One Harp World: Full Schedule

09:00 EDT

Susann McDonald: The Virtuoso Harpist

Wednesday July 29, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT

Grand East

Perspectives on Susann McDonald's influential performing and recording career.

Moderators

Isabel Moreton

Editor, World Harp Congress Review

Isabel Moretón studied harp at the internationally renown Schools of Music of Hanover (Germany) and Bloomington (Indiana University, USA).. She works as a professional harpist in Hanover, Germany, giving regular solo and chamber concerts and concerts for harp and orchestra, nationwide... Read More →

Presenters

Kirsten Agresta-Copely

Kirsten Agresta Copely is a two-time GRAMMY® nominated harpist and composer known for her distinctive blend of classical virtuosity and cinematic ambiance. She has appeared at major venues worldwide, including the White House, Carnegie Hall, and the Muziekgebouw while maintaining an active career as... Read More →

Cliona Doris

Tu Dublin Conservatoire

Clíona Doris is a Professor at TU Dublin Conservatoire where she lectures in harp, performance studies, and artistic research. She is a member of Ireland’s National Concert Hall Board and the WHC Board of Directors and Corporation. She was the Host Committee Chair when Ireland... Read More →

Elizabeth Hainen

Hailed by the Washington Post for her “unusual presence with silky transparency,” Elizabeth Hainen has thrilled audiences throughout the world as a virtuoso soloist and as Principal Harp of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Hainen is the Artistic Director for the USA International Harp... Read More →

Şirin Pancaroğlu

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 →

Isabelle Perrin

Isabelle Perrin, former co-principal harpist with the Orchestre National de France, has performed recitals and concertos worldwide and recorded numerous CDs. A devoted teacher, she conducts masterclasses globally. Currently, she is a Professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music and... Read More →

Dan Yu

Dan Yu received the USA International Harp Competition Gold Medal in 2001, and was hailed by New York critics as “in a class of her own” following her debut recital in Alice Tully Hall in 2002. She has performed on broadcast television and radio stations in the USA, China, and... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Panel Discussion

14:00 EDT

Arranging, Adapting, and Transcribing: a masterful exploration

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

Grand East

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
Grand East

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 harp line 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? I have many ideas, how to change the sonority, to create a more legato line, to show a powerful and not only virtuos presentation- selected examples are shown for some spicification of 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

17:15 EDT

Susann McDonald's Gifts to Youth

Wednesday July 29, 2026 17:15 - 18:00 EDT

Grand East

Concert featuring works by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo from the Harp Solos: Graded Recital Pieces and Haiku for the Harp that generations of young harpists have enjoyed worldwide.

Moderators

Isabel Moreton

Editor, World Harp Congress Review

Linda Wood Rollo

Linda Wood Rollo has taught on the faculties of Indiana University, San Francisco State University, Dominican College and the Ursuline School of Music and Drama. Her honors include the World Harp Congress Award of Recognition, American Harp Society Lifetime Achievement... Read More →

Presenters

Camille Frye

Camille Frye is a harpist and pianist of over a decade who is committed to breaking barriers in classical music. She works to ensure talent is never defined by zip code, access, or stereotypes. A three-year member of the Urban Youth Ensemble, she served as principal harpist for the... Read More →

Zeynep Duru Güleç

The Turkish Harp

Born in 2008, Zeynep Duru Güleç started harp education with Şirin Pancaroğlu. She received; 1st Prize and "Best Performed Obligated Piece" at 14th Italy Suoni d'Arpa International Harp Contest. Gold Medal and “Best Performed Obligated Composition” at 6th Slovenian International... Read More →

Alice Han

Alice Han is a 12 year old young musician with a deep passion for both harp and piano. Alice was the provincial winner in the 2025 Canadian Music Competition. In 2023, Alice was selected as Young Composers at the AHS Summer Institute, where she further developed her creativity... Read More →

Grace Han

AHS Chapter Ambassador

Grace Han is a 15 years old harpist who adores music and sports, she is a senior level figure skater and a musician who plays several instruments. She enjoys sharing her love of music with the community. In her spare time, Grace likes to create skating programs with her own... Read More →

Ziling Huang

Juliana Ziling Huang was born in 2011 in Guangzhou, China. Her earliest musical training was with her mother, a pianist and the director of the International Department at the School of Music, South China Normal University. Juliana started professional piano training at 3 and harp... Read More →

Hara Lim

Hara Lim is a vibrant South Korean harpist in the 10th grade. Since starting in the 5th grade, she has shown exceptional artistic evolution, winning first prize in her age category at the 2025 Suoni d'Arpa International Harp Contest and the 2026 International Competition of... Read More →

Amber Nelms

Amber Nelms is an in-coming freshman at Vanderbilt University and harpist with the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble. She studies under Elisabeth Remy Johnson and serves as a teaching assistant for Urban Youth’s afterschool harp program. Amber was selected principal harpist for... Read More →

Siyan Tao

Focus on Youth

Tao Siyan currently studies with Dan Yu at the Music School attached to the Xinghai Conservatory of Music, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China. Ms. Tao is principal harpist of the school orchestra and frequently performs with the university symphony. She won first prize in the... Read More →

Wednesday July 29, 2026 17:15 - 18:00 EDT
Grand East

Performance, Solo Harp

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 opportunites for composers and performers.

Presenters

Evelyn Thienert

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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

Lecture, Lecture Recital

11:45 EDT

Become a Better Sight reader, Part 1: Classical and Popular Styles

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:45 - 12:30 EDT

Grand East

Explore resources and training options that support building improvisational skills and confidence!

Presenters

Felice Pomeranz

Felice Pomeranz is Professor of Harp at Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. She is an author, performer, presenter, and instructor worldwide. Pomeranz directs The Gilded Harps, a music consortium of the best harpists and instrumentalists in New England. She is active... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:45 - 12:30 EDT
Grand East

Participatory Workshop, History & Practice

14:00 EDT

Spanish Reflections I

Thursday July 30, 2026 14:00 - 14:45 EDT

Grand East

Concert featuring works transcribed by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood Rollo from the Spanish Music collections that have expanded harp repertoire worldwide.

Moderators

Kirsten Agresta-Copely

Presenters

Emmanuel Padilla Holguín

Mieko Inoue

World Harp Congress

Mieko Inoue graduated from Toho Gakuen School of Music completing its advanced program studying with Josef Molnar. She studied at Indiana University earning the Performers Diploma with Susann McDonald. Mieko is Vice President for Asia of the World Harp Congress, currently a visiting... Read More →

Marcelo Penido Da Silva

Marcelo Penido earned his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Harp Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, studying with Susann McDonald. Penido serves professor de Harp at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil. He has performed with the lead... Read More →

Tine Rehling

Tine Rehling graduated from Royal Danish Academy of Music and IU School of Music, studying with Susann McDonald. She is the winner of several Danish music awards, including the recent Wilhelm Hansen Foundation Honorary Award. Tine performs as soloist and chamber musician in Denmark... Read More →

Elisa Torres

Elisa Torres is principal harpist of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. She earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in harp performance from Indiana University under the tutelage of Susann McDonald. An active soloist and chamber musician, she also records across genres and for film. Her ind... Read More →

Celia Chan Valerio

Celia Chan Valerio is the former principal harpist of the Sarasota Orchestra and Harp Professor at Cal Baptist University, La Sierra University, and the University of California Riverside. She is a multiple winner in the Anne Adams Awards and won top prizes in the American String... Read More →

Erin Wood

Erin Wood’s first international performance was at the Seventh World Harp Congress in Prague as part of the only chamber ensemble selected for the Focus on Youth series. She is delighted to be appearing again with a flute, harp, and viola trio. Erin teaches harp at the University... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 14:00 - 14:45 EDT
Grand East

Performance, Solo Harp

15:30 EDT

Strings and Beyond: a Celebration of Young Harpists-Artists

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

Grand East

In a world where tradition meets innovation, a new generation of performers: creators, dreamers, and storytellers, is quietly reweaving the fabric of classical music. Their time to be heard is now. Rosie Murphy, Paidir chiúin a rá (2024) (Ireland), Maximilian Treller, suite for harp nr1 (Germany), Nadja Floder, Longing for Eternity, opus 22 (2022) (Austria), Charisma Chow (Canada), Eileen C.K. Shafer, Fly Trap & MicroBiome (USA), Almos Tallos, Sonate for harp, opus 6 (Hungary) (his participation is still pending)

Presenters

Ernestine Stoop

Ernestine Stoop studied with Edward Witsenburg in Amsterdam. She then studied for two years with the legendary harpist Pierre Jamet. She is harp-professor at the Royal College of Music in the Hague. She initiated the 3rd and 5th European Harp Symposia (1995 and 2001) in Amsterdam... Read More →

Veronika Lemishenko

Veronika Lemishenko is a distinguished Ukrainian harpist with an international career as principal harpist of the Croatian National Theater in Osijek, visiting artist at the Royal Birmingham Conservatory, artistic director of the “Glowing Harp" competition and festival.nnVeronika... Read More →

Natasha Burns

Natasha Burns is an award-winning composer and musician based in Scotland. Her work ranges from classical repertoire to contemporary multidisciplinary approaches. She studies with Eleanor Turner, and is an alumna of Sound and Music and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Recognition... Read More →

Rosie Murphy

Rosie Murphy is a harpist and composer, graduating from The Royal Conservatoire The Hague, under Ernestine Stoop and Live Electronic Music at the Institute of Sonology. She is the BBC-ACNI Young Musician Platform Awardee and a Britten-Pears Young Artist for Composition and Performance. Establishin... Read More →

Eileen C.K. Shafer

Eileen C.K. Shafer (b. 2002) is an internationally recognized harpist composer from the United States of America with a passion for writing gratifying and accessible pieces for all harpists. From stage to screen, she regularly promotes the harp’s acoustic versatility which is reflected in her growing... Read More →

Maximilian Robin Treller

Maximilian Robin Treller (*2003, Germany) is a harpist, composer, and improviser working at the intersection of contemporary music and improvisation. He studies harp at the Lübeck University of Music with Gesine Dreyer. Since 2020, Treller has been composing original works and developing... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 15:30 - 16:30 EDT
Grand East

Performance, Solo Harp

16:45 EDT

Building the Next Generation: Harp Ensembles as Training Grounds for Musicianship, Leadership, and Community

Thursday July 30, 2026 16:45 - 17:45 EDT

Grand East

This panel brings together leading directors of youth and pre-college harp ensembles from around the world with diverse perspectives on institutional models, to explore how how the ensemble experience influences learning, mentorship, and artistic aspiration, and the essential role the ensemble experience plays in shaping not only musicianship, but confidence, leadership, creativity, and belonging.

Moderators

Kristal Schwartz

Kristal Schwartz is a San Francisco Bay Area harpist with a Master’s Degree in Performance with honors from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Kristal is the founder of the Bay Area Harp Academy and the Bay Area Harp Foundation, and director of its youth ensemble, which has... Read More →

Presenters

Jennifer Betzer

Jennifer Betzer is Instructor for the Urban Youth (Atlanta, GA) Harp Ensemble, and on the faculty of Oglethorpe University. She holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in harp from the University of North Texas, where her dissertation was on 20th Century harpist Dorothy Ashby. Jennifer... Read More →

Rosanna Chiu

American Harp Society

Rosanna Chiu is a performer and teacher based in Vancouver, Canada. She is harp faculty and ensemble director at the Vancouver Academy of Music and leads student harp ensembles at different ages and levels. She enjoys writing harp arrangements, and her ensembles often play works by... Read More →

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 →

Gustavo Jimenez Pereira

Gustavo Jimenez Pereira is a Brazilian harp teacher and researcher who recently completed his PhD in Music Education at Western University. His work focuses on harp pedagogy, social justice in music education, and expanding access to harp instruction. He has taught at universities... Read More →

Vincent Pierce

Dr. Vincent Pierce is a co-owner and founder of California Harp Center, a premier harp showroom in Hayward, California. He previously taught in the Ector County and Round Rock ISD public school harp programs and at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin and Odessa College... Read More →

Katryna Tan

Katryna Tan is an award-winning harpist, educator, and arts leader based in Singapore and Malaysia. Recipient of Singapore’s Young Artist Award (2005) and Malaysia’s STM title, she holds a Master of Music in Harp Performance from the University of Michigan. Founder... Read More →

Guan Wang

Mrs. Guan Wang is a professor and doctoral supervisor of harp at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing China, as well as the deputy director of the Teaching and Research Office for Percussion, Harp,and Guitar. She is a member of the Board of the World Harp Congress. Her outstanding... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 16:45 - 17:45 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Panel Discussion

09:00 EDT

Susann McDonald: Thoughts for Teachers and Students

Friday July 31, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT

Grand East

Perspectives on Susann McDonald's inspirational teaching legacy through generations of harpists and harp teachers.

Moderators

Isabel Moreton

Editor, World Harp Congress Review

Presenters

Nancy Allen

Nancy Allen has enjoyed 50 years as a soloist, 25 years with The New York Philharmonic and over 40 years leading the harp department of The Juilliard School. Her students fill principal harp positions in major symphonies and conservatories across the globe, carrying forward the legacies... Read More →

Jaymee Haefner

International Harp Archives & UNT Harp Beats

Jaymee Haefner (DM, MM, BM), is the University Distinguished Research Professor of Harp and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas. She has premiered works by composers Libby Larsen, Paul Patterson, and Gary Schocker; taught masterclasses in the... Read More →

Linda Wood Rollo

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 →

Elisa Torres

Naoko Yoshino

London-born Japanese harpist Naoko Yoshino started her solo career after winning First Prize at the Ninth International Harp Contest in Israel, in 1985. Her solo engagements with the world’s top orchestras have included the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 09:00 - 09:45 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Panel Discussion

10:45 EDT

Decoding Spohr: A Journey Through the Newly Published URTEXT Editions

Friday July 31, 2026 10:45 - 11:30 EDT

Grand 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 10:45 - 11:30 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Lecture Recital

14:00 EDT

Music Unearthed from the Silk Road 🍁

Friday July 31, 2026 14:00 - 14:45 EDT

Grand East

Historical background of the Konghou and demonstrations of contemporary and traditional repertoire featuring various techniques unique to the instrument.

Presenters

Nathania Ko

Nathania Ko is Canada’s first Konghou performer and an educator in both Harp and Konghou. A faculty member at the Vancouver Academy of Music and conductor of the B.C. Youth Chinese Orchestra, her award-winning Konghou compositions are now part of Shenyang Conservatory’s undergraduate... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 14:00 - 14:45 EDT
Grand East

Performance, Lecture Recital

17:00 EDT

Concept to Concert: Composing for Harp Quartet

Friday July 31, 2026 17:00 - 17:45 EDT

Grand East

Chicago Harp Quartet alongside composers Alfredo Rolando Ortiz and Tristan Coelho demonstrate and discuss the collaborative process of composing, workshopping, and performing new works for harp quartet.

Presenters

Emily Granger

Chicago Harp Quartet

Praised for her “impressive virtuosity and eye-opening versatility" by Limelight Magazine, harpist Emily Granger is Principal Harp with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, on the faculty at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and a member of Ensemble Q. She has performed as guest Principal Harp with orchestras in Australia and the U.S. She is a graduate of Indiana University's Jacobs School... Read More →

Catherine Litaker

Chicago Harp Quartet

Catherine Yom Litaker is a versatile solo, chamber, and orchestral harpist, serving as Principal Harpist of the San Luis Obispo Symphony. She has performed internationally across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and with ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and... Read More →

Alfredo Rolando Ortiz

Alfredo Rolando Ortiz was born in Cuba. His family immigrated to Venezuela,when Alfredo was 11. He studied the Venezuelan folk harp with his Fernando Guerrero, adding studies in the Paraguayan harp with Alberto Romero. Mr. Ortiz performs folk, classical, and popular music from many... Read More →

Ensembles

Chicago Harp Quartet

The Chicago Harp Quartet, described by Harp Column Magazine as “the quartet that put harp quartets on the map,” is the leading harp ensemble in the United States. Founded in 2012, CHQ has performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Ravinia Festival... Read More →

Friday July 31, 2026 17:00 - 17:45 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Composition

09:00 EDT

From Concept to Composition - Unlocking New Soundscapes

Saturday August 1, 2026 09:00 - 09:50 EDT

Grand East

How can a harp ensemble be effectively staged musically and what steps are necessary for this? This lecture shows the necessary methodological steps.

Presenters

Willi Maerz

The Munich Harp Quartet sets innovative accents in the field of harp ensembles. It breaks new ground both in its choice of repertoire and in the way it presents it. Thanks to its close collaboration with composer Willi Maerz, one of the few specialists in music for harp ensembles... Read More →

Lara Faria Fonseca

Munich Harp Quartet

Lara Faria Fonseca began her musical training in 2009, ih her hometown Espinho. She completed her studies with top marks in Freiburg and Munich.
The harpist is very active in the German orchestra scene and has already had the opportunity to play with various orchestras and reknown artists. As a soloist, she is interested in blending different musical styles to demonstrate the diverse possibilities of her ins... Read More →

Alice Proffit

Munich Harp Quartet

Alice Proffit, a French harpist (born 2005), studies at the Munich Musik Hochschule with Prof. Cristina Bianchi since 2023. Prior to that, she studied with Vassilia Briano, Letizia Belmondo, Christophe Truant in Lyon, where she earned her “Diplôme de fin de conservatoire... Read More →

Lauren Schrempp

Munich Harp Quartet

Lauren Schrempp, born in Livingston, New Jersey, began harp lessons at the age of eight with Karen Lindquist. Since moving to Germany in 2017, she has studied harp performance and music education at the Nuremberg University of Music with Professor Lilo Kraus and Susanne... Read More →

Maria Gamboz

SIH4rps

Slovenian native Maria Gamboz grew up in Tokyo, Japan, where she studied with Sumire Kuwashima. Maria has won several scholarships and international competitions including the Victor Salvi Competition and the TIM, Salon de Provence, France, competition. She released the CD R... Read More →

Tea Plesničar

SIH4rps

Tea Plesničar is a graduate of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana studying with Ruda Ravnik Kosi, and the Royal Conservatory of Brussels studying with Jana Bouškova. Tea is an avid chamber musician and has performed at festivals in Belgium, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, and... Read More →

Sofia Ristic

SIH4rps

Since 1996 Sofia Ristic* has been the Principal Harpist of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra. Her recordings of Handel, Mozart, and Gliere performed with the RTV Slovenia Symphony orchestra are frequently broadcast throughout most major european national radios. Sofia graduated... Read More →

Urška Križnik Zupan

SIH4rps

Urška Križnik Zupan graduated from the Academy of Music of the University of Ljubljana in 2003 and is currently the solo harpist in the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. She performs as a soloist and in various chamber groups including for the Festival Ljubljana, Piran Music... Read More →

Ensembles

Munich Harp Quartet

The Munich Harp Quartet- Lara Faria Fonseca, Veronika Seiler, Alice Proffit, and Lauren Schrempp- first performed in Japan, at the German Pavilion at EXPO in Osaka and at the Ginza Jujiya Hall. All members of the ensemble study at renowned universities in Munich, Nuremberg, and Salzburg... Read More →

SIH4rps, Slovenian Harp Quartet

SIH4rps is a Slovenian harp quartet of concert artists—Urška Križnik Zupan, Maria Gamboz, Sofia Ristic, and Tea
Plesničar—active in major orchestras and conservatories. They have commissioned works from Bec and Naumovski Potisk, a Škerjanc arrangement by Maerz, and pieces by Maria and Tea. Their concerts, many recorded by RTV Slovenia, are heard across Slovenia and Croatia, and they will... Read More →

Saturday August 1, 2026 09:00 - 09:50 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Composition

10:00 EDT

Contemporary and Jazz-infused Guzheng Performance

Saturday August 1, 2026 10:00 - 10:45 EDT

Grand East

Contemporary and jazz-infused guzheng performance showcasing innovative techniques and expressive artistry, presenting the traditional Chinese zither as a unique harp from China.

Presenters

Jiayu Liu

Lil' Fish No. 2

Jiayu Liu, received is an American Harp Foundation scholarship recipient and a Harvard University U30 Cultural Communication Leader. She has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, Sydney Opera House, Vancouver, and Boston Symphony Hall. Liu’s music... Read More →

He Pan

Lil' Fish No. 2

Mariya Pan is a Chinese pianist, composer, and educator whose work blends Eastern sensitivity with Western innovation. She has been invited to perform at leading venues such as Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, and Boston Symphony Hall, and has collaborated with multiple Grammy-winning... Read More →

Ensembles

Lil' Fish No. 2

Lil’ Fish No.2 is a cross-genre music duo formed by two Chinese female graduates of Berklee College of Music,
Jiayu Liu and He Pan. The group blends guzheng, harp, piano, and electronic textures, fusing world music, film scoring, popular melodies, and traditional Chinese aesthetics. They are active in performance, education, composition, visual content, and interdisciplinary projects. With the si... Read More →

Saturday August 1, 2026 10:00 - 10:45 EDT
Grand East

Performance, Contemporary Styles

11:45 EDT

The Princess Spy: in honor of Noor Inayat Khan

Saturday August 1, 2026 11:45 - 12:30 EDT

Grand East

Noor Inayat Khan, harpist, writer, composer and spy for the Allied Forces in World War II

Presenters

Florence Sitruk

Florence Sitruk has been a professor of harp at the universities of Vilnius, Geneva, Krakow, Tokyo Tech, and more recently at Indiana University, Bloomington (2017-2020) following Distinguished Professor Susann McDonald. With Susann McDonald, Florence created the USA-Israel exchange... Read More →

Saturday August 1, 2026 11:45 - 12:30 EDT
Grand East

Performance

15:45 EDT

21st Century Australian Female Composers

Saturday August 1, 2026 15:45 - 16:30 EDT

Grand East

A program of works by living Australian composers Lisa Cheney, Mary Doumany, Natalia Mann & Katia Mestrovic, including prepared harp, solos and trios with Ariel Sol and Paul Nicolaou. The works are inspired by the Yoruba religion, spiders, the ‘dirty-beautiful,’ the Earth’s vibrations, and Greek modes and rhythms.

Presenters

katia mestrovic

Katia hopes to show audiences the versatility and power of the harp - through performing modern classical repertoire, her own compositions, commissions and arrangements. She was mentored in Sydney (Australia) by virtuoso Alice Giles AM. Some accolades include, performing as a Semifinalist... Read More →

Ariel Sol

Ariel Sol pioneers the future of sound as an LA-based composer, harpist, and interactive media designer. Hailing from Chicago, he is passionate about bridging disciplines to foster community. From cinematic pop to virtual reality soundscapes- storytelling, identity, and empowerment... Read More →

Paul Nicolaou

AHS Young Composers Project

“Rapidly emerging as one of Australia’s most exciting young artists” (ABC Classic), Paul Nicolaou is a harpist-composer based in Sydney, Australia. An Honours graduate from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Paul studied under internationally celebrated harpist Alice Giles... Read More →

Saturday August 1, 2026 15:45 - 16:30 EDT
Grand East

Performance, Solo Harp

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

Şirin Pancaroğlu

The Turkish Harp

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

Lecture, Lecture Recital

11:45 EDT

Susann McDonald: The World of the Harp

Sunday August 2, 2026 11:45 - 12:30 EDT

Grand East

Perspectives on Susann McDonald's singular achievements to create community and excellence connecting harpists and audiences through the harp.

Moderators

Isabel Moreton

Editor, World Harp Congress Review

Presenters

Jana Boušková

Jana Boušková is one of the world’s leading harpists, acclaimed for her extraordinary technique, musical depth, and individuality. She is Professor of Harp at the Royal College of Music and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and Principal Harpist of the Czech Philharmonic... Read More →

Kathy Kienzle

Kathy Kienzle studied with Marcel Grandjany at The Juilliard School, and with Susann McDonald. She placed third in the Sixth International Harp Competition in Israel. Kathy was principal harp of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1993-2020, gave the world premiere of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s... Read More →

Mieko Inoue

World Harp Congress

Kaori Ogawa

Harpist Kaori Ogawa graduated from Indiana University, The Juilliard School and The Curtis Institute of Music. She is aboard member of the USAIHC and has served as an adjudicator at several International Harp Competitions. Kaori has won numerous competitions and has given many recitals... Read More →

Alfredo Rolando Ortiz

Ann Yeung

Ann Yeung has premiered numerous compositions and is the author of articles published worldwide, particularly on the works of Henriette Renié. She is a Past President of the American Harp Society and former Editor of the World Harp Congress Review. Ann is Professor of Harp and Chair of the Strings Area at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her students are international and national competition prize winners, and leaders in secondary school music education, arts administration and entrepreneurial leadership, post sec... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 11:45 - 12:30 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Panel Discussion

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

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

Lecture, Lecture Recital

15:15 EDT

Singing Strings: The Aesthetic and Dramatic Role of the Harp in Rossini

Sunday August 2, 2026 15:15 - 15:45 EDT

Grand East

Why does Rossini entrust the harp with some of the most emotionally charged and poignant moments in his operas?nThis lecture explores the aesthetic, timbral, and dramaturgical functions of the instrument within the Rossinian operatic tradition.

Presenters

Alba Brundo

Fine Arts Academy Of Naples

Alba Brundo is an Italian harpist and PhD candidate in Performing Arts at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli. Her work brings together performance and research, with a focus on the harp’s history, repertoire, and contemporary development. She has premiered new works and collaborates... Read More →

Sunday August 2, 2026 15:15 - 15:45 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, History & Practice

09:00 EDT

From Naples to Buenos Aires: The Influence of the Italian Harp School in the Development of the Harp in Argentina

Monday August 3, 2026 09:00 - 09:50 EDT

Grand East

This lecture examines how Italian harpists shaped Argentina’s harp tradition (1850–1950), blending Italian operatic aesthetics with Argentine identity through teaching, performance, and composition.

Presenters

MARCELA NORMA MENDEZ

Marcela Méndez is an accomplished Argentinian harpist, pedagogue, and writer. Her career spans performance, education, research, and social initiatives, with a focus on promoting Argentine harp music. She has performed internationally, recorded five albums, and served as Principal... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 09:00 - 09:50 EDT
Grand East

Lecture, Lecture

11:00 EDT

Young Composers Project: Featured Composers works in concert

Monday August 3, 2026 11:00 - 12:30 EDT

Grand East

Presenters

Charisma Kate Chow

Focus on Youth, AHS Young Composers Project

Eleven year old Charisma Kate Chow began studying harp at the age of four, in her hometown of Hong Kong, where she studied with Ann Huang at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Charisma currently studies with Dr. Joy Yeh at the Vancouver Academy of Music. Charisma aspires to... Read More →

Aoibheann Galvin

AHS Young Composers Project

Aoibheann Galvin completed a Bachelor of Music Education at Trinity College Dublin in 2023, studying harp with Clíona Doris at TU Dublin Conservatoire. She performs regularly as a harpist, including with the TU Dublin Harp Ensemble. Aoibheann has experience teaching music, including... Read More →

Divya Jayam

AHS Young Composers Project

Divya is an 11th grader from Long Island, New York. She has been playing the harp for the last 4 years. She enjoys composing music just as much as playing the harp. She takes pleasure in performing with Orchestra Long Island (OLI) and is the harpist of her school. Her passion for... Read More →

Ella Lamb

United States, AHS Young Composers Project

Ella Lamb is eight years old, and she began playing harp when she was two years old. She also plays piano and flute. Ella wants to be a professional ballerina and has studied ballet since she was 17 months old. Along with music and ballet, she enjoys building with Legos, playing with... Read More →

Jay Lamb

AHS Young Composers Project

Jay Lamb is eleven years old, and he has been playing music since he was two years old. He plays both harp and piano, and enjoys composing pieces for both instruments. Aside from music, Jay loves building with Legos, reading encyclopedias and other long books, hiking, gardening, and cooking... Read More →

Ellie Lau

AHS Young Composers Project

Ellie is 15 and began playing the harp at age 8 in Hong Kong. After moving to Vancouver,Canada, she now studies with Rosanna Chiu at the Vancouver Academy of Music. Ellie performed as harpist for United Players’“Christmas in Wales” in 2023. She won first place with scholarships... Read More →

Paul Nicolaou

AHS Young Composers Project

Renée Qin

AHS Young Composers Project

Renée Qin is a harpist-composer bridging classical tradition and emerging technologies. She holds a B.A. in Music and Economics from Stanford, an Artist Diploma from OAcademy, and is pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science from Stanford. A 2025 Orchestra of the Americas fellow... 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 →

Monday August 3, 2026 11:00 - 12:30 EDT
Grand East

Performance, Solo Harp