performances and masterclasses, preparing them for careers as performers, educators, and creative musicians.

State University of New York at Potsdam-Crane School of Music

Potsdam, N.Y.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Jessica Suchy-Pilalis
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.A., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 9
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a balance of performance and pedagogy, with harp students working with young students in the National String Project. Supports double majors and undergrad research through Honors and Presidential Scholars programs. Performance opportunities include the Crane Symphony and Opera Orchestras, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and award-winning Crane Harp Ensemble. Graduates pursue orchestral positions, competitions, teaching, and advanced degrees.

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, Pa.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Ruth Hunter
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students a close-knit musical community with performance opportunities in orchestra, band, and chamber music, along with music theory coursework. The program is ideal for those seeking a rural campus setting and personalized instruction from dedicated faculty. Prepares students for graduate study, teaching careers, and other professional paths in music.

Temple University-Boyer College of Music & Dance

Philadelphia, Pa.
Type of school: University
Harp instructors: Elizabeth Hainen, Various Guest Artists
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.F.A., M.M.E., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 5
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Professional Artists for Today’s Harp (PATH) allows harpists to create their own concentration while completing Boyer’s core music curriculum, studying with a diverse teaching team and a curated collection of L&H acoustical and electric harps. Students perform in Symphony, Opera, Wind Symphony, and Jazz Orchestra in venues including the Kimmel Center, plus a weekly Studio Class at the Curtis Institute of Music. Graduates pursue solo, orchestral, chamber, teaching, and jazz careers.

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tenn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Phyllis Taylor Sparks
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers individual applied harp lessons via classroom or Zoom, open to music and non-majors. Students have access to a professional pedal harp and several practice lever harps, and participate in ensembles including orchestra, band, and chamber music. Students perform in a harp ensemble and video shoot at the end of each semester.

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, Texas
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Kela Walton
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students a supportive, close-knit studio with abundant solo and ensemble performance opportunities. The program emphasizes tone, articulation, and supple technique through major harp repertoire. Students study pedagogy, harp ensemble, orchestral excerpts, and masterclasses with guest artists. Students may perform in the TCU Harp Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Opera. Three out of four TCU students receive tuition assistance and scholarships.

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Rachel Mazzucco
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 9
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes solo, orchestra, chamber music, harp ensemble, pedagogy, wind ensemble, bands, Celtic ensemble, improvisation, Mariachi ensemble, and early music ensemble. Students gain direct teaching experience alongside a wealth of diverse ensembles. Graduates go on to become educators, performers, and researchers, often combining these paths.

TU Dublin Conservatoire

Dublin, Ireland
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Clíona Doris, Rosanna Moore, Gráinne Hambly
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.E., M.M., D.M.A., Ph.D., Perf. Dip. or Cert., M.Phil.
Harp students last year: 12
Number of school harps: 6
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers performance-focused music degrees from undergrad to doctoral levels, spanning classical, Irish traditional, jazz, rock, pop, composition, musicology, and education. In 2021, the conservatoire moved to purpose-built facilities within the TU Dublin Grangegorman campus in Dublin City. Founded in 1890 as the Dublin Municipal School of Music, it has offered undergraduate music programs since 1986 and features a close-knit studio with a touring harp ensemble.

University of Arizona

Tucson, Ariz.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Ben Albertson
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.F.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 12
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students from across the globe, offering weekly private lessons, studio class, harp pedagogy, orchestral coaching, mock auditions, masterclasses, and workshops. All harp students are members of Harp Fusion, a touring harp ensemble for which students arrange and compose repertoire across all genres. Alumni include orchestral harpists and professors of harp.

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, B.C.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Elizabeth Volpé Bligh
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers harp students world-class performance facilities, academic coursework, and diverse ensemble opportunities including symphony orchestra, wind ensembles, and chamber groups. Harp instruction includes weekly private lessons and 12 hours of studio classes led by Elizabeth Volpé Bligh, covering aspects of professional harp careers. Concerts take place at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, with recitals in Roy Barnett Hall. Graduates pursue careers in music or other fields.

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, Ark.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Colleen Thorburn
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Welcomes undergraduate majors, graduate students, minors, and non-music majors. Harpists receive weekly lessons, perform in studio classes and annual recitals, and play in chamber groups. They also perform with the Conway Symphony Orchestra, UCA Wind Ensemble, and Symphonic Band. The department hosts over 200 performances annually, including Artists-in-Residence workshops and masterclasses, with performances in the new Windgate Center concert hall.

University of Chicago

Chicago, Ill.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Lillian Lau
Degrees offered: B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harpists monthly orchestra concerts in Mandel Hall, bi-weekly sectionals, chamber music coachings, harp ensemble concerts, new music ensemble, and composition opportunities. Music Lesson Awards provide scholarship support for private instruction.

University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music

Cincinnati, Ohio
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructors: Gillian Benet Sella, Jacquelyn Davis
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly harp master classes, weekly private lessons with Gillian Benet Sella, additional lessons for undergraduates with a Graduate Assistant, and weekly pedagogy classes taught by Jacquelyn Davis. Students perform solo, orchestral, chamber, and jazz repertoire, and have performed with the Cincinnati Symphony and Louisville Orchestra. CCM stages full productions of professional-level operas, ballets, and musicals. Graduates have won Principal Harp and teaching positions.

University of Colorado

Boulder, Colo.
Type of school: College
Harp instructor: Janet Harriman
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Harp students receive weekly one-hour private lessons and attend a weekly harp class focused on orchestral and ensemble repertoire, as well as harp maintenance. They perform in a wide range of ensembles including orchestra, opera, chamber music, wind symphony, symphonic band, and musical theater. As part of a college within a university, students can enrich their music education with academic courses outside of music and pursue additional degrees or certifications.

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Conn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Megan Sesma
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers intensive degree programs designed to prepare students for diverse careers in music. The curriculum emphasizes strong professional training through both classroom and studio instruction.

University of Denver-Lamont School of Music

Denver, Colo.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Courtney Hershey Bress, Adjunct Professor of Harp
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Studies Cert.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly one-hour harp lessons, studio classes, chamber music coachings, and pedagogy. Students perform in orchestra, wind ensemble, opera, chamber, and contemporary groups while studying core solo repertoire. Instruction and coaching are led by Courtney Hershey Bress, Principal Harpist of the Colorado Symphony.

University of Evansville

Evansville, Ind.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Erzsébet Gaál Rinne
Degrees offered: B.M.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a comprehensive music program that includes symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, symphonic band, jazz band, and chamber music. Harp students can pursue music therapy, education, management, or performance, with a focus on classical studies within a modern, flexible curriculum.

University of Georgia-Hugh Hodgson School of Music

Athens, Ga.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Monica Hargrave
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M., M.A., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the American Music Therapy Association. Offers students performance opportunities with orchestra, harp ensemble, wind symphony, wind ensemble, chamber ensemble, contemporary music, and jazz ensembles.

University of Houston-Moores School of Music

Houston, Texas
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Hope Cowan
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Prof. Cert., Spec. Deg., B.M. Therapy
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: A Tier-One public university in one of the nation’s most diverse cities, offering harp students opportunities in orchestra, band, mariachi, opera, ballet, chamber music, and new music ensembles. Students may pursue majors in music education, non-profit arts leadership, music marketing, music therapy, and sacred music.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Ann Yeung
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.F.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., B.S.
Harp students last year: 10
Number of school harps: 15
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers opportunities in orchestra, harp pedagogy, literature, technology, harp ensemble, wind ensemble, chamber music, contemporary music, composition, and jazz. Students have access to world-class performances at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Alumni include competition prize-winners, principal harpists, faculty at universities and conservatories, chamber music ensemble founders, and professionals in law and arts management.

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Erin Freund
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.A., D.M.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a wide range of opportunities within an individualized and supportive environment. Students have full access to a new state-of-the-art facility that includes a 700-seat concert hall, dedicated rehearsal spaces, and classrooms. Students can play with many school ensembles, including two bands, two orchestras, and the Center for New Music.

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kan.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Erin Wood
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Spec. Deg.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a variety of degree options, including the longest-running Music Therapy program in the country. Harp students perform with orchestra, wind ensemble, and harp ensemble, and KU offers an endowed scholarship specifically for harp students. The Bachelor of Arts program is designed for students who want to double major.

University of Kentucky-Lexington

Lexington, Ky.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Elaine Humphreys Cook
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M.
Harp students last year: 7
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Emphasizes relaxed and supple technique while covering solo, ensemble, and orchestral repertoire. Harpists perform with ensembles such as the UK Symphony Orchestra, which has toured internationally and appeared at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center with guest artists including Itzhak Perlman and Gil Shaham. Program includes harp ensemble, wind ensemble, chamber music, pedagogy, and music therapy.

University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Melissa Tardiff Dvorak
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers a welcoming liberal arts environment where students can pursue harp alongside other academic interests. Music scholarships are available for non-majors. Graduates go on to graduate school and employment.

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, Md.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Gréta Ásgeirsson
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.F.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a personalized education within the resources of a top research university. Students can double-major within music or across campus, pursuing orchestra, chamber music, and entrepreneurship in a studio community. Weekly studio classes cover audition prep, sight reading, building a gig book, and pedagogy. Graduate assistantships are available for harp students.

University of Miami-Frost School of Music

Coral Gables, Fla.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Anna Kate Mackle
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students a well-rounded education that combines tradition with innovation. Students participate in weekly lessons, studio classes, harp forum, chamber music, and large ensembles such as the Frost Symphony Orchestra and Frost Wind Ensemble. Additional opportunities include the Frost Harp Ensemble, harp pedagogy and arranging classes, Ensemble Ibis, and the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Mich.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Yolanda Kondonassis
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Spec. Deg.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 8
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harpists top conservatory training within a major research university, with performance opportunities including solo playing, large ensemble, chamber music, and collaboration. Students can benefit from the EXCEL Lab, which provides 1:1 coaching, workshops, classes, and grants covering topics such as money management, grant writing, resumes, web design, and social media marketing for performing artists.

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Cheryl Losey Feder
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers diverse ensemble experiences including orchestra, band, wind ensemble, jazz ensembles, contemporary ensemble, chamber music, pedagogy, and two annual opera productions. Students attend a weekly studio class with all harpists and can pursue Suzuki teacher training. The program offers significant individual attention given its small size.

University of Missouri

Columbia, Mo.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Maria Duhova Trevor
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.F.A., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers students the option to major or minor in music, with harp prominently featured in orchestra. Scholarships are available to harp students.

University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, Nev.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Marina Roznitovsky Oster
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M.A.
Harp students last year: 7
Number of school harps: 7
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes harp masterclasses, chamber music, orchestra, wind ensemble, early and new music ensembles, opera choral groups, jazz bands, and recording studies. Students benefit from performance opportunities with regional orchestras such as the Reno Philharmonic and gain practical experience through gigs and ensemble work. The harp studio fosters a strong community within a growing School of Music that now offers a D.M.A. program.

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, N.C.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Laura Byrne
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers opportunities to study harp solo and chamber music, and to participate in the UNC Harp Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Symphony. Opportunities in chamber ensembles, in the UNCSO and UNCWE. Scholarship opportunities support advanced study both on campus and internationally. Graduates go on to graduate school or job opportunities.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem, N.C.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Jacquelyn Bartlett
Degrees offered: B.M., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly solo opportunities, professional-level orchestra concerts, opera and ballet performances, chamber music, and harp ensemble. Students can participate in concert touring and job opportunities while working with international faculty. The conservatory model spans Dance, Drama, Design and Production, Filmmaking, and Music, preparing harpists for careers as soloists, orchestral musicians, and educators.

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Jaymee Haefner
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert., Spec. Deg., M.B.A. (Music Business)
Harp students last year: 20
Number of school harps: 10
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers extensive performance opportunities in orchestras, bands, chamber, choral, jazz, and contemporary ensembles. Students also study harp pedagogy, literature, and professional topics such as music business, arranging, and recording. With world-class facilities and the UNT HarpBeats ensemble, the program is ranked among the top 10 music programs in the U.S. and globally, all at state-university tuition rates.

University of Notre Dame

South Bend, Ind.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Heaven Fan
Degrees offered: B.M.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers an intensive course of study within Notre Dame’s liberal arts tradition, providing majors a strong foundation for graduate school and careers in music.

University of Oklahoma

Norman, Okla.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Gaye LeBlanc
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.F.A., M.M.E.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 5
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a comprehensive harp program including lessons, studio classes, harp ensemble, orchestral literature, and pedagogy. Harp scholarships and graduate assistantships are available, covering full tuition, a stipend, and health insurance. Students participate in ensembles such as orchestra, bands, choirs, early music and contemporary ensembles, operas, and musicals. Graduate students often play second harp with the professor in the OKC Philharmonic.

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pa.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Samantha Wittchen
Degrees offered: B.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: The University of Pennsylvania offers private harp instruction, studio classes, and solo performance opportunities through annual recitals. Harpists can also perform in orchestra, chamber groups, and pit orchestras. The program supports beginner through advanced students, whether majoring in music or combining harp study with another field.

University of Redlands

Redlands, Calif.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Jillian Lopez
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Emphasizes educating the whole musician within a liberal arts environment, blending broad academics with focused music training. Students can perform in Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, University Choir, Chapel Singers, Big Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Opera Workshop, with more than 200 performances presented on campus annually. Graduates are prepared for top graduate programs and full-time public school positions.

University of Richmond

Richmond, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Anastasia Jellison
Degrees offered: B.M.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students 13 one-hour private lessons per semester, and opportunities to participate in orchestra and chamber music. The harp studio has space for students to bring their own instrument. Graduates go on to teach, perform, and gig.

University of San Diego

San Diego, Calif.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Tasha Smith Godinez
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Equips students with foundational skills for a life in music beyond graduation. Harp lessons are open to music majors and minors as well as students with majors outside of music. Harp students can participate in recitals, chamber music, wind symphony, orchestra, and jazz ensembles.

University of the South-Sewanee

Sewanee, Tenn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Sarah K. Crocker
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 0
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: [No program summary or supplementary details were provided in this update.]

University of Texas-Austin

Austin, Texas
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Mallory McHenry
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 22
Number of school harps: 11
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Harp students receive training in standard solo, ensemble, and orchestral literature, developing professional competence and stylistic approaches to the instrument. The undergraduate and graduate curricula prepare students to become confident performers, knowledgeable musicians, and skillful teachers. Graduates go on to teach at the collegiate level, in public school programs, and privately, as well as perform professionally.

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ont.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Judy Loman, Angela Schwarzkopf
Degrees offered: B.M., B.M.A., B.M.E., M.M., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert., Perf. Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers weekly hour-long private lessons and two-hour performance classes. Harp students perform with orchestra, opera orchestra, chamber class, contemporary ensemble, and other groups. Performance classes feature visiting guest teachers who engage students in activities such as using electronics in music and social media for career development. Graduates pursue varied careers in harp performance and teaching.

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Cathy Clayton
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.A., M.F.A., M.M.E., D.M.A., Ph.D., Prof. Studies Cert.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes orchestra, wind symphony, choral accompanying, opera, harp literature, pedagogy, and a touring harp ensemble (Crimson Harps), with summer mentoring opportunities. Students perform in small ensembles and multiple orchestral settings including opera, ballet, symphony, and wind orchestras. Faculty perform extensively in symphony orchestras themselves. Graduates pursue careers as performers, educators, and arts professionals.

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Anastasia Jellison
Degrees offered: B.M.
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers harp students weekly private lessons (30 or 60 minutes) with thirteen lessons each semester. Students may also register for orchestra (by audition) and chamber music. The university is located in Charlottesville, Va., near mountain areas, hiking trails, and orchards.

University of Washington

Seattle, Wash.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Valerie Muzzolini
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers a vibrant environment for arts education and practice within a major public university. Students study with acclaimed faculty artists and benefit from deep ties to regional and national arts organizations, supporting both academic study and creative performance.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wis.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Ann Lobotzke
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers university-level harp instruction preparing students for careers in the diverse music industry, emphasizing a strong technical foundation, expressive musicality, and 21st-century versatility. Students have gone on to careers in performance, teaching, and leading school music programs.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wis.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Johanna Wienholts
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., D.M.A.
Harp students last year: 6
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Allows students to pursue harp performance alone or alongside other academic majors. Instruction focuses on technique, breath, and the physical connection to music, with repertoire chosen collaboratively based on student interests. Undergraduate harp scholarships are available based on audition, and graduate applicants may be eligible for fellowships covering tuition, health insurance, and a stipend.

University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Kenosha, Wis.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Anne Morse Hambrock
Degrees offered: B.A.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Includes ensemble opportunities in orchestra, band, choir, and jazz ensemble, along with coursework in improvisation, arranging, and pedagogy. The university’s new arts facility includes a climate-controlled, secure studio for harp storage. UW-Parkside owns two grand concert pedal harps and one semi-grand pedal harp, along with lever harps for music therapy and Celtic music arranging.

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nev.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Louise Vickerman, M.M.
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert., grad. license (music ed.)
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Prepares students for careers as performers, educators, and music advocates. Harpists study with internationally recognized faculty and perform in ensembles such as the UNLV Symphony, Chamber Ensembles, NEXTET New Music Ensemble, and UNLV Opera. Students also engage in chamber music and recording projects on campus and beyond.

Utah State University

Logan, Utah
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Chilali Hugo
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., Music Therapy
Harp students last year: 8
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Includes orchestra, wind ensemble, choral accompanying, opera, musical theater, chamber music, harp pedagogy, and yoga. The program emphasizes technique, solo repertoire, mindfulness, and creative and critical thinking, cultivating both technical skill and personal growth through one-to-one instruction. Graduates are prepared for careers in performance, teaching, music therapy, and related fields.

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, Ind.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Heaven Fan
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers degree options tailored to various skill levels and career paths. Students can specialize in music performance, music education, church music, composition, or the music industry.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Anastasia Jellison
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers music students opportunities to grow as soloists, chamber/orchestral musicians, or future educators. Its urban location near downtown Richmond connects students with the city’s arts community, including the Richmond Symphony and local performance venues. Weekly private harp lessons are available in 30- or 60-minute increments based on major or minor status. VCU Music presents more than 200 concerts and recitals annually and is an accredited NASM member.

Virginia Tech University

Blacksburg, Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Rachel O’Brien
Degrees offered: B.M., M.F.A.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers major or minor with equal focus on solo, orchestral, and chamber ensemble training. Located in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, the university offers performance, music education, composition, jazz, and music technology. Private lessons emphasize strong technique, sound production, and sensitive musicality in the Salzedo tradition. Accelerated master’s program is also available for music majors.

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, N.C.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Helen Rifas
Degrees offered: B.A., B.A.-Performance Concentration, B.A.-Liberal Arts Concentration
Harp students last year: 0
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers education in performance and musicology, with regular involvement in ensembles like the University Orchestra, where students engage with guest artists and have participated in world and regional premieres. Many students double major, pursuing careers not only in music but also in fields such as medicine, public policy, and business.

Wayne State University

Detroit, Mich.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Patricia Terry-Ross
Degrees offered: B.A., M.A.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 4
Space provided for personal harps: No
Program details: Offers harp students numerous performance opportunities each semester, including orchestra, band, chamber ensembles, and recitals. Harp instruction is led by Patricia Terry-Ross, 2017 Kresge Eminent Artist and longtime Principal Harpist for the Detroit Opera. Scholarships are available for music majors.

Wesleyan University

Middletown, Conn.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Megan Sesma
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., M.M., M.A., D.M.A., Ph.D.
Harp students last year: 4
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers an environment for the study, performance, and composition of music, emphasizing global diversity and musical technologies. As part of a leading liberal arts institution, the department is internationally recognized for its excellence, attracting students from around the globe.

West Virginia University

Morgantown, W.Va.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Brittany Blair
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., M.M., M.M.E., D.M.A., Artist Dip. or Cert.
Harp students last year: 3
Number of school harps: 3
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers undergrad and graduate degrees in Performance, Music Therapy, Music Business, Composition, and Music Education. Non-majors can pursue performance minor or harp lessons. Opportunities include orchestra, band, film score ensemble, and chamber groups. The WVU Harp Studio owns six small harps (harpsicles) for music therapy, education classes, and community outreach.

Westfield State University

Westfield, Mass.
Type of school: University
Harp instructor: Mae Cooke
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E., B.M. Therapy
Harp students last year: 1
Number of school harps: 1
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Offers harp students weekly private lessons and string studio classes, along with music history and theory courses. Harpists perform in both large and small ensembles of their choice and receive coaching. Frequent solo and ensemble performance opportunities support growth in music therapy or harp performance.

Wheaton College

Wheaton, Ill.
Type of school: Conservatory
Harp instructor: Julie Spring
Degrees offered: B.M., B.A., B.M.E.
Harp students last year: 2
Number of school harps: 2
Space provided for personal harps: Yes
Program details: Focuses on technical and artistic study of solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire, and arranging and editing skills, through weekly lessons, studio classes, and orchestra concert cycles. Conservatory emphasizes theoretical, historical, and stylistic understanding of music, within a Christian college setting that approaches music-making from a biblical perspective. Graduates become performing artists, teachers, and community leaders.