Being the AHS Concert Artist has been one of the most enriching and transformational experiences of my entire career. The lessons I learned from being the Concert Artist have helped me grow a lot both as a musician and as a person. One of my biggest fears when starting as the Concert Artist was having to talk to audiences during my performances. Now that I am on the other side of these two years, I can say that it became one of my favorite parts of performing. I loved finding creative ways to engage with audiences and feel more connected to audiences than I ever have. I truly appreciate that the American Harp Society strongly encourages this of the Concert Artist.
Another challenge I experienced was learning how to balance my priorities while being the Concert Artist. I had been accepted into the doctoral program at the University of Southern California a month prior to the competition back in 2023. Trying to balance my courses, teaching 8+ students a week, freelancing, work, side projects, and travelling on the weekends as the Concert Artist was a juggling act to say the least.
I also had recently formed my flute and harp chamber group, Duo Duoro, which came with a lot of exciting opportunities that demanded a lot of time. For example, last September, our duo won the Frances Walton Competition, which included a performance tour of the Seattle / Puget Sound area and a live broadcast on Classical KING FM. Two weeks after the tour completed, I flew to Ohio to premiere the harp concerto, Motions Unseen, which I had commissioned from the incredible Yeonsuk Jung. After recording this work, I flew back to Los Angeles and performed the first recital of my new repertoire for year two as Concert Artist. The concerto was recorded on a Saturday and my recital was on Tuesday. Looking back, I wonder how I did not go insane from how ambitious my commitments were. Knowing when to say no to outside projects was a challenging but valuable lesson I had to learn.
Another lesson I learned is that my body is not invincible and that as musicians, taking care of our well-being cannot be overstated. There was one month when I had multiple chapter visits back-to-back on the weekends. Soon after, I developed a cold which turned into an ear infection, which then resulted in my hearing to become partially impaired. Thankfully, I fully recovered, but it was definitely a learning experience to realize that I am not invincible, and that rest is imperative for music to flourish.
Overall, learning all of these lessons combined with meeting many special people along the way made these last two years unforgettable. I am incredibly grateful to the American Harp Society for providing this opportunity.
This is difficult to answer because all of my visits were so memorable in their own ways. If I had to pick, I would say that my most memorable performance experiences were in Colorado and New Jersey. Playing for the Mile High Chapter was particularly special because the recital was in my hometown where I first started taking harp lessons. Many important people to me, including my family, old harp friends, and David Kolacny (who regulated my harp since I first began), were able to attend the concert. It was a full circle moment and reminded me how we cannot do what we do as musicians without the support and love of those around us.
My performance at the North Jersey Chapter was also very memorable but in a different way. I did not know anyone at this chapter prior to my visit, but they made me feel as though I was an old friend. The performance was at a church, and I remember one of the audience members said “wow” and “amen” at points during concert. It meant a lot hearing the audience connect to the music as it was happening. Doing these recitals and meeting so many different communities taught me that I always want to connect somehow to the people with whom I am sharing my music. For me, this is what music is all about.
Enjoy each performance and be sure to give yourself chances to rest and have fun when you can. Also, give yourself opportunities to explore, both musically and in the beautiful places you visit. Lastly, enjoy getting to spend time with the wonderful harpists who will host you. I am very excited to hear about all of the wonderful performances and experiences Renée will be having.
I will be spending the next year finishing my doctorate at the University of Southern California. My plan is to stay in Los Angeles and continue collaborating with the amazing musicians I have met here and to freelance in this vibrant city. I look forward to having more time to pursue other projects such as performances with my flute and harp duo. I also love working with composers and plan to spend more time working on new pieces, particularly with my boyfriend, Yeonsuk Jung. Being the Concert Artist has been incredible, and I am excited to see what lies ahead.
Thank you for sharing, Kaitlin. We wish you the best of luck in the next stage of your journey!
