HARP STUDY AT BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
Ball State University School of Music offers a harp performance program with a long tradition of excellence. The program is very selective and enrollment is limited, so that each student receives the personal attention, mentoring and performance opportunities which are essential for development as a musician. The harp studio usually includes 6 to 8 undergraduate harp majors and 1 or 2 graduate students. I also teach a limited number of harp minors and pre-college students. One thing that sets BSU apart from many other harp programs is that I am a full-time professor, not an adjunct instructor. I am on campus all the time and often am able to offer each harp major two lessons a week along with a two-hour master class. Harp majors are required to take harp literature and pedagogy courses and have the opportunity to gain teaching experience under my supervision. The BSU harp ensemble performs several times each year.
The School of Music offers exceptional facilities in two buildings, including four concert halls and a large harp studio. Ball State owns 6 Lyon and Healy pedal harps which students may use for practice and ensembles. Harp students may keep their personal instruments in locked practice rooms. State of the art recording studios are available to students who wish to make recordings.
I believe that being both a first-rate soloist and ensemble player is absolutely crucial for success as a harpist. Helping each student develop a beautiful, big sound, highly refined interpretive skills, solid technique and excellent musicianship is the foundation of my teaching. Many students have been very successful in national competitions, including prize-winners in the Anne Adams, Glenn Miller, Elizabeth Hobin, Golkin, Pennington and National Alliance for Excellence competitions, as well as in solo and concerto competitions.
They have performed with many orchestras including the Baltimore, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and New World Symphonies and Philadelphia Opera Orchestra, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra of Bolivia, and have successfully auditioned for summer festivals such as Tanglewood, Chautauqua, Brevard, Pierre Monteux, National, Rocky Mountain, Hot Springs, Eastern, Sewanee, and the Texas Music Festival. Three students have been national finalists for Fulbright Awards, and BSU harp alumni serve on the faculties of colleges and universities in the US and abroad.
BSU offers a wide variety of performance opportunities for harpists. Students may perform with the orchestra from the freshman year, and with the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band and BSU Choirs. There are two operas every year; a recent production was Madame Butterfly, under the direction of internationally renowned conductor Fiora Contino. Harpists perform in chamber music groups and on the New Music Festival and on student recitals. There are many paying jobs for harpists both on and off campus, including weddings, parties and with regional orchestras.
I hope that you will schedule a campus visit and lesson.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Ball State University Harp Studio!
