Brigham Young University in Idaho has just announced that, as of this fall 2017, they will be expanding their course offerings to include a complete four-year bachelor’s of music degree in harp performance. Heading the harp program is Dr. Alicia Duncan McQuay, and Justine Turcotte has also been hired as an adjunct professor to teach non-major harp students.
“This is an exciting time for our music department as well as a great opportunity for the harp students who come from all over the country to study at BYU-Idaho,” says McQuay. “Our mission is to offer world-class education and help prepare the rising generation of musicians for further graduate studies in music and careers in performance.”
To help further this mission, the new harp program offers students varied orchestral opportunities, harp ensemble specifically geared toward performance majors, applied lessons at all levels, and support and preparation for required degree recitals. There are also merit-based scholarships available.
A native of Provo, Utah, McQuay earned her bachelor’s of music degree from Brigham Young University School of Music and holds both master’s and doctoral degrees from Indiana University, which she attended on full-scholarship and served as Professor Susan McDonald’s teaching assistant. She now lives with her husband (a professor of piano at BYU-Idaho) and children in the Idaho Falls area, where she has been teaching at BYU-Idaho and helping to establish the harp program while at the same time playing as principal harpist with the Idaho Falls Symphony.
Alicia Duncan McQuay, harp professor at BYU-Idaho
