The Omaha Symphony has appointed Chloe Tula principal harpist after the retirement of former principal harpist Mary Bircher. Following a preliminary round by video submission, the semi-final and final audition rounds were held live in Omaha on March 14. Tula will begin performing with the orchestra in the 2022–2023 season.
“Having a position like this is something I have wanted and worked towards for a long time,” Tula says. “I could not have achieved this without the extraordinary experience I was privileged to have at the New World Symphony, as well as the guidance I have gotten from all of my teachers, especially Paula Page.”
Tula says she is looking forward to her new position, adding, “I am super excited to be a part of this great orchestra and perform at the beautiful Holland Performing Arts Center. The Omaha Symphony’s upcoming season has some wonderful repertoire scheduled, including Mahler 5 and La Mer. I’m also really happy to be returning to my Midwestern roots!”
In her home state of Wisconsin, Tula studied with Danis Kelly, former principal harpist of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera. She recently completed a three-year fellowship at the New World Symphony in Florida. Tula received her bachelor’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University as a student of Paula Page, former principal harpist of the Houston Symphony.
Tula has undertaken several projects to creatively advocate for music. In 2018–2019, she launched a recital series in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Public Library System to promote children’s literacy and exposure to the harp. In her first season at the New World Symphony, she worked closely with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas to curate “Double Take,” an immersive evening concert that invited audiences to experience the music of Schoenberg and Debussy through visual artwork.
Learn more about Tula on her website.
