2021 Faculty
Rachel Browne
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Rachel Browne served as the principal harpist of the National Symphony Orchestra of Bolivia in the city of La Paz, where she also taught in that country’s National Conservatory and in the NSO’s own Taller de Estudios Orquestales. Her article “Playing the Harp in Bolivia,” was published in the American Harp Journal. She was honored to perform several iconic works for harp as soloist there, to participate in the NSO’s Artistic Committee, to organize and perform recitals at the Conservatory, and to collaborate with Bolivian composers on several occasions, later receiving a Medal in Recognition of Cultural Merit from the Legislative Assembly of Bolivia for her contributions. Her duo, NorteSur, with Eduardo Cassapia, became an integral part of Festival Internacional Orchestal Guadalquivir in Tarija, Bolivia, the Festival del Sol in El Alto and the Encuentro Europeo Boliviano in La Paz, and has released an album entitled “Imantata.”
Rachel holds a Masters in Music from The University of Texas at Austin, where she studied with renowned harpist Delaine Leonard, and concurrently enjoyed performances with the San Antonio Opera, the Round Rock Symphony, Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Salvage Vanguard Theater. Prior to this, she received her degree from Ball State University, where she was a Whitinger Scholar and studied with Professor Elizabeth Richter. While a student, she won first place in the Undergraduate Soloist Competition with Ravel's "Introduccion and Allegro," giving a recital in Osaka, Japan in 2003 at the Osaka Women's University, prior to studies in Vienna, Austria. Rachel was a first-place winner in the Glenn Miller Scholarship Competition, in the American Harp Society Competition, and received the Alliance for Excellence Award in the Performing Arts, which culminated in a live performance of her arrangement of “His Eye is on the Sparrow” at Dr. Gene Scott’s University Cathedral in L.A. for a live and television audience of thousands. Prior to and consecutive to her valuable studies with Prof. Elizabeth Richter at BSU, Rachel also studied with Professors Ellen Ritscher and Olive Bernard at RMSC in Steamboat Springs, Dr. Marian Schaffer at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in Tennessee, Professors Alice and Jean Chalifoux at the Salzedo Harp Colony in Maine, and the legendary Professor Lucile Lawrence at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She has enjoyed performances as a soloist with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra (Debussy's "Danse Sacree et Profane"), the Ball State Symphony Orchestra (Ravel's "Introduction and Allegro") and the National Symphony Orchestra of Bolivia (Handel's "Concerto in Bb"). One of the aspects that Rachel enjoys most about teaching at Rocky Mountain Springs Harp Program is the opportunity to inspire musical confidence, to facilitate ease of playing that comes with a good technique, and to help young harpists write their own arrangements and compositions for the harp.
Rachel holds a Masters in Music from The University of Texas at Austin, where she studied with renowned harpist Delaine Leonard, and concurrently enjoyed performances with the San Antonio Opera, the Round Rock Symphony, Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Salvage Vanguard Theater. Prior to this, she received her degree from Ball State University, where she was a Whitinger Scholar and studied with Professor Elizabeth Richter. While a student, she won first place in the Undergraduate Soloist Competition with Ravel's "Introduccion and Allegro," giving a recital in Osaka, Japan in 2003 at the Osaka Women's University, prior to studies in Vienna, Austria. Rachel was a first-place winner in the Glenn Miller Scholarship Competition, in the American Harp Society Competition, and received the Alliance for Excellence Award in the Performing Arts, which culminated in a live performance of her arrangement of “His Eye is on the Sparrow” at Dr. Gene Scott’s University Cathedral in L.A. for a live and television audience of thousands. Prior to and consecutive to her valuable studies with Prof. Elizabeth Richter at BSU, Rachel also studied with Professors Ellen Ritscher and Olive Bernard at RMSC in Steamboat Springs, Dr. Marian Schaffer at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival in Tennessee, Professors Alice and Jean Chalifoux at the Salzedo Harp Colony in Maine, and the legendary Professor Lucile Lawrence at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She has enjoyed performances as a soloist with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra (Debussy's "Danse Sacree et Profane"), the Ball State Symphony Orchestra (Ravel's "Introduction and Allegro") and the National Symphony Orchestra of Bolivia (Handel's "Concerto in Bb"). One of the aspects that Rachel enjoys most about teaching at Rocky Mountain Springs Harp Program is the opportunity to inspire musical confidence, to facilitate ease of playing that comes with a good technique, and to help young harpists write their own arrangements and compositions for the harp.
Kathryn Harms
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Kathryn Harms is a versatile performer and innovative teacher based in Boulder, CO. A sought after orchestral harpist in the Rocky Mountain region, her recent concert highlights include performances with the New Mexico Philharmonic, Opera Southwest, and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. In addition to her varied performing schedule, she maintains a private teaching studio with studios of all ages and abilities.
Harms made her international solo debut 2012 at Mukogawa Women's University in Nishinomiya, Japan as the featured Ball State University exchange-soloist. In addition to her recital in Japan, she performed the Liberamente capriccioso-Vivace from Ginastera's Harp Concerto with the Ball State Symphony Orchestra in Muncie, Indiana. In 2010, she placed first in the Jan Pennington Gray National Harp Scholarship Competition and was selected as a national finalist in the Anne Adams Awards harp competition.
An avid promoter of new music, Harms regularly collaborates with composers to encourage quality and inventive composition for the harp. In 2015, Harms was a recipient of an American Harp Society, Inc. grant to commission a new work for harp and string quartet that embedded the harpist into the piece as a true chamber musician. Harms premiered the quintet, I ran out of black paint and sunshine by Kurt M. Mehlenbacher, with the award-winning Altius Quartet as the finale of the 2015-2016 CU Pendulum New Music Concert Series.
Harms received her Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado Boulder as a student of Janet Harriman, and her Bachelor of Music degree from Ball State University as a student of Elizabeth Richter.
www.KathrynHarms.com
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Carly Nelson |
A native of Dallas Texas, Carly Nelson is a freelance harpist and harp instructor currently living and working in Austin, Texas. Ms. Nelson is an active performer of orchestral, chamber and solo repertoire music. She is currently the Acting Principal Harpist for the Austin Opera and is in her 2nd season playing with the Opera.
In the past few years, Ms. Nelson has had the privilege of partaking in recording projects with the Dallas Wind Symphony, “John Williams at the Movie,” and the University of Michigan Symphony Band, “Reflections.” She has been a finalist in the Anne Adams Awards Competition and has received performance scholarships to the University of Michigan, Rice University, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, The Eastern Music Festival and the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory.
Ms. Nelson has served as principal harpist for the Oberlin Conservatory Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, the Shepherd School Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and the University of Michigan’s University Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with several professional orchestras including the San Antonio, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, Baton Rouge, Victoria, Lansing and Temple Symphonies. Ms. Nelson has also participated in numerous prestigious summer festivals including: Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory, Interlochen Arts Camp, North Carolina School of the Arts, the Saratoga Harp Colony, Eastern Music Festival, Oberlin in Italy, Texas Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and Orchestra Musicians.
Ms. Nelson graduated from high school as co-valedictorian in 2007 from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Harp Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio in 2011. She went on to get her Master’s Degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University studying under Paula Page. Recently, Ms. Nelson furthered her education and graduated with her Specialist in Harp Performance from the University of Michigan where she studied with Joan Raeburn Holland in 2015.
A teacher as well as a performer, Ms. Nelson currently teaches harp to middle and high schoolers in several of the public schools in Round Rock, Texas. For the past several summers, she has worked as a Harp Teaching Assistant at Interlochen Arts Camp located in Interlochen, Michigan, as well as spending time playing at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island as their Resident Harpist.
In the past few years, Ms. Nelson has had the privilege of partaking in recording projects with the Dallas Wind Symphony, “John Williams at the Movie,” and the University of Michigan Symphony Band, “Reflections.” She has been a finalist in the Anne Adams Awards Competition and has received performance scholarships to the University of Michigan, Rice University, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, The Eastern Music Festival and the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory.
Ms. Nelson has served as principal harpist for the Oberlin Conservatory Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, the Shepherd School Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and the University of Michigan’s University Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with several professional orchestras including the San Antonio, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, Baton Rouge, Victoria, Lansing and Temple Symphonies. Ms. Nelson has also participated in numerous prestigious summer festivals including: Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory, Interlochen Arts Camp, North Carolina School of the Arts, the Saratoga Harp Colony, Eastern Music Festival, Oberlin in Italy, Texas Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and Orchestra Musicians.
Ms. Nelson graduated from high school as co-valedictorian in 2007 from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Harp Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio in 2011. She went on to get her Master’s Degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University studying under Paula Page. Recently, Ms. Nelson furthered her education and graduated with her Specialist in Harp Performance from the University of Michigan where she studied with Joan Raeburn Holland in 2015.
A teacher as well as a performer, Ms. Nelson currently teaches harp to middle and high schoolers in several of the public schools in Round Rock, Texas. For the past several summers, she has worked as a Harp Teaching Assistant at Interlochen Arts Camp located in Interlochen, Michigan, as well as spending time playing at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island as their Resident Harpist.
John Bernard (Operations Manager) is a retired teacher of students ranging from sixth grade to graduate school. His principal academic field is Speech Communication, with lesser teaching specialties in Theater, History, Government, Economics, Geography, Journalism, Economics, English, and Mathematics. John’s principal musical experience is moving harps during a forty-year marriage to harpist Olive Murphy Bernard, and since, for Rocky Mountain Springs Harp Program and other harpist friends. Other musical pretensions include punishing his piano occasionally and now and then squeaking on a clarinet or tin whistle (never in public, thank heaven). He also serves as leavening in the otherwise competent choir of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Amarillo, Texas.
Emeritus Faculty
Dr. Grace Bauson (2011-16 Faculty) is a member of The United States Army Field Band and currently serves as adjunct harp professor at the University of Mary Washington. She has extensive experience as a teacher, soloist and ensemble player.
In addition to performing with the American Youth Harp Ensemble in venues including Carnegie Hall, the White House, and the Kennedy Center, Bauson has been a featured soloist in performances of the Ravel Introduction and Allegro at the Chautauqua Music Festival, the Handel Concerto in Bb for Harp with the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra, and the Ginastera Harp Concerto as winner of the Ball State University Graduate Concerto Competition as well as in chamber music series in the United States and Canada. Bauson has placed nationally and internationally as fourth place winner in the Anne Adams National Harp Competition, a national finalist for a Fulbright Award and semifinalist in the William C. Byrd International String Competition. As principal harp she has performed with numerous orchestras including the Scarborough Philharmonic in Canada, the Richmond Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Muncie Symphony, Anderson Symphony and Marion Philharmonic.
As an instructor, Bauson has taught a variety of students of all levels, from beginners to university harp majors in her own studio and positions as Adjunct Harp Instructor at the University of Mary Washington, James Madison University, Washington and Lee University, and Southern Virginia University. Her students have successfully advanced to the top ensemble of the American Youth Harp Ensemble, of which she was on faculty from 2010-2013, and have performed in numerous national and international tours to Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Vienna, Austria, among others. In addition to serving on the faculty of the Summer Harp Institutes, Bauson has been an invited teacher at the Rocky Mountain Springs Harp Program.
Bauson began harp study at the age of nine under Elizabeth Richter, with whom she continued her undergraduate education at Ball State University. The recipient of a National Merit Scholarship and a Young Artist Award, she graduated magna cum laude from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Music in harp performance. Under a Fellowship to study with renowned harpist Judy Loman at the University of Toronto, Bauson received her Master of Music degree. Her instructors have also included Adelheid Blovsky-Miller at the University of Vienna and the legendary Lucile Lawrence at Tanglewood. Dr. Bauson completed her Doctor of Arts in Music under Ms. Richter at Ball State University with an emphasis in harp performance and music theory. Her scholarly research focused on contemporary compositions for harp by Canadian composers.
www.GraceBauson.com
In addition to performing with the American Youth Harp Ensemble in venues including Carnegie Hall, the White House, and the Kennedy Center, Bauson has been a featured soloist in performances of the Ravel Introduction and Allegro at the Chautauqua Music Festival, the Handel Concerto in Bb for Harp with the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra, and the Ginastera Harp Concerto as winner of the Ball State University Graduate Concerto Competition as well as in chamber music series in the United States and Canada. Bauson has placed nationally and internationally as fourth place winner in the Anne Adams National Harp Competition, a national finalist for a Fulbright Award and semifinalist in the William C. Byrd International String Competition. As principal harp she has performed with numerous orchestras including the Scarborough Philharmonic in Canada, the Richmond Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Muncie Symphony, Anderson Symphony and Marion Philharmonic.
As an instructor, Bauson has taught a variety of students of all levels, from beginners to university harp majors in her own studio and positions as Adjunct Harp Instructor at the University of Mary Washington, James Madison University, Washington and Lee University, and Southern Virginia University. Her students have successfully advanced to the top ensemble of the American Youth Harp Ensemble, of which she was on faculty from 2010-2013, and have performed in numerous national and international tours to Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Vienna, Austria, among others. In addition to serving on the faculty of the Summer Harp Institutes, Bauson has been an invited teacher at the Rocky Mountain Springs Harp Program.
Bauson began harp study at the age of nine under Elizabeth Richter, with whom she continued her undergraduate education at Ball State University. The recipient of a National Merit Scholarship and a Young Artist Award, she graduated magna cum laude from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Music in harp performance. Under a Fellowship to study with renowned harpist Judy Loman at the University of Toronto, Bauson received her Master of Music degree. Her instructors have also included Adelheid Blovsky-Miller at the University of Vienna and the legendary Lucile Lawrence at Tanglewood. Dr. Bauson completed her Doctor of Arts in Music under Ms. Richter at Ball State University with an emphasis in harp performance and music theory. Her scholarly research focused on contemporary compositions for harp by Canadian composers.
www.GraceBauson.com
Catherine Case (2011 Faculty) teaches harp at Pacific Lutheran University and University of Puget Sound. She frequently performs as Principal Harp for the 5th Avenue Theatre and as substitute harpist for the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Tacoma Symphony. Catherine serves on the board of the American Harp Society as the Northwest Regional Director and has taught on the faculties of Marrowstone Music Festival, Rocky Mountain Springs Harp Program and Hong Kong Harp Services. This summer, she will perform at the World Harp Congress in Hong Kong, playing a world premiere by Greg Youtz.
Ms. Case has served as Principal Harp for the Sarasota Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Singapore and Yucatan Symphonies. As Assistant Principal Harp with the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, she toured South America and recorded works of Villa-Lobos for BIS Records.
A winner of the Ima Hogg National Young Artists Competition, Catherine performed Ginastera’s Harp Concerto with the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 2001. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony (Washington), Kingsport Symphony, Breckenridge Music Festival Orchestra and the Shepherd School of Music Chamber Orchestra. In 2006, Catherine was a featured soloist in a triple harp concerto by Kevin Kaska with the Doctors Orchestra of Houston.
While a member of the Oberlin Contemporary Ensemble, Catherine performed the world premiere of “In the White Silence” by John Luther Adams, which was later released on New World Records. Upon the recommendation of the composer, she performed “Athabascan Dances” for harp and percussion at the 2006 National Harp Conference. She also appears on his Grammy nominated piece, “Become Ocean” with the Seattle Symphony.
Ms. Case received degrees in harp performance from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Rice University, where she was a student of Alice Chalifoux, Yolanda Kondonassis and Paula Page. Before that, Catherine studied with Joan Raeburn-Holland at the Interlochen Arts Academy and with former Boston Symphony Orchestra harpist, Ann Hobson-Pilot.
www.CatherineCase.com
Ms. Case has served as Principal Harp for the Sarasota Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Singapore and Yucatan Symphonies. As Assistant Principal Harp with the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, she toured South America and recorded works of Villa-Lobos for BIS Records.
A winner of the Ima Hogg National Young Artists Competition, Catherine performed Ginastera’s Harp Concerto with the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 2001. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony (Washington), Kingsport Symphony, Breckenridge Music Festival Orchestra and the Shepherd School of Music Chamber Orchestra. In 2006, Catherine was a featured soloist in a triple harp concerto by Kevin Kaska with the Doctors Orchestra of Houston.
While a member of the Oberlin Contemporary Ensemble, Catherine performed the world premiere of “In the White Silence” by John Luther Adams, which was later released on New World Records. Upon the recommendation of the composer, she performed “Athabascan Dances” for harp and percussion at the 2006 National Harp Conference. She also appears on his Grammy nominated piece, “Become Ocean” with the Seattle Symphony.
Ms. Case received degrees in harp performance from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Rice University, where she was a student of Alice Chalifoux, Yolanda Kondonassis and Paula Page. Before that, Catherine studied with Joan Raeburn-Holland at the Interlochen Arts Academy and with former Boston Symphony Orchestra harpist, Ann Hobson-Pilot.
www.CatherineCase.com
Rose Michael (2018 Faculty Apprentice) is a student of Yolanda Kondonassis at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Harp Performance. Past teachers include Bridgett Stuckey and Aponi Brunson. She is the recipient of the Oberlin Deans Conservatory Scholarship, the GW and HD Morgan Scholarship, the Lucy L. Lewis Scholarship, and the M. L. Torkanowsky Scholarship.
She attended the World Harp Congress in Sydney Australia, where she performed with the American Youth Harp Ensemble. With the same ensemble, she has performed at other prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, Windsor Castle, England, the British Embassy, the Belgium Embassy, U.S. Department of State, and the White House.
An avid teacher, Rose is a secondary harp teacher at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She is also a frequent guest faculty member at the Richmond Summer Harp Institutes, the Maryland Harp Institutes, and the International Harp Institutes. In 2014, she was the primary harp instructor at Charles City County Middle School.
Rose is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and began her studies of the harp at age eleven. When she is not doing anything music related, she can be found baking desserts, running outside, chasing her cat, or working on her painting skills.
She attended the World Harp Congress in Sydney Australia, where she performed with the American Youth Harp Ensemble. With the same ensemble, she has performed at other prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, Windsor Castle, England, the British Embassy, the Belgium Embassy, U.S. Department of State, and the White House.
An avid teacher, Rose is a secondary harp teacher at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. She is also a frequent guest faculty member at the Richmond Summer Harp Institutes, the Maryland Harp Institutes, and the International Harp Institutes. In 2014, she was the primary harp instructor at Charles City County Middle School.
Rose is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and began her studies of the harp at age eleven. When she is not doing anything music related, she can be found baking desserts, running outside, chasing her cat, or working on her painting skills.