Helen Gerhold has been appointed executive director of the Lyra Society, succeeding Elizabeth Steiner in the role. A Philadelphia–based nonprofit founded by Elizabeth Hainen in 2004, the Lyra Society provides harps and harp lessons to 30 students in five schools...
Linda (née Iacobucci) Wellbaum, age 97, died peacefully on July 15, 2019, surrounded by her children. Linda was an accomplished pianist and harpist who performed extensively with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, and many other ensembles. A...
“I love [the harp], and I think everyone should play it. And that’s been my focus, really, is to try to influence more people to love it as much as I do.” —Samuel Milligan Samuel Milligan (1932—2019) died on Tuesday, Aug. 27 in Brooklyn Methodist Hospital from...
Just like that, summer is nearing its end, and for many, the school year is about to begin. With the onset of a new season comes a lot of exciting opportunities to get inspired by harpists around the world. Check out our festival roundup below to find one that...
When Suzann Davids turned 80 years old, current and former students and their families came to Indiana from as far away as Colorado, Texas, Maryland, and everywhere in between to celebrate the occasion. Although Suzann was a fine performer, her real love was teaching....
Gerald Goodman passed away on June 26, 2019. Originally from Ohio, Goodman attended Cleveland Institute of Music and Oberlin College where he studied with Alice Chalifoux. After graduating in 1957, he moved to New York to study with Carlos Salzedo and begin his...
Following the hire of Sergio Ruiz as director of the Glenn Korff School of Music, University of Nebraska–Lincoln has established a new harp program with Mary Bircher as harp faculty. “I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to build a harp department at the...
Following the retirement of Elinor Niemisto, Rachel Brandwein was appointed harp professor at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. “The talent of St. Olaf’s students is well–known locally as well as nationally, and it will be a delight to work with serious students...
Syrian harpist Basel William Sara died in Orbero, Sweden on June 13, 2019. Basel Sara began his musical studies in childhood as a piano student. While studying law at the University of Damascus, his love of music was so great that he left his law program to focus on...
Kim Robertson has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 Somerset Folk Harp Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. Celebrated for forging her own path as a folk harpist, Robertson is a diverse performer, arranger, and recording artist. "It’s an honor to receive an...
