Chapter of the Year

At the Annual Membership meeting in Logan, the Philadelphia Chapter was announced as the 2014-2015 AHS Chapter of the Year. Among their activities for the year were a master class and a free concert by  French harpist Agn�s Cl�ment; a fundraiser for Play on, Philly (an organization that gives free music lessons to impoverished children) featuring the Chicago Harp Quartet and Elizabeth Hainen; the Mid Atlantic Harp Day with over 70 in attendance; and a semi-annual harp competition with winners recital following. Visit their website to learn more about the dynamic Philadelphia Chapter, and congratulate them on Facebook.

Lifetime Achievement Awards

Each year, at the National Conference or Summer Institute, the Lifetime Achievement Award is given to honor extraordinary service to The American Harp Society, Inc. and the harp. Two such awards were presented in Logan.

AHS President Ann Yeung presents award to ShruDeLi Ownbey

ShruDeLi Smith Ownbey received her BA, MA

from the University of Utah 1963 - 1971. During that time, she took a hiatus to attend the Curtis Institute of Music 1966 - 1968. In the summers of 1962 and 1963 she attended the Music Academy of the West and received the award for the "most improved student." This study was developed from her being glued to the bench of the rehearsal pianist and turning pages. It was a great way to learn about opera from great teachers. The harp part was much easier to play once the entire opera was studied from the singers' perspective.

According to ShruDeLi, one of her most satisfying accomplishments has been to teach students as young as 2 � to play the harp. For 31 years she has used the Suzuki Mother-Tongue Method to teach the instrument. During this time, she was Adjunct Professor eight years at Brigham Young University and 21 years at the University of Utah, but the pleasure of beginning young students and being part of their lives for 18 years has surpassed all other teaching experiences. ShruDeLi played professionally for 30 years with the Utah Symphony and the Honolulu Symphony.

JoAnn Turovsky early in her career

JoAnn Turovsky is principal harpist with the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Sinfonia Orchestra. She has been the Professor of Harp at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for the past thirty-five years and is on the faculty of the Colburn Conservatory of Music and the Colburn School of Performing Arts. 

Turovsky's numerous awards and citations include first prize in the American Harp Society, Inc. National Competition, Young Professional Division, the first prize in the Coleman Competition for Chamber Music, prize winner at the Fifth International Harp Competition in Israel, and an award from the Young Musicians Foundation. She is Chairman of the American Harp Society, Inc. National Competition.

Turovsky is also a "first call" musician for a plethora of film and television assignments. The composer John Williams wrote a solo piece for Turovsky that was featured on the soundtrack of the film Angela's Ashes, while her performances also grace such films as Frozen, Big Hero 6, Tinkerbelle, Avatar, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Karate Kid, Toy Story (plus its sequels),The Kite Runner, and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, among the more than 400 movie soundtracks in which she has participated.

AHS Concert Artist, National Competition and Lyon & Healy Award Winners

The 21st American Harp Society, Inc. National Competition was held in Logan concurrently with the Summer Institute, and again featured outstanding young performers in every division. The first place winner of the Young Professional  Division, Katherine Siochi, earned the designation of AHS Concert Artist for 2015-2017, and as such received the John Escosa Memorial Fund Award as well. Her performance of Carlos Salzedo's Scintillation also captured the prize for the best performance of that work from the Salzedo Centennial Fund.  

 

Katherine Siochi, AHS 2015-2017 Concert Artist

 

Katherine grew up in Iowa City, Iowa, where she studied with Pamela Weest-Carrasco at The Preucil School of Music, and is continuing her studies with Nancy Allen in the master's degree program at the Juilliard School this fall. Listen to some of Katherine's performances at www.katherinesiochi.com, and a future newsletter will feature an interview with our new Concert Artist.

 

Congratulations to all of the finalists in the National Competition - a complete listing of winners is available here.  Remember that through the AHS's Concert Artist and Winners Outreach Programs, support is available to AHS Chapters to help present these great performers in recital in your area. Take advantage of these resources and invite Katherine or other winners from your region to share their music and our instrument with your community. More information is available at www.harpsociety.org/Programs.

   

Seika Dong, Rachel Miller and Hannah Cope

The Lyon & Healy Awards were held just prior to the Summer Institute, and AHS congratulates the 2015 winners Rachel Miller, Seika Dong, and Hannah Cope, and No�l Wan for an honorable mention. Institute attendees enjoyed hearing all three winners on Sunday, June 21st, followed by the Institute opening reception hosted by Lyon & Healy.  
Many thanks to Lyon & Healy Harps for making this opportunity available for AHS members, and for all of their support of the Institute as well.

 

AHS Grants Program Extended

Since its inception in 2010, the AHS Grants Committee has funded 78 separate grants totaling $98,500.00. It was decided by the Grants Committee's members at the outset that these monies were to promote and foster the aims and goals of the AHS. The Committee's criteria mandated that monies be used primarily for artist fees, composition of new works, audio and video recordings, and scholarships, rather than travel, administrative, or other expenses that did not directly benefit the harp community. The original five year term of the AHS grants program expired with the Spring 2015 awards, but the impact and response has been so positive that the Board authorized a one-year renewal, and is seeking funding for longer continuation. Chapters and members interested in applying for 2015-2016 can find the criteria and guidelines at www.harpsociety.org/About/Programs/GrantsProgram.

 

Apple Orange Pair

Two interesting grant projects came to life in Logan, with performances of grant-funded commissions: Leaves & Space for harp and double bass by Hannah Lash, performed by River Town Duo, Claire Happel & Philip Alejo; and the world premiere of "Une promenade" from the Suite de nature by Rachel Brandwein, presented by Apple Orange Pair, Colleen Potter Thorburn, harp & Emily Boyer, horn.