One Harp World: Full Schedule

10:15 EDT

Resonanties: A Composer’s Accessible Approach to Writing for Harp 🍁

Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:15 - 11:00 EDT

A lecture-performance featuring Edward Top’s Resonanties and the Student Harp Ensemble of the Vancouver Academy of Music, showcasing accessible harp ensemble writing and collaborative composition. www.edwardtop.com/orchestra/six-pieces-for-harp-ensemble

Presenters

Edward Top

Dutch-Canadian composer Edward Top is Associate Professor & Division Chair of Composition at the Vancouver Academy of Music and Sessional Lecturer at the University of British Columbia. As its current mentor composer, Edward maintains a close relationship with the Vancouver Symphony... Read More →

Ensembles

Vancouver Academy of Music Student Harp Ensemble

Vancouver Academy of Music Student Harp Ensemble is a an ensemble for students age 8-18 in Vancouver,Canada. The ensemble has harp students at all levels for both lever harp and pedal harp. Directed by Rosanna Chiu and Joy Yeh, the ensemble performs regularly in celebrated events... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:15 - 11:00 EDT
Birchwood Ballroom

Lecture, Harp Ensemble, Composition, Lecture Recital

10:15 EDT

The Growth of a Harp Centred Community of Practise 🍁

Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:15 - 11:00 EDT

Grand East

How the Huron Harp School has built an inclusive and thriving community for harp learners of all levels through group practices and performances.

Presenters

Sharon Johnston

Huron Harp School

Sharon Johnston is a well-established musician in midwestern Ontario, performing frequently on harp and piano. She runs a busy studio in Goderich, where she directs the Huron Harp School, which has over 35 members. She is a composer, arranger, and recording artist, the most recent... Read More →

Elysha Vorstenbosch

Huron Harp School, AHS Young Composers Project

Elysha Vorstenbosch is a harp player, composer, and improviser living in Perth County, Ontario. She has a Bachelor of Music degree from Wilfrid Laurier University where she studied lever harp, composition, and improvisation. Elysha performs frequently as a soloist all around Southern... Read More →

Margot Sippel

Huron Harp School

Margot Sippel is a Jungian Psychotherapist in private practice and works with clients across the globe. She is a Professor Emeritus having taught for decades, and started harp lessons despite not being able to read music and wearing two hearing aids. Now, profoundly deaf and with... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:15 - 11:00 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Lecture Recital, Pedagogy

14:00 EDT

Arranging, Adapting, and Transcribing: a masterful exploration

Wednesday July 29, 2026 14:00 - 14:50 EDT

Chestnut Ballroom

An interactive exploration of the nuances of adapting, arranging, and transcribing for the harp, through an analysis of contrasting approaches to the Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tárrega.

Presenters

Emmanuel Padilla Holguín

Mexican harpist Emmanuel Padilla Holguín became the first Latin American harpist to win an international harp competition by receiving 1st prize and the Audience Award at the Dutch Harp Competition 2016. He is the first harpist to be part of the prestigious group of soloists “Concertistas... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 14:00 - 14:50 EDT
Chestnut Ballroom

Lecture, Lecture Recital

14:00 EDT

Exploring the Wonders of Bill Marx's Concerto for Two Harps and Orchestra

Wednesday July 29, 2026 14:00 - 14:50 EDT

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church

Bill Marx’s rediscovered double harp concerto, revived by Duo Shockoe, fuses jazz, Hollywood horror, and classical elements—bringing a lost masterpiece to life for modern global audiences.

Presenters

Colleen Thorburn

University of Central Arkansas

Dr. Colleen Potter Thorburn performs widely as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral harpist. She is establishing a harp studio and private teaching studio at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas, where she also teaches music theory. A past winner of the American... Read More →

Jaclyn Wappel

Jaclyn Wappel is a multifaceted harp performer, educator, and scholar recognized for her versatile performances and focus on South East and South Asian–inspired music. She holds the Doctor of Arts degree from Ball State University and serves on The American Harp Journal editorial... Read More →

Ensembles

Duo Shockoe

Duo Shockoe features harpists Dr. Colleen Thorburn and Dr. Jaclyn Wappel who share nearly a decade of musical camaraderie since forming in Richmond, Virginia. As Duo Shockoe they have performed extensively across the U.S. East Coast and, as soloists, across four continents, including... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 14:00 - 14:50 EDT
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 73 Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5J 1W9, Canada

Lecture, Lecture Recital

15:00 EDT

Let the harp sing- the art of phrasing

Wednesday July 29, 2026 15:00 - 15:45 EDT

Grand East

Explore fresh ideas for creating a more singing lines on the harp, including alternative fingerings, enharmonic substitutions and palette of options for articulation with master artist Silke Aichorn. You love to have a singing harp line? Come hear ideas on how to change the sonority, to create a more legato line, to show a powerful and not only virtuoso presentation. Selected examples are shared, for you to use in your next pieces.

Presenters

Silke Aichhorn

"Certainly the most prominent, the most powerful, and also the most entertaining representative of her field..." Silke Aichhorn is known for her colorful sound, her moderated concerts as well as her unconditional desire to present something new and still unknown on the harp. She is... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 15:00 - 15:45 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Lecture Recital

15:30 EDT

Beneath the Sea of Time, concerto for harp and orchestra by Alice Ping Yee Ho 🍁

Wednesday July 29, 2026 15:30 - 16:15 EDT

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church

Explore the lyrical writing of Canadian composer Alice Ping Yee Ho's concerto for harp, exploring memory, loss, and renewal, where oceanic soundscapes mirror humanity’s fragile relationship with nature.

Presenters

Teresa Suen-Campbell

Lakehead University

Teresa Suen-Campbell released her concerto album, including concertos by Canadian composers Chan Ka Nin & James W. Campbell, with Sinfonia Toronto/Nurhan Arman, which received critical acclaim and international broadcasting. Teresa has commissioned 5 concertos, 3 solo works, and 2... Read More →

Jialiang Zhu

Piano

Chinese pianist Jialiang Zhu is an educator, performer, concert producer, and researcher. She is a Sessional Lecturer at the University of Toronto and a Chamber Music Faculty at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has produced and performed in multiple concert series... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 15:30 - 16:15 EDT
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 73 Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5J 1W9, Canada

Lecture, Lecture Recital

15:30 EDT

An Introduction to the Arpa Jarocha and Son Jarocho

Wednesday July 29, 2026 15:30 - 16:20 EDT

Willow

A comprehensive introduction to the Veracruz arpa jarocha and its pivotal role in the dynamic Afro-Indigenous-Mestizo musical tradition from southern Veracruz, Mexico including “La Bamba,” “El Cascabel,” and “La Bruja.” This workshop is made possible in part by the generous support of the UCLA Center for Latino Arts, founded by Dr. Steven Loza.

Presenters

Jillian Risigari-Gai

Jillian Risigari-Gai is a Los Angeles freelance artist. She is currently Principal Harpist & Co-Founder of the Los Angeles Chamber Music Co., a non-profit providing audiences with exceptional and affordable chamber and collaborative arts concerts that inspire and promote our sense... Read More →

Dayanara Bravo

Violinist, guitarrón player, vocalist

Dayanara Bravo is a violinist, guitarrón player, vocalist, and ethnomusicology student at UCLA. Originally from Delano, California, she has been involved in mariachi for over 16 years, beginning her musical journey at a young age with Mariachi Juvenil Mestizo. She currently... Read More →

Stephanie Valadez

Marimba

Stephanie Valadez (she/ella) is a musician and scholar based in California and Mexico City. She is currently a PhD student in Ethnomusicology at UCLA . Valadez holds a MA in Music (Cross-Cultural Musicology) from the University of California, Santa Cruz, two MM degrees... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 15:30 - 16:20 EDT
Willow Willow West + Willow Centre

Lecture, Lecture Recital

17:00 EDT

My Life with Jean-Jacques Rousseau: A Musical Love Story

Wednesday July 29, 2026 17:00 - 17:45 EDT

Willow

Speaking from the Harp: How Rousseau's "Minuet" transformed into "Baroque Flamenco", unlocking a world of solo harp works, concertos, chamber music and education.

Presenters

Deborah Henson-Conant

Deborah "DHC" Henson-Conant is a Grammy-nominated composer and electric harpist who performs solo or with symphony on her signature instrument, the CAMAC "DHC" electric lever harp, in performances inspired by jazz, blues, flamenco and storytelling. Her compositions, like the groundbreaking... Read More →

Evelyn Huber

WHC Board of Directors

Harpist with unique musical style somewhere between World, Jazz,Classical & Impro...Member of Board of Directors Worldharpcongress

Wednesday July 29, 2026 17:00 - 17:45 EDT
Willow Willow West + Willow Centre

Lecture, Lecture Recital

09:00 EDT

USA IHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest: 2025 Finalists & Panel

Thursday July 30, 2026 09:00 - 09:50 EDT

Grand East

A lecture/recital about contest opportunities for composers, featuring two finalists from the USAIHC 8th Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest, and a panel discussion presented by leaders of new music opportunities for composers and performers.

Presenters

Sonja Inglefield

The USA International Harp Competition was founded in 1989 by world-renowned harpist Susann McDonald. As part of its mission to promote harp music, the USAIHC sponsors a Composition Contest every three years, prior to the performance Competition. A distinguished panel of harpists... Read More →

Emmanuel Padilla Holguín

Alice Giles

Alice Giles is the First Prize winner of the 8th Israel International Harp Contest. In a singularly wide-ranging career she has performed in London’s Wigmore Hall, New York's 92nd St Y, the Frankfurt Alte Oper, and Mawson Station, Antarctica and as a concerto soloist and guest at... Read More →

Kaitlin Miller

Kaitlin Miller, a Los Angeles-based harpist, loves opening new windows into the harp’s brilliant color palette by premiering new works. She was a winner of the 2020 Anne Adams Awards Competition and received fellowships from the Music Academy of the West in 2022 and 2023... Read More →

Nicoletta Sanzin

Nicoletta Sanzin is Principal harpist of the Slovenska Filharmonija, and a very active performer both as soloist and chamber musician in Italy and abroad. She holds positions as Professor of Harp at G.Tartini Conservatory in Trieste and at S.Cecilia Portogruaro. As a member of the... Read More →

Kalen Smith

Kalen Smith (b.2001) is an award-winning Canadian composer and harpist. His compositions combine his experience as a performer on harp, tonal music structures, contemporary techniques from his academic studies, and effects from electronic music. The result is a musical style akin... Read More →

Evelyn Theinert

Indiana University Jacobs School Of Music

Evelyn Theinert is a German-American harpist whose passion to help others shapes her artistic journey. She performed in ensembles from Germany to D.C., and loves chamber music, lm scores, and premiering works, including her own compositions. Presently, she is pursuing the Master of... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 09:00 - 09:50 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Lecture Recital

14:30 EDT

Alexander Rider: Divertissement à la roumaine

Thursday July 30, 2026 14:30 - 15:35 EDT

Willow East

A lecture performance that documents the contribution of Romanian harpists to the French repertoire of the 20th century.

Presenters

Alexander Rider

Alexander Rider freelances with major UK ensembles including the BBC Symphony, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Royal Opera and Ballet Orchestra; the City of Birmingham Symphony, Brighton Philharmonic, Gabrieli Consort, and the Academy of Ancient Music. Passionate about French... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 14:30 - 15:35 EDT
Willow East

Lecture, Lecture Recital, History & Practice

15:45 EDT

The Érard Family

Thursday July 30, 2026 15:45 - 16:30 EDT

Willow East

A new edition of the first published research on the Érard harp production (including Pleyel and L&H harps) based on original documents and instruments

Presenters

Giuliano Marco Mattioli

After two Harp Diplomas in just six years of study in 2005 and 2007, Giuliano Marco Mattioli delved into historical performance practice with Mara Galassi. He won several competitions and collaborated with various orchestras, including LaVerdi, Concerto Köln, Dresdner Festspielorchester... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 15:45 - 16:30 EDT
Willow East

Lecture, Lecture Recital, History & Practice

16:30 EDT

Resonating Within: Awakening the Psyche and Spirit Through the Harp

Thursday July 30, 2026 16:30 - 17:20 EDT

Birchwood Ballroom

Using the principles of Helen Bonny’s Guided Imagery in Music, this workshop explores how harpists can shape performance programs to deepen listening, enhance narrative flow, and connect to meaningful human experiences.

Presenters

Jeremy Chesman

Missouri State University

Jeremy Chesman is Professor of Music at Missouri State University, where he teaches harp and maintains a small Suzuki pre-college studio. He studied with Lynne Aspnes and Alice Chalifoux and performs regularly with the Springfield Symphony and Ozarks Lyric Opera. Also a Speech-Language... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 16:30 - 17:20 EDT
Birchwood Ballroom

Lecture, Lecture Recital

17:10 EDT

Syzygy: My Journey as a Percussive Harpist

Thursday July 30, 2026 17:10 - 18:00 EDT

Grand Ballroom

A story about Amy’s journey, exploring the harp's potential as a modern percussive instrument through pop covers and original compositions.

Presenters

Amy Turk

Amy Turk is a multi-genre harpist, arranger, composer, educator and session artist from the UK. With special interests in percussion, video game music, film music and popular music of all styles, Amy has created a unique career path through her presence online, pioneering compositions... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 17:10 - 18:00 EDT
Grand Ballroom

Lecture, Lecture Recital

17:15 EDT

Maud and Music: A Lecture Recital on Lucy Maud Montgomery and the Sound of Anne 🍁

Thursday July 30, 2026 17:15 - 18:00 EDT

Willow

An illuminating refection on L.M. Montgomery’s musical legacy, featuring the world premiere of the only authorized harp arrangement of Hagood Hardy’s “Anne’s Theme.”

Presenters

Anastasia Pike

Anastasia Pike is a harpist, educator, and arts leader whose work spans performance, scholarship, and administration. She teaches at Teachers College, Columbia University, and is Founder/Director of the Hampton Roads Harp Festival and HRHF Summer Institute. An active performer and... Read More →

Grace Chesnut-Pike

Grace Chesnut-Pike is an American multi-instrumentalist on violin, piano, and harp. Her performance credits include the White House; the World Harp Congress in Cardiff; the In and Out Club in London; public television; and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. She has also... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 17:15 - 18:00 EDT
Willow Willow West + Willow Centre

Lecture, Lecture Recital

09:30 EDT

An Overview of Modern Canadian Music for the Harp 🍁

Friday July 31, 2026 09:30 - 10:15 EDT

Willow

Explore modern Canadian harp music, chronologically delving into the repertoire and what it means to write Canadian music for harp.

Presenters

Kalen Smith

Friday July 31, 2026 09:30 - 10:15 EDT
Willow Willow West + Willow Centre

Lecture, Lecture Recital, Canadian Music & Musicians

09:30 EDT

Decoding Spohr: A Journey Through the Newly Published URTEXT Editions

Friday July 31, 2026 09:30 - 10:15 EDT

Willow East

This presentation explores the newly published URTEXT Bärenreiter edition of Spohr’s works, offering fresh insights into his musical language through the lens of historically informed performance. By examining period-specific phrasing, articulation, and expressive detail, we aim to illuminate interpretive possibilities that go beyond the written notes.

Presenters

Masumi Nagasawa

Masumi Nagasawa studied in the Netherlands with Phia Berghout. Masumi is a world-renowned harpist, celebrated for her expressiveness and stylistic mastery. She blends classical and contemporary repertoire with deep insight into 18th and 19th century performance practice. A PhD graduate... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 09:30 - 10:15 EDT
Willow East

Lecture, Lecture Recital

09:00 EDT

Echoes of the Çeng: A Postmigrant Dialogue

Saturday August 1, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT

Birchwood Ballroom

Echoes of the Çeng reimagines an ancient West Asian angular harp as a symbol of displacement, weaving voice, field recordings, and tradition into a soundscape of postmigrant identity and belonging.

Presenters

Samira Memarzadeh

Samira Memarzadeh is a harpist, educator, and dramaturg of Persian-German heritage whose work moves fluidly between cultures, generations, and musical worlds. Drawing on traditions from Mongolia, Southwest Asia, and Senegal, she weaves improvisation, microtones, and traditional sounds on concert har... Read More →

Saturday August 1, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT
Birchwood Ballroom

Lecture, Lecture Recital

09:00 EDT

Highlights from The Turkish Harp

Sunday August 2, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT

Grand East

Şirin Pancaroğlu performs and lectures on selections from The Turkish Harp Music Collection, featuring six instrumental genres, six makams, seven rhythmic patterns, microtonal tuning, ornamentation, and improvisation.

Presenters

Sirin Pancaroglu

The Turkish Harp

Praised by the Washington Post as a “major talent of international caliber”, Şirin Pancaroğlu is equallyactive in traditional Turkish music, improvisation and contemporary music, as she is in mainstreamharp. With concerts in over 35 countries and 14 recording releases, she... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Lecture Recital

14:30 EDT

African American Spirituals for Harp Ensemble

Sunday August 2, 2026 14:30 - 15:00 EDT

Grand East

An exploration of ways to arrange folk music for harp ensembles of all skill levels utilizing a collection of African American spirituals for harp ensemble.

Presenters

Maurice Draughn

Maurice Draughn is currently a freelance harpist performing with several orchestras throughout Southeastern Michigan and Western Ontario. As an arranger and composer specializing in music for harp and chorus, Maurice regularly receives commissions further expanding the harp canon... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 14:30 - 15:00 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Lecture Recital

15:15 EDT

Teach to the Top: Pedagogical Insights of Elzbieta Szmyt

Sunday August 2, 2026 15:15 - 16:00 EDT

Willow East

Elzbieta will explore selected pieces and discuss challenges of choosing the right repertoire to enhance learning and help one become a better harpist and musician.

Presenters

Elzbieta (ela) Szmyt

Elzbieta Szmyt is Professor of Music and Chair of the Harp Department at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. A native of Poland, she has given master classes, judged competitions and performed recitals in Europe, Canada, Asia, and the United States. She has been a featured... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 15:15 - 16:00 EDT
Willow East

Lecture, Lecture Recital, Pedagogy