Calista McKasson Kovin passed away on August 2, 2019, in Tacoma, Wash. She was an exceptionally gifted harpist, teacher, orchestral musician, and pianist. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music in harp performance, finishing...
Helen Gerhold named executive director of Lyra Society
Sep 10, 2019
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...
Q and A with Joseph Rebman
Sep 5, 2019
We recently came across a YouTube video of harpist Joseph Rebman performing his own concerto with orchestra as part of the Mostly Modern Festival that takes place every June in Saratoga Springs. Titled Hyperion, the concerto encompasses a wide range of techniques and...
Remembering Linda Wellbaum (1922–2019)
Aug 30, 2019
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...
Q and A with Elzbieta Szmyt
Aug 29, 2019
Recently, Harp Column announced the addition of Elzbieta Szmyt to the roster of composers and arrangers at Harp Column Music. As professor of harp and co–chair of the harp department at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, Szmyt has taught classical repertoire...
Remembering Samuel Milligan (1932–2019)
Aug 28, 2019
“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...
Q and A with Grace Browning
Aug 22, 2019
By now, you've probably seen the Dallas Harp Quartet video of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. What you might not know is that it was recorded in the oldest chapel in the United States, and that the production process took a full year! We reached out to founding...
2019 Guide to Fall Festivals
Aug 16, 2019
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...
Remembering Suzann Davids (1930—2019)
Aug 16, 2019
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....
Q and A with Katryna Tan
Aug 12, 2019
Have you ever participated in a harp flash mob? Or seen a harp musical? These are just a few events scheduled to take place at the Singapore Harp Festival next month. After seeing the lineup for the four–day festival, we just had to know more, so we reached out to...
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