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SOUTHERN REGION NEWSLETTER
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National News
12th AHS, Inc. Summer Institute in Northfield, MN
Save the Date! Join us in Northfield, MN for the 12th AHS, Inc. Summer Institute and National Competition held at St. Olaf College, June 25-28, 2017. The Minnesota state motto, L'etoile du Nord (Star of the North) has influenced the naming of sports teams, musical groups, businesses and even beer! For the Summer Institute theme, our Minnesota team wishes to present individual harp stars from the northern region as well as the teachers, students, performers, listeners, composers, harp makers, and inventors who make up the constellations and galaxies of the harp universe. Registration, housing and meal information and forms are all available on www.AHSSummerInstitute.org.
AHS Grants Program
The AHS, Inc. Grant Program has funded over 100 grant projects since the fall of 2010 and continues this year. Application deadline for the next cycle is March 15, 2017. Individuals and chapters can apply! Check the website for details!
www.harpsociety.org/About/Programs/GrantsProgram
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Regional Restructuring
A transition is in place to restructure our regions from twelve to nine over the next four years, as Regional Director terms expire. This is based on a Work Group that examined the regions with goals to: 1) ultimately reduce the size of the Board, 2) create a more even distribution of chapters in regions and 3) create a logical geographic grouping, based on the interactions between states. Please contact your Regional Director and/or board member Diane Michaels at
dianemichaels@verizon.net if you would like more information about this process.
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Mississippi Chapter
Mississippi
Mandy Mangrum got married in June and is now Mandy Jones. She and her husband are living in Jackson, Tennessee. Congratulations!
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Lexington Chapter
Kentucky
Lexington Harp Ensemble presents Fall and a Spring programs of current pieces for students, Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4; review pieces for the more advanced harpists plus a few of their solos.
This is a "Suzuki-style Playthrough" which we shared to the delight of residents at Bridgepointe Retirement Care Center in March 2016. The Ensemble presented similar programs in March and September at the University of Kentucky Hospital Pavilion where hospital visitors heard the harps both on our level and from the upper level of an atrium - Lillie Greer, Alison Henry, Elsa Klaene, Laure Ziembroski Smith, Madeline Farrar, and Ashley Su.
Spring performances included 2016 May high school graduates: Janna Young who is now a harp major at the College-Conservatory of Music University of Cincinnati; and Joelle Toews who is attending college in Tennessee.
Madeline Farrar plays harp in her church ensemble, and plays violin in the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra - principal second on one concert and she auditioned for the Concerto Competition which the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.
Ashley Su is Principal Harp with the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras, and played principal Flute on one of the concerts.
Ashley Su and Elsa Klaene performed on LTEA (Lexington Talent Education Association) Monthly Recitals throughout the Spring of 2016.
Tiana The performs for weddings and receptions.
Laure performs Celtic music at Grimes Winery and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts with a concentration in harp.
Elaine Cook continues to play principal harp with the Lexington Philharmonic, second harp with the Louisville Orchestra, teaches harp at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, and at Centre College in Danville.
For sale in Classifieds:
Concert Grand HARP - Swanson Scuola #212, 1999. Appraised at $14,500 and asking $13,000. Big orchestral sound with sweet voicing in the melodic register - 1st, 2nd & 3rd octaves - new strings. Recently regulated, Bell Harp Tech - Tom Bell & Scot Baker.
Make an offer!
Kathy 859-269-2477
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Nashville Chapter
Tennessee
Meetings and Events
On
September 10-11, 2016, the Nashville Chapter of the American Harp Society hosted the
Chicago Harp Quartet for a concert and master class. All events were held at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music. This concert would not have been made possible without a grant from the American Harp Society, donations from Nashville Harp Society members, and the generous contribution of the Blair School of Music.
On
Saturday, Sep. 10, 2016 at 7pm, the
Chicago Harp Quartet performed a beautiful concert in the Turner Recital Hall at the Blair School of Music. The concert was a huge success with standing room only and over 200 people in attendance. The Nashville Harp Society Hospitality Committee did a wonderful job hosting a dessert reception for everyone after the concert.
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Chicago Harp Quartet
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The Chicago Harp Quartet with NHS Member Reagan Holme (left)
and mingling with the audience at the post-concert reception
The NHS Hospitality Committee did a beautiful job on the reception!
On
Sunday, Sep. 11, 2016 at 2pm, four of Vanderbilt's harp students were selected to perform in a master class for members of the Chicago Harp Quartet:
Colleen Murray, Margot Revet, Ruth Boyajian, and
Hannah Lynn Anderson. They are students of
Marian Shaffer and
Licia Jaskunas. Congratulations to each of them for their wonderful performances!
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Alison Attar, Margot Revet, Emily Ann Granger, Colleen Murray,
Lynn Williams, Ruth Boyajian, Cathy Litaker
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Upcoming Meetings for 2016-2017:
The Nashville Harp Society will be gathering for our
2016 Holiday Meeting next month. Check our website for more information!
In
January and
February 2017, the Nashville Chapter will be holding its first
American Harp Society
Audition and Evaluations Program. Any students from the Middle Tennessee area are encouraged to participate! More information will be available on the Nashville Harp Society website in November.
Member News
Position Announcements:
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Congratulations and thank you to
Marian Shaffer for her many wonderful years serving as the Adjunct Instructor of Harp at Vanderbilt University! Blair School of Music welcomes Nashville Symphony harpist
Licia Jaskunas as the new Adjunct Instructor of Harp this fall.
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In August 2016, Lipscomb University welcomed
Sarah Crocker as the new Adjunct Professor of Harp.
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Many of our members, including the
Adult Harp Ensemble from
Cookeville, TN, had a wonderful time attending the
2016 American Harp Society National Conference in Atlanta, GA this past June. The
Yoga for Harpists Workshop presented by Dr. Dawn Neely at the February 2015 NHS "Healthy Harpist" Meeting was chosen to be presented over two days at the conference, and NHS President Sarah Crocker presented a lecture
"Tracing the Legacy of the French Harp School: Hasselmans and His Successors."
- Phyllis Taylor Sparks and her husband Nick have been named to the Presidents Council at Purdue University for their work raising funds for the Purdue Foundation K-9 Cancer Research Grant 2016.
- "Thank you to everyone for all the condolences after the passing of my brother Ron Taylor on April 23, 2016. Your thoughts and prayers have been very much appreciated." Phyllis Taylor Sparks
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St. Louis Gateway Chapter
Missouri
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St. Louis Gateway Chapter,October 24, 2016
(photo by Elaine Pontious, Chapter Secretary)
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Our Chapter is currently conducting an online election for new officers, the results of which will be known on November 1, 2016. The new officers will assume duty as of January 1, 2017.
Young students performed in recital on Sunday, April 24, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Church in Maplewood. Performing were students from Danielle Williams, Eileen Gannon, Amy Camie and Terri Langerak.
Adults performed in recital on Saturday, October 15 at Dayspring Center for the Arts in Maryland Heights. Included were Elizabeth Hoffman, Amy Camie, Terri Langerak, Maria Trevor, Tim Lilley, Elaine Pontious and Lacey Lee.
St. Louis Irish Arts music director and harp teacher, Eileen Gannon brought 42 participants (including 8 harpists) to the "Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann" in Ennis, County Clare, where more than 400,000 visitors were expected. The school competed in a number of categories, including solo, duet and trio competitions on various instrumental and vocal categories. SLIA took some prizes, including third place in the over-18 grúpaí ceoil competition, one of the most closely followed competitions at the festival. Grúpaí cheoil requires ensembles to perform "seamless" arrangements of between 6 and 8 minutes, demonstrating their skill and flexibility.
Terri Langerak, current President of our Chapter, is concentrating on arranging lately. Her arrangement of 'MidWinter's Canon' is available at her website, www.harpsinger.net. She also has a busy schedule ahead including the following:
Oct 16th
: "Respighi Ancient Airs & Dances" with University City Orchestra
Oct 23rd
: With Danielle Williams playing "The Planets" & "The Star Wars Soundtrack" with the Town & Country Orchestra.
Oct 28th
: "The Great Gates of the Kiev", from Pictures at an Exhibition, with the Missouri Baptist College Orchestra
Nov 13th
- "America, the Beautiful", "Nobles of the Mystic Shrine", "Symphonic Suite from Far and Away", "Sunrise at Angel's Gate", and "Rocky Point Holiday", with the St. Louis Wind Symphony.
Nov 19th & 20th
- "The Nutcracker" with the Belleville Philharmonic and the Belleville school of Ballet
Dec 4th
- "The Blue Danube Waltz" with the University City Orchestra.
Dec 8th
- "Pictures at an Exhibition" (in full) and "Mother Goose Suite" with St. Charles Community College Orchestra
Dec 10th Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir Annual Holiday Concert
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Louisiana Chapter
Louisiana
The Louisiana Chapter of the American Harp Society has had a bit of a rough year - even though lots of good things also have occurred.
In the spring, president Patricia (Patty) Horvath's step-father was killed and her mom severely injured in a terrible traffic accident. As a result, the usual duo program that Patty and vice-president Barbara Belew give in the fall was cancelled. We are glad to report that the duo have begun to rehearse again, with plans to present a program in March.
Does any other chapter have trouble getting their members' dues in? in a timely manner? Our secretary/treasurer Lynette Babineaux gets quite frustrated at times. She has had some major vision difficulties, and is not playing with us at this time.
Good, nice things that have come our way include the addition of Jane Clark to our roster. Jane transferred to McNeese State University from Brigham Young University in the Fall of 2015, as a junior harp major, and she has been a delight to all of us. She presented her junior recital on March 23. Included were Galilei's "Saltarello," Beethoven's "Variations on a Swiss Air," the Hindemith "Sonata," Ravel's "Introduction and Allegro," and Renie's "Danse des Lutins."
Jane also now is the harpist for the Lake Charles (LA) Symphony, and has had a number of gigs to play. She currently is working on her senior recital, slated for April 24, 2017, which will include Debussy's "Trio Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp," as well as the Debussy Dances, and a number of other "goodies."
In spite of a nasty fall suffered by Barbara on April 14, we were able to present our annual chapter Ensemble Concert on April 17. It was more of a casual presentation than many of the previous ones have been. We emphasized "old-time favorites," such as "A Bicycle Built For Two."
An interesting new venture is a harp class, given as a part of the F.G. Bulber Youth Orchestra. This program for young people of public school age (2nd grade through high school) has been a going concern for many years. (Such really was needed, as the public schools in this area have very few string programs.) Barbara is enjoying working with three young folks, two age 12 and one who is 15.
Two members of the class, sisters, have been in the McNeese Harp Camp which held its 17th annual session in late July. We were very pleased to have some 25 participants this year. This activity has been a joy to us all, as most of the staff are members of our chapter; Barbara is the Director and Patty is the Assistant Director.
We all miss Barbara Swan, who retired, along with her husband, and moved to Michigan, where they both grew up, to be with kin, especially her mother. We all wish her well!
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