About
Kathryn began studying harp in the third grade in 1993, beginning lessons with Licia Jaskunas formerly of the Huntsville Symphony. In 1995, she began studying with renowned harpist, Carol McClure, of the Harp School in Nashville, Tennessee. Kathryn was an active member of the Harp School studio for eight years regularly performing on recitals, events, and church services as both a soloist and member of the harp ensemble.
While in high school, Kathryn was the principal harpist with the Alabama All-State Orchestra for three years and the principal harpist with the Huntsville Youth Orchestra for six years. Kathryn won numerous awards including first place in the Huntsville Symphony Concerto Competition and first place in the Huntsville Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, performing as a featured soloist on both the Huntsville Symphony's Young Artist Concert and the Huntsville's Youth Orchestra's Spring Concert. She also won second place in the Tuscaloosa Symphony Concerto Competition and both second place and an honorable mention in the Alabama Symphony Concerto Competition. Kathryn received first place in the Music Appreciation Group Presidential Scholarship Awards and the Huntsville Youth Orchestra Russell Gerhart Scholarship Competition. She also won first place in the National Federation of Music Clubs Scholarship Competition in the years 2000 and 2003.
Kathryn received a top music scholarship from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama to study with the Alabama Symphony’s principal harpist Judith Sullivan Hicks. Kathryn regularly performed as the principal harpist of the Samford University Orchestra and the Samford University Wind Ensemble. Kathryn graduated summa cum laude from Samford University with a bachelors in Harp Performance. While in college, she won numerous awards including second place in the Alabama Federation of Music Study Clubs Biennial Student Awards and second place in the Birmingham Music Guild Scholarship Awards. She was also a featured performer in the Samford University School of the Arts Honors Recital for both junior and senior years and was a finalist in the Samford Univeristy Concerto Aria Competition allowing her to perform as a solo artist with the Samford University Orchestra on their annual Concerto Aria Concert.
Kathryn also has a Masters of Music in Music Education degree from Samford University. While in graduate school she continued to study the harp collegiately and earned a certificate in harp performance after the completion of her graduate recital.
Since completing her degrees, Kathryn has maintained a busy and diversifed schedule as a freelance harpist, performing with symphony orchestras in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, playing with church, youth, university, and pit orchestras and accompanying church, school, and community choirs across the Southeast. She regularly performs as a soloist for church services and private events and recitals including weddings, parties, teas, and funerals. Kathryn currently serves as Principal Harpist with the Shoals Symphony at the University of North Alabama and as the harpist at First Baptist Church Huntsville, Alabama.
Kathryn has been a music and choir teacher at Westminster Christian Academy, Randolph School, Covenant Christian Academy and New Beginnings Academy. She currently is the Young Singers choir director with the Huntsville Community Chorus, the first and second grade choir director at First Baptist Church, and an itinerant sixth grade choir teacher with Huntsville City Schools.
Kathryn has developed a young harpists’ harp ensemble method following the principles of the Orff Shulwork methodology, allowing young harpists to have experience on an instrument they might not ever have had the opportunity otherwise. With the use of small lap harps, Kathryn has traveled to schools and churches to bring the harp to students who receive no pressured lessons in harp technique and ensemble playing through the use of fun and accessible folk songs allowing students to practice the concept of beat, pitch, and rhythm in new and meaningful ways. She also maintains a private harp studio and is available to teach both pedal and lever harp students from beginners to advanced.
