Diane Evans, principal harp of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, has been named Visiting Associate Professor of Harp at Oberlin Conservatory. She begins her new role in fall 2022.
Evans replaces Yolanda Kondonassis, Oberlin’s harp professor since 1997, who will retire from the conservatory at the conclusion of the spring 2022 semester after serving in the role for 25 years.
A native of Northeast Ohio, Evans studied harp at Oberlin, where she was a student of long-time professor and Cleveland Orchestra harpist Alice Chalifoux. She began her career with positions in the Toledo Symphony—a role she fulfilled while still a student at Oberlin—and the Omaha Symphony, before joining the Indianapolis Symphony in 1981.
With the orchestra, Evans performs an array of repertoire, from concert hall staples to world premieres, as well as operas and pops concerts. She has also served as soloist and has performed as a chamber musician throughout her career. In addition to her work onstage, Evans previously served on the faculty of Butler University.
In the studio, she says she emphasizes individually tailored instruction and a problem-solving approach for each student. “I try to evaluate what’s going on and what the student is thinking. Then I address the situation in a process-oriented way,” she says in a press release. “I try to open the door to my students’ own creative expression, and I try to be in the moment with them. And when a challenge arises, I think of it as a puzzle to solve—and there’s always a way, if we explore deeply enough.”
Evans says going back to her alma mater in a teaching role holds a lot of significance for her. “I received an outstanding education, full of information and ideas that have informed every day of my professional career. Returning to teach at Oberlin is a satisfying and profoundly meaningful step for me. This closes the circle of my musical life, allowing me to offer the superb legacy that was nurtured for me at Oberlin to today’s talented and dedicated students.”
Learn more about Evans in our Q and A with her about her appointment.
