A hearty congratulations to all finalists in the Advanced Division of the 2021 American Harp Society National Competition! Your commitment, passion and musicality were strikingly evident in all your performances.
Get to know the finalists below, and watch the winners' performances on our YouTube Channel.
Annette Lee
What was the most fun part of participating in the National Competition?
I loved learning all the repertoire for the competition, and after more than a year of staying at home due to covid, it was a rewarding and enjoyable experience to share music with an audience and to listen to all the other performers!
What advice would you share with a harpist who is thinking about entering the National Competition in 2023?
I would highly encourage them to enter the competition if they are interested! I think competitions are always great because they push you to learn and improve an incredible amount. The AHS National Competition also has fun pieces in every category, and everyone is supportive of your growth throughout the whole process!
Daniel Benedict
Julia Johnson
What's next for you?
The next big thing I have in my life is I'm transferring schools to Indiana University Jacob's School of Music in the fall to work on my harp performance undergrad! I couldn't be more excited to take from Elzbieta Szmyt and to continue my harp education. I will also be minoring in biology with hopes to attend PA school after I graduate.
What advice would you share with a harpist who is thinking about entering the National Competition in 2023?
For a harpist who is thinking about entering the National Competition in 2023, I say go for it!! I learned the repertoire for the competition two times before I made it to the finals for the first time in 2019, and then again in 2021. I think that even though I didn't make the competition the first few times that I learned the repertoire, I grew so much as a musician and an artist just learning the repertoire and making recordings. I have used the competition pieces for auditions, wedding receptions, and local festivals, and I have never regretted learning the music.
Renée Murphy
Did you learn anything in the competition process that surprised you?
The program for the Advanced Division was largely piano transcriptions, which opened my eyes to creative and colorful ways of interpretation and style.
What's next for you?
I am looking forward to studying with Dr. June Han at the Bowdoin International Music Festival in Maine in a couple of weeks! I am also excited about starting my second year with Professor Nancy Allen at The Juilliard School and for the many in-person performances to come.
