2024 Winter

The AMERICAN HARP
JOURNAL
Official
Publication of
the American Harp Society
Winter 2024 | Volume 29, No. 2

Winter 2024 | Volume XX, No. X
CONTENTS
Winter 2024 | Volume 29, No. 2
FEATURES
8
Marcel Tournier: New Discoveries
by Carl Swanson
The AMERICAN HARP
JOURNAL
Official
Publication of
the American Harp Society
16
The Marsalas: A Love Story
by Lynn René Bayley
24
Casper Reardon: A Comprehensive Discography
by Peter Mintun and Emily Laurance
30
35
The Camac Hydraulic Harp: A Revolutionary Concept
in Harp Design from France
By Mario Falcao and David Dunn
Sightreading for a Living
Reprint from AHJ Fall 1971: Catherine Gotthoffer
ON THE COVER
Unidentified (South American?),
Harper, ca. 1890-1892,
oil on canvas, 30 x 22 in. (76.2 x 55.9 cm.),
Smithsonian American Art Museum,
Museum purchase, 1985.66.164,672
44
My Life with the Harp
by Maya Slonim Passer
56
In Memoriam
Elizabeth (Liz) Elyse Yockey Ilku (1928–2023)
58
Recent Publications and Recordings
by Suzanne Moulton-Gertig
4 From the AHS President
5 From the AHS Executive Director
6 From the Editor
54 Forty-Fifth AHS National Conference
60 The American Harp Foundation Today:
Annual Report
63 AHS 2023 Annual Membership Meeting Minutes
65 Professional Directory
68 Index of Advertisers

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2 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

The mission of the American Harp Society, Inc. is to celebrate our legacy, inspire
excellence, and empower the next generation of harpists.
The American Harp Society is committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive
membership where all perspectives are heard and valued. We believe that respect
and inclusion inspire creativity. We embrace the sharing of a broad range of
ideas, experiences, viewpoints, and creative approaches between our members to
empower a vibrant, supportive harp community.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lynne Aspnes, Director-at-Large
*Jeremy Chesman, North Central Regional Director, Treasurer
*Rosanna Chiu, Director-at-Large, Second Vice President
Hope K. Cowan, South Central Regional Director
Jennifer Ellis, Pacific Regional Director
*Mary Ann Flinn, Southeast Regional Director, Secretary
Karen Gottlieb, Director-at-Large
Joan Holland, Mid Central Regional Director
*Chilali Hugo, Western Regional Director, First Vice President
*Charles W. Lynch III, Director-at-Large
Steve Moss, Director-at-Large
Felice Pomeranz, Northeastern Regional Director
*Riza Printup, Director-at-Large
Amelia Romano, Director-at-Large
*Angela Schwarzkopf, Director-at-Large, President
Carla Siegesmund, Director-at-Large
Susan Spiwak, Director-at-Large
Anne Sullivan, Mid Atlantic Regional Director
Rebecca Todaro, Director-at-Large
*Elisa Torres, Director-at-Large
*Kela Walton, Director-at-Large,
Chairman of the Board
Rebecca Yuille, Director-at-Large
*All officers and those directors marked with an asterisk are members of the 2023-2024 Executive Committee
ADMINISTRATION
Kathryn McManus, Executive Director
Barbara Sooklal, Membership Secretary/Bookkeeper
Connie Hunt, National Events Manager
Allison Volk, Marketing & Communications Manager
MORE INFORMATION
https://www.harpsociety.org/
For a complete list of the founding and past AHS
leadership visit the AHS website at
https://www.harpsociety.org/founding-committee
https://www.harpsociety.org/past-presidents
THE AMERICAN HARP JOURNAL
The American Harp Journal contains articles and columns designed to leave an accurate record of the activities of the AHS and
current issues in the harp world. This material may include (but is not limited to) biographies of major figures of the past and
present, bibliographies, historical studies, listings of publications and recordings, articles of educational content for students and
teachers, and articles concerning the construction and maintenance of the harp.
Emily Laurance, Editor
AHJEditor@harpsociety.org
Advertising Manager, Open
AdManager@harpsociety.org
Linda-Rose Hembreiker,
Circulation Manager
AHJCirc@gmail.com
Editorial Board
Catherine Case
Sara Cutler
Shelly Du
Jennifer Ellis
Jaymee Haefner
Diane Michaels
Kathleen Moon
Noël Wan
Jaclyn Wappel
Art Direction/Layout
Petra Bryan Design
Printer
Sheridan
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 3

From the AHS President
Every year I am surprised by the winter. Not by the cold
or snow, nor the unpredictable weather, but by the resilience
of nature. It should be logical after so many years of
watching the seasons change. However, after the warmth
of the holidays pass and we head into the calm month of
January, I am surprised by how nature quietly stands in its
resilience. In this period of hibernation, where nature waits
to come alive, it is standing strong.
Just like the seasons, we as humans move through
periods in our lives. In spite of the challenges of recent
years, I personally feel as if I have witnessed a great period
of resilience. When I reflect on the last several years of
world events, of the American Harp Society, and of the lives
of our members, resilience is all around us. The AHS has
striven to be a steady presence in the harp world, exhibiting
and encouraging resilience within our community.
We have maintained our flagship programs, including
the American Harp Journal, our highly successful Grants
Program, and the momentous AHS National Competition.
At the local level we have been able to support
chapters through programming such as the Auditions
and Evaluations Program, the Chapter Ambassador
Program, the Concert Artist Program, and the Emerging
Artist (formerly the Winners Outreach) Program.
Another way the AHS has remained resilient is through
our national events. Though we may have had to shift
gears to online events, or create hybrid models, and then
shift back to in-person experiences, the Harp Society has
been flexible and dependable in meeting our members
where they are, all while fostering our beautiful community.
As we sit here in all the glory of winter resilience, I
am looking forward to the 2024 Summer Conference in
Florida! This conference has been patiently waiting since
2020 for its chance to shine. The wait is proving worth it
with fantastic workshops, concerts, and events planned.
Feeling the winter blues? You can extend your stay before
or after the conference using our same discounted hotel
rate at the Renaissance Hotel. Check out the AHS website
for more details including ride and hotel share options.
Looking even further ahead, plans are underway for
the 2025 Summer Institute and first ever Harp Ensemble
Festival, set to take place in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
As the AHS continues to explore ways to reach all our
members, we are excited about introducing a harp ensemble
festival. Through the event we will be able to
foster community, collaboration, and to inspire harpists
of every age and level. I encourage you to start putting
your ensembles together today and mark your calendars
for this exciting event in June of 2025. Even farther
ahead I am looking forward to seeing the harp world
descend on my hometown of Toronto for the AHS/WHC
combined event in the summer of 2026. This weeklong
event will be an opportunity for members to experience
both the staple AHS conference programming alongside
that of the World Harp Congress all in one location.
Programming of this quality and ambition can only
happen in an organization with a strong membership and
volunteer leadership committed to a shared mission. As
we rise to meet the many challenges ahead, the AHS will
remain a steady and resilient beacon for our members.
Angela Schwarzkopf, President
American Harp Society
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From the AHS Executive Director
The 2024 AHS National Conference: Welcoming All Harpists
In February, 2021, the AHS Board of Directors approved our
policy statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion: “The
American Harp Society is committed to supporting a diverse
and inclusive membership where all perspectives are
heard and valued. We believe that respect and inclusion
inspire creativity. We embrace the sharing of a broad range
of ideas, experiences, viewpoints, and creative approaches
among our members to empower a vibrant, supportive
harp community.”
Since then, our board and executive committee have
taken many steps to incorporate that perspective into
our AHS operations in tangible ways. The IDEA (Inclusion,
Diversity, Equity and Access) working group began
developing strategies, and has now been elevated to a
permanent committee of the AHS. From their work came
the creation of a volunteer Diversity Coordinator position,
whose job is to advocate for programming, communication,
and leadership opportunities which foster the society’s
commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive
membership. We’re delighted to welcome Juan Riveros to
that position! Juan is an AHS National Competition winner
and a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan
with a particular research interest in the performance
practice and harp repertoire of Latin America. He will be
identifying opportunities to support an inclusive membership,
developing funding sources for IDEA initiatives,
advocating for a sense of community among all AHS
members, and collaborating with the IDEA Committee
on implementation. Juan and the IDEA Committee will
be presenting a panel discussion as well as hosting casual
Q&A sessions at our National Conference in Orlando this
June to enlist members in accomplishing their mission.
The conference committee has responded enthusiastically
to the IDEA Committee’s work and is incorporating its
principals in the conference programming and operations.
Our Annual Membership Meeting keynote speaker will be
Ann Hobson Pilot, the first African American musician in
both the National Symphony Orchestra and the Boston
Symphony in the mid-1960s. Concerts and workshops
deliberately feature artists of diverse race, gender, ethnicity,
and musical heritage. Presenters may opt for a pride
border to be included around their photos in the program
book and app, and all attendees may elect to have their
pronouns included on their name badge if they wish.
We understand that media coverage about legislation
passed in Florida has raised questions and caused
uncertainty for potential visitors. In fact, Orlando is
considered by event planners to be one of the most
diverse and welcoming cities in the US for the LGBTQ+
community and People of Color. Orlando is home to a
thriving LGBTQ+ community (the third largest in the
USA) and has become a symbol of resilience and unity
in the state of Florida, thanks to its strong commitment
to inclusivity and its celebratory atmosphere.
Visit Orlando focuses on being an inclusive travel
destination, welcoming people from all over the world
regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or life
stage. Orlando is a true melting pot of global cultures and
customs. Members may wish to visit the resources offered
at www.visitorlando.com/diversity-inclusion to explore African
American, Asian American, Hispanic and Latino, and
LGBTQ+ history and influence in the Orlando area. AHS is
committed to offering a safe conference for attendees, and
encourages everyone to attend in support of one another
and this inclusive community. Please feel free to email
IDEA@harpsociety.org with any questions you may have.
We hope you will join us in Orlando for an outstanding
and fun Conference - see page 54 for a preview.
Your AHS is individually, organizationally, and musically
diverse. With these initiatives we are working
to further advance our strategic goal to continue to
“engage a diverse and inclusive membership.”
Thank you, and see you in Orlando!
Kathryn McManus
Executive Director, American Harp Society
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 5

From the Editor
As we approach the beginning of a new calendar year, I’m
looking forward to our long-awaited national conference in
June. This year the conference organizers will be spotlighting
the trailblazing harpists working in jazz, popular, and
commercial music in the early- and mid-twentieth century.
It’s a propitious time to revisit these figures: every day,
it seems, brings new information (recordings, interviews,
ephemera) about historical figures, much of it newly available
on the internet. The Journal’s Winter issue includes
three items that invite us to reassess the careers of some
of these individuals. One is a reprint from 1971 of a practical
guide to sight reading written by Catherine Gotthoffer, a
past president of the American Harp Society and long-time
harpist in the motion picture and television industries.
While film scoring has changed enormously in the intervening
years, many of the strategies Gotthoffer outlines
demonstrate the creative problem-solving associated with
a dynamic, fast-changing musical environment. We also
have a personal take on the music of jazz harpist Adele Girard
by music critic Lynn René Bayley (a regular contributor
to Fanfare magazine), along with a recommended playlist
that includes newly available “Soundies” (music films) that
Girard made in the 1940s. The third item is a discography of
the recordings of another early jazz great: Casper Reardon.
This document reflects many recent new discoveries by
pianist and music researcher Peter Mintun, many of which
he has shared online in the past few years.
Other items in the Winter issue explore recurrent themes
from these pages. We again reflect on the harp’s essential
nature in a reprint from 1987, written by David Dunn and
past AHS board chair Mario Falcao, which documents the
groundbreaking hydraulic “memory harp” developed by
harp builder Joël Garnier. Another of our features is the
Ukrainian harpist Maya Passer’s touching personal memoir
of musical life in the former USSR and her subsequent pivot
to a career in the US. It is a celebration of the many global
cultures that make up the American Harp Society.
Finally, frequent AHJ contributor Carl Swanson presents
an overview of his research on undiscovered and
little-known works by the great harpist-composer Marcel
Tournier. Swanson’s piece is a reminder to us all that
there is plenty more to discover and share about the harp,
including in what we think is well-worn territory. Perhaps
you have a research interest you would like to share in the
American Harp Journal. Find out how to by checking out
our submission guidelines! We would love to hear from you.
Emily Laurance
Editor
6 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Amplify Your Talent:
Go Electric!
Electric Legends
Alan Stivell, Deborah Henson Conant,
Mai Fukui, Nikolaz Cadoret, Hélène Breschand, Lena Woods, Pia Salvia,
Corrina Hewat, Marion Le Solliec, Camille Heim, Aurélie Barbé, Raoul Moretti
Paris Showroom
Espace Camac
92 rue Petit
75019 Paris - France
Workshop and Offices
Les Harpes Camac
La Richerais - BP 15
44850 Mouzeil - France
www.camac-harps.com

Fig. 1: Marcel Tournier, Déchiffrage no. 42, opening of autograph. Private Collection.
8 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Marcel Tournier: New Discoveries
by Carl Swanson
Like many American harpists, my only knowledge of
Marcel Tournier during my student days and early career
was his Etude de Concert, “Au Matin.” I knew nothing
about the man, nor the music that he composed, other
than that one piece. Then, at a harp conference many
years ago, I heard several other pieces by him, all of which
I really liked, and I decided that I needed to explore this
composer more. Shortly after that conference, I was
talking to an elderly harpist in Boston and mentioned
my recent and pleasant discovery of Tournier. “I will give
you all of my Tournier,” she said. Several weeks later she
handed me a stack of music, perhaps ten inches thick,
containing virtually everything that Tournier had ever
published. There must have been twenty-five to thirty
publications, containing seventy to eighty individual
pieces. I was bowled over.
As I began reading through this music, and learning
some of it to performance level, it became apparent that,
while none of his music was killer difficult to play, it was
often killer difficult to read! When Tournier was composing,
he held to the rules of composition and harmony,
and was not at all concerned with what the harpist needed
to see on the page. So his music often has double flats
and double sharps. It sometimes has modulations that
need to be played enharmonically. He rarely shows clearly
on the page which hand is playing what. Pedals and
pedal diagrams are seldom provided, and there are rarely
any fingerings. Anyone wanting to learn one of his pieces
would need access to a marked up copy, or a teacher who
knows how to play the piece in question. Figuring out
and marking up the pages without that kind of support
would be a challenging task indeed! This I believe is the
main reason that Tournier’s considerable output is not
played more than it is. I explained this problem to my
editor at Carl Fischer Music and suggested an edition of
Tournier’s most played pieces, to be printed with all of the
information a harpist needs to see on the page, so that
there would be minimal marking up and figuring out. My
editor liked the idea, and the result was my edition Marcel
Tournier: 10 Pieces for Solo Harp, published in 2020.
Tournier was without a doubt one of the finest harpist-composers
in the history of the instrument. He had
studied both harp and composition at the Paris Conservatory,
had won a second prize in the prestigious Prix de
Rome competition, and had won first prize in the Rossini
competition, another very important composition
competition of its day. As I researched Tournier for the
preface to my edition, I found an excellent article by Scott
Grimes that had appeared in the Summer 1986 issue of
the American Harp Journal. 1 At the end of that article was
an inventory of Tournier’s total known output. Examining
that inventory, I realized that there were pieces on the list
completely unknown to me, and that I had neither seen
nor heard. I was astonished and perplexed to think that
there were works of Tournier that were not widely known
nor disseminated. Intrigued by the possibility of discovery
and correcting this historical oversight, I determined
to locate these works. That was the beginning of a quest
that has taken four years and resulted in discoveries that I
could not have imagined!
I am not trained in musicological research and have
done very little of it up until now. What surprised me
most about the process of hunting for and locating these
lost musical compositions is how haphazard the whole
process is. You might assume that musical compositions
from the past are safely housed in well–known libraries
and are easy to find. Some are, but many are not. Even
among the greatest composers, there are numerous
examples of misplaced or lost pieces. Frequently, it is
someone else who works to preserve and disseminate
the music of a composer. The bulk of JS Bach’s music
wasn’t published until one hundred years after his death,
and we know that one third of his total output has been
lost. Constanze Mozart spent the remainder of her long
life after the death of her husband getting his music
published and performed (and became a wealthy woman
in the process). Ferdinand Schubert did the same for his
brother Franz’s music. In recent years, Christine Géliot,
daughter of Huguette Géliot and sister of the great Martine
Géliot, has worked to preserve the music of her great
grandmother Mel Bonis, a highly respected composer of
the late nineteenth century. And there are many other
examples in music history as well.
Tournier’s music proved to be a particularly thorny
case to investigate. I learned early in my research that
there were more compositions waiting to be discovered
than even those that Grimes had identified. These included
manuscript works in libraries and private collections
that had never been published, earlier versions of his
works that were later reworked as wholly new compositions,
parts for chamber versions of known solo works,
and finally, works in manuscript form that no one knew
1 J. Scott Grimes, “Marcel Tournier: musicien complet,” American
Harp Journal 10, no. 3 (Summer 1986): 3-15.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 9

existed. Complicating things further, Tournier’s music did
not enter the public domain until January 1, 2022, several
years after I had started my research.
The avenues that I pursued, the dead-ends that I
encountered, the twists and turns that opened up new
areas to explore, and the totally unexpected surprises that
fell into my lap resulted in some valuable research principles
that anyone doing musicological research should
keep in mind: that in an age of open-access scores, You-
Tube, SoundCloud, and heaven-knows-what else on the
internet, locating and accessing information is a multifaceted
task involving research libraries, yes, but also personal
contacts, private music libraries, and introductions
to people who know someone who may know someone
who may have what you are looking for. So while I did
search in the usual places—the National Library of France,
the Paris Conservatory Library, the Harp Repository at
Brigham Young University, the Royal College of Music
Library in London (which has Zabeleta’s music library)—
none of these produced any results. They all had only the
Tournier pieces that are readily available. The one library
that bore fruit was the Regional Conservatory of Music in
Rennes, France, which has a large collection of Tournier
manuscripts. There I found several of the pieces that I had
been hunting for. But what produced the greatest results
were people who either knew someone who had Tournier
manuscripts or who had them themselves.
My greatest help in this project has been my oldest
friend in the harp world, Catherine Michel. Catherine
has had a brilliant career, having been a member of
the Orchestre Nationale, and then principal harp in the
Paris Opera. She has concertized all over the world and
has made over twenty recordings of harp concertos and
solo harp repertoire. In addition, she has always been
an important teacher and, after almost sixty years in the
professional harp world, knows lots of people. Even better,
Catherine also loves musicological research, and her help
in this project was invaluable. She connected me to people
who had manuscripts and who helped locate some of
the material I was looking for. 2
Here is a complete list of what I have found to date.
Works for Solo Harp
1. The déchiffrages (pronounced day-she-frahge, like
the second syllable in the word garage).
The word déchiffrage means sight-reading exercise,
and these pieces must have been written for Hasselmans’
class at the Paris Conservatory, because the
2 In addition to the invaluable assistance of Catherine Michel, I had
four other harpist-informants that were of particular help in my
research. In the interest of their privacy, I have chosen to keep these
sources anonymous.
ones that are dated were written between 1900 and
1910. Tournier would have been in his twenties, and
had not yet become the Tournier of his later, impressionistic
pieces. All of the déchiffrages are in the late
romantic style that was taught at the Paris Conservatory
at that time. The pieces are, for the most part,
three to four pages and thirty-five to fifty measures
long, with only one extending to eighty-five measures.
They would be considered intermediate in
difficulty, with some at the easier end of intermediate,
and others in the middle or advanced end. It’s
very likely that Tournier was told how long to make
each one, as well as how difficult. But even though
written as sight-reading exercises, they are the work
of an excellent composer—charming, musical, and a
valuable addition to the intermediate repertoire.
The déchiffrages were the largest and most unexpected
find in my research. I was unaware of their
existence. Catherine Michel knew about some of
them, and contacted one of her former students
whom she thought might be of some help. It turned
out that this harpist had a significant number of
Tournier manuscripts and that she was happy to
talk with me. With the introduction from Catherine,
this harpist sent me photographs of almost thirty
Tournier compositions, none of which were on any
inventory of his music, and none of which had ever
been published! It was an extraordinary find.
There are twenty-seven known déchiffrages, all in
manuscript form, written out and signed in Tournier’s
hand. Each manuscript has the name Gisèle
Grandpierre (1896–1988) stamped on the title page.
Grandpierre was an extremely wealthy French harpist
who owned a large and famous villa in Nice. I do
not know how or where she acquired these manuscripts.
After her death, they seem to have passed
through several private hands and are currently in
the possession of the aforementioned harpist, who
sent me the digital photographs.
These déchiffrages are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,
11, 31, 33, 34, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 47. In addition there
are ten that are not numbered to which I have
assigned the sequence 0-1, 0-2, etc. Assuming that
number 47 is the last déchiffrage that Tournier
wrote, the gaps in the number sequence would
suggest that there are thirty pieces not accounted
for. If the unnumbered ones are used to fill in some
of the gaps, that still leaves twenty unaccounted
for! And that’s assuming that number 47 is the last
one. Three of the unnumbered pieces became, with
small changes, three of the preludes in Tournier’s
collection of Four Preludes. These are: 0-6, which
10 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Fig. 2: Marcel Tournier, Déchiffrage no. 2, mm. 1–4. Manuscript and modern typeface. Private collection.
Fig. 3: Marcel Tournier, Déchiffrage no. 7, mm. 1–3. Manuscript and modern typeface. Private collection.
became Prelude II, 0-7, which became Prelude I, and
0-8, which became Prelude IV. I suspect that one
of those missing déchiffrages may have become
Prelude III.
2. Deuxième Fantaisie de Concert.
This is the most recent and unexpected find so far.
A German harpist who heard about my research
wrote to me and said that she had very old photocopies
of this piece, in manuscript, and she didn’t
know if it had ever been published. It had not. The
photos she sent me show that it is written out in
Tournier’s hand and is dated 1900. It is for solo harp,
is nineteen pages long, and is not on any inventory
of his music. Technically, it is at an advanced intermediate
level.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 11

Fig. 4: Marcel Tournier, Deuxième Fantaisie, mm. 66–67. Manuscript and modern typeface. Private Collection.
Works for Voice and Harp
These are not a single group nor a cycle, but simply five different
songs that Tournier set at various times in his career.
1. La lettre du jardinier (“The Gardener’s Letter”)
This song was set originally for voice and harp. It has
been consistently in print and available in that form
since it was written. But fifteen years after he wrote
it, Tournier went back to the piece and added string
quartet parts to the original voice and harp version.
A harpist in Paris, who had studied with Tournier from
1939 to 1942, had the string parts. The manuscript,
written out by a professional copyist in a gorgeous
hand, consists of the four individual string parts, with
the vocal line included in the first violin part. There is
no full score and no harp part. I received images of
the published voice and harp part for this version
from the conservatory library in Rennes. 3
2. Rêverie de Bouddha (“The Buddha’s Reverie”)
This song must have been a favorite of Tournier,
because he made three different arrangements of
it: one for voice and harp, one for voice and piano,
and one for voice, harp, and string quartet. The harp
parts in the string quartet version and the voice and
harp version are completely different. The same
harpist in Paris who supplied me with the string
parts for La Lettre du jardinier also had the string
3 Marcel Tournier, La lettre du jardinier [includes separate title page,
full score and quartet and harp parts]. Ms., Special Collections,
Rennes Conservatory Documentation Center [Rennes, France], Box 2.
parts for this piece, written out in the hand of a
professional copyist, with the vocal line included in
the first violin part. But she did not have the harp
part. By some miracle, I managed to find the harp
parts for the voice and harp version, the voice, harp,
and string quartet version, as well as the voice and
piano version in the special collections of the
Northwestern University library. 4 They did not have
the string parts. The voice and harp version is in
manuscript, possibly in Tournier’s hand. There is
another harp part in which the harp plays only
occasionally through the piece, and is clearly for the
string quartet version, even though it is not marked
as such. The piano part in the version for voice and
piano is very different from the harp part in the
voice and harp version. The voice and piano version
is a published copy, and this leads me to believe
that the version for voice and harp must have been
published too, although I have not yet found a copy.
3. Insomnie (“Insomnia”)
This is a song for voice, harp, and string quartet.
There are two copies of the manuscript in the library
of the conservatory in Rennes, and both are written
4 Marcel Tournier, Rêverie de Bouddha, version for voice and
harp; includes handwritten parts for version for two violins, viola,
violoncello, and harp and a copy of published version for voice and
piano. [between 1930 and 1942]. Northwestern University Libraries
[Evanston, IL], Music Collection Manuscripts, MSS 1313. https://
search.library.northwestern.edu/permalink/01NWU_INST/h04e76/
alma9942130674202441.
12 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

out in Tournier’s hand. 5 One copy is signed and dated
1929. I don’t believe it was ever published.
4. Elle est venue, elle a souri . . .
(She arrived, she smiled)
This song is for voice, harp, and string quartet. There
are two copies of the manuscript in the conservatory
in Rennes. One manuscript is of the full score,
and is signed by Tournier and dated August 8, 1926. 6
The other manuscript consists of all of the individual
parts. I don’t believe this was ever published.
5. Lettre d’enfant à Noël (“A Child’s Christmas Letter”).
This is a war protest song, written in 1942, and intended
to be sung by a child. There are two copies:
one is a manuscript in Tournier’s hand, and the other
is a printed copy, published by Henry Lemoine. They
are in the library of the Conservatory in Rennes. 7
Chamber Works
1. Sonatine, Op. 30, for harp, violin, and cello.
The Sonatine was written in 1924 as a piece for solo
harp and is one of the most glorious compositions
in the repertoire. Years later, Tournier added a violin
and a cello part, turning it into a trio. I wanted to find
those string parts. Catherine told me that, according
to a book she had, they were in the library of the
conservatory of Milan, Italy. 8 I wrote to the library,
and was sent images of the parts. 9 They are hand
copied, most likely by a musician who was going to
play the work, and consist of two completely written
out parts. In one, the violin is written in red and the
cello in black, while in the other the cello is in red
and the violin in black. I later received copies of the
string parts from the Conservatory library in Rennes. 10
These are written in a gorgeous hand by a professional
copyist. There are some small differences between
the manuscripts in Milan and those in Rennes. The
ones in Milan are not signed, but Catherine thought
they might have been written out by Liana Pasquali,
5 Marcel Tournier, Insomnie: melody for voice, string quartet and
harp. Ms., Special Collections, Rennes Conservatory Documentation
Center [Rennes, France], Box 2.
6 Marcel Tournier, Elle est venue, elle a souri: for voice with string
quartet and harp accompaniment. Ms., Special Collections, Rennes
Conservatory Documentation Center [Rennes, France], Box 2.
7 Marcel Tournier, Lettre d’enfant à noël: for voice and harp
(or piano). Ms., Special Collections, Rennes Conservatory
Documentation Center [Rennes, France], Box 2.
8 Mirella Vita, La musica d’arpa nelle biblioteche dei conservatori d’italia
(Udine, Italy: Pizzicato Edizioni, 2011), 203.
9 Marcel Tournier, Sonatine in G major for harp, violin, and violoncello.
Ms., lacking harp part. Milan Conservatory Library [Milan, Italy].
http://id.sbn.it/bid/LO10533794.
10 Marcel Tournier, Sonatine: for harp, violin, and violoncello. Ms.,
Special Collections, Rennes Conservatory Documentation Center
[Rennes, France], Box 7.
an important Italian harpist who had studied with
Tournier and who made her career in Romania. None
of the manuscripts include the harp part.
In 2022 Henry Lemoine made this version of Tournier’s
Sonatine available for purchase. 11
2. Jazz-Band, op. 33, for nine instruments.
Composed in 1926 for solo harp, this is an ensemble
arrangement of one of Tournier’s most popular pieces.
It is scored for one harp, three violins, cello, bass,
flute, clarinet, and oboe. The score is in Tournier’s
hand. This manuscript was provided by the same
harpist who had the déchiffrages. It was never published
and is not on any inventory of his music.
3. Jazz-Band, op. 33, for three harps and three cellos.
Yet another version of this piece. All of the parts are
in manuscript, but were copied out by someone
other than Tournier. This arrangement had technically
been available from Henry Lemoine & Co., but
solely as a rental, and was not easily accessible or
known when I began my research. Now that Tournier’s
works are in the public domain Carl Fischer has
made it available for sale. 12
4. Berceuse Russe, op. 40, for three harps and
three cellos.
Written in 1932 for solo harp, this is an absolutely
gorgeous piece. Tournier went back to it a year later
and turned it into an ensemble piece for multiple
harps and cellos. There are two manuscripts in
Tournier’s hand. One is of the second and third harp
parts, but not the first (original) part. The second is
of the three cello parts. It is signed with initials and
dated November 28, 1933. This version was never
published and does not appear on any inventory of
Tournier’s music. It was supplied to me by the same
harpist who had the déchiffrages.
5. Deuxième Valse, for flute, violin, viola, cello,
and harp.
This is a one-movement work, written in Tournier’s
hand and dated April 30, 1943. The harp plays occasionally
throughout the piece and is of intermediate
difficulty. There is a full score in manuscript and
also individual parts, also in manuscript. They are
housed in the conservatory library in Rennes. I don’t
believe the work was ever published.
11 It may be purchased from Camac Harps and elsewhere. https://
shop.camac-harps.com/en/product/tournier-marcel-sonatine-forviolin-cello-and-harp/.
12 https://www.carlfischer.com/574-00221-jazz-band.html.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 13

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The obvious question is: why didn’t Tournier publish many
of his early pieces? He did publish a few things
prior to 1914, including the aforementioned Four Preludes
(which began life as déchiffrage exercises); his Theme and
Variations, which dates from 1908; and several easy pieces
from 1913, all of which fall into this late romantic style. Two
of his more important pieces, Féerie (1912) and Au Matin
(1913), also come from this period, and represent a change
from his earlier style. But then World War I came. Tournier
served in the military and composed nothing from 1913 to
1921. When he did start composing again, it was in the
more modern style that he is known for today. It is clear
that at some point, aware of the musical upheaval around
him, with composers like Debussy, Satie, Ravel, Stravinsky,
Schoenberg, and many others breaking the old molds,
Tournier made the decision to significantly change his
style of composition. Once he did that, he may have felt
that these earlier pieces were better left in the past. Today,
over a century after they were composed, we can listen to
them measured not against what else was going on at
the time, but simply on their own merits.
So where do things stand with these Tournier compositions?
First, I am content knowing that there are
now digital images of all of these pieces, in addition to
the original manuscripts, which most likely are the only
physical examples that exist. In addition, my publisher,
Carl Fischer Music, is in the process of publishing all of
the déchiffrages in three volumes as well as the Deuxième
Fantaisie de Concert. Emmanuel Ceysson will be
releasing a new Tournier CD in 2024, which will include
the four songs with string quartet and the Sonatine with
violin and cello. Catherine Michel has already made a CD,
available on Spotify, of all the déchiffrages, and is planning
on recording the Deuxième Fantaisie de Concert. A
significant number of pieces by an important composer
of music for harp have been saved.
But the looming question is: are there more Tournier
compositions to be found, and if so, where are they?
Tournier’s Deuxième Fantaisie fell into my hands. So where
is the Première Fantaisie, and is there a Troisième Fantaisie?
Where are the déchiffrages that would fill the gaps
in the numbers that I found? And since Tournier wrote a
Deuxième Valse, is there a Première Valse? I’m certain that
there are more pieces to be found, if they still exist.
who I think knew where some compositions or private
libraries might be, but did not respond to my inquiries.
It is my understanding that when Tournier died, a
number of his manuscripts were given to two of his star
pupils: Jacqueline Borot and Gérard Devos, both of whom
later taught at the Paris Conservatory. Borot’s library is
apparently in the hands of a descendant. Gérard Devos
died in 2018, and to date I have not been able to locate
his personal library. What frustrates me is that neither of
these people, nor Gisèle Grandpierre for that matter, did
anything with the music they had. They didn’t perform,
record, or publish anything in their lifetimes, and didn’t
leave their very significant personal libraries to a library or
institution.
I would like to know what became of Liana Pasquali’s
personal library. And who knows what other harpists or
descendants of harpists have manuscripts that may very
well be the only copies that exist of lost pieces? It is my
sincere hope that in the coming years more of these lost
compositions can be found. ■
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carl Swanson’s life has revolved
around all aspects of the harp.
He studied the instrument to
an advanced level in Paris. Upon
returning to the United States,
he became interested in the
repair and restoration of harps,
which became his career. For
a number of years he owned a
company that built new harps. He has written many articles
for the American Harp Journal and is the author of A Guide
for Harpists, the premier manual for emergency repairs and
maintenance of pedal harps. In recent years he has published
new editions of masterpieces in the harp repertoire
with Carl Fischer Music.
My most fruitful results came from private music
libraries, and I wonder if there are more compositions in
private hands waiting to be found. Let me state here that
at no time was I interested in owning any original manuscripts.
I only wanted readable photographs of the pages.
During my research I ran into some dead ends, people
14 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

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The Marsalas: A Love Story
By Lynn René Bayley
Editor’s note: this essay was originally posted on the
author’s blog The Art Music Lounge on October 13, 2019.
It has been lightly edited for clarity.
Back in the early 1970s, I occasionally dropped into a
junk shop in Passaic, New Jersey that had, among other
things, large piles—and yes, they were just heaped into
piles, not placed on shelves or anything else—of old LPs
and 45s. Most came from the period 1952–1964, many
were out of their original covers, and more than a few
were scratched, chipped at the edges, or even cracked.
But they were cheap (LPs for a quarter, 45s for a dime),
and amidst all the garbage were some real rarities. One
such that I picked up was an old ten-inch Brunswick LP
featuring reissues of Vocalion-Decca-Brunswick jazz 78s
from the late 1930s to the early 1940s. One side was by
Bud Freeman and his Summa Cum Laude Orchestra;
the other side was by someone named Joe Marsala, with
harpist Adele Girard on some of the tracks.
Of course I knew who Bud Freeman was; his name
was legendary—he had been a charter member of the
Austin High Gang in the late 1920s and was still playing
here and there. Joe Marsala was a name new to me. I listened
to the recordings, which were updated versions of
old jazz pieces from the 1920s. They sounded pretty nice,
but they didn’t grab me at the time.
Talking to older jazz musicians and critics, I learned
that I was by no means alone in my assessment. I was told
that Marsala was a “pretty good” clarinetist who played
at the Hickory House in New York City for a decade, and
that Girard played “very pretty” on the harp but couldn’t
swing. The Marsalas were considered marginal figures,
consistently left out of jazz histories (such as Gunther
Schuller’s The Swing Era). 1
Yet with time, a greater knowledge of jazz history, and
a deeper appreciation of what certain older jazz musicians
could and couldn’t do, I came to appreciate Marsala
quite a bit and his wife, harpist Adele Girard, even more.
Joe Marsala was a technically superb clarinetist who had
a brighter top range than that of Artie Shaw and a
deeper, richer low range than that of Benny Goodman. A
product of the Chicago jazz scene in the 1920s, he gravi-
tated to the playing of both Johnny Dodds and Jimmie
Noone and fused elements of both of their styles into his
own. His improvisations were adventurous when compared
to those of such late-twenties New Orleans players
like Barney Bigard or Omer Simeon, he swung hard, and
he could (and did) play both traditional jazz (or Dixieland,
if you prefer) and the contemporary jazz styles of his time.
His only sin was that he was, to coin a phrase, conventionally
excellent but not a groundbreaker, and for this reason
he has been pushed to the side in jazz histories.
Adele Girard, however, is another story. Her only real
predecessor in the realm of jazz harp was Casper Reardon,
who died young in 1941. But since Reardon was a
man and recorded with Jack Teagarden, he is sometimes
considered to have been a better jazz harpist than Girard.
That simply is not so. Although a fine technician, Reardon’s
improvisations were fairly tame and didn’t really
swing. Within the limitations of her instrument, Girard did
swing, and her improvisations are much better than his. It
is a testament to her excellence that almost no one other
than LaVilla Tulos, an African American jazz harpist, could
equal her in swinging (though Tulos’ improvisations were
not as adventurous). The reason is, as Girard explained so
well, the harp is probably the most difficult instrument
to “swing” on because it is so technically complicated. 2
There are seven pedals, each controlling a small group
of strings; therefore, one’s hand and foot coordination is
considerably more complex than on a piano. It’s like the
difference between playing jazz on an actual full-sized,
fill-up-the-building pipe organ or a portable electric
organ. Even the most sophisticated of the latter, like the
Hammond B-3, are relatively easy to control compared to
the former, which is why Fats Waller’s 1926–27 jazz recordings
on the pipe organ still hold up as marvels.
In some ways, Girard’s improvisations were similar
to those of her husband, but at times she differed from
him. This, I have since discovered, was because she was
trained in jazz improvisation by three of the best White
musicians of her day: Frank Trumbauer and Charlie and
Jack Teagarden. 3 But more on that in a bit.
1 Gunther Schuller, The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz,
(Oxford, OUP, 1989).
2 Phillip D. Atteberry “The Sweethearts of Swing,” Mississippi Rag 21
(May 1994): 4, https://www.pitt.edu/~atteberr/jazz/articles/Girard.
html.
3 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 2.
16 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

wheeled around the corner, the doors flew open, and
machine gun bullets riddled a man standing next to him.
Joe dropped everything and ran, but before going half a
block, an old man on his porch said, ‘Walk, son, walk. Don’t
call attention to yourself.’ And Joe did. He never ate peanut
butter again nor could [he] tolerate the smell of it.” 5
Marsala quit school at age fifteen and naïvely took a
job that paid pretty well to help his family out: running
liquor for a bootlegger. According to his daughter, Eleisa
Marsala Trampler, Joe’s father “hauled him off the premises,”
letting him know that he could get killed that way,
“so Joe shoveled cinders off freight cars [and] tried factory
and office work.” He couldn’t keep up physically enough
to handle those jobs. While working for a trucking company
he was thrown through the windshield in an accident,
which permanently scarred his face and neck. If you look
closely at photos of Marsala, you will notice that he wore
makeup to cover the scars as best he could. 6
Studio photo of Adele Girard and Joe Marsala, 1938,
(James Kriegsmann, photo).
First, we need to trace the history of the leader, the
man she married, from his early days to his years on 52nd
Street, the heart of New York City’s jazz scene. This isn’t
terribly easy to do; Joe was a modest man who didn’t talk
a lot about his past, even to his wife—thus all we have are
the tidbits of information which she passed along.
Marsala was born in Chicago on January 4, 1907, which
would have put him on the city’s jazz scene during its
heyday in the mid-1920s. His immigrant parents originally
settled in New Orleans, which made Joe’s connection
with jazz all the more likely, and his father Pietro played
valve trombone on the riverboats. But Pietro, who was
also known as Pete, married and had five children, which
forced him to get a job as a stock clerk to supplement his
part-time trombone playing. 4
Joe had to toughen up quickly as a youth in order to
survive Al Capone’s gangster-run city. According to Adele,
at about age twelve Joe’s mother sent him to the local
grocer to buy some food, and with the little money left
over he bought a peanut butter sandwich and began
eating it as he left the store. Suddenly, “a black limousine
Attracted to jazz and having tried out several instruments,
Joe and his younger brother Marty eventually
settled on the clarinet and trumpet, respectively. Again, according
to Trampler, “When Joe could afford a clarinet, [an]
African American neighbor gave him tips on playing the
blues. Marsala was greatly inspired by Jimmie Noone [who
played with a little band at the Apex Club], but it was after
hearing Louis Armstrong and the Hot Five in the 1920s that
he decided to be a musician.” 7 Unable to afford lessons, he
was noticed by Clarence Warmelin, the former clarinetist
for the Minneapolis Symphony. Warmelin knew that Marsala
couldn’t afford lessons, but told him that if he came
to his studio he’d leave the door open so Marsala could
listen to the instructions he gave to his paying pupil. “After
my student leaves,” he told him, “I’ll go out for a sandwich,
that way I won’t have to charge you.” Marsala thus picked
up the all-important basics of clarinet playing this way,
though Trampler insists that “he was mainly self-taught.” 8
For a time, Marsala played with fellow Chicagoan
Francis “Muggsy” Spanier, six years his senior. Spanier,
already established as a professional musician at the
time, loved Marsala’s playing, and both of them were of
the same mind about updating the old jazz standards
for the modern audiences of the 1930s. This paid off
more for Spanier than for Marsala. Muggsy’s Ragtime
Band of 1939–40 recorded sixteen sides for RCA Bluebird
that were warmly praised by jazz critics of the time and
have come to be known as “The Great 16,” credited with
4 Eleisa Marsala Trampler, “Don’t Let It End, Part I: Joe Marsala,”
Clarinet 34, no. 3, (June 2007): 65.
5 Atteberry “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 4.
6 Eleisa Marsala Trampler, “Don’t Let It End, Part I,” 65.
7 Trampler, “Don’t Let It End, Part I,” 65.
8 Trampler, “Don’t Let It End, Part I,” 65–66.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 17

Portrait of Johnny Hodges, Rex William Stewart, Adele Girard,
Harry Carney, Barney Bigard, and Joe Marsala, Turkish Embassy,
Washington, D.C., 193-. (William P. Gottlieb, photo),
Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/gottlieb.02671/.
Portrait of Joe Marsala and Adele Girard, Hickory House, between
1946 and 1948. (William P. Gottlieb, photo),
Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/gottlieb.06041/.
sparking the Dixieland revival of the 1940s, 9 while Marsala’s
late-1930s updates of such tunes as Clarinet Marmalade,
Walkin’ the Dog, and Wolverine Blues are generally
ignored or dismissed. Much of this has to do with promotion
and location. Although Spanier was convinced that
his band never got the gigs or promotion that it needed
and deserved, the promotion he did get was blockbuster
compared to Marsala.
In 1935, Marsala joined the band of New Orleans trumpeter
Joe “Wingy” Manone (sometimes, even on record
labels, erroneously spelled “Mannone”) at Adrian Rollini’s
Tap Room in New York. Although Joe could read music
and Wingy couldn’t, they got along famously, with Wingy
helping to loosen up the somewhat shy youngster. And
each time Wingy got a better gig, he took Joe along with
him, moving first from the Tap Room to the Famous Door
and then to the Hickory House at 144 West 52nd Street.
Being older and better known, Manone was able to wangle
a good recording contract with RCA Victor, first on
their full-priced black label records in 1935 and then, the
following year, on their less expensive Bluebird label, and
of course Marsala was a part of his band—as were Adrian
Rollini, the Tap Room’s owner and a formidable bass saxist,
and Putney Dandridge, a Black vaudeville singer who
at the time was trying to make it in New York. In between
his Victor black label and Bluebird contracts, Manone recorded
for Vocalion, once a “name” company in the 1920s
but then a budget label on a par with Bluebird discs.
Somewhere in the middle of this, Marsala managed to
wangle a deal with Decca to record six sides, two of them
under the name of “The Six Blue Chips,” featuring a then
little-known trumpeter named Roy Eldridge. Ironically,
however, these were Dixieland-styled records, the only
time Eldridge was known to play in that style. On one of
his General recording sessions, he used African American
trumpeter/vocalist Bill Coleman and alto saxophonist
Pete Brown, one of the forerunners of rhythm and blues.
Unlike Marsala, Adele Girard came from a French
Canadian family in Holyoke, Massachusetts which was
originally well-off: her grandfather was one of the original
contractors of Williams College, her father a violinist, and
her mother had a fine soprano voice. But you can see
how their “blue blood” interfered with their business decisions
when you read that her mother won both a scholarship
to study voice at Williams and an opportunity to
study and sing at the La Scala Opera in Milan but turned
both down because she believed that singing on stage
was “unladylike.” 10
Fortunately for us, the Girards fell on hard times
during the Depression and daughter Adele was much
more realistic about making it in the world. Originally
a pianist (though she began taking harp lessons at
age fourteen), Adele began by playing some jobs in the
Catskills her brother Don found for her. Her mother was
set against it, but when Adele packed her bags and
showed she was serious, her mother came with her to
protect Adele’s good name. After landing a job as pianist
and vocalist with the fairly well-known society bandleader
Harry Sosnick in 1933, Adele eventually switched from
9 See, for example, the assessment in “Spanier Band Advances on
the Big Town,” Down Beat, 6 no. 12 (1 November 1939): 1.
10 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 1.
18 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

hired Jack, Charlie, and Frankie. My situation was desperate
this time because I had just purchased a $2,500 gold
Lyon and Healy harp. So I went to Jack Goldman, owner of
the Hickory House, to see if he could help me. He told me
that a young clarinetist, Joe Marsala, was putting a group
together to replace us.” 14
Still from “Millenium Jump” (Soundies Featurette #1253),
August 26, 1946,
piano to harp the following year, and it was on this job
that she honed her skills on the instrument. In the winter
of 1935, she joined the band of another fairly well known
leader, saxophonist Dick Stabile, this time strictly as singer-harpist.
Her skills rapidly improved. 11
In early 1936, Stabile decided to go on the road and
couldn’t afford to take a harp with him, so Adele lost her
job. Feeling dejected, she was approached, in her own
words, by “a formal looking, goateed gentleman” who
walked up to her and offered her a job playing in his small
band. This “gentleman” was the famous C-melody saxist
Frank Trumbauer; his bandmates, in a group they called
The Three T’s, were Charlie and Jack Teagarden. According
to Girard, “Their harpist, Casper Reardon, had taken
a job in the Broadway production of I Married an Angel,”
and this was “the first musically challenging job I ever
had” because she knew very little about jazz despite playing
dance music for several years. 12 “But the Teagardens
and Frankie Trumbauer were fine musicians and treated
me well. From them I learned the jazz repertoire. But
even more importantly, I learned how to improvise. My
having been forced to play without music so much had
given me a knack for knowing which notes to play, but I
had no sense of the feel, phrasing, and logic that go into
jazz improvisation. I learned those from listening to the
Teagardens and Frankie every night.” 13
Girard thought she had finally made it, playing with
these top professionals in their field, but after playing in
several of the best New York nightclubs, most often at the
Hickory House, she was told that “Paul Whiteman had
11 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 2.
12 Although Girard remembered Reardon’s Broadway engagement
as the cause of his departure from the Three T’s, this chronology is
suspect because I Married an Angel did not open until May of 1938.
13 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 2.
Although this scenario sounds logical, there’s a bit
of a problem with the chronology, because the Teagarden
brothers both signed five-year contracts to play
in Whiteman’s band in 1933, not 1936, and Trumbauer
himself played in the Whiteman orchestra during 1935–
36. I did, however, recently find the answer in a YouTube
posting of an interview with Trumbauer from 1952. 15
Business was slow for Whiteman in 1936 after his band
lost popularity to the new hot swing bands, so Whiteman
decided to take a vacation for a few months without
being specific about how long it would be. The musicians
were called back to the fold at the end of December 1936.
There are no commercial recordings by The Three T’s
except for one, “I’se A-Muggin,’” made on March 10, 1936
for Victor, but this group included Bud Freeman on tenor
sax, a Whiteman clarinetist named John Cordaro, and
pianist Roy Bargy in place of a harp. However, in recent
years an album of airchecks has surfaced on the Jazz Oracle
label featuring both Adele and the aforementioned
Casper Reardon. 16
As it turned out, Jack Goldman was well acquainted with
Joe Marsala due to his prior affiliation with Manone. One of
the reasons why Marsala was chosen to be the new band’s
leader was that he suffered from colitis and therefore had
no tolerance for alcohol. This meant that it was guaranteed
that he, at least, would be sober by the night’s end! 17
Of course Marsala hired the pretty young harpist and
was delighted when he learned that she not only knew
a lot of jazz standards but could also improvise. It was
musical love at first sight for both of them, and within a
few months of their opening at the Hickory House on St.
Patrick’s Day, 1937, they eloped and married at the Actors’
Chapel (St. Malachy’s) on 49th Street in July. 18 Joe had
wanted a full wedding with all the trimmings, but Adele
knew her mother well enough to know that she’d never
even allow such a union, let alone attend the ceremony.
14 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 2.
15 “Hal Barton Interviews Frankie Trumbauer,” Radio Station WTAD,
Quincy, Illinois, October, 1952, YouTube video, 30:11, posted by
Jazzguy1927, November 15, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=2RfZJSkPxNw&t=691s. In this interview Trumbauer recalls
Reardon leaving the Three T’s due to a return engagement with
the Cincinnati Symphony, his former employer.
16 Jack Teagarden (trombone); Frank Trumbauer (sax); Charlie
Teagarden (trumpet); Casper Reardon (harp); Adele Girard (harp),
The Three T’s: “Live” From The Hickory House, New York, December
1936, Jazz Oracle (BDW 8056), 2007, compact disc.
17 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 3.
18 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 3.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 19

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As it turned out, Adele was right. When she broke the
news to her mother a few months later, her mother’s
comment was, “Adele, he’s a damned Italian who will
murder us in our beds!” Mama Girard had seen one too
many movies and was convinced that every Italian from
Chicago was a gangster. 19
Marsala was anything but. Polite, soft-spoken, modest
about his talents, he did everything he could to make the
band a success, hiring the top jazz musicians in New York
as they became available. At one point, his lead trumpet
player was the great Henry “Red” Allen, Jr. When his band
was booked to play a different venue in New York, he
was told that “the black gentleman” would have to leave.
“Under the circumstances,” said Joe, “the band would not
be able to play.” It was only when the manager saw them
actually packing up their instruments that he allowed
Allen to stay. 20
Thus we have the beginnings of an anomaly. Marsala,
as I mentioned earlier, stayed at the Hickory House
for eleven years, so he had to be doing something right,
and even a cursory glance at the musicians on his many
recordings will show that he did indeed have top talent
in his band: besides his brother Marty, Joe’s trumpeters
included Bill Coleman, Benny Carter, Max Kaminsky, and
Bobby Hackett (and later, one session with Dizzy Gillespie)
and his drummers included George Wettling, Buddy
Rich, Shelly Manne, Dave Tough, and Zutty Singleton. Like
Benny Goodman, Marsala was a pioneer in the integration
of live jazz, but Benny got all the credit while Marsala did
even more. But in a way, this revolving door of stars made
the Marsala band look like a temporary haven for these
musicians to hang out and play good jazz until something
better came along, for none of them stayed very long.
And there was another problem. Marsala insisted on
always playing quality music, whether swing or streamlined
New Orleans style, and he never condescended to
record any pop tunes of the day—thus he never had any
hit records. Without hit records, no one but hardcore jazz
collectors—who even then only represented a small percentage
of the population—were going to buy his records,
and none of them would be played on the radio (except by
real jazz DJs like Ralph Berton). 21 Marsala’s band recorded
for Vocalion and, for two or three years, for Decca, but most
of the time they had to make do with small indie labels
like General Records, known almost exclusively for having
19 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 3.
20 Atteberry, “The Sweethearts of Swing,” 4.
21 Ralph Berton was an educator and writer on jazz who developed
and hosted the WNYC radio program Jazz University of the Air.
For more information, see “Ralph Berton is Dead; Jazz Teacher was
82,” New York Times, November 24, 1993, 18, https://www.nytimes.
com/1993/11/24/obituaries/ralph-berton-is-dead-jazz-teacherwas-82.html.
Toots Thielemans with Adele and Joe on 52nd Street c. 1948,
(William P. Gottlieb, photo),
Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/gottlieb.11251/.
made Jelly Roll Morton’s last recordings. Most people who
are not Joe Marsala fans don’t even know that he did record
for General. Later on, he recorded on the Black & White and
Musicraft labels, neither one with good distribution. When
his Decca recording of Twelve Bar Stampede/Feather
Bed Lament was issued in England, his name didn’t even
appear on the label. Instead, the session was credited to
British-born jazz critic Leonard Feather because he had
written those tunes. Add to that the fact that the Marsala
band never toured but only played in New York and mostly
at the Hickory House, and you have a recipe for a modest,
solid income but nothing approaching stardom. At one
point, from 1939 to 1941, Marsala expanded his group to
nine pieces, scored like a big band to take advantage of the
swing jazz orchestra craze of the time. But nine pieces—in
which there was only one trumpet (his brother Marty)
and no trombones—weren’t going to bowl anyone over,
especially (again) with not a single hit record to their credit.
Ironically, Marsala received what was possibly his widest
exposure as an occasional guest on Eddie Condon’s traditional
jazz radio broadcasts beginning in 1943, first from
Town Hall and then, from 1945 onward, from Eddie’s own
nightclub, Condon’s.
Though Marsala was known as a traditionalist, his
musical curiosity extended briefly into the bebop era. In
1945 he recorded two sessions with the very advanced
bop guitarist Chuck Wayne, and in the first of these he
had Dizzy Gillespie as a guest artist. Yet again, the records
only appealed to the jazz cognoscenti.
By 1949, Marsala had had enough. In an ironic twist of
fate, one of his last recordings was a middle-of-the-road
pop version of “Someone to Watch Over Me,” complete
with a chorus of singers. Although it didn’t make the top
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 21

ten, it was the best-selling record of his career. That’s
when he knew it was time to leave. Also, in addition to his
colitis, Joe had developed an allergy to nickel and had a
constant rash on his hands from the nickel-plated keys
on his instrument, so he decided to stop playing. 22 Instead,
he began writing music, including—of all things—
popular songs, some of which were recorded by Frank
Sinatra and Patti Page. The lifelong, hardcore jazz man
became mainstream at last.
Joe Marsala died at age seventy-one in 1978. Adele
outlived him by fifteen years, dying in 1993 at the age of
eighty. She missed him terribly, but managed to leave us
one last memento of her talent. Clarinetist Bobby Gordon,
who had studied with Joe, made an album of standards
with her in 1991. Although her playing is less energetic
than it had been in her prime, Adele played very well on
it. It was her way of saying both “Thank you” and “Goodbye”
to the man she loved. 23 ■
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn René Bayley was born in
Pennsylvania in 1951 but grew
up in northern New Jersey,
where she graduated from
Seton Hall University in 1972 in
the top quarter of her class. A
lifelong student of music with
a particular interest in classical
music and jazz, she wrote
reviews and articles periodically for various publications,
both regional and national, from 1973 until 2014. In 2016
she decided to start her blog, The Art Music Lounge, as
an outlet for the specific artists and composers she feels
the most empathy for. She moved from New Jersey to
Cincinnati, Ohio in 1977.
22 Trampler, “Don’t Let It End, Part I,” 68.
23 For more on this tribute recording, see Eleisa Marsala Trampler,
“Don’t Let It End, Part II: Bobby Gordon,” Clarinet Vol. 34 Issue 4,
(September 2007): 58–60.
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22 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

SOME RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS
THAT FEATURE ADELE GIRARD:
Audio
1. “Bull’s Eye,” (Adele Gerard [sic]), Joe Marsala
and his Orchestra, Decca (68854) 3715 A, 1941,
https://archive.org/details/78_bulls-eye_joemarsala-and-his-orchestra-adele-gerard_
gbia0160604a.
2. “Slow Down,” (Redd Evans), Joe Marsala and
his Orchestra, Decca (68857) 3715 B, 1941,
https://archive.org/details/78_slow-down_joemarsala-and-his-orchestra-redd-evans_
gbia0160604b.
3. “With a Twist of the Wrist,” Joe Marsala, clarinet;
Adele Girard, harp; Carmen Mastren, guitar;
Dave Tough, drums, February, 1941, https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ribsGZH9pAc.
4. “Solid Geometry for Squares (Joe Marsala)
Aircheck, 1941, https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ESNWOuMdWW0.
5. “Soft Winds,” Aircheck, June 18, 1941, https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOtCDhTJCJ4.
6. “Joe-Joe Jump,” (Joe Marsala), Joe Marsala
and his Orchestra; Joe Marsala, clarinet; Joe
Thomas, trumpet; Charlie Queener, piano,
Chuck Wayne, guitar, Irv Lang, bass; Buddy
Christian, drums, Adele Girard, harp. Black
& White (BW39) 1202 A, 1944, https://archive.
org/details/78_joe-joe-jump_joe-marsala-hisorchestra-joe-marsala-joe-thomas-charliequeener-chu_gbia0104566a.
7. “Zero Hour,” (Chuck Wayne), Joe Marsala
and his Orchestra; Joe Marsala, clarinet; Joe
Thomas, trumpet; Charlie Queener, piano,
Chuck Wayne, guitar, Irv Lang, bass; Buddy
Christian, drums, Adele Girard, harp. Black &
White (BW38) 1201 B, 1944, https://archive.org/
details/78_zero-hour_joe-marsala-his-orchestra-joe-marsala-joe-thomas-charlie-queenerchuck_gbia0262745b.
8. “Slightly Dizzy,” (Chuck Wayne), Joe Marsala
Septet Featuring Adele Girard at the Harp;
Joe Marsala, clarinet; Marty Marsala, trumpet;
Chuck Wayne, guitar; Di Novi, piano; Clyde
Lombardi, bass; Buddy Christian, drums,
Musicraft (5348) 344-B, https://archive.org/
details/78_slightly-dizzy_joe-marsala-septet-adele-girard-joe-marsala-marty-marsalachuck-wayn_gbia0072101b.
9. “Gotta Be This or That,” (Sunny Skylar), Joe
Marsala Septet Featuring Adele Girard at the
Harp; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Sid Weiss, bass,
Charlie Queener, piano; Howard Christian, Jr.,
drums, Musicraft (5287) 328 A, 1945, https://archive.org/details/78_gotta-be-this-or-that_joemarsala-septet-adele-girard-sunny-skylar-joemarsala-chuc_gbia0005573b.
10. “Southern Comfort,” (Wayne; Marsala; Doraine),
Joe Marsala Septet Featuring Adele Girard at
the Harp; Chuck Wayne, guitar; Sid Weiss, bass,
Charlie Queener, piano; Howard Christian, Jr.,
drums, Musicraft (5284) 328 B, 1945, https://
archive.org/details/78_southern-comfort_joemarsala-septet-adele-girard-chuck-wayne-joemarsala-joe-thomas_gbia7034965b.
Video*
1. “Harp Boogie,” (Adele Girard), (Soundies
Featurettes #1251), The Adele Girard Trio with
Rusha Holden, catalog number 25101, August
12, 1946, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-
NtkSzow0FY.
2. “Millenium Jump,” (Soundies Featurette #1253),
(Joe Marsala, clarinet; Quentin Thompson,
trumpet; Adele Girard, harp; Lou Bredice,
piano; Judy Bakay, dancer), catalog number
25303, August 26, 1946, https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=4ZAT3BGL8zs&t=33s.
3. Guest appearance on Tommy and Jimmy
Dorsey’s television program Stage Show,
part I, broadcast 1956 or 1957, https://fb.watch/
oASs7qDGHi/.
4. Stage Show broadcast part II, https://fb.watch/
oAStcdreZc/.
*For information on filmed performances of Joe Marsala
and Adele Girard, please see Mark Cantor, “Joe Marsala
and His Orchestra, Featuring Adele Girard,” on the
website Celluloid Improvisations, 2023.
https://www.jazz-on-film.com/joe-marsala-and-hisorchestra/
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 23

Casper Reardon: A Comprehensive Discography
by Peter Mintun and Emily Laurance
Editor’s note: this discography is the first of two items on
Casper Reardon (1907–1941) we will be publishing in the
Journal that reflect new research on this jazz harp pioneer.
The second item, which will appear in the Summer 2024
issue, will be an article on Reardon’s stylistic and collaborative
relationship with the composer Dana Suesse. Both
items lean heavily on the work of pianist and researcher
Peter Mintun. In 1995 Mr. Mintun discovered a cache of
original Casper Reardon recordings hidden in a family
member’s closet for many decades. Mr. Mintun documented
and recorded the discs. The owner wanted the collection
to go to an appropriate library, so in 2011 Mr. Mintun
arranged for Michael Feinstein (founder of the Great
American Songbook Foundation) to buy the collection. For
Mr. Feinstein, a determining factor was that the collection
contained a major treasure, a previously unknown recording
of George Gershwin from 1934. In an effort to bring this
new information to the attention of more harpists and
harp researchers, Mr. Mintun and I have collaborated on
the following discography. We have aimed to make it as
comprehensive as possible, covering the span of Reardon’s
too-brief recording career as a jazz performer.
1931–1933
[Reardon, Casper, harp]. “I’m Thru with Love,” (Gus Kahn, Matty Malneck, and Fud Livingston) and “Shake That Thing,”
(Papa Charlie Jackson). July 21, 1931. Columbia test pressing W176248-1. 78 rpm. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter
Mintun, December 3, 2023. 2:30. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/im-thru-with-love-and-shake-that-thing?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Accompaniment for Beginners’ Tap: Lesson 1 (Soft Shoe Routine).” February 13, 1933. RCA-Victor
(24288) [75227-1]. Issued with printed dance step chart. 78 rpm. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2017.
2:40. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/accompaniment-for-beginners?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano, with Edna Holt, tap dancer. “Tap Dance Routine No. 1: Beginners’ Tap” (arranged by Edna Holt)
[“Keep a Song in Your Soul” (Thomas “Fats” Waller and Alex Hill)]. February 15, 1933. RCA-Victor (24288) [75226-1]. Issued
with printed dance step chart. 78 rpm. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2017. 3:36. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/tap-dance-routine-no-1?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano, with Edna Holt, tap dancer. “Tap Dance Routine No. 5: Advanced Tap” (arranged by Edna Holt).
February 15, 1933. RCA-Victor (24292) [75234]. Issued with printed dance step chart. SoundCloud audio. Posted by
Peter Mintun, ca. 2017. 78 rpm, 128 kbps mp3, and 64 kbps opus formats. 2:48. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/
tap-dance-routine-no-5?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Accompaniment for Beginners’ Soft Shoe, Lesson No. 2” (C. Reardon). February 15, 1933. RCA-Victor
(24289). Issued with printed dance step chart. 78 rpm. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2017. 1:58.
https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/accompaniment-for-beginners-2?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Accompaniment for Advanced Tap, No. 5” (C. Reardon). February 15, 1933. RCA-Victor (24292)
[75234]. Issued with printed dance step chart. 78 rpm. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2017. 2:04.
https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/accompaniment-for-advanced-tap?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Piano solo for tap accompaniment” [“I’m Getting Myself Ready For You” (Cole Porter)]. February
15, 1933. RCA-Victor [75232-1]. 78 rpm. Unissued.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Piano solo for tap accompaniment” [“My One and Only” (George and Ira Gershwin)]. February 15,
1933. RCA-Victor [75233-1] 78 rpm. Unissued.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Piano solo for tap accompaniment” [“Loveless Love” (W.C. Handy)]. February 15, 1933. RCA-Victor
[75234-1] 78 rpm. Unissued.
Reardon, Casper, piano, with Edna Holt, tap dancer. “Tap Dance Routine No. 2: Beginners’ Soft Shoe” [“Please” (Ralph
Rainger and Leo Robin)]. February 15, 1933. RCA-Victor (24289) [75230]. 78 rpm issued with printed dance step chart.
SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2017. 3:10. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/tap-dance-routineno-2?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
24 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Reardon, Casper, piano, with Edna Holt, tap dancer. “Tap Dance Routine No.
6 Professional” [“I Got Rhythm” (George and Ira Gershwin)]. March 16,
1933. RCA-Victor (24293) [75533-1]. 78 rpm issued with printed dance step
chart. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2017. 2:51. https://
soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/tap-dance-routine-no-6?in=petermintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Accompaniment for Professional Routine Lesson
No. 6.” March 16, 1933. RCA-Victor (24293) [75236]. 78 rpm issued
with printed dance step chart. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter
Mintun, ca. 2017. 1:54. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/accompaniment-for-professional?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano, with Edna Holt, tap dancer. “Tap Dance Routine No.
4: Beginners’ Advanced Tap” [“Where’s That Rainbow?” (Richard Rodgers
and Lorenz Hart)]. March 20, 1933. RCA-Victor (24291) [75544-1]. 78
rpm issued with printed dance step chart. SoundCloud audio posted by
Peter Mintun, ca. 2017. 3:07. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/tapdance-routine-no-4?in=peter-mintun/sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
Reardon, Casper, piano. “Accompaniment for Beginner’s Advanced Tap, Lesson No. 4” (C. Reardon). March 20, 1933.
RCA-Victor (24291) [75544-1]. 78 rpm issued with printed dance step chart. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter
Mintun, ca. 2017. 2:33. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/accompaniment-for-beginners-1?in=peter-mintun/
sets/1933-casper-reardon-piano.
1934–35
Gershwin, George, piano, Casper Reardon, harp, Trudy Thomas, vocals, Don Wilson, announcer, and the Louis Katzman
Orchestra. Music by Gershwin (WJZ/NBC radio series). Reardon heard on opening announcement [“The Man I Love”
and “My Cousin in Milwaukee” (George and Ira Gershwin)]. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Broadcast Producers. April
9, 1934. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2012. 14:57. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/sets/music-by-gershwin-radio.
Jack Teagarden and his Orchestra [Jack Teagarden, leader and trombone; Charlie Teagarden, trumpet; Benny Goodman,
clarinet; Frankie Trumbauer, C-melody saxophone; Casper Reardon, harp; Terry Shand, piano; Art Miller, string bass;
Herb Quigley, drums]. “Junk Man” (Joseph Meyer and Frank Loesser). September 18, 1934. Brunswick (7652) [B15938].
78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, April 22, 2021. 3:12. https://archive.org/details/78_junk-man_jack-teagarden-and-his-orchestra-loesser-meyer_gbia0277526a.
Jack Teagarden and his Orchestra [Jack Teagarden, leader, trombone, and vocal; Charlie Teagarden, trumpet; Benny
Goodman, clarinet; Frankie Trumbauer, C-melody saxophone; Casper Reardon, harp; Terry Shand, piano; Art Miller,
string bass; Herb Quigley, drums]. “Stars Fell on Alabama,” (Frank Perkins and Mitchell Parrish). September 18, 1934.
78 rpm. YouTube video posted by Brian’s 78’s, August 17, 2022. 3:05. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P43d2GSSa6o.
Jack Teagarden and his Orchestra [Jack Teagarden, leader, trombone, and vocal; Charlie Teagarden, trumpet; Benny
Goodman, clarinet; Frankie Trumbauer, C-melody saxophone; Casper Reardon, harp; Terry Shand, piano; Art Miller,
string bass; Herb Quigley, drums]. “Your Guess is Just as Good as Mine,” (Maurice Sigler, Al Goodhart, and Al Hoffman).
September 18, 1934. 78 rpm. YouTube video posted by Brian’s 78’s, August 17, 2022. 2:49. https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=AXvFhLmMVXU
Paul Whiteman and his Concert Orch. with the composer at the piano [Paul Whiteman, director; Dana Suesse, piano;
Bunny Berigan, Harry Goldfield, Eddie Wade, trumpets; Jack Fulton, Vincent Grande, Bill Rank, trombones; Bennie
Bonacio, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone; John Cordaro, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone
saxophone; Frank Trumbauer, clarinet, alto saxophone, C-melody saxophone; Charles Strickfaden, clarinet, alto
saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, oboe; Kurt Dieterle, Matt Malneck, Mischa Russell, Harry Struble,
violins; Roy Bargy, Ramona Davies, pianos; Mike Pingitore, banjo, guitar; Norman McPherson, brass bass; Art Miller,
string bass; Casper Reardon, harp; Herman Fink, Chet Martin, drums]. Blue Moonlight (Dana Suesse). December 14,
1934. RCA-Victor (36159) [86458-1]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, June 7, 2020. 4:41. https://archive.
org/details/78_blue-moonlight_paul-whiteman-and-his-concert-orch-dana-suesse_gbia0199981b.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 25

Reardon, Casper, harp with orchestra, unidentified hostess. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach)
and “My Cousin in Milwaukee” (George and Ira Gershwin). N.d., ca. 1933–34. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Broadcast
Producers of N.Y., Inc. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 4:52. https://soundcloud.
com/peter-mintun/casper-reardon-smoke-gets-in-your-eyesmy-cousin-in-milwaukee?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Cooper, Jerry, vocal; Casper Reardon, harp; the Freddie Rich Orchestra. “Love, Here is My Heart” (Lao Silésu and Adrian
Ross); Waltz Medley: “Zigeuner” (Noel Coward); ”The Touch of Your Hand” (Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach); and
“Loveless Love” (W.C. Handy). Roadways of Romance (1 hr. Weekly broadcast). 1935. 78 rpm acetate air check. Sound-
Cloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 5:08. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/broadways-of-romance-jerry-cooper-casper-reardon?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, harp, with Studio Orch. “Junk Man” (Joseph Meyer and Frank Loesser). Modern Minstrels (WABC radio
series). May 18, 1935. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Broadcast Producers of N.Y., Inc. SoundCloud audio posted by
Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 4:20. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/junk-man-unidentified-orchestra-modern-minstrels-5181935?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, harp, and Orchestra. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach) and “Honeysuckle
Rose” (Thomas “Fats” Waller and Andy Razaf). Penthouse Party (WABC radio series). 78 rpm acetate aircheck.
NYC: Airtone Recording Studio. September 15, 1935. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023.
4:37. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/penthouse-party-smoke-gets-in-your-eyes-honeysuckle-rose?in=petermintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, with ensemble [Claude Thornhill, piano; Fredric Fradkin and Harry Hoffman, violins; Charles Spivak,
trumpet; Art Shaw, clarinet; Dick McDonough, guitar; Casper Reardon, harp; Eva Taylor, vocal; Austen Croom-Johnson,
announcer]. Reardon heard on Theme [“Soft Lights and Sweet Music” (Irving Berlin)]; “Honeysuckle Rose”
(Thomas “Fats” Waller and Andy Razaf); “Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me).” Soft Lights & Sweet Music (WJZ/NBC
radio series). September 22, 1935. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: National Recording Co. SoundCloud audio posted by
Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 12:43. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/soft-lights-and-sweet-music-part-1?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, with ensemble [Claude Thornhill, piano; Fredric Fradkin and Harry Hoffman, violins; Charles Spivak,
trumpet; Art Shaw, clarinet; Dick McDonough, guitar; Casper Reardon, harp; Eva Taylor, vocal; Austen Croom-Johnson,
announcer]. Reardon heard on “Whispering” (John and Malvin Schonberger) and “Isn’t It A Pity?” (George and
Ira Gershwin). Soft Lights & Sweet Music (WJZ/NBC radio series). September 22, 1935. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC:
National Recording Co. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 10:57. https://soundcloud.com/
peter-mintun/soft-lights-sweet-music-2-japanese-sandman-a-fountain-in-havana-snowfall-3-whispering-4isnt-it-apitymighty-lak-a-rose?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, with ensemble [Claude Thornhill, piano; Fredric Fradkin and Harry Hoffman, violins; Charles Spivak,
trumpet; Art Shaw, clarinet; Dick McDonough, guitar; Casper Reardon, harp; Eva Taylor, vocal; Austen Croom-Johnson,
announcer]. Reardon heard on “Caprice Viennois” (Fritz Kreisler) and closing theme [“Soft Lights and Sweet
Music” (Irving Berlin)]. Soft Lights & Sweet Music (WJZ/NBC radio series). September 22, 1935. 78 rpm acetate aircheck.
NYC: National Recording Co. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 6:00. https://
soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/soft-lights-sweet-music-3-1-caprice-vienois-2-smoke-rings?in=peter-mintun/sets/
unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, harp, with orchestra. “Star Dust” (Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parrish); and “Lazy Bones” (Hoagy
Carmichael and Johnny Mercer). Lois Long Program (WABC radio series). October 15, 1935. 78 rpm acetate aircheck.
NYC: Airtone Recording Studio. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, ca. 2016. 4:46. https://soundcloud.com/
peter-mintun/casper-reardon-on-lois-long-program-star-dustlazy-bones-10-15-35.
1936–37
Casper Reardon, His Harp & His Orchestra. “In a Sentimental Mood” (Edward “Duke” Ellington, Manny Kurtz, and Irving
Mills). Ca. April 23, 1936. Liberty Music Shop (L 193) [P19094]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, September
7, 2019. 3:24. https://archive.org/details/78_in-a-sentimental-mood_casper-reardon-his-harp-and-his-orchestra-ellington-mills_gbia0154046a.
Casper Reardon, His Harp & His Orchestra “Tormented” (Will Hudson). Ca. April 23, 1936. Test Pressing [P19095-1]. September
7, 2019. 78 rpm. 2:54.
26 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Casper Reardon, His Harp & His Orchestra. “Tormented” (Will Hudson). Ca. April 23, 1936. Liberty Music Shop (L 193)
[P19095]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, September 7, 2019. 2:54. https://archive.org/details/78_tormented_casper-reardon-his-harp-and-his-orchestra-will-hudson_gbia0154046b.
Reardon, Casper, harp, with Robert Emmett Dolan Orchestra and Frank Fay, host. “Honeysuckle Rose” (Thomas “Fats”
Waller and Andy Razaf) and “Sittin’ in the Sand a Sunnin” (Ted Shapiro, Sammy Lerner, and Laurie Lawrence). Royal
Gelatin Broadcast (WJZ/NBC radio series). July 3, 1936. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter
Mintun, December 3, 2023. 8:27. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/frank-fay-ii-honeysuckle-rose-sittin-in-thesand-a-sunnin?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, harp, with Bunny Berigan Band and Paul Douglas, announcer. “In a Sentimental Mood,” (Edward
“Duke” Ellington, Manny Kurtz, and Irving Mills). [Also includes Bunny Berigan Band, “You Can’t Pull the Wool Over
My Eyes” (Milton Ager, Charles Newman, and Murray Mencher) and “China Boy” (Phil Boutelje and Dick Winfree.)]
Saturday Night Swing Club (CBS radio series). July 18, 1936. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Universal Recording Company,
Inc. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 9:46. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/
saturday-night-swing-club-july-18-1936-1-you-cant-pull-the-wool-2-in-a-sentimental-mood?in=peter-mintun/sets/
unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, harp with Bunny Berigan Band, Lee Wiley, vocal and Paul Douglas, announcer. “Georgia on My Mind”
(Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell). [Also includes Bunny Berigan Band, “Oh, Lady Be Good!” (George and Ira
Gershwin.)] Saturday Night Swing Club (CBS radio series). July 18, 1936. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Universal
Recording Company, Inc. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 4:52. https://soundcloud.
com/peter-mintun/saturday-night-swing-club-georgia-on-my-mind-oh-lady-be-good?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Casper Reardon, His Harp & His Orchestra. “Summertime” (George Gershwin & Dubose Heyward). Ca. September 19, 1936.
Liberty Music Shop (L-199) [P19911-1]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, December 19, 2021. 2:52. https://
archive.org/details/78_summertime_casper-reardon-his-harp-and-his-orchestra-heyward-gershwin_gbia0383891a.
Casper Reardon, His Harp & His Orchestra; Raie Giersdorf, vocal. “(If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have To Swing It” (Sam
Coslow). Ca. September 19, 1936. Liberty Music Shop (L-199) [P19912-2]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej,
December 19, 2021. 3:18. https://archive.org/details/78_if-you-cant-sing-it-youll-have-to-swing-it_casper-reardon-hisharp-and-his-orch_gbia0383891b.
The Three T’s (Jack Teagarden, trombone and vocal; Charlie Teagarden, trumpet; Frankie Trumbauer, C-melody saxophone;
with Casper Reardon, harp). The Three T’s: “Live” from the Hickory House. WEAF. December 4, 1936. Includes
“Singin’ the Blues” (J. Russel Robinson, Con Conrad, Sam M. Lewis, and Joe Young); “Basin Street Blues” (Spencer
Williams); “You Turned the Tables on Me” (Louis Alter and Sidney D. Mitchell); “You Took Advantage of Me” (Richard
Rodgers and Lorenz Hart); “Tea for Two” (Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar); and “Oh, Lady Be Good!” (George and
Ira Gershwin). Tracks 1–4 released on Jazz Oracle (BDW 8056). 2007. Compact disc. 9:31.
Casper Reardon, His Harp & His Orchestra. “Washboard Blues” (Hoagy Carmichael, Fred B. Callahan, and Irving Mills). Ca.
May 10, 1937. Liberty Music Shop (L 218) [P21115-2]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, April 18, 2022. 2:40.
https://archive.org/details/78_washboard-blues_casper-reardon-and-his-group-callahan-carmichael_gbia0424594a.
Casper Reardon and His Group [Tony Tortomas, trumpet; Jimmy Lytell and Henry Wade, clarinets; Casper Reardon, harp;
Mack Shopnick, string bass; Herb Quigley, drums; unknown, vibraphone]. “What is This Thing Called Love,” (Cole
Porter). Ca. May 10, 1937. Liberty Music Shop (L 218) [P21116-1]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, February
16, 2017. 3:02. https://archive.org/details/78_what-is-this-thing-called-love_casper-reardon-and-his-group-cole-porter_gbia0001159b.
Casper Reardon and His Orchestra [Lou Raderman, director; Charlie Spivak, Ruby Weinstein, Russ Case, trumpets; Andy
Russo, Lloyd Turner, trombones; Paul Ricci, clarinet; Arnold Brilhart, Joe Usifer, alto saxophones; Rudolph Adler,
clarinet, alto saxophone; Harry Bluestone, Sam Korman, Benny Schmidt, Harry Hammer, violins; Dave Stirkin, viola;
Casper Reardon, harp; Max Raderman, piano; Ned Cole, guitar; Artie Bernstein, string bass; Sammy Weiss, drums;
Franklyn Marks, arranger]. “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (Thomas “Fats” Waller, Andy Razaf, and Harry Brooks). Recorded May 18,
1937. Master (MA 133) [M476]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, October 25, 2018. 2:51. https://archive.org/
details/78_aint-misbehavin_casper-reardon-and-his-orchestra-razaf-waller-brooks-harper_gbia0075561a.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 27

Casper Reardon and His Orchestra. “In a Sentimental Mood” (Edward “Duke” Ellington, Manny Kurtz, and Irving Mills).
Recorded May 18, 1937. Master (MA 133) [M477]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, October 25, 2018.
3:04. https://archive.org/details/78_in-a-sentimental-mood_casper-reardon-and-his-orchestra-mills-kurtz-ellington_
gbia0075561b.
Casper Reardon & Universal Orchestra. “Junk Man” (Joseph Meyer and Frank Loesser); “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (Thomas “Fats”
Waller, Andy Razaf, and Harry Brooks); and “St. Louis Blues” (W.C. Handy). Recorded October 9, 1937 for the film
You’re a Sweetheart. Universal Pictures, 1937. 78 rpm. YouTube video posted by PETER, June 24, 2009. 4:33. https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnP9aB5Cdng.
Casper Reardon & Universal Orchestra. “St. Louis Blues” (W.C. Handy), Take 3. Recorded October 9, 1937 for the film You’re
a Sweetheart. Universal Pictures, 1937. Cellutone Record, Los Angeles, CA. 78 rpm. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter
Mintun, December 3, 2023. 1:31. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/st-louis-blues-take-3?in=peter-mintun/sets/
unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
1939–1940
Frank Black Orchestra with Casper Reardon, harp. “Shake that Thing” (Papa Charlie Jackson); “The Touch of Your Hand
(Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach); “Three Little Words” (Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby). Magic Key Program (WJZ/NBC
radio series). April 14, 1939. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Harrison Recording Studios, Inc. SoundCloud audio posted
by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 4:49. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/magic-key-program-1-shake-thatthing-2-the-touch-of-your-hand-3-three-little-words?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Frank Black Orchestra with Casper Reardon, harp. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach); “It Ain’t
Right” (Joseph Meyer and Bob Rothberg); “Honeysuckle Rose” (Thomas “Fats” Waller and Andy Razaf). Magic Key
Program (WJZ/NBC radio series). April 14, 1939. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Harrison Recording Studios, Inc.
SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 7:58. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/magickey-program-4-14-1939-1?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, harp. “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (Thomas “Fats” Waller, Andy Razaf, and Harry Brooks). Saturday Night Swing
Club (CBS radio series). Broadcast No. 49. June 12, 1939. Jazz Unlimited, 2007. (2 CDs). 2:52.
Hines, June, host, with Casper Reardon, harp and guest Dorothy Rodgers. Let’s Talk It Over (WEAF radio series). Includes
“I Married an Angel” (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart); and “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love” (Jimmy McHugh
and Dorothy Fields). June 14, 1939. 78 rpm acetate aircheck. NYC: Advertisers Recording Service, Inc. SoundCloud
audio posted by Peter Mintun, December 3, 2023. 7:10. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/lets-talk-it-over-junehines-6?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Casper Reardon and His Orchestra. “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love” (Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields). February
5, 1940. Schirmer (511 A). 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, December 18, 2021. 2:42. https://archive.org/
details/78_i-cant-give-you-anything-but-love_casper-reardon-and-his-orchestra-fields-mchugh_gbia0383819a
Casper Reardon and His Orchestra; Loulie Jean [Norman], vocal. “Easy to Love” (Cole Porter). February 5, 1940. Schirmer
(511 B). 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, December 20, 2021. 3:07. https://archive.org/details/78_easy-tolove_casper-reardon-and-his-orchestra-loulie-jean-cole-porter_gbia0383819b.
Casper Reardon and His Orchestra. “I Got Rhythm” (George and Ira Gershwin). February 5, 1940. Schirmer (512A). 78 rpm.
Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, January 17, 2018. 3:13. https://archive.org/details/78_i-got-rhythm_casper-reardon-and-his-orchestra-george-gershwin_gbia0031426a.
Casper Reardon and His Orchestra; Loulie Jean [Norman], vocal. “They Didn’t Believe Me” (Jerome Kern and Herbert
Reynolds). February 5, 1940. Schirmer (512 B). 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, January 17, 2018. 3:17.
https://archive.org/details/78_they-didnt-believe-me_casper-reardon-and-his-orchestra-loulie-jean-reynolds-kern_
gbia0031426b.
Booth, Shirley, vocal and Casper Reardon, harp. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach). Ca. 1940.
Private 78 rpm acetate recording made by Gus Schirmer, Jr. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter Mintun ca. 2017. 3:08.
https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/1940-shirley-booth-casper-reardon-acetate.
Reardon, Casper, harp. Chanson dans la nuit (Carlos Salzedo). Ca. 1940. Schirmer (5507B) [2111-1A]. 78 rpm. SoundCloud
audio posted by Peter Mintun ca. 2012. 3:05. https://soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/chansons-dans-la-nuit-song-in-
?in=user-368321857/sets/casper-reardon-2.
28 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Reardon, Casper, harp. “En bateau” [from Petite Suite]
(Claude Debussy). Ca. 1940. Schirmer (5507A) [2085-
1A]. 78 rpm. SoundCloud audio posted by Peter
Mintun, December 3, 2023. 4:01 https://soundcloud.
com/peter-mintun/en-bateau-from-petite-suite-
1?in=peter-mintun/sets/unissued-casper-reardon-1931-1940.
Reardon, Casper, harp. “En bateau” [from Petite Suite]
(Claude Debussy). Ca. 1940. Schirmer Unissued Take 2
[2085-2]. 4:08.
Reardon, Casper, harp. “En bateau” [from Petite Suite]
(Claude Debussy) (Incomplete). Ca. 1940. Schirmer
Unissued Take 5 [2085-5]. 2:45.
Reardon, Casper, harp; Chauncey Morehouse, Percussion;
Dana Suesse, piano. Young Man with a Harp: (1st
Mov’t-Processional-Thebes, 1300 B.C.) (Dana Suesse).
Ca. April 12, 1940. Schirmer [2024-1]. 78 rpm. Internet
Archive audio posted by jakej, December 21, 2021.
3:57. https://archive.org/details/78_young-man-witha-harp_casper-reardon-dana-suesse-c-morehouse_
gbia0385334a.
Reardon, Casper, harp; Dana Suesse, piano. Young Man
with a Harp: (2nd Mov’t-Evensong-Ireland, 1300 A.D.)
(Dana Suesse). Ca. April 12, 1940. Schirmer (2525 B)
[2027-4]. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted by
jakej, December 21, 2021. 3:47. https://archive.org/details/78_young-man-with-a-harp_casper-reardon-dana-suesse_gbia0385334b.
Reardon, Casper, harp; Chauncey Morehouse, Percussion;
Dana Suesse, piano. Young Man with a Harp: (3rd
Mov’t-20th Century Madrigal-Part 1) (Dana Suesse).
Ca. April 12, 1940. Schirmer (2526 A) [2025-4]. 78 rpm.
Internet Archive audio posted by jakej, December 19,
2021. 3:32. https://archive.org/details/78_young-manwith-a-harp_casper-reardon-dana-suesse-c-morehouse_gbia0385335a.
Reardon, Casper, harp; Chauncey Morehouse, Percussion;
Dana Suesse, piano. Young Man with a Harp: (3rd
Mov’t-20th Century Madrigal-Part 2) (Dana Suesse).
Ca. April 12, 1940. 78 rpm. Internet Archive audio posted
by jakej, December 20, 2021. 3:44. https://archive.
org/details/78_young-man-with-a-harp_casper-reardon-dana-suesse-c-morehouse_gbia0385335b.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Peter Mintun is one of today’s
leading interpreters of early
twentieth-century popular music.
Mintun held long engagements
at San Francisco’s Huntington
Hotel, Hotel Fairmont, and for
seven years in New York in
Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle.
As literary executor for composer
Dana Suesse (1909–1987) Mintun archived her papers, now
available at the Library of Congress. He is editor and author
of Dana Suesse: Jazz Nocturne (Dover, 2013). In 1998, Mintun
participated in the Gershwin Centennial symposium at the
Library of Congress, and has performed at New York’s Film
Forum, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, the National Arts Club,
Museum of The City of New York, and Museum of Modern
Art. He is author of arrangements for Steinway & Sons’ Piano
Stylings of the Great Standards Vol. V (Ekay Music, 2005),
Novelty Masterpieces of the Gershwin Era (Dover, 2014). His
piano can be heard on Boardwalk Empire (HBO 2010).
[www.petermintun.com]
Harpist and musicologist Emily
Laurance serves as editor of the
American Harp Journal. She
performs frequently with many
Northeast Ohio ensembles and
teaches music history at the
Oberlin Conservatory. A Detroit
native, she grew up studying
harp with Jill Bailiff, and holds
degrees from Oberlin and the New England Conservatories,
where she studied with Alice Chalifoux and Ann Hobson
Pilot. In 2022 she founded the Cleveland Silent Film Festival,
dedicated to presenting classics of early cinema with the
most renowned musicians specializing in the art of silent
film accompaniment. She lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio,
with her husband, the music critic Kevin McLaughlin.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 29

The Camac Hydraulic Harp: A Revolutionary
Concept in Harp Design from France
By Mario Falcao and David Dunn
First published in the American Harp Journal 11, no. 1 (Summer 1987).
Editor’s note: this reprint documents the rationale and
technology behind an experimental hydraulic design developed
by harp builder Joël Garnier. While initial hopes
for the Camac “memory harp” were never realized, this
article documents the innovative thinking and problem
solving strategies of an extraordinary leader in harp design.
The article has been lightly edited for clarity.
Many harpists do not realize that in principle and
practice, the mechanism of the harp has changed only in
small details since Erard’s invention of the double action
in 1810. American makers simplified the linkage, retaining
it all within the brass plates; Victor Salvi introduced
nylon bushings for the action-spindle, obviating the
necessity to drill a precise tapered hole in the brass plate;
various makers have experimented with spring-loading
the action-spindles to replace Erard’s rather basic, but
mechanically sound, tension screws. This mechanical
action has many drawbacks. In time it will wear out and
become noisy; as the pedal felts compress, the adjustment
of the regulation is lost and intonation deteriorates.
Having said this, it must be admitted that makers
have brought the harp as we know it to a peak
of perfection and subtlety. There remains now nothing
that can be improved with the current action.
Does this mean that the harp has reached a dead-end
of perfection, or do we want to consider other avenues
that will open the potential of the instrument? If so,
the entire mechanism must be rethought. Any change
in the mode of operation of the pedals and the way in
which they communicate with the action means that
the action must be completely re-designed, because
the energy required to hold the strings in natural and
sharp sufficiently tightly to produce a good sound can
only be achieved by mechanical or hydraulic means.
(Experiments with electric motors have failed.)
In light of this “state of perfection,” any radical changes
made to the harp must have very good musical reasons.
Two main musical problems inherent in the instrument
come to the fore. First, while standards of intonation
have changed dramatically, there is little to be done to
improve the intonation of present instruments. Second,
the expansion of chromatic language in music has made
obvious to both the harpist and composer the limitations
of the current chromatic possibilities of the harp.
In France, Joël Garnier and Jacques Rousseau of
Camac harps have been working with a hydraulic action
harp which they hope will provide this alternative.
Ten years ago Camac was a small instrument factory
making guitars, amplifiers, accessories and traditional
instruments. The advent of Alain Stivell led to a market
for folk harps which Garnier, then in charge of marketing,
decided to fill. There were problems at the outset.
Solving these problems brought him into contact with
harpists and their needs; he became so interested that
from then on he took a more active interest in the
manufacturing side of the business. At that time the
majority of folk harps in use in France were of Japanese
origin. After a period of four years Camac had won this
market for themselves. The success of his small harps
prompted many harpists to encourage Garnier to build
a pedal harp. A visit to Chicago to secure the French
representation for Venus Harps convinced him that a
big harp was not as impossible to make as he had at
first thought. Steadily increasing sales for the American
instruments only confirmed that there was a market for
a French-made pedal harp. But he would not be content
with simply producing yet another harp in the mold
of the others; he wanted to improve the instrument.
It seemed logical to consult the harpists as to what
they wanted, so a questionnaire was sent out. The
result of the questionnaire was helpful in constructing
a proposal which he submitted to the French
Ministry of Industry. Financial support was offered
and the work started. The first results were discouraging.
He found he was able to improve the harp only
in very small details and was unable to better the
price of his already well-established competitors.
His work on the traditional pedal harp brought him
to the conclusion that the only way to improve the
accuracy of intonation (so often requested in the replies
to his questionnaire) was to develop a hydraulic
mechanism. This, with the assistance of Jacques Rousseau’s
engineering design, he was able to do. (The fact
that a hydraulic action may be electronically controlled
opens the possibility for computerization of pedaling.)
30 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

linkage but with a mass of plastic tubes (fig. 2). The
pedals no longer draw a rod through a measured distance,
but simply make or break electro-magnetic
contacts (hence the need for the eighth pedal: electro-magnetic
contacts are either open or closed, and
the speed of the command to the action cannot be
varied by attempting to press the pedal slowly; this can
only be done by changing the “gear,” using the eighth
pedal). Housed in the base of the harp is a silent electric
pump which maintains the pressure of the oil.
Fig. 2: Interior of the action, showing plastic tubes
Fig. 1: The hydraulic harp with music stand and computer. Photo
courtesy of Camac Harps.
As is visible in fig. 1, the hydraulic harp looks more or
less like any other, and indeed, the dimensions of the
instrument are much the same. It has forty-seven strings
of gut and wire and the finger technique is no different.
The pillar can be seen to be somewhat slimmer than
normal and, although not obvious from this picture, the
neck is a little thicker. It is not until one examines the
pedals and the action that any great difference is readily
visible. There are eight pedals, seven of which function
in exactly the same way as the seven pedals of an ordinary
harp. There are slots and notches corresponding
to flat, natural and sharp. The eighth, located between
the B and E, controls the speed of the action—slow,
medium and fast. Looking at the action plate, we find
that there are no discs; instead there are square black
pieces of metal screwed to the plate, two behind each
string, at points where one would normally expect to
find discs. These metallic squares (which in fact house
the action) are present all the way down to low C. The
stationary nuts look somewhat different; they are, in fact,
elliptical and have locking screws facing the observer.
But within this familiar shell, which any harpist may
sit down and play immediately, is a totally new mechanism.
The slender pillar conceals no rods: its veneered
metal tube houses fourteen “arteries” bearing oil under
pressure; the thicker neck is filled not with metal
The Garnier and Rousseau hydraulic system eliminates
turning discs with forks that grip and stretch
the string. Tiny, claw-like pincers shoot out of the black
metal squares and seize the string, as between thumb
and forefinger, at the precise mathematically calculated
distance. With the normal harp mechanism, mathematically
calculated semitone lengths are not sufficient,
because of the element of sharpening added by the
disc’s stretching of the string. The amount of sharpening
this causes is variable, depending on the depth of the
pedal-wrapping—as the pedal wrapping compresses,
the disc turns less. It may still grip the string sufficiently
tightly to produce a good sound, but it cannot stretch it
on a given day as much as it did the day before, because
the felt has compressed. These are minutiæ, to be sure,
but they are totally eliminated from the hydraulic system,
because the tiny “claws” that shoot out and grab the
string have sufficient strength to hold without stretching.
Thus an unvarying accuracy of intonation is assured, and
one of harpists’ greatest sources of insecurity is removed.
The initial reaction to the hydraulic mechanism of
harpists on an international scale was very favorable;
however, their interest lay not simply in the hydraulic
harp, but in the possibility of connecting the control
of the pedals to a computer, which is now possible for
the first time. This created something of a dilemma for
Garnier and his associates. Developing the hydraulic
action had taken years of work and an enormous capital
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 31

investment, but there was, evidently, no market for the
instrument until it was computerized. Completing the
design of the computer took another whole year and
doubled the budget, which grew to two million francs.
The resulting design incorporated a computer housed
in the music stand (fig. 4). There are three different ways
of using this computer. The first (called “mode 1”) bypasses
the computer completely—the instrument functions
exactly as described above. In the second method of
operation (called “mode 2”), control of the seven notename
pedals is shared between the computer and the C
and F pedals. Perhaps this is easiest to explain by taking
a music example. The first page of Tournier’s Etude de
Concert, “Au Matin” has thirteen pedal changes, but it
would need only four changes if it were possible to move
more than two pedals at once (fig. 5). This is exactly
what is possible with the computer. At the start of the
computer program for “Au Matin,” the counter indicator
reads “1,” showing that the harp is set for the first
bars (F major). At bar 5, the F pedal is depressed (and
released again). Four pedal changes occur simultaneously
to give the second pedal diagram, and number “2”
appears on the counter. Similarly, touching the F pedal
at bar 9 puts the harp into F major (counter reading
“3,” registering the fact that this is the third diagram).
The computer is capable of holding the programs of
ninety-nine pieces, or a total of 10,000 different diagrams.
The writing of a program for the pedals of a piece is very
simply done by using the touch-keys at the right hand
side of the control panel. For practice purposes, to go
back one or two more diagrams, one presses the C pedal.
The third method of operation (“mode 3”) acts as
a storehouse for non-sequential pedal diagrams. Frequently
used glissandi, for instance, can be retained in
mode three and produced instantly. Once written, all
these programs can be stored in “memory banks” for
Fig. 4: Computer housed in music stand.
Photo courtesy of Camac Harps.
Fig. 3: The computer control panel
32 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Fig. 5: Marcel Tournier’s Etude de concert (used with permission of the publisher, A. Leduc).
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 33

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future use. The instrument runs on twenty-four volts DC,
which could be supplied by two car batteries if there
is no main supply from which to run the transformer
(housed in a separate unit). The oil for the hydraulic
action is housed in a completely sealed unit requiring
no maintenance or adjustment, which, by its nature, is
not prone to sudden rupture (unlike pedal rods!). Any
problems of such a technical nature are more likely to
give considerable notice of their impending arrival.
In 1984 the first prototype was completed and hesitatingly
revealed at Gargilesse. A second instrument,
incorporating changes requested by harpists, was
presented at Jerusalem in July of 1985 during the Second
World Harp Congress. The “Harpe à mémoire” (as it
is known in France) has provoked an enormous interest
wherever it has been demonstrated and its full potential
is yet to be revealed, as more and more harpists
have the opportunity to get to know it. As it is possible
to move all seven pedals through all three positions
simultaneously, composers are relieved of the worry of
the limitation of the pedals on the present instrument.
The courageous and visionary stance taken by
M. Garnier and his associates could have considerable
implications for all of us—harpists, composers, and
manufacturers in the coming decade. ■
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Mario Falcao was born and
educated in Lisbon, Portugal,
and completed his basic music
studies at the Lisbon Conservatory.
He completed a master’s
degree in harp performance at
the Eastman School of Music on
a Fulbright award, after which
he settled in the US. A prize
winner at the Fifth International
Harp Contest in Israel, he has judged contests in the US, the
UK, France, Japan, Russia, Mexico and Portugal. Falcao has
served as Board Chair of the American Harp Society, was a
founding member of the International World Harp Congress,
and is presently a member of the WHC Board of Directors.
In 2018 Falcao was awarded the American Harp Society’s
Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2022 he received the
Award for Outstanding Service to the World Harp Congress.
As soloist he has played with orchestras in the US, Portugal,
Spain, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Japan. Falcao is
presently Professor Emeritus at SUNY-Fredonia.
The late David Dunn was a founding member of the UK
Harp Association and was active on the editorial board of
Harp magazine.
34 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Sight Reading for a Living
By Catherine Gotthoffer
First published in the American Harp Journal 3, no. 2 (Fall 1971)
Editor’s note: the following is an excerpt from a lecture given
by Ms. Gotthoffer at the American Harp Society National
Conference held at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana,
in June 1971. In it she offers practical advice gleaned
from years of experience working in the motion picture and
television industries. We offer it again to honor the legacy of
a past society leader and commercial music pioneer.
The biggest hurdle the harpist must overcome in
sight reading is to rid oneself of the idea that it can’t
be done. Many of us are doing it every day, and I am
going to try to tell you the method that has been successful
for me. This is just one of many methods and I
urge everyone to discover what works best for them.
I imagine the most radical thing about my sight
reading is that 99% of the time I do not mark any pedals.
My thought process may also be a bit different in
that I always try to find a key signature which will fit
the situation. I use the number of the accidentals rather
than key signature names because, for me, there is a
close relationship between the pedals and their number.
For instance, rather than think Key of E, I think four
sharps which gives a message to my feet that doesn’t
have to be translated. (I think I may have started this
because of the practice of “casual” leaders indicating
the key of the next piece by holding the corresponding
numbers of fingers up for sharp keys and down
for flat keys. My method also coordinates well with the
pedal diagram.) However, I’m sure many people have
feet that will react to Key of E just as mine do to four
sharps. I’m just offering this as something to experiment
with yourself to find out what works best for you.
The first thing to remember about sight reading
is that usually it is not 100% at sight. There
are a few moments while the conductor talks,
someone tunes, etc., and those moments (and
“rest” bars) should be put to good use.
1) Check time and key signatures.
2) Look for repeat signs, dal segnos, da capos,
and coda signs.
3) Look for solo and pianissimo passages. (It is
usually safe to ignore the fortissimo passages
because the trumpets and trombones
will probably be playing too.)
4) Look for changes in key signature and time
signature, especially when the bottom
number changes.
5) Try to ascertain what key the piece is really
in (regardless of key signature) and the subsequent
keys through which it modulates.
6) Look for “booby” traps:
a) Awkward rhythm
b) Fermata and G.P.
c) “Courtesy” accidentals (or lack thereof)
d) Repeated bars which increase in difficulty
with each repeat.
It is especially important for anyone contemplating a
career as a commercial harpist to do some sight reading
at home every day. In theory, an instrumentalist should
be able to read at sight anything he has the ability to
play. I’m not certain this applies to the harp as a solo
instrument, but it certainly does to orchestral playing.
On the following pages are several examples that I
have been asked to sight read.
World Harp Congress
ONE
HARP
WORLD
Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2026
American Harp Society
July 28 - August 3, 2026
ONE HARP WORLD!
TORONTO, CANADA • JULY 28 - AUGUST 3, 2026
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 35

Fig. 1: Use to practice pedal changes while modulating through the following keys:
a. Bar 9—Key of E
b. Bar 10—Key of B
c. Bar 12—Key of D (notice the danger
of no “courtesy accidental” before the
A-natural, the first note of bar 12)
d. Bar 14—Key of C
e. Bar 17—Key of F
f. Bar 19—Key of A
36 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Fig. 2:
1. Use of enharmonics
a. Bar 3 is played with the same notes as bar 4
b. Bar 18 is played enharmonically in the key of E
2. Use to practice pedal changes while
modulating through the following keys:
a. Bar 1—Key of B-flat
b. Bar 3—Key of G
c. Bar 6—Key of C (for pedal purposes
only—really E Minor)
d. Bar 10—Key of D
e. Bar 12—Key of F-sharp
f. Bar 14—Key of E
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 37

Fig. 3: Use to practice pedals through the following sequence of keys, even though it involves changing
pedals unnecessarily:
a. Bar 1—Key of G-flat
b. Bar 5—Key of F
c. Bar 7—Key of E-flat
d. Bar 17—Key of E
e. Bar 20—Key of G
f. Bar 25—Key of D
g. Bar 29—Key of B
h. Bar 52—Key of B-flat
i. Bar 58—Key of G-flat
38 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Example 3 cont.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 39

Fig. 4: “Booby” trap of repeated bars
40 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Fig. 5 is intended as sight reading material for you to try out. It is an example of the florid, romantic writing that used
to dominate motion picture and television film scoring. Notice the awkwardness of the change in notes between the
ascending and descending figures.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 41

Fig. 6 is also for you to sight read and is more representative of the writing going on today. Here the complications lie
more with the pedals than with the fingers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catherine Gotthoffer was a
founding member of the American
Harp Society - Los Angeles
chapter, a two-term national
president of the AHS, Inc., and its
first Lifetime Achievement Award
winner. Her career began with
the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, after which she moved to
Los Angeles to work under contract with MGM. She participated
in the scoring of over 2,000 motion pictures, played
for television dramatic series, and performed for Academy
Award and Grammy presentations. She also served as an
officer for the World Harp Congress and for her American
Federation of Musicians Union local.
42 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

THE 2024 AMERICAN HARP JOURNAL
COLLEGIATE WRITERS AWARD
The American Harp Society is pleased to
invite members of the Society currently
enrolled in accredited collegiate programs
to submit harp-related articles for the
American Harp Journal Collegiate Writers
Award. The award is open to those who
have not previously had work published
in the American Harp Journal. Resubmissions
of previous entries will not be eligible.
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
music history, cultural history, organology,
music theory, ethnomusicology, literary
Helleu, Paul Cesar (1859-1927), Madame Helleu Writing
(Bridgeman Images)
criticism, performance medicine, biography,
or the harp’s role in alternative music.
Articles should present a strong, well-articulated, and fully researched point of view, and
be formatted according to Chicago Manual of Style (notes-bibliography). Creative writing
entries will not be considered.
The winning article will appear in an upcoming issue of the American Harp Journal and
the author will receive a $500.00 cash prize as well as mention in the AHS newsletter
and on the Society’s social media outlets. Articles will be judged anonymously.
See https://www.harpsociety.org/writers-award for full submission guidelines.
Submit articles to the editor at AHJEditor@harpsociety.org
(articles will be judged anonymously)
Submission deadline May 1, 2024.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 43

My Life with the Harp
by Maya Slonim Passer
FAMILY HERITAGE, HARP HERITAGE
Editor’s note: the story of the harp in America is in large
part the story of American immigration, from Louisa
Adams and refugees from the French and Haitian revolutions,
to nineteenth-century Bohemian and Italian
immigrants, to the European professional touring musicians
that arrived at the turn of the twentieth century.
It also includes musicians from the former Soviet Union,
especially Jewish emigres, who began to arrive in the US
in the 1970s, bringing with them the vaunted heritage of
Russian classical music training. Maya Passer’s memoir
gives us the story of one such musical artist, whose
extensive training in the former Soviet Union reflected
the strength of an extensive state-run arts system, and
whose experiences of an authoritarian state ultimately
led her and her family to a new life in the United States.
We wish to thank Cynthia Price-Glynn for bringing Maya’s
story to our attention, as well as the author’s daughter,
Juliette Passer, for editorial assistance.
I was born, grew up, and studied in Ukraine, in the
wonderful city of Kharkiv [Kharkov]. It is a beautiful city,
350 years old, and famous for its cultural traditions and
research institutes. Even in pre-revolutionary Russia it was
believed that if an actor, singer, or musician was successful
in Kharkiv, she could perform successfully anywhere in
the whole country.
My father, the director Peter Slonim, was the founder
of three Kharkiv theaters: Young Spectator, Russian Drama,
and the Puppet Theater; most of all, he devoted his
life to children. Since its founding in 1934 he was artistic
director of the children’s theater at the Palace of Children
and Youth Creativity (originally the Kharkiv Palace of
Pioneers). Combining drama, ballet, choir, and orchestra,
he created unique performances. He raised talented children
with love, giving them sixty-five years of his life. He
lived for 103 years, and was awarded the title of Kharkiv’s
Honorary Citizen; after his death a memorial plaque was
installed on the wall of the Palace of Youth Creativity.
My mother, Bella Glozman-Slonim, worked at the
Kharkiv Puppet Theater for many years. She was its
artistic repertoire supervisor and later the founder and
curator of the theater’s puppet museum. Before each
performance, she would lead guided tours, explaining
each puppet and its unseen puppeteer to visitors.
Mom was a wonderful actress and very beautiful. After
successful screen tests on June 21, 1941, she was to start
filming at the Ukrainian Film Studio, but on June 22, 1941,
the Second World War began. Dad immediately went to the
front, and she was left with me and my twin brothers. The
city was already being bombed. We had to leave urgently.
Anna Y. Gelhrodt, undated photograph.
After the war, having miraculously met-up with my
father, we returned to our hometown. In my pre-war
childhood, I had started to play the violin and also loved
to sing: at the age of three I sang operatic arias to my
mother’s accompaniment. The circle of my interests in
one way or another was connected with music.
I first saw the harp in the movies. I liked both the instrument
and the girl playing it so much that the choice was
made. I became a student of the harp class of Kharkiv’s
Special Music School for Gifted Children where students
took music courses and the regular curriculum through
high school. With this diploma, one could enter any higher
44 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

educational institution, but most of us stayed with music—after
all, the conservatory awaited us! 1 Moreover, fate
had given to Kharkiv harpists a wonderful gift: our teacher
Anna Y. Gelhrodt, harpist at the Opera and Ballet Theater,
who had a special connection to the long line of St. Petersburg
harpists that helped define the Russian harp school.
Gelhrodt first studied harp as a child while at the
Smolny Institute in St. Petersburg, an exclusive school
for girls from aristocratic families, founded by Catherine
II (“the Great”) in 1764. Instrumental music and singing
were important subjects of study here. Catherine donated
a harp to the school, and the first professional Russian
harpists came from the Smolny Institute. One of the first
graduates was Glafira Alymova, a prominent harpist and
later one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting. The famous portrait
of her by Dmitry Levitsky hangs in the State Russian
Museum in St. Petersburg. She was the first in a dynasty
of Russian harpists. The last of them—her great-granddaughter
Ekaterina Alymova, soloist of the Mariinsky Theater
Orchestra—died of starvation during the WWII blockade
of Leningrad, (as St. Petersburg was then called).
an outstanding harpist and composer for the instrument,
to join the faculty. After the death of Zabel, the harp class
passed to his student Ekaterina A. Walter-Kühne. She was
a magnificent harpist, with a brilliant memory, a beautiful
sound, a wonderful technique, and impeccable musicality.
2 The most famous of her students were Ksenia A. Erdeli
and my professor in Kharkiv, Anna Y. Gelhrodt. Through
Gelhrodt, my “harp mother,” I am connected both to
Walter-Kühne (my “harp grandmother”) and Zabel (my
“harp great-grandfather”).
Ekaterina Walter-Kühne (1870-1930), Reissert & Fliege, ca. 1901–1907.
Sibelius Museum Archives.
Dmitry Levitzky (1735–1822), Portrait of Glafira Alymova, 1776.
The portrait is one of the seven portraits of the students
of Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens in St. Petersburg
painted by Levitzky between 1772 and 1776.
In 1862, Anton Rubinstein founded the St. Petersburg
Conservatory and invited Albert H. Zabel from Germany,
All of us who studied with Anna Gelhrodt wanted
to earn her praise. I remember how I dreamed of finding
extraordinary magic gloves, putting them on, and
playing something beautiful and beloved for her. Anna
had absorbed the whole philosophy of her teacher and
while she was to us, her students, loving and demanding,
1 According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine, the Kharkiv
Conservatory was absorbed into the new Kharkiv Institute of Arts in
1963. See “Kharkiv National University of Arts,” Internet Encyclopedia
of Ukraine, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, 2019.
2 For more on Walter-Kühne, see Freia Hoffmann, “Kühne, Walter-
Kühne, Walter-Kiune, Walter-Kuhne, Catherine, Catharine,
Ekaterina Adolfowna,” Europäische Instrumentalistinnen
des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts, Sophie Drinker Institut für
musikwissenschaftliche Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung,
https://www.sophie-drinker-institut.de/kuehne-catherine, 2010.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 45

she also instilled a deep connection with our instrument.
Like Walter-Kühne, she had her own special method of
influence. She could sit somewhere far away in the back
of the concert hall and yet help us with the performance
on stage with almost imperceptible gestures.
A FIRST HARP AND GRADUATION
Behind the Iron Curtain it was practically impossible to buy
a harp, and so we practiced at Ms. Gelhrodt’s home. She
had two American harps, bought before the revolution.
One day a telegram came to the conservatory announcing
that a harp was being sold in the small provincial town of
Proskurov. I immediately flew there. The people selling the
harp later recalled how a small, thin girl arrived, rushed
to the harp from the doorway, and did not leave its side
for five hours. It turned out to be a beautiful French Erard
strung (to my horror!) with thick guitar strings.
It turns out that the instrument had been brought
to Russia by a woman, possibly a harpist, traveling with
the occupying German army. When the German army
retreated there was no time to pack up the harp. The
woman gave the instrument to some distant relatives for
safekeeping and ordered them to watch over it like the
apple of their eye. They put it in a shed where it remained
for fifteen years. A savvy local piano tuner found it by accident
and traded an old piano for it. He sent telegrams to
several conservatories and I arrived there first.
The piano tuner’s family were warm, caring, and
trusting people. The owner made a harp travel case from
lumber, packed it and sent the harp to us even before my
dad had brought him the money. Many thanks to them! I
learned to play on this instrument myself, then later performed
and taught my little daughter Juliette on it.
My graduation thesis was a solo concert in two parts.
I received a diploma as a concert performer and teacher.
Following my graduation I became the first harpist of the
Donetsk Symphony Orchestra and the founder of the first
harp class in the city’s music school. The famous conductor
Nathan G. Rakhlin had built an excellent symphony
orchestra in Donetsk following the Second World War
(1940–1945) and the Donetsk City Council built a large
performing arts center for its cultural workers. Moreover,
by government decree, all famous composers, conductors,
and soloists had to demonstrate their artistry to the
Donetsk public. Hence, our orchestra was often the first
to perform new symphonic works, and we had the opportunity
to meet wonderful performers and to listen to the
best of the best.
Many other young musicians joined the orchestra with
me. After Stalin’s death [1953], we were full of enthusiasm
and dreamed of freedom. We, the new generation, could
not bear the lies, stupidity, and primitiveness of existence
in the former Soviet Union. We protested as best
we could: our dissent was disguised inside humor and
epigrammatic poems.
It was also necessary to arrive at rehearsal an hour
early to listen to boring and false political (mis)information.
My friend, the excellent flutist Zinaida Kainarskaya,
and I would bring fashion magazines, something infinitely
more interesting, put them on the music stands, and
everyone had fun. This did not go unnoticed, because we
interfered with an “important political event.”
All revolutionary holidays were celebrated in the Soviet
Union with large concerts attended by members of the
local government. It was very prestigious and honorable
to participate in these concerts. During one of these
concerts, I was privileged to play two solo pieces. It was
very hot, and there was no air conditioning in the hall at
that time, so I asked to be allowed to play in the first half.
I explained that the strings on the harp are very sensitive
to temperature changes, but no one would take responsibility
for changing the program.
The stage was, of course, guarded: the performers
could go backstage only just before their time to perform.
When I finally approached the harp backstage, four strings
were missing on it: they had burst from the heat! There
was no time to put on new strings—I just took out the
broken pieces, tuned up, and went on stage. Fingers fell
into the gaps, but I continued to play. It was horrible! I was
not so much scared as angry. But after the concert, several
people told me that I had never played with such passion!
VERA DULOVA AND ARAM KHACHATURIAN
In 1964, in Moscow at the Central House of Art Workers,
the All Union Creative Association of Harpists was created.
This was the result of the rapid development of harp
studies across the country. There was a need for communication
and an exchange of experiences. I tried not
to miss any of these meetings, to which I brought my
students and for whom I played my harp arrangements
of the works of Ukrainian composers. The creator of this
association and its main inspiration was our great harpist,
soloist of the Bolshoi Theater, People’s Artist of Russia,
and Professor of the Moscow Conservatory, Vera G. Dulova.
There was nothing impossible for her in playing the
harp. Her art amazed and delighted listeners all over the
world, while she was a modest, benevolent, and attentive
person. She never forgot to ask: how is the family, how are
the children?
When she visited Donetsk for concerts, she always
happily met with my class and generously shared her
46 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

invaluable knowledge. Vera has published the wonderful
book The Art of Playing the Harp, which has become an
indispensable guide for every harpist.
One of the great composers of our time, Aram I.
Khachaturian, often attended our harp meetings. He and
his wife Nina Makarova wrote well for the harp and we all
loved to play their music. Khachaturian came to Donetsk
to conduct some of his new works. Sometimes we were
its first performers. He was always surprised by how
much the musicians of the orchestra liked his music. This
showed his modesty and high intelligence and was very
touching. I dedicated a poem to him, which ended with
these words:
Saying goodbye, group of harps
Kisses you tenderly
On behalf of the entire orchestra . . .
Each of his visits was a holiday for us. Especially for
me, because, returning to Moscow, he always said to Vera
Dulova: “Maya played well.”
In the foothills of the Rockies, dedicated faculty are standing
by to support your success—whether your passion is to teach,
perform, compose, research, or rethink music entirely.
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folk
HaRP
J ournal
The author with composer Aram Khachaturian, undated photograph
RECERTIFICATION
In the former Soviet Union, there was a rule according to
which a soloist-musician, singer, or performing artist of
any genre had to perform in front of a special jury every
five years to confirm his or her right to perform on stage.
This was called “recertification.”
Promoting the tradition,
beauty, and joy of the
folk harp for
When it came time for my recertification, my jury
consisted of Communist Party leaders who were also
musicians. They had all known me for many years: some
had studied with me and others had performed with me.
Two of them had played in our orchestra during summer
concerts only a month ago.
This group was headed by the chairman of the regional
department of culture, a woman of enormous stature,
folkHarpSociety.org
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 47

large with coarse features and a loud voice. Secretly she
was dubbed “Madam Horse.” No one had ever seen her at
a concert. I think that music was not part of her interests.
As a Communist Party member, she was endowed with
great power. She scrutinized all, including the Philharmonic
Society, opera house, drama theater, and music schools.
I went on stage to perform, exchanged greetings and
jokes with friends from the jury, played my program well,
and calmly went on vacation with my children to our
dacha (summer house).
I always enjoyed returning to work. But this time,
when I arrived at the rehearsal, I suddenly noticed that
my colleagues were averting their eyes and hurriedly
running past me. Something was wrong!
When I went to our artist director’s office, he embarrassedly
handed to me a paper, on which was written
the following: “The soloist of the Donetsk Philharmonic
M. Slonim did not pass recertification, because her stage
appearance did not meet the certification requirements.”
Not a word about the music!
I read, reread, and looked at my boss. He himself could
not understand anything, but he was terribly afraid of
“Madam Horse.” Meanwhile, I needed an explanation of
what was wrong in my “stage appearance” and why I was
not appreciated as a musician.
I had to go to see Madam Horse. She apparently was
expecting my visit, and greeted me like a sister. We sat
down at the table, and in an affectionate voice, quite seriously
(such an actress!) she began to tell me what style of
concert dress I should have chosen.
“You should work as a seamstress,” I said to her and
slammed the door.
Despite the ridiculousness of the situation, I was
devastated. My professional pride was trampled underfoot.
The next stop in my quest for justice was Kiev, at
the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture. The stress was so great
that my relatives were afraid to let me go to Kiev alone.
By that time I had married my dear husband Joseph, my
pillar of support back then and in all cases in my life, and
he accompanied me to Kiev. But the Ukrainian Ministry
officials refused to see me, and I realized that it was futile
to wait for help from them. In the past, they had refused
to allow me to travel abroad to participate in international
competitions and had passed over my nominations for
the title of Honored Artist.
When I returned to the conservatory, I saw two fellow
musicians from the recertification jury. I asked them how I
had looked that day. “Well, Maya,” they replied, “you looked
gorgeous!!!” They told me what had really happened:
“Madam Horse” had asked them in no uncertain terms
to write “failure to meet professional level.” But they had
rebelled and refused to sign such an unjustifiable decision.
She then came up with a “stage look” pretext, and
added that since I was such a good musician, it wouldn’t
cost me anything to come to Kiev again in three months
to play for the next hearing. My colleagues were amazed
at such blatant hypocrisy, but they could not put up much
resistance because she was a big Communist Party boss.
Why she felt it necessary to fail me I still do not know,
although I have some idea. Many communists in leadership
positions were poorly educated people that reveled
in their power and desired to procure favor with their
superiors. While I never missed an opportunity to tell the
truth, I showed satirical rhymes and epigrams only to my
friends; still, for some reason they always managed to
reach the authorities.
My friendship with Vera G. Dulova and Aram I.
Khachaturyan helped me a lot. They were so attentive
and understanding that my soul immediately felt warmer.
Both gave me permission to use their names and
support. And Dulova told me a story from her life. “Do you
think, my dear Maya, that this has only happened to you?”
One day, she told me, she had returned to the Bolshoi
Theater after a vacation and had come to the rehearsal as
usual. The orchestra inspector came up to her and said,
“you don’t work for us anymore.” This, in spite of her fame!
It took several calls for everything to fall into place.
Ultimately, the officials at the Kiev Department of
Culture admitted that the recertification outcome was a
“lapse of judgment”—nonetheless, the decision was not
annulled. So I went all the way to the USSR capital—Moscow.
The Soviet Deputy Minister of Culture agreed to see
me—a nice, cheerful person. I told him what had brought
me and showed him my “recertification.” He read it,
shook his head, and asked me to wait for ten minutes.
When the minister returned, he called his Ukrainian
colleague in front of me and scolded him like a little boy:
“If you scatter musicians like her, you and I will be left
without jobs!” Even with this support, I still had to go to
Kiev and again play in front of another jury. Friends joked:
“Don’t worry, now they will certify you even if you perform
in a bikini.”
The audition took place on the stage of the Kiev Philharmonic.
They offered to let me play on their harp, and I
gratefully agreed. Oh, how naïve I was! Ministerial officials
apparently could not forgive me for my trip to Moscow.
They asked their harpist to do everything possible so that I
could not play. I was told that the harp was unavailable for
warming up and was granted access only a few minutes
before going on the stage to play. And then I saw that two
red and two blue strings were strung across the entire
48 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

instrument. It is simply impossible to do anything nastier
than that to a harpist. I managed to replace the strings
with trembling hands. It’s good that I had taken them with
me. They of course had to be retuned after every piece. A
voice came from the jury: “Maya, why is your harp so poorly
tuned?” “Because your harpist tuned it,” I replied.
I don’t remember how I finished playing, but I left immediately
after that. The certification was sent to me by
mail to the Philharmonic. This was the high price I had to
pay to win the right to return to the stage as a soloist.
Portrait of Maya Passer in the dress she wore for her recertification
EMIGRATION
In the early 1970s the Iron Curtain suddenly lifted, and
emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union began. Obedient
Soviet citizens were indignant—as if they did not
remember with what pleasure they indulged in antisemitic
jokes and sabotaged the careers of Jewish artists. It
was encouraged not to admit Jewish children to the most
prestigious Soviet schools. My brother, who graduated
from high school with a gold medal, was not admitted
to the institute where he wanted to study. Our talented
daughter was denied admission to the Moscow Central
Music School. They would not admit her to my alma
mater at Kharkiv either. “Well, our talented daughter will
study at Juilliard in America,” I said to the members of the
admissions committee.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 49

Susann McDonald, Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus
www.usaihc.org
You are invited to attend:
The 13th USA
International Harp
Competition
Summer 2025
Bloomington, Indiana
__________
Calling all composers:
8th USAIHC Ruth Inglefield
Composition Contest
application deadline
September 10, 2024
www.usaihc.org
@usaihc
Stephanie
Curcio
Publications
Music For Harps
Over 100 publications
Pedal - Lever - Solos - Ensembles
Originals - Arrangements
** Introducing **
DIGITAL HARP LESSONS
Ongoing series of downloadable lessons on
many subjects by Stephanie Curcio
—Also —
Printed music
Digital Downloadable music
And — our book
American Harpist
Available at:
stephaniecurciopublications.com
or contact your favorite dealer
My husband and I had started thinking about emigration.
The children had to be taken away from the USSR.
I didn’t want them to live with the stigma of the fifth
column in their passports—the column that indicated
[Jewish] nationality. After long and painful reflections we
finally decided to emigrate. I had to leave work early in
order to avoid humiliating Communist Party meetings
at which we would have been declared “traitors to the
Motherland.” It was very difficult.
When we decided to emigrate, I went to the USSR
Ministry of Culture to get permission to export the Erard
harp I had acquired in Proskurov. We received a categorical
refusal. It turned out that our harp was “the
property of the Soviet State,” as an object of antiquity.
We were lucky that they at least allowed us to take my
Soviet-made harp, which the Leningrad Music Factory
began producing in 1967. With very heavy hearts, we sold
our beloved French harp to my student. The harp subsequently
changed owners many times. And a few years
ago, we found our harp and bought it in absentia, naïvely
thinking that if the Soviet Union no longer existed, then
the rules must had changed.
But no . . . again they refused. This harp has been
decorating our friends’ apartment in the city of Donetsk,
where there is a war, for ten years now. But we do not lose
hope. For me this harp is one of the miracles of my life; for
my daughter, who learned to play on it, it is memories of
childhood, of the first steps in music.
For transporting the Soviet harp we ordered three cases
from the tailor: light, warm, and waterproof. A separate
train ticket was bought, and we loaded her into our compartment.
“Overload!” announced all the conductors at
each stop and demanded a bribe. All emigrants stocked
up on caviar, vodka, even silverware for this purpose.
We were not allowed to have money with us. At the last
Soviet stop, all of our luggage had to be unloaded into a
special hall to pass through customs. Seeing the harp, the
customs officer said, “Now we will disassemble it for inspection.”
“But . . . it cannot be disassembled!” I protested.
“With a hammer and a chisel, everything comes apart!”
Probably, my guardian angel came down to us at that
moment, because the second customs officer did not
want to do this. “Why the hell do you want to bother with
this?” he said, and kicked the instrument.
Everything was trashed out of our suitcases during
the “inspection.” I will never forget how our little son ran
around the hall picking up his favorite children’s books
from the floor. And what a pity it was to have to surrender
my diploma with honors and my conservatory badge—
which the Soviet authorities considered “official” documents—to
the Soviet authorities.
50 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

There were three transfers on our way. Finding a porter
was very difficult. At every transfer my dear husband Joseph
had to help carry the harp, with me running alongside
with the children and pleading: “Please be careful!”
When we finally reached Vienna, where we had to
wait for two weeks for paperwork, the bus driver who met
us at the train station said to me, “Don’t worry, I know
what a harp is.” We were now in a civilized world!
International Jewish organizations helped us along
our way. We felt their moral and material support, attention
and care at every step. One fine day, after many more
twists and turns, we flew to New York City. The first strong
impression that awaited us on the way from the airport
were words that shone high in the sky:
Happy Hanukkah!
Merry Christmas!
For Jews from the Soviet Union this was incredible!
We were moved to tears by such greetings, equally warm
for people of different faiths, while I heard the word “Hanukkah”
for the first time in my life.
We were accommodated in a wonderful apartment
on the ninth floor of a new high-rise building in Brooklyn
on Coney Island. The view of the ocean and the Verrazano
bridge was as breathtaking as if you were sailing on
a ship. We attended a three-month English language
school in Manhattan, and I fell in love with New York City
at first sight. It was simultaneously interesting and scary,
and there were a lot of questions.
After immigrating to the US we did not see my parents
for twelve years. But after we were reunited, they
lived another twenty happy and productive years in the
US, surrounded by children and grandchildren.
Our daughter Juliette, whom we took from the ninth
grade in Ukraine, went straight to the twelfth grade in NY,
and in six months she graduated from high school, and
then entered the harp class of the world-famous Juilliard
School of Music under Professor Jane Weidensaul, earning
her bachelor’s and master’s degrees there. But her story
did not end there. After a successful career as a concert
harpist in the USA and Europe, musical director of many
musicals, and harpist for the original production of The
Fantasticks at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, she decided to
enter law school in New York and has been pursuing a very
successful career as an international legal adviser. She is
currently the CEO and General Counsel of the International
Project Development Group, a New York-based practice
specializing in a wide range of domestic and international
transactions, representing both US and foreign clients. She
still occasionally performs with local musicians and schools,
and now plays with me in our duo called “Happy Harps.”
INNA MARIEL
One day Juliette and I went to a concert of our friend
Professor Mildred Dilling’s harp pupils. We noticed a
beautifully dressed elderly lady who sat down behind us,
when she saw Dulova’s book in my hands, she exclaimed
in Russian “Goodness, you are Russians!”
We were very glad to meet each other. Her name was
Inna Marinel. She was born in Moscow into a family of
wealthy Russian intelligentsia. The family had three sisters,
all of whom received an excellent education, including
playing the harp and knowledge of several languages.
After the revolution, due to their proximity to the royal
family, they were forced to emigrate to Paris, France. There
the girls created a trio of harpists and a portmanteau was
made of their three names: Maria, Inna, Elizabeth, resulting
in the trio “Marinel.” Inna made this her surname for
life. The trio had great success with over forty concerts.
From France they moved to the USA. By the time we
met, she had already lived in America for fifty years. Inna
never worked as a professional harpist in America, but
she devoted a lot of time to the harp. 3 At first she worked
as the press secretary of the famous Russian ballerina
Anna Pavlova. Thanks to her knowledge of several languages
and legal education, she worked for many years
as a lawyer at the United Nations, as well as at the French
Embassy in Washington (DC). Our friendship lasted three
years, until her death. For the last three weeks of her life, I
came to her every day and played Russian harp music for
her, which she loved so much.
THE FANTASTICKS
From Inna Mariel I first learned about the musical The
Fantasticks in New York City, where harpists changed
often. Inna helped me call the theater and schedule an
audition. The whole family went to see the show and we
really liked it. Such wonderful music and great actors! The
music director was the wonderful pianist Penna Rose; we
liked each other, and I started working there. This was
my first job in America and my first contact with Americans.
Penna was as supportive as she could be, and the
company greeted me warmly, treated my poor English
with understanding, and helped me with my cues. “Maya,
start playing when I take off my hat,” said one. “Stop
when I wave my hand at you,” said another. I had to start
and stop playing with certain lines of the actors, but since
I didn’t understand English yet, I would place my hands
on the strings and watch what was happening on the
stage for cues. This continued until I took the script of the
3 For more on Inna Mariel, see Linda-Rose Hembreiker, “Biographical
Sketches of the American Harp Society Founding Board of
Directors,” American Harp Journal 28, no. 3 (Summer 2022): 14–15.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 51

musical and memorized it. It improved my English a lot.
I began to hear what the actors were saying, and while
many years have passed, to this day I still speak phrases
from The Fantasticks.
Soon it’s gonna rain
I can feel it
Soon it’s gonna rain
I can tell . . .
Ohh, how they sang Christmas songs for me during the
intermission! I heard them for the first time, and it seemed
to me that I was ascending to heaven. And how exciting it
was to go out after the performance late at night on a
brightly lit street with glittering advertisements, with
long-haired youth walking past the still-open cafes and
shops. After each show, I had to go down to the subway
and go all the way back to the last stop in Brooklyn, often
alone, on the train, and then take another bus and go to
Coney Island. But I was lucky, because I had two regular
fellow travelers: a subway driver and a policeman, who also
returned home after long shifts. And though I would
willingly have washed dishes in a restaurant somewhere, as
so many did, instead I was playing music, behind my harp!
moment. There were no religious wedding ceremonies
in the Soviet Union. There was only dance music, and I
thought I could not play that effectively. But as it turned
out, I played many weddings at which Bach, Handel, and
Mozart were welcome, often with singers and organists.
In the beginning I played shorter concerts. There
were many of them in various places. Katyusha knew
Wisconsin like the back of her hand. We traveled all over
the state—how interesting it was traveling with her, how
many unforgettable impressions! American audiences
loved listening to popular classical Russian music by
Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rubinstein, Prokofiev, Khachaturian.
Interviews, photos, articles rained down on me.
MILWAUKEE
Unfortunately, my husband, having tried many things,
could not find a suitable job for himself in New York, and
our little son needed a good school. So, we decided to
take the advice of a close friend and move to Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. There, indeed, a job was immediately found
for Joseph, and we were able to rent an apartment next
to one of the best schools in the city for our son. I will
never forget with what warmth the cast of The Fantasticks
said goodbye to me. After the last performance, they
threw a party, presented me with souvenirs, and wished
us luck on our new journey.
I liked Milwaukee a lot from the very beginning. The
city seemed to me to be quiet and green: huge spruce
trees with blue sprawling branches and, of course, the
beautiful Lake Michigan. One day the doorbell rang, and
I saw a completely unfamiliar American woman carrying
a cake and a can of coffee. She introduced herself as
Katherine Wey. I immediately christened her “Katyusha.”
She had represented famous actors in Hollywood when
she was younger, and said she would like to work with
me as my manager. She was an amazing woman: bright,
energetic, warm, and understanding.
Katyusha burst into my professional life like a hurricane.
Soon the conversation turned to business. “Do you
want to play recitals?” “Yes!” I replied. “Are you willing to
play private parties?” “What kind? What do you mean?”
“Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries.” I hesitated for a
Maya Passer, outdoor concert, Milwaukee, WI
I began to sing the old Russian songs at concerts
while accompanying myself on the harp. Probably, due
to the fact that I come from an acting family, the ability
to combine music and text was instilled in me since
childhood, so I knew not only how to sing, but also to act
out the plot of my songs. My secret childhood dream of
becoming an actress came true in this musical embodiment.
Such favorite Russian hits all over the world as
“Dark Eyes,” “Longest Road,” “Kalinka,” “Two Guitars,” and
others enjoyed great success in my vocal interpretation.
And again, I was happy beside my harp.
It would be difficult to name a place or concert hall
in Wisconsin where I did not play. It was nice to see the
same faces at many concerts. My American debut was at
52 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

the Charles Allis Art Museum in Milwaukee, to which I returned
more than once. Finally, after ten long years, when
my mother came to visit us, I performed the program
“My Mother’s Favorite Songs” there. The mixed American
and Russian audience created an amazing, warm, and
kindred atmosphere for mom.
sons. A shoulder problem makes it difficult for me to play
the concert harp, so Juliette purchased two smaller lever
instruments, and we created the “Happy Harps” duo. I
have written many arrangements for our duo.
The friendliness of the Americans won over my mother,
and she asked me in amazement: “Do you all know
each other here?” People recognized me on the street, in
shops, and when I played in parks and at festivals, listeners
gathered around the harp, asked what brought me to
America and always greeted me with a friendly “welcome.”
I loved this country more and more every day. On
the day we received our American citizenship, we were so
proud that we shed tears of joy for our new status.
Then, suddenly fate smiled at me again. A permanent
job was vacated for a harpist at The Pfister Hotel and Tower.
This hotel was one of the most fashionable, not only
in our state, but in America. Its restaurant, “The English
Room,” was especially famous. There, according to a thirty-year
tradition, the only music to be heard was solo harp.
Only I and a young woman from the university auditioned.
She played something unfamiliar to me, and I
played the “lightest” pieces of my classical repertoire. The
hotel manager told me: “Lady, we love the way you play,
but go home and learn something more fun.”
But they gave us both the job. We alternated every
week. To play there, I needed to learn new pieces in the
“dinner music” genre. There was Gershwin and Strauss
and music from musicals and films. I really liked what I
played—especially Happy Birthday, which gave me the
freedom to improvise. A year later, I got a permanent job
there and played six nights a week for almost fifteen years.
Katyusha continued to represent me. My large portrait
appeared in the foyer of the English Room restaurant and
the Milwaukee Journal gave me my best compliment, writing:
“The English room ranks among the city’s top restaurants
and harpist Maya Passer adds an extra star for class.”
Once someone asked me: “How do you feel playing in
a restaurant after a symphony orchestra?” I answered: “I
feel like a queen!” And it was absolutely true. For this new
career I learned about one hundred pieces of completely
new music, and I think this was a big step forward.
Cancer took my unforgettable Katyusha from life, then
my parents, and my beloved brother too. After the old
owner of the hotel died, the legendary “English Room,”
closed after almost fifty years. I am proud to have played
there for almost fifteen of those years.
I have long since retired. Joseph and I moved back to
New York where we live with our dear Juliette and her
Maya and Juliette Passer, first concert in the USA
Our program is called “Favorite Melodies of the World.”
This is a collection of popular, Christmas, and classical
music. Sometimes my grandson Gabriel, who plays the
cello, joins us. The presence of three generations of musicians
on the same stage evokes a touching reaction from
the audiences.
We have all crossed the threshold of the new millennium.
Technology is amazing. Computers, telephones,
electronic games, from which it is impossible to tear our
grandchildren away, are real miracles, but it is music that
creates positive emotions that prolong our lives, fills our
souls with divine sounds, and will lift us up to the bright
light of our next life in heaven. ■
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Harpist Maya Passer received
her musical training and master’s
degree from the Kharkiv
State Conservatory of Music.
She was principal harpist for
the Donetsk State Symphony
for fifteen years, working with
composers such as Shostakovich
and Khachaturian, and headed
the harp department at the Donetsk
Special Music School. After
she emigrated from the Soviet Union to the US she first
played for New York theater productions and later was
featured artist at the famous Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee
for seventeen years. Currently she is the harpist for the
Happy Harps Duo with her daughter Juliette Passer.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 53

The Forty-Fifth AHS National Conference,
June 16–19, 2024, in Orlando, FL
by Cheryl Dungan Cunningham and Laura Sherman
The American Harp Society’s forty-fifth national
conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, from June
16–19, 2024, with the theme “That’s Entertainment!” Three
fabulous evening performances, a keynote speech by
Ann Hobson Pilot, and many wide-ranging educational
and entertaining performances, workshops, lectures, and
interactive panels are being planned. The exhibit hall will
be open to explore, and attendees will have hands-on
opportunities, including playing in a conference ensemble
with Jan Jennings, Elzbieta Szmyt, Laura Brandenburg,
and members of University of North Texas Harp-
Beats; joining a Celtic harp circle with Nikolaz Cadoret;
participating in a mock orchestra audition; or taking
part in an ensemble arranging class with Willi Maerz.
Entertainment of all types will be celebrated, showcasing
inspiring classical artists, amazing lever harpists,
and outstanding popular, Latin American, and jazz
artists. There will be solo and chamber works from
Bach to Latin jazz to new music, including the world
premiere of a work by Stella Sung commissioned especially
for the conference. Concert receptions will feature
the Central Florida Chapter Harp Ensemble and several
Disney harpists performing a wide variety of music.
On the classical front, Noël Wan, first prize winner of
the twelfth USA International Harp Competition in 2022,
will give an evening solo concert. AHS Concert Artist
Kaitlin Miller will perform an afternoon concert preceding
the annual membership meeting. Other concerts include
performances of Bach by Anne-Marie O’Farrell and Laura
Sherman and chamber works performed by wonderful
Florida symphony and university faculty harpists.
Jazz will be celebrated with performances by national
and international harp stars, including Nikolaz
Cadoret (with Descofar), Ben Creighton Griffiths (with
The Transatlantic Hot Club), and more. Venezuelan
jazz harpists will perform and share information about
their country’s harp-rich musical traditions. The legacy
of outstanding twentieth-century popular and
54 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

In Memoriam: Elizabeth (Liz) Elyse Yockey Ilku
(1928–2023)
by Carol Ilku and David Ilku
Elizabeth (Liz) Elyse Yockey Ilku graced the world with her
talent, love, disciplined determination, inner and outer
beauty, and kind fellowship from March 2, 1928 until
August 21, 2023. She passed away from natural causes,
peacefully at her home, with her children David and Carol
at her side.
Born in Webster City, Iowa, Liz’s third-grade teacher
set the course for her destined life, telling her “Elizabeth,
there’s a special little harp that was donated to
our school, and you’re
going to play it!” Liz
occupied the position
of Principal Harp for
the Detroit Symphony
Orchestra for thirty
years. Other orchestral
experiences include the
New Orleans Symphony
and the Philadelphia
Orchestra’s Robinhood
Dell series. Upon
retirement, she played harp with both the Oklahoma
Philharmonic and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Liz graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music
in Philadelphia where she studied with Carlos
Salzedo. (She also gained a husband, Julius Ilku,
who was a bass student at Curtis.) While still a student
at Curtis, she joined the Angelaires harp quintet
and toured extensively under Columbia Artist’s
Management, appearing on the national television
shows of Ed Sullivan, Paul Whiteman, and others.
In the 1960s, while playing with the DSO, she
spent many hours between 12 and 3 am recording
for Motown Records for such artists as the Supremes,
Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Gladys
Knight and the Pips, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas,
the Temptations, and Jimmy Ruffin.
Liz was the harpist on all DSO recordings from 1958 to
1988. Her generous and devoted spirit led her to teaching
harp at the University of Michigan, Oakland University,
and Wayne State University, where several students
became life-long friends and professional colleagues.
In 1957, she and Julius lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia
where Liz played with the symphony. They were working
at a CBC radio station playing recitals and chamber
music when a producer asked Liz if she could play jazz.
She and Julius studied and listened, and before long
got swinging with their new-found Swing Easy Quartet.
Forty years later, Liz produced her debut jazz CD “Swing
Easy” while living in Hot Springs, Arkansas (close to where
her brother Charles Robert Yockey and family lived).
In her words, Liz
had the deepest
gratitude for “my life,
my music, my family
and children, my
dogs, teachers, doctors,
and friends.”
All who knew her
have gratitude for
her smile and laugh,
her skill at joke telling,
her excellence
in effort in all she endeavored, her kind-hearted nature
and generosity, and her outstanding story-telling ability,
able to hold an audience on the edge of their seats.
She loved beyond measure, and loved cooking for family
and friends. Her exquisite harp playing and great musicianship
are among her gifts, and our treasures.
Elizabeth Ilku is predeceased by father Rex Earl
Yockey, mother Alice Jean Watkins Yockey, brother
Charles Robert Yockey, and husband Julius Ilku. She is
survived by her children David Ilku and Carol Ilku, and her
extended Yockey, Ilku, and Burns families.
56 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

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Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 57

Recent Publications and Recordings
Compiled by Dr. Suzanne L. Moulton-Gertig
Send copies of music and recordings to Dr. Suzanne L. Moulton-Gertig, 19 Farmington Drive, Dover, NH 03820. A photocopy
of the recto and verso of the title page and the first page of music, together with a page count; or photocopies of the accompanying
packaging for recordings (as well as a photocopy of the CD itself) may be submitted in lieu of a review copy, if necessary.
Corrections from readers are welcomed since it has not been possible in every case to see a copy of the publication.
As a general principle, all printed music, audio, and video recordings issued within the past three years are eligible to be listed
here; foreign imprints and recording labels that have only recently been released for distribution in the United States may
also be included, although they may bear earlier dates.
PEDAGOGY
Curcio, Stephanie.
Digital (pdf) harp lessons.
Note: 14 3–6-page lessons covering a wide variety of harp
subjects. For teachers, students, and players. Lessons
available separately.
Londonderry, NH: Stephanie Curcio Publications,
www.stephaniecurciopublications.com, ©2023.
Leone, Gustavo, 1956–
Musical studies.
Six untitled studies for harp to teach technique and interpretation
to young students.
Chicago, IL: One-L, ©2023. 15p.
CHAMBER
Bryan, Courtney, 1982–
The Bremen Town Band.
For alto saxophone, harp, piano, drum set, and double bass.
Note: Custom print edition.
New York: Boosey & Hawkes, ©2023. Score (10p) and parts
(4p, 4p, 3p, 3p).
Grimes, Rachel, 1970–
Arterial.
For tenor saxophone, trumpet, horn, harp, piano, 2 violins,
viola, cello, and double bass.
Available through Theodore Front Musical Literature,
www.tfront.com.
Kentucky: Mossgrove Music, ©2023. Score, 17p.
Martin, Theresa, 1979–
Across.
For oboe and harp.
Available through Theodore Front Musical Literature,
www.tfront.com.
S.L.: Verdant Publishing, ©2022. Score (13p) and parts
(8p, 3p).
Nogueroles, Eduardo, 1972–
Soleá.
For flute and harp.
Evansville, IN: Potenza Music Publishing, ©2023.
Score (5p) and part (2p).
Richardson, Dana Dimitri, 1953–
Mysterium II.
For vibraphone, harp, and cello.
New York: American Composers Alliance, ©2023. Score
(36p) and parts (19p, 11p, 10p).
Schober, Brian, 1951–
Four poems of Samuel Beckett.
For male voice, flute, cello, piano, harp, and 2 percussion.
New York: American Composers Alliance, ©2022. Score
(27p) and parts (9p, 8p, 6p, 6p, 6p, 6p).
Schocker, Gary, 1959–
Seeing double.
For 2 flutes and 2 harps.
Seattle, WA: Alry Publications, ©2023. Score (26p) and
parts (7p, 7p, 6p, 6p).
Tobenski, Dennis, 1982–
Without a philosophy.
For soprano, violin, and harp.
New York: Tobenski Music Press, ©2023. 2 scores (30p,
30p) and part (5p).
CHOIR WITH HARP
Bingham, Judith, 1952–
Rossetti paradise.
For choir, solo strings, harp, and organ.
Oxfordshire, England: Composers Edition, ©2023. Score,
45p.
Conte, David, 1955–
The harper’s song.
For SSAA chorus, violoncello, and piano or harp.
Boston, MA: E.C. Schirmer Music, ©2023. Choral score, 13p.
Montoya, David, 1968–
Peace is every step.
For mixed chorus, harp, and drum.
Los Angeles, CA: See-A-Dot Music Publishing, ©2023.
Choral score, 10p.
HARP AND ORCHESTRA
Broughton, Bruce, 1945–
Angel in the attic.
For flute, harp, and orchestra.
Santa Monica, CA: Brubel Music, ©2022. Piano reduction
score (62p) and parts (34p, 15p).
58 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

SOLO
Anon., 13th c./Trad. French Hymn
O come, O come Emmanuel/Let all mortal flesh keep
silence.
Arranged by Jacqueline Pollauf.
Oakway Studios, www.harpinsideout.com, ©2023. 4p.
Abreu, Zequinha de, 1880–1935.
Tico-tico.
Arranged by Angela Klöhn.
Available as pdf download.
Harp Column Music, 2021. 6p.
Bennett, Stephanie, 19–
Kathleen’s jig.
For pedal or lever harp.
Northridge, CA: Harpworld Music Co., ©2021. 4p.
Boulanger, Lili, 1893–1918.
Trois morceaux pour piano.
Transcribed for harp by Jacqueline Pollauf.
Oakway Studios, www.harpinsideout.com, ©2023. 9p.
Chen Yi, 1953–
Dark mountains.
Note: Custom print edition.
King of Prussia, PA: Theodore Presser, ©2023. 3p.
Robertson, Ailie.
Blue Monday.
For lever harp.
Note: Includes elementary and intermediate/advanced
versions.
Available as pdf download.
Harp Column Music, 2023. 9p.
Tournier, Marcel, 1879–1951.
Intermediate pieces for solo harp. Vol 1.
Compiled and edited by Carl Swanson and Catherine
Michel.
New York: Carl Fischer, ©2023. N.p.
Venturi, Daniele, 1971–
Flag 13.
For harp and live electronics.
Oxfordshire, England: Composers Edition, ©2023. 11p.
Zamara, Antonio, 1829–1901.
Souvenir du Trovatore.
For harp or piano.
Edited by Anna Pasetti.
Bologna, IT: Ut Orpheus Editioni, ©2023. 12p.
RECORDINGS
À distance.
Kevin Le Pennec, voice and harp.
Note: Traditional Breton and Irish tunes and original
works.
Contents: Lapie et la couturière, À distance, Suite bretonne,
Fleur d’orange, Suite irlandaise, J’ai fait une
maitresse, Gavottes ton double, Sous la feuille du bois, Le
marinier qui n’aimait pas l’eau, C’est une jeune fille de
Saint-Martin-de-Ré, Les sept anneaux.
Self-released, kevinlepennec.com, ©2023.
Amoroso.
Alex Klein, oboe; Rita Costanzi, harp.
Contents: Canção pequena by Michael Cohen; Rêverie by
Debussy/Lucarelli-Jolles; Après un rêve, Clair de lune, and
Sicilienne by Fauré; Beau soir by Debussy; Vocalise, op.
34, no. 14 by Rachmaninoff; Adagio by Michal Amorosi;
Première arabesque by Debussy/Klein; “Meditation” from
Thaïs by Massenet; Asturiana and Nana by Falla; Oblivion
and En Aranjuez con tu amor by Rodrigo/Klein; and Tanti
anni prima by Piazzolla.
North Hampton, NH: Navona Records, navonarecords.com,
©2023.
Aquamarine.
Kirsten Agresta-Copely, harp.
With Maggie Gould Wilson, violin; Tess Remy-Schumacher,
cello; and Dave Eggar, cello.
Contents: Aquamarine, I am water, Glass octopus, Deep
blue world, Surfacing, Sea idyll, Naiads, Coralline, and
Into the mist by Kirsten Agresta-Copely.
Valcope Recording Co., ©2023 Kirsten Agresta-Copely.
Ballade.
Emily Hoile, harp.
Contents: Sonata per arpa, op.68 by Casella; Sonata, K.135
by Scarlatti; Toccata in C minor, BWV911 by Bach; Ballade
L.70 by Debussy; Fantaisie sur les motifs de l’opera
“Faust” de Gounod by Zabel.
Ars Produktion, LC06900, ©2021.
Carlos Salzedo: Scintillation – Music for solo harp.
Alessandra Ziveri, harp.
Contents: Trois morceaux pour harpe seule, Scintillation,
Suite of eight dances.
Da Vinci Classics, C00504, ©2021.
La promenade des dames: French women composers &
harp music.
Alessandra Ziveri, harp.
Contents: Rhapsodie by Louise Charpentier; Le petit livre
de harpe de Madame Tardieu, Sonate pour harpe, and
Sonata alla Scarlatti by Tailleferre; and Variations sur un
thème mineur by René Hansen-Jamet.
Da Vinci Classics, C00168, ©2019.
Signature.
Duo Praxedis. Praxedis Hug-Rűtti, harp; Praxedis Geneviève,
piano.
Contents: La folia by Rudolf Lutz; Grand duo de couronnement
by Henri Herz; Coucher du soleil by Rolf Urs
Ringger; Cadeaux de noces – Six nocturnes by Oberthűr;
Dans le tombeau, ô ma bien-aimée by Xavier Dayer; and
Duo en fantaisie, op. 78 by Nadermann.
Ars Produktion, LC06900, ©2023.
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 59

The American Harp Foundation Today
By Fran Duffy
The American Harp Foundation is pleased to announce
that the 2024 Anne Adams Awards and Marcel Grandjany
Memorial Competition will take place May 29–30, 2024 at
the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, in
New Brunswick, NJ. The competitions will conclude with
the winners’ recital on the evening of May 30, which will
be open to the American Harp Society, the Rutgers community,
and the public. Rutgers is located twenty-five
minutes from Newark Liberty International Airport and is
accessible by train from New York City. More information
about local hotels and accommodation will be provided
to applicants.
Competitors will perform in Nicholas Music Center.
This 704-seat music hall serves as the largest performance
space on campus. Designed by the distinguished
architect Pietro Belluschi, whose roster of other projects
includes Alice Tully Hall in New York City, the Davies
Symphony Hall in San Francisco, and the Meyerhoff Symphony
Hall in Baltimore. The center was built in 1981 and
underwent extensive renovations in 2018.
Nicholas Music Center exterior
ANNE ADAMS AWARDS 2024
Three scholarship awards of $3,000 each for full-time
study of the harp are given to the top finalists, thanks to
generous support from the Anne Adams Fund, the Sally
Maxwell/Doris Calkins Fund, and the Jack/Doris Nebergall
Funds.
Required Repertoire
Philippe Gaubert — Légende
Carlos Salzedo — from Suite of Eight Dances
Menuet
Gavotte
Siciliana
Bolero
All above movements are required.
Marcel Tournier — “L’Éternel rêveur”
from Au Hasards des Ondes, op. 50
Marcel Tournier — “Clair de lune sur l’étang du parc”
from Images, Suite No. 1, op. 29
Both pieces are required.
Benjamin Britten — Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
excerpts:
Variation I
Variation J
Fugue – I to J; 14 after M to end
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Swan Lake cadenza
All excerpts are required.
Both works of Marcel Tournier can be found in:
Marcel Tournier: 10 Pieces for Solo Harp
Edited by Carl Swanson
Published by Carl Fischer
Applications will be accepted from advanced students
who are:
• Members of the American Harp Society
• Enrolled full-time in colleges or universities
through a master’s degree, or other
post-high school institutions.
Nicholas Music Center interior
60 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

GRANDJANY MEMORIAL COMPETITION 2024
The Grandjany Memorial Competition has one winner,
who receives an award of $3,500. This competition was
established in 1979 by the American Harp Society, funded
by Bernard Grandjany in honor of his father Marcel
Grandjany, and enhanced by bequests from Mary Wheeler
and Hermine Herbring.
2024 Required Repertoire
Grandjany — Children at Play, op. 16
Bach/Grandjany – Etude No. 2, Fugue in D minor
from Bach/Grandjany — Etudes for Harp
Grandjany – Children’s Hour Suite, op. 25
(entire)
Past winners of the Marcel Grandjany Memorial Competition
are ineligible to compete.
Requirements:
• Members of the American Harp Society
• The age limit is 35 as of the due date
of the application, April 5, 2024.
The deadline to submit applications is April 5, 2024.
More information and application materials are available
on the Foundation website, https://harpfoundation.org/
competitions-2/.
The American Harp Foundation gratefully acknowledges
the Mason Gross School of the Arts Music Department
and Harp Professor André Tarantiles for sponsoring
the 2024 Foundation competitions.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The Kathy Bundock Moore Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Moore was both a harp instructor for the University of
Northern Colorado and a private harp teacher in the state
of Colorado for over thirty years. She worked diligently to
increase the effectiveness of harp instruction in Colorado. It
was her wish to fund a scholarship for students enrolled in
an undergraduate music degree program with a specialization
in harp. Her family and friends are supporting a
fund within the Foundation to make her wishes a reality.
Currently the funds will provide for a non-renewable $2,000
scholarship to be awarded annually to any student studying
at any university. However, priority will be given to those
either attending a Colorado school or residing in Colorado.
Kids for Camp Scholarship
The Kids for Camp Award makes summer music camp
or a harp conference a reality for a young harpist who
might otherwise not have such an opportunity. For 2024,
one $500 award will be given to a promising young harp
student on the basis of great financial need.
Applications for both scholarships are due May 1, 2024.
More information can be found on the Foundation website
at harpfoundation.org/scholarships/.
LEGACY GIFTS
The American Harp Foundation announces two important
legacy gifts that will benefit funds of the American
Harp Society housed within the Foundation.
This series of initiatives is headlined by a generous
new legacy donation by Mr. Bernard Grandjany of royalty
proceeds, now given in perpetuity to the American Harp
Foundation.
Bernard Grandjany, son of legendary harpist and AHS
founder Marcel Grandjany, has generously designated
the Grandjany Memorial Competition Fund (The Grandjany
Prize Fund) as the beneficiary of his ASCAP royalty
payments from his father’s compositions. This legacy gift
will help ensure the continuation of the Marcel Grandjany
Memorial Competition into the future. The competition is
meant to improve the quality of performance by harpists
of compositions by Marcel Grandjany via a special competition
held every two or three years as determined by the
American Harp Foundation. We appreciate Mr. Grandjany’s
generosity and are grateful that he recognizes the
American Harp Foundation as the repository of funds
that further the harp and harpists.
Bernard Grandjany was born on April 29, 1930, in Paris,
France. The Grandjany family became wary of the dangerous
political climate in Europe and emigrated to the
United States in 1936, where they settled in New York City.
At the age of seven Bernard began studying harp with his
father. In his words, “it was not to be”—his studies lasted
one month. After he finished his schooling, he began
work with the American Red Cross. He rose through the
ranks and eventually was appointed Assistant Director of
Disaster Services in the greater New York area, a position
he held for twenty-five years, until his retirement in 1981.
Bernard currently resides in Rego Park, NY. He continues
to attend harp-related events and concerts in the NYC
area and to speak to AHS chapters about his father, Marcel
Grandjany.
Sara Cutler, longtime harpist of the New York City
Ballet Orchestra, has generously contributed a legacy gift
to the Lucile Lawrence Award Fund. The purpose of the
Lucile Lawrence Award Fund is to provide scholarships
for deserving harp students and to help fund worthwhile
projects that honor and perpetuate Miss Lawrence’s legacy,
and that promote the harp in the world. To be eligible
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 61

for a monetary award from the fund, students must be
studying harp at the undergraduate or graduate level and
demonstrate sufficient academic and/or musical merit as
well as promise of benefit from receiving such an award
from the fund. To make an award for a special project, the
project must further some aspect of academic or professional
interest in the harp, e.g., its history, promotion, or
standing in the musical world. The American Harp Foundation
is honored and grateful to be the repository of
this generous gift from Ms. Cutler honoring her teacher,
Lucile Lawrence.
Sara Cutler
Kathleen Bride and Bernard Grandjany
Founded in 1993, the American Harp Foundation houses
twenty educational funds in which donations are held
for specific educational projects, such as scholarships,
awards, and prizes, each in accordance with the intent
of the original donor. The mission of the American Harp
Foundation is to provide an enduring financial home for
legacy funds that will advance and support the harp as
an integral part of musical culture and provide opportunities
to advance gifted young harpists in their pursuit of
professional status.
With a new IRS non-profit designation as of 2023, the
American Harp Foundation is more inclusive, with a full
array of investment tools for all non-profit American harp
organizations, including those dedicated to classical,
folk, historical, and jazz. With an extraordinary thirty-year
record, the Foundation has successfully helped many
harpists with scholarships and awards.
The American Harp Foundation continues its work
supporting the American Harp Society by safeguarding
and growing funds intended for educational awards
and scholarships. Founded by lifelong and beloved AHS
members Sally Maxwell, Dr. Burton Adams, Jack Nebergall,
Wenonah Govea, Ruth Papalia, and Dorothy Remsen,
the Foundation is administered by a group of dedicated
volunteers who share the vision of the founders.■
Bernard Grandjany (far left) with two other members of the
International Fire Buff Associates and a 1925 Seagrave pumper.
Grandjany was appointed Honorary Deputy Fire Chief with the Fire
Department of New York in 1982 for services rendered to the City of
New York by then Fire Commissioner Joseph Hynes.
62 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

AHS Annual Membership Meeting Minutes
JUNE 1, 2023, 4:30 PM PDT
LIVE AND VIDEO CONFERENCE
WELCOME AND CALL TO ORDER
I. Call to Order
AHS President Angela Schwarzkopf welcomed those attending and opened the Annual Membership Meeting with
the call to order at 4:22 PM PDT following Les Marsden, the Institute keynote speaker.
II.
Items for Action
Approval of the minutes of the 2022 American Harp Society Annual Membership Meeting as published in the American
Harp Journal 28, no. 4, (Winter 2023), 60–61. Carrie Kourkoumelis moved to approve the minutes of the 2022
American Harp Society Annual Membership Meeting. There being no discussion, President Schwarzkopf called for
approval by a show of hands. The motion carried.
III. Items for Information
A. Report of the American Harp Foundation
Carrie Kourkoumelis, American Harp Foundation President, noted the Foundation was established in 1993 as a
supporting organization of the American Harp Society. Programs supported by the Foundation include the Anne
Adams Competition, the Kids for Camp Awards, the Barbara Weiger Lepke-Sims Award, and The Grandjany Memorial
Competition Award.
The Foundation recently changed its structure and official designation with the IRS and will no longer function as
a supporting organization but as a stand-alone public charity which will accept donations from a wider segment
of supporters. Ms. Kourkoumelis stated that this change does not affect the relationship of the Foundation with
the American Harp Society.
Ms. Kourkoumelis noted the dedication and work of the volunteer members of the Foundation and the work in
coordination with the American Harp Society President Schwarzkopf, Treasurer Jeremy Chesman, and the Board
of Directors.
Plans are underway for the 2024 Anne Adams Awards Competition and the Grandjany Memorial Competition. The
repertoire has been posted online and more details and the application will also be posted later.
Eliza Fichialos was announced as the Kathy Bundock Moore Scholarship winner; she will be studying with Judy
Loman at the University of Toronto.
Jocelyn Sky Goldman was awarded the Kids for Camp for the second time and will study at the AHS Summer
Institute and the Swiss Summer Academy with Alexander Boldachev.
B. Report of the Treasurer
Treasurer Jeremy Chesman reported that the American Harp Society is in a solid financial position and is able to
meet its financial obligations during a time of economic uncertainty. The impact of the pandemic has certainly
affected many aspects of the economy, but excellent AHS leadership has prudently shepherded funds to “save for
a rainy day.”
As of earlier this week, the funds at Stifel Investments show assets of $694,840.62 composed of the Cash Reserve
Funds, Funds Functioning as an Endowment (The AHS Endowment Fund), and the Ruth Wickersham Papalia
Scholarship Fund. The TIAA checking account balance is $19,516.77 for total assets of $714,357.39. Mr. Chesman
noted that only 50% of the Society’s costs are covered by membership dues and encouraged members to share
the benefits of AHS membership and attend the National Conference in Orlando in 2024 and other national
events.
C. Marketing and Communications Report
Allison Volk began her work with the AHS in 2019 as Marketing and Communications Manager with the responsibility
of the newsletter, social media, and other forms of AHS communications. For three years our focus has been
on growing engagement with our members, and that success is shown by the increase of the open rates for the
newsletter. In 2018, engagement with the newsletter was about 50% of the membership and currently that rate
has increased to 72%. Social media engagement, especially with Instagram, has also grown. TikTok presence is underway
with the help of Board member Riza Printup. The AHS now offers a “text” feature for members who wish
to receive information via text. Ms. Volk noted that there will be no more than one text per month, and members
can opt in or out at any time.
D. IDEA Committee
President Schwarzkopf welcomed the members of the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) Committee:
Jeremy Chesman, Robbin Gordon-Cartier (absent), Chilali Hugo, Vincent Pierce, Juan Riveros (absent), and Elisa
Torres. The IDEA committee members invited those present at the Institute to attend their informal Sounding
Board sessions at lunch on Friday and Saturday to learn more about the committee and share suggestions regarding
how the Society can be more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible.
(Note: to learn more about the newly created IDEA Committee, which aims to provide representation for the
Society’s demographics through diverse and accessible programming for all levels of the AHS membership, visit
www.harpsociety.org/IDEA.)
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 63

E. Membership Report
Executive Director Kathryn McManus reported 2,772 active AHS members, noting that there are over 200 life
members.
Last year a digital discount code for $15 was introduced for international members who elect to receive the American
Harp Journal digitally. An international student membership rate was created and included the discount code.
The Member Referral Program was initiated where a referral of three new members by June 30, 2023, would qualify
the referring member to a one-year free membership. Additional ways to communicate AHS benefits are under
consideration so that everyone can take advantage of all that AHS offers.
Ms. McManus expressed her thanks to the board for their excellent work and for the privilege of working with
such a dedicated group.
F. Board of Directors Introductions
Chairman of the Board and Director-at-Large Kela Walton introduced the members of the Board of Directors and
expressed appreciation for their service to the Society. Officers and members of the Executive Committee are
Angela Schwarzkopf, President and Director-at-Large; Chilali Hugo, 1st Vice President and Western Regional Director;
Rosanna Chiu, 2nd Vice President and Director-at-Large; Mary Ann Flinn, Secretary and Southeast Regional
Director; and Jeremy Chesman, Treasurer and North Central Regional Director. Appointed members of the EC are
Lillian Lau, Director-at-Large (outgoing); Charles Lynch, Director-at-Large; and Elisa Torres, Director-at-Large.
Additional regional directors are Anne Sullivan, Regional Director Coordinator and Mid Atlantic Regional Director;
Jennifer Ellis, Pacific Regional Director; Joan Holland, Midcentral Regional Director; Vincent Pierce, South Central
Regional Director (outgoing); Felice Pomeranz, Northeastern Regional Director; and Rebecca Todaro, Southern
Regional Director.
Additional directors-at-large are Lynne Aspnes, Karen Gottlieb, Riza Printup, Carla Siegesmund, Susie Spiwak, and
Brandee Younger (outgoing).
Ms. Walton thanked all the members of the Board for their volunteer service to the Society, and welcomed the
new members of the AHS Board of Directors: Hope Cowan, South Central Regional Director; Steve Moss, Director-at-Large;
Amelia Romano, Director-at-Large; and Rebecca Yuille, Director-at-Large.
IV. President’s Remarks
President Schwarzkopf reported the continuation of work on the 2025 Strategic Plan with the establishment and
continuation of the following:
■ Establishment of Diversity Coordinator position ■ Various membership campaigns
■ Creation of the IDEA Committee
■ WHC/AHS combined event
■ AHS Fundraising Working Group
■ Revisions to existing programs
■ Youth Vlog
■ Continued updates to the Policies and Procedures
V. Achievements and Awards
A. 2023 Chapter of the Year
The Central Illinois Roslyn Rensch Chapter was named the AHS 2023 Chapter of the Year, and Sabrina Vaughan accepted
and expressed the chapter’s appreciation for the award. Ms. Vaughn, who recently joined the Society, expressed her
personal appreciation for the opportunity to engage with harpists in the area and connect with her community.
B. 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award
William Lovelace was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his many years of service to the American
Harp Society. Mr. Lovelace served as President of the Society from 2002 to 2006 and as chair of the Music Education
Committee for sixteen years helping chapters organize the Auditions and Evaluations Program.
As creator, editor, and writer, Mr. Lovelace delighted the harp community with “Uncle Knuckles’ News,” part of
the American Harp Journal from 1994–2007. He named the publication “Uncle Knuckles” when
he noted that one cannot play the harp without knuckles.
President Schwarzkopf shared her conversation with Mr. Lovelace where he expressed surprise
and gratitude and in his letter to the Society he wrote: By honoring me, I feel strongly that you
honor the legacy of Kathy and Lucien’s service—and the selfless service of all previous recipients
of this award. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
C. President Schwarzkopf and Board Chair Walton expressed appreciation and presented flowers
to 2023 AHS National Summer Institute Chair Ellie Choate. Also recognized were the Los
Angeles Chapter of the American Harp Society and the Colburn School and team for their
contribution to the success of the Institute, the AHS 25th National Competition Team, especially
Competition Chair JoAnn Turokvsky and administrator Caroline Wilkins.
Kaitlin Miller, winner of the Young Professional Division, was welcomed as the new AHS Concert
Artist, and the results of the Advanced Division were announced: Winner Margaret Gunther,
Second Prize Sebastian Gobbels, Third Prize Julia Johnson, and Fourth Prize Raquel Nisi.
VI. Next Steps
Uncle Knuckles
The 2024 National Conference will be held June 16–19, 2024, in Orlando, FL.
VII. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by President Schwarzkopf at 5:05 PM PDT.
Submitted by Mary Ann Flinn
64 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Professional Directory
ARIZONA
Colleen Thorburn
193 Keath Circle
Conway, AR, 72034
314-803-5845
colleen.thorburn@gmail.com
http://www.colleenpotterthorburn.com
Heidi Hernandez
Litchfield Park, AZ
520-780-0205
harproyale@gmail.com
www.Harproyale.com
CALIFORNIA
Amy Ahn
Palo Alto, CA
650-793-6629
amyahnmusic@gmail.com
Mindy Ball
401 Brighton Springs
Costa Mesa, CA, 92627
714-342-3800
MindyBall@aol.com
Stephanie Bennett
PO Box 28-0514
Northridge, CA, 91328-0514
818-377-4085
www.harpworld.com/contact.html
www.harpworld.com
Leila Bishop
Los Angeles, CA, 90036
609-706-9171
LeilaJayBishop@gmail.com
www.leilajaybishop.com
Alison Bjorkedal
Los Angeles, CA
213-952-5977
alison@alisonbjorkedal.com
www.AlisonBjorkedal.com
Maria Casale
Studio City, CA, 91604
818-762-9111
Mariacasaleharp@hotmail.com
Gabriel Diaz
3848 Overland Ave.
Culver City, CA, 90232
626-808-3903
gdiazharptech@gmail.com
www.gabrielharptech.com
Marcia Dickstein
PO Box 492225
Los Angeles, CA, 90049
310-365-5763
fatrockink@aol.com
Karen Gottlieb
218 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA, 94118
415-244-1764
kgharp@pacbell.net
www.kgharp.com
Linda-Rose Hembreiker
2929 Westminster Ave, # 3002
Seal Beach, CA, 90740
714-290-4615
lindarosehembreiker@me.com
www.lindarosehembreiker.com
Stephanie Janowski
6546 Bibel Ave
San Jose, CA, 95129
408-366-8810
stephanie@harpeggio.com
www.harpeggio.com
Esther Lee
2724 Wallace Street
Santa Clara, CA, 95051
925-548-4526
harping@gmail.com
www.proharpist.com
Caroline Mellott
815 B St, Apt 205
San Rafael, CA, 94901-3071
603-777-7172
cm.harpist@gmail.com
carolineharpist.com
Melissa Morgan
10041 Dalewood Way
Grass Valley, CA, 95949-9145
619-995-0305
mmharp@gmail.com
http://www.mmmharp.com/
Samantha Mulgrew
641 Janet Lane
Martinez, CA, 94553
925-595-3845
fancyfingersmusic@gmail.com
fancyfingersmusic.com
Dominique Piana
5662 Carnegie Way
Livermore, CA, 94550
925-455-5333
dominiquepiana@comcast.net
www.dominiquepiana.com, www.
harpiana.com
Douglas Rioth
31 Park Lane
Rancho Mirage, CA, 92270
415-305-0572
dougrioth@comcast.net
Jillian Risigari-Gai Lopez
4350 Blackthorne Ave
Long Beach, CA, 90808
626-676-5458
jillian@jillharp.com
www.jillharp.com
Jessica Siegel
312 Central Avenue
1601 N Main St, Suite 106
Walnut Creek, CA, 94596
401-662-4477
jbs.harpist@gmail.com
https://www.jessicasiegelharp.com/
COLORADO
Barbara Lepke-Sims
7300 W Stetson Pl, #42
Denver, CO, 80123
303-808-9307
blepkesims@gmail.com
http://www.sacredspaceharp.com/
CONNECTICUT
Wendy Kerner
Wilton, CT, 06897
203-554-0267
wklharp@gmail.com
www.WendyKernerHarp.com
FLORIDA
Madison Harding
109 Ambersweet Way, #313
Davenport, FL, 33897
260-623-4277
Madison@MadHarpMusic.com
MadHarpMusic.com
Abigail Kent
Miami Beach, FL
info@abigailkentharp.com
www.abigailkentharp.com
Laura Sherman
Frost School of Music,
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
busytuning@gmail.com
https://instrumental.frost.miami.edu/
areas-of-study/harp/index.html
GEORGIA
Lisa Handman
905 Big Horn Cir
Alpharetta, GA, 30022-4793
404-401-5032
lisa@harpnotes.com
www.harpnotes.com
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 65

Rachel Miller
12 Cornelia Ct
Dallas, GA, 30157
770-842-7209
rachelmiller272@gmail.com
Nichole Rohrbach-McKenzie
276 Boulder Park LN SW
Atlanta, GA, 30331
610-764-9153
harpnsouln@gmail.com
www.harpnsouln.com
Magg Wattley
2819 Pine Needle Dr
Atlanta, GA, 30344-1949
404-245-7633
atlantagirlchoir@aol.com
ILLINOIS
Phyllis Adams
1616 Hinman Ave, 7A
Evanston, IL, 60201
312-720-3060
phyllisadamsharp@aol.com
AdamsMagnificentMusic.com
Annette Bjorling
721 Case St
Evanston, IL, 60202
847-475-3905
harper@muziker.org
http://www.muziker.org/
Claudine Cappelle-Harig
Deerfield, IL, 60015
312-316-2720
seven_petals@yahoo.com
Eleanor Kirk
836 South Park Terrace
Chicago, IL, 60605
847-477-7497
elliekirk88@gmail.com
Janelle Lake
Loyola University, Mundelein Hall
Chicago, IL, 60608
847-636-2612
harpist.janelle@gmail.com
Www.wheretheharpis.com
Lillian Lau
University of Chicago,
Department of Music
Goodspeed Hall 101
Chicago, IL, 60637
812-391-0730
lillharp@gmail.com
www.youtube.com/LyrebirdEnsemble
Brittany E. Smith
Barrington, IL, 60010
847-204-5773
info@harpbybrittany.com
www.harpbybrittany.com
Julie Spring
609 E Wilson Ave
Lombard, IL, 60148
585-755-7772
julie.spring@gmail.com
www.juliespring.com
Emily Stone
1020 W Lawrence Ave, Apt 609
Chicago, IL, 60640
615-517-5780
emilystone5200@me.com
emilystoneharpist.com
Danielle Williams
Chicago, IL
313-717-8703
Daniellew.harp@yahoo.com
Daniellewilliamsharp.com
INDIANA
Diane Evans
8105 North Illinois Street
Indianapolis, IN, 46260
United States of America
317-797-4299
devans1@oberlin.edu
LOUISIANA
Catherine Anderson
4808 Antonini Drive
Metairie, LA, 70006
504-782-6531
cathharp@aol.com
http://www.andersonmusicnola.com/
MASSACHESSETTS
Krysten Keches
8 Partridge Road
Wellesley, MA, 02481
508-272-9659
keches@gmail.com
www.krystenkeches.com
Alix Raspe
Boston, MA
Nashua, NH
203-252-7913
alixraspe@me.com
alixraspe.com
MARYLAND
Rebecca Anstine Smith
1796 Reading St
Crofton, MD, 21114
301-758-8418
rasmith55@gmail.com
www.marylandharpist.com
MICHIGAN
Patricia Masri-Fletcher
Novi, MI, 48374
248-982-1495
masri.harp@gmail.com
Martha Waldvogel-Warren
1320 Waukazoo Drive
Holland, MI, 49424
616-610-9004
martha@waldvogelwarren.net
www.waldvogelwarren.com, www.
harp-source.com
MINNESOTA
Rachel Brandwein
Minneapolis, MN
913-961-5370
brandw1@stolaf.edu
www.rachelbrandwein.com
MISSOURI
Denise Fink BM MM
1433 E Woods Oaks Street
Springfield, MO, 65804
419-450-6699
harp2harp@icloud.com
www.harp-to-harp.com
NEW JERSY
Frances Duffy
44 Mountain Ave
Bloomfield, NJ, 07003
917-975-8719
francesduffy99@gmail.com
Www.francesduffy.webs.com
NEW YORK
Kirsten Agresta Copely
Brooklyn, NY, 11221
212-851-6387
nycharp1@gmail.com
http://www.kirstencopelymusic.com
Karlinda Caldicott
335 Jefferson St, Lot C18
Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866
518-226-0508
kdcharp@hotmail.com
www.thelivingharp.com
Sonja Inglefield
SUNY at Fredonia
Fredonia, NY, 14063
sonja.inglefield@fredonia.edu
https://www.fredonia.edu/academics/
colleges-schools/school-music/music/
faculty/Sonja-Inglefield
66 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

Anna Lammly
Albany, NY
585-694-9187
arwiegandt@gmail.com
Chelsea Lane
Brooklyn, NY, 11201
929-215-6284
chelsealaneharp@gmail.com
www.chelsealaneharp.com
Karen Lindquist
450 West End Ave, Apt 3A
New York, NY, 10024
212-873-6827
speyquist@gmail.com
Alyssa Reit
5 Dogwood Rd.
Mahopac, NY, 10541
914-400-9979
alyssahreit@gmail.com
alyssareit.com
Kristi Shade
1801 7th Ave, #3A
New York, NY, 10026
770-827-7261
kristishade@gmail.com
www.kristishade.com, www.duoscorpio.com
Karen Strauss
730 Davenport Ave, #2
New Rochelle, NY, 10805
516-528-2519
harpistkls@gmail.com
OHIO
Jody Guinn
11871 Music St
Newbury, OH, 44065
440-840-1399
JGuinn4277@aol.com
Jude Mollenhauer
Columbus, OH, 43221-2825
614-270-4299
judarpa@att.net
PENNSYLVANIA
Cheryl Dungan Cunningham
734 Morning Glory Drive
Southampton, PA, 18966-4247
215-355-3872
cdcharp@aol.com
cdcharp.com
André Tarantiles
118 New Street
New Hope, PA, 18938
917-992-4393
tarantiles@aol.com
SOUTH CAROLINA
Nancy Brennand
271 Vermillion Dr
Little River, SC, 29566
843-399-6027
nbrennandharp1@gmail.com
Nina Fore Brooks
7900 Sunview Circle
Columbia, SC, 29209-3041
561-358-4441
94harpsong@gmail.com
www.harpsong.webnode.com
TENNESSEE
Cindy Emory
4228 Taliluna Ave.
Knoxville, TN, 37919
865-323-8413
harpiststouch@gmail.com
knoxharp.com
TEXAS
Haley Brant
4026 Emerald Branch Lane
Katy, TX, 77450
832-627-5176
haleyebrant@gmail.com
www.haleybrantharp-piano.com
Jaymee Haefner
2216 Acorn Bend
Denton, TX, 76210-3854
940-453-0488
jaymee.haefner@unt.edu
harp.music.unt.edu
Emily Oskins
180 Elmer Cv
Kyle, TX, 78640
830-998-9265
harpofthehills@gmail.com
harpofthehills.com
Kela Walton
TCU Box 297500
Fort Worth, TX, 76129
kela.walton@tcu.edu
www.kelaharp.com
VIRGINIA
Mary Bircher
3121 Sunset Ave
Richmond, VA, 23221
402-203-7005
mwbircher@gmail.com
marybircher.com
Melissa Tardiff Dvorak
7207 Idylwood Ct
Falls Church, VA, 22043
202-262-2613
melissa@capitolharpist.com
www.melissadvorak.com
Jennifer Narkevicius
Alexandria, VA, 22315
jentheharper@gmail.com
www.jeniuscreations.com
VERMONT
Rachel Clemente
Brattleboro, VT, 05301
614-395-3248
rachelclementeharpist@gmail.com
www.rachelclementeharpist.com
WASHINGTON
Susi (Rowles) Hussong
2640 NW North Beach Drive
Seattle, WA, 98117
206-783-9493
harp4u@comcast.net
harp4u.com
Deborah E McClellan
16529 9th Pl NW
Shoreline, WA
206-696-3552
harpdeb@gmail.com
INTERNATIONAL
Elizabeth Volpé Bligh
1077 West Cordova St, Unit #3601
Vancouver, BC, V6C2C6, Canada
604-817-2431
evolpebligh@gmail.com
www.elizabethvolpebligh.com
Karen Rokos
136-1083 Queen St
Halifax, NS, B3H0B2, Canada
902-221-7471
karen@harpmail.com
www.novaharps.ca
Back to the Table of Contents « Winter 2024 | The American Harp JOURNAL 67

Index of Advertisers
RETAIL
Camac Harps ........................................ 7
Fatrock Ink ......................................... 34
The Harp Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Lyon & Healy Harps ..... inside front cover, back cover
MusicWorks
- Harp Editions ................................... 49
- Harp For Today. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Salvi Harps ................................ back cover
Stephanie Curcio Publications ..................... 50
COMPETITIONS
USAIHC ............................................ 50
OTHER SOCIETIES
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS
Bard College Conservatory of Music ................ 20
Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp ...........................22
CU Boulder College of Music ....................... 47
GreenSpring International Academy
of Music ...........................inside back cover
Harp Mastery® ..................................... 20
YAHS ...............................................49
THE AMERICAN HARP SOCIETY, INC.
AHS Collegiate Writers Award ...................... 43
American Harp Society ............................. 57
Orlando 2024 ....................................... 15
Toronto 2026 ........................................35
Folk Harp Journal .................................. 47
68 The American Harp JOURNAL | Winter 2024 » Back to the Table of Contents

American Youth Harp Ensemble
2024 Summer Harp Institutes
Limited Spaces Available, Register Today!
Frederick, Maryland: July 1st – 5th, 2024
Optional Concert Tour: July 5th – 7th, 2024
Inquire for Maryland Concert Tour Details!
Richmond, Virginia: July 15th – 19th, 2024
The Experience
We Look Forward To
Hearing From You!
www.greenspringmusic.org
(804) 353–7001
academy@greenspringmusic.org
Distinguished Faculty
In its 28 year history, the AYHE Summer Harp Institutes have served
over 1,000 talented young harpists from across the United States and
around the globe! The program offers multiple weeks and locations
suitable for harpists ages 8–18 of all experience levels.
Abigail Kent, Claire Jones, Chris Marshall,
Johanna Wienholts, Alison Read, Trey Nunnally,
Gloria Galante & Danielle Caldwell
Lynnelle Ediger, Founder & Artistic Director
The Institutes include performance opportunities, ensemble
experiences, musicianship classes, various workshops, individual
attention from distinguished faculty, and fun extracurricular activities.
Half–Day, Full–Day, and boarding options available. Instruments provided.
Please inquire about scholarship opportunities. Register today and secure
your spot for this once in a lifetime opportunity!