Welcome to Phillyharp

Our First Annual Harp Day was a Big Success!

Thirty-seven participants enjoyed a day of workshops, a student recital and lunch at Trinity Episcopal Church. Many thanks to workshop presenters Kim Rowe and Ivan Gardner. Congratulations to iPod winner Caitlin Kerr! . For more information click here.

María Luisa Rayan Forero makes Philadelphia Debut in April!

World-renowned harpist is co-sponsored by The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill and Lyon and Healy Harps

Maria Luisa Rayan Forero will delight audiences at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church on April 11 at 3 pm.

Internationally renowned harpist, María Luisa Rayan-Forero has performed to critical acclaim in the USA, Europe, Latin America and Japan. Described by the New York Concert Review as "clearly an extremely talented, accomplished, experienced performer who can keep an audience listening with rapt attention," Ms. Rayan-Forero has been performing all over the globe for the past twenty years, bringing to audience a sense of muscianship and poetry in her playing.

Since making her first international appearance at age of eleven in a concert organized by UNICEF at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Ms. Rayan-Forero has come to be recognized as one of today's highly sought-after harpists as a recitalist, chamber musician, soloist with orchestra, teacher and arranger of music for the harp.

Ms. Rayan-Forero has performed in major venues around the world, including the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina, National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland, Carnegie Hall in New York, Libby Gardner Hall in Utah and Geary Theatre in San Francisco, USA. Her peformances with orchestra include the Puerto Rico Symphony, Entre Ríos Symphony, Córdoba Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Houston Symphony and other orchestras in the United States. Her chamber music performances include the Tanglewood Music Center of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina, where she served on the faculty in the summer of 2003.

A consistent prizewinner at competitions internationally, Ms. Rayan-Forero was awarded the Silver Medal at the USA International Harp Competition in 1998 and 2001. Her long list of national and international distinctions include the first prize in several of the competitions at the 13th American Harp Society Conference and the Anne Adams Scholarship Awards, as well as the WAMSO Competition in Minneapolis and at the Ima Hogg Competition in Houston.

Having performed most of the harp literature, Ms Rayan-Forero's keen interest in expanding the repertoire for the harp has taken her to research and transcribe music. Her publications include arrangements for solo harp of Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas by Astor Piazzolla, Serie del Angel, also by Piazzolla and Partitas BWV 825-827 by J.S. Bach.

Ms. Rayan-Forero was born in ConcepciÛn del Uruguay, Argentina, where she began studying harp at age six. She completed her education at Indiana University where she received her Masters, Artist Diploma and Doctorate degrees as a student of Susann McDonald. She also served as an Associate Instructor for four years and has distinguished herself by winning a number of the University’s competitions.

She has recorded her debut CD Latin Fire for the Egan Records label.

Member News

The American Harp Society has a new website! Be sure to visit www.harpsociety.org to see all the new features.

Kathy DeAngelo successfully directed the 9th annual Somerset Folk Harp Festival. For those who missed it, or couldn't travel to Alexandria, VA, there's good news: The 10th annual Somerset Folk Harp Festival will be moving back to New Jersey! Save the date now: July 29-August 1, 2010, Parsippany NJ. 2008 pricing will remain in effect. Join 20+ presenters and performers and choose among 70+ workshops and classes and 4 days of concerts. Check the website www.somersetharpfest.com as artists are signed and plans are developed.

Anne Sullivan's Harp in the Mountains Summer Festival had another successful year. The group premiered Anne Sullivan's new ensemble arrangement of the Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5, which is now available for download at my new website harpmusicdownloads.com. Next year's festival dates are set for July 11-17, 2010.

Mary Groce celebrated her tenth year playing at the William Penn Inn.

Judith Bonaduce is entering dissertation for her doctorate in a nursing Ph.D. program at Widener. She will sit for comprehensive exams in December. Best of luck, Judith!

In August, SPARX - Joan Sparks, flute and Anne Sullivan, harp - presented the Liebermann Sonata for Flute and Harp at the National Flute Association Convention in New York City on a program of Liebermann's works for flute. Among others participating in the concert were the composer and Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway.

Anne Sullivan returns to Shade Mountain Winery Chamber Music Series for their second season this November. Concerts will include "Northern Lights," featuring SPARX, "Classical Cabaret," with Paul Leskowicz, trombone, Michael Chaffin, bass and Anne Sullivan, harp, and "Silken Strings," with Debbie Trudeau, violin and Anne Sullivan, harp. The series is at the Winery in Middleburg, PA and features an intimate cabaret setting with wine and hors d'oeuvres in addition to the concert.

David and Mary Jane D'Arville, owners of Virginia Harp Center, relocated back to Virginia this summer. The VHC location in New Jersey will remain open under the management of Peter Speziale.