Three new harp albums caught our eye this month. A Danish mother-daughter duo, a contemporary Irish harp duo, and a specialist in the field of jazz harp have all recently recorded music worth a closer listen. Mother-daughter duo Josephine and Trine Opsahl released...
CNU Harp Competition announces prize winners
The Christopher Newport University (CNU) Harp Competition named winners of its 2021 event, held virtually in March. Eunice Park, student of Nancy Allen, won first place in the junior division (grades 9–10). Jocelyn Chang, student of Melissa Tardiff-Dvorak, was named...
AHS postpones 44th National Conference
The American Harp Society, Inc. (AHS) announced the postponement of its 44th National Conference due to the ongoing pandemic. The 44th National Conference, originally scheduled for June 2021 in Orlando, Fla., will now take place in June 2022 in Sioux Falls, S.D....
Harp Column Podcast Episode 74
Welcome to Harp Column Podcasts, where we go behind the stories in Harp Column with host Kristina Finch. In this episode, we talk to harpist Katherine Siochi, author of "For Comparison's Sake" in the March-April 2021 issue of Harp Column. Katherine discusses how she...
Feder Duo to perform live for WFMT Chicago
Harpist Cheryl Losey Feder and husband, cellist Abraham Feder, will perform live on Chicago's WFMT radio on March 31, 2021, at 12:15 p.m. CST. The pair, known as the Feder Duo, will perform works by J.S. Bach, Johann Strauss, Henriette Renié, and Castelnuevo-Tedesco....
Remembering Pierick Houdy (1929-2021)
French composer Pierick Houdy died in March at the age of 92. He was one of the most prolific composers of his generation for the harp, and many of the pieces he wrote for our instrument have become part of the core classical repertoire. Pierick Houdy fell in love...
Kety Fusco to perform at Global Festival of Action
Kety Fusco received an invitation from the United Nations to perform at the fifth Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Global Festival of Action. The festival, held virtually this year as a result of the pandemic, will take place March 25–26, and features over 300...
Madeline Jarzembak appointed principal harpist with U.S. Navy Band
Following three rounds of auditions, Madeline Jarzembak was named the new principal harpist with the United States Navy Band. "I was thrilled to be offered the position," Jarzembak says. "As principal harpist with the U.S. Navy Band, I'll have the opportunity to serve...
Groundbreaking harpists featured in The New York Times
Brandee Younger, Marilu Donovan, Hannah Stater, and Madison Calley are the subjects of a new article from The New York Times titled "How the Harp Got Hip." Author Alexis Garcia's March 16 article outlines the harp's stereotype as a "niche instrument" with "prudish...
Upcoming Marjan Mozetich documentary features panel of harpists
Harpists Erica Goodman, Lori Gemmell, and Angela Schwarzkopf are featured panelists at an upcoming screening of Canadian filmmaker Jamie Day Fleck's new documentary, Affairs of the Heart: The Life and Music of Marjan Mozetich. The documentary highlights some of the...
Elisabeth Plank presents livestream concert
Austrian harpist Elisabeth Plank returns to the stage in March for her first concert in a year. Twelve full months away from the stage is a reality for many musicians today that would have been unfathomable prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Plank is a featured artist...
Harp Column Podcast Episode 73
Welcome to Harp Column Podcasts, where we go behind the stories in Harp Column with host Kristina Finch. In this episode, we talk to harpist Brandee Younger, featured as the cover interviewee of the January-February 2021 issue of Harp Column. Brandee talks about her...
2021 Guide to Spring Harp Festivals
What harp resolutions did you set this year? Has the pandemic affected your motivation or canceled your plans? If you’re looking for ways to amp up your motivation and find inspiration this spring, you’re in luck! Check out these spring harp festivals around the...
Q and A with Elisa Thorn
Canadian harpist and composer Elisa Thorn is thinking outside the box when it comes to sharing her work during the pandemic. Her latest project, The Years in Between, is a digital residency presented in collaboration with Vancouver New Music. It is a 26-minute sound...
Lyon & Healy announces 2022 Awards competition
Lyon & Healy announced details for the 2022 Lyon & Healy Awards, scheduled to take place March 9–12, 2022, at its concert hall in Chicago. The competition is open to harpists under the age of 30, with applications due Jan. 15, 2022. The announcement comes...
Sarah Christ presents “EMPTY SPACES”
Live performances all over the world have been canceled for the last year, but harpist Sarah Christ is finding creative new ways to share her music. Her latest project, titled EMPTY SPACES, fills deserted venues around Dresden, Germany with solo harp music....
Remembering Mary-Elizabeth Collins
Mary-Elizabeth Collins died peacefully on Jan. 24, 2021. Mary-Elizabeth was blessed with an abundance of musical talent. She began harp lessons at the age of ten studying under renowned harpist Mildred Dilling. She started playing professionally at age 17 and became a...
Ashley Jackson appointed to Hunter College faculty
Hunter College has appointed Dr. Ashley Jackson to its faculty as both an assistant professor and director of undergraduate studies. As assistant professor at the New York City school, Jackson teaches performance related courses, chamber music classes, private...
Remembering Mary Dropkin
Beloved harpist and mentor Mary Dropkin died peacefully on Jan. 8, 2021. Â Mary developed a love for the harp at an early age. She came from a strong legacy of great harpists such as Grace Follet, Susann McDonald, and Dorothy Remsen. She received her Bachelor of Music...
Harp Column Podcast Episode 72
Welcome to Harp Column Podcasts, where we go behind the stories in Harp Column with host Kristina Finch. In this episode, we talk to harpist Rosanna Moore and composer Evan Henry featured in the January-February 2021 issue of Harp Column. For more practical harp news...
























