Two harpists begin one-year positions this season. Rachel Miller will play Principal Harp with the Akron Symphony, in Akron Ohio. “Lots of beautiful, harp-heavy orchestral pieces ahead!” says Miller, who also serves as Principal Harp with the Binghamton Philharmonic and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra. Miller is a 2015 Lyon and Healy Awards recipient, and also a member of the Beyond Pluck harp duo. She received her Bachelor of Music at Michigan State University, and Master of Music at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.
Shelly Du is the 2016-2017 Acting Principal Harp with the Sarasota Orchestra. Du has appeared on NPR’s “From the Top” and was a finalist at the American String Teachers Association National Solo Competition. She is a recent graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she received her Master of Music degree in Harp Performance as a student of Yolanda Kondonassis.
