Joan Snider passed away at home in La Jolla, California, on February 28, 2023, after 93 grand years of life. She had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure and called on hospice for support in her final days. Joan was born in West Frankfort, Illinois, on October...
A harp formerly owned by Mildred Dilling was donated to Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts by the family of Dilling’s student Mary-Elizabeth Collins, who passed away in January 2021. Collins earned a Bachelor of Music Education from what is now...
The band Little Moon, of which harpist Bridget Jackson is a member, is the winner of National Public Radio (NPR) Music’s 2023 Tiny Desk Contest, an annual competition for independent unsigned artists across the U.S. Out of nearly 6,000 applicants this year, the judges...
The American Harp Foundation (AHF) has announced the 2023 winners of its Kids for Camp Scholarship and Kathy Bundock Moore Memorial Scholarship. Joselyn Sky Goldman is the winner of the 2023 Kids for Camp Scholarship. The 14 year old is from Atascadero, California,...
Shortly after a soft launch event in the Fringe Club Gallery in Hong Kong, World Harp Day will hold its first official in-person activity from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 10 in Milan, Italy, The event is free and includes harp performances, lectures, and presentations....
The American Harp Society (AHS) named Kaitlin Miller as its new Concert Artist for the next two years after she won the Young Professional division of the 25th AHS National Competition, held May 31–June 4 at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, California. As the AHS...
Harpist, writer, and educator Ashley Jackson will release her debut solo album, Ennanga, in advance of Juneteenth, the holiday celebrated on June 19 to commemorate African American history. Jackson says of the album, “Inspired by my musical heritage, Ennanga pays...
The Rogue Valley Symphony has announced an opening for principal harp. Applicants must send a current resume and audio recordings of the required excerpts to auditions@rvsymphony.org by June 2. After the recorded first round, selected applicants will be invited to a...
The World Harp Congress (WHC) and American Harp Society (AHS) have announced plans for a joint conference to be held in July 2026 in Toronto, Canada. The WHC and AHS will be working together to combine programming for the entire event. Representatives from the AHS say...
A new book written in Japanese features a collection of magazine and newspaper articles by Japanese harpist Yoshie Abe, compiled and edited by her last student, Kyoko Tanaka. Abe was a student of Ksenia Erdeli, Marcel Tournier, Henriette Renié, and Lily Laskine, and...
Japanese harpist Mai Fukui has released a new album, Parfum de la harpe, now available from 299 Music Records. Fukui spent a decade studying French repertoire at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. She says, “I’ve always wanted to...
Lyon & Healy Harps has announced the required repertoire for its next competition, set to take place March 6–8, 2024, in Chicago. All competitors will perform Etude no. 6 by Eric Schmidt, Une châtelaine en sa tour by Gabriel Fauré, and Le jardin mouillé by Jacques...
The Teatro San Carlo in Naples has appointed Elèna Vallebona principal harp. Over 70 candidates performed in the initial round of the harp audition, which has not been held since the 1980s. The audition consisted of four rounds. Following the elimination and...
The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra has appointed Ellie Kirk principal harpist following two days of auditions, held May 11–12. Kirk begins performing with the orchestra in the 2023–2024 season. Kirk has served in orchestral harp positions with the Illinois Symphony...
Jessica Browning is set to release her new album May 19 on major streaming platforms. Browning says Her Odyssey is about crossing the ocean, healing from childhood trauma, and coming home to herself. “I've made a choice to speak openly about my trauma, and a community...
Scottish harper Rachel Hair and Scottish guitarist Ron Jappy are set to release their second album, élan, on May 19. The ten-track album is available for pre-order as a CD and as a streaming pack. To learn more, check out our cover interview with Hair in the...
The 2nd Helsinki Harp Festival 2023 will be held Aug. 31–Sept. 3 in the Helsinki Music Centre. The theme of this year’s festival is wellbeing. The lineup includes sound healing concerts, Pilates lessons, and ergonomic coaching by physiotherapists for harpists of all...
The ARD International Music Competition has announced the 43 candidates for the harp category of its 72nd edition. The four-stage competition will be held in Munich Aug. 28–Sept. 15, 2023. The 43 participants are listed below. For more information, visit the...
The USA International Harp Competition (USAIHC) is searching for an executive director. This is a full-time position with a salary range of $52,000–$60,000 and the potential for a health care supplement. The executive director leads the management, planning, and...
Multi-GRAMMY-nominated harpist Yolanda Kondonassis will release her new single Wildflower “Yolanda’s Song” May 12 on Azica Records. This supplemental track to Kondonassis’ 2022 album FIVE MINUTES for Earth was composed for her by the Cuban virtuoso trumpeter and...
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