Harp

Read the October 2023 issue of Harp Column magazine.

In addition to weekly lessons, harp majors at UNT participate in harp masterclass, harp ensemble, and large ensembles such as Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony.

For further information about harp studies at UNT, please contact Dr. Haefner at jaymee.haefner@unt.edu or call 940-565-3739.

• UNT has one of the largest harp programs in the United States, currently with fourteen harpists (BA, BM, MM, DMA and certificate program).
• UNT hosted the American Harp Society Summer Institute (June 2011), which brought over 400 harpists to the UNT campus. NBC5 did a feature story about the event.
• Harp students participate in orchestra, band, chamber music, harp ensemble and weekly harp masterclass.
• Six of our harp majors (Margaret Anne Gunter, Danielle Harmon, Ann McLaughlin, Danielle Cordray, Ruth Mertens and Ula Rucka) have been UNT Concerto Competition winners.
• One of our students (Kaitlin Miller) was a winner in the national Anne Adams harp competition (2020) and was selected as the 2023-2025 American Harp Society Concert Artist (Young Professional Division Winner).  In 2023, Margaret Anne Gunter also received first prize in the Advanced Division and Kathryn Horton won fifth prize in the Intermediate 2 Division .  Our students have received accolades at state, national, and international music competitions.  Additional students have been finalists in national competitions (Paulina Delgadillo, Zoe O'Shaughnessy, and Marti Moreland).
• Three of our students (Halie Hodson, Anna Jalkeus, Danielle Harmon) have gone on to publish their original harp compositions and arrangements with Lyon & Healy Harps and HarpColumn.com.
• About the UNT HarpBeats:
  • Students compose, arrange and lead most of the music for the harp ensemble (UNT HarpBeats); we have performed pieces ranging from Bach to Radiohead (and many in between)
  • The ensemble performed for the 9th American Harp Society Summer Institute (2011, Denton) and National Conference (2014, New Orleans)
  • The HarpBeats were featured at the World Harp Congress 2017 in Hong Kong
  • The HarpBeats gave a concert at the Lyon & Healy Summer Concert series (Chicago) in 2018.
  • The ensemble was featured on CBS11 Dallas
  • The ensemble has recordings available for purchase on the UNT Music Store!! All proceeds go toward UNT Harp Studio expenses.
• What our harp graduates are doing:
  • Performing (principal harp) with the Arkansas Symphony
  • Faculty at Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
  • Featured in the Washington Post and TEDx (Annie Rey)
  • Faculty at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden
  • Faculty at Trinity University, San Antonio
  • Harp faculty, Urban Youth Ensemble
  • Teaching full-time for the high school harp program in Frisco, TX (100+ harpists in the program)
  • Touring and performing harp throughout India
  • Writing articles published in the American Harp Journal
  • Performing with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra
  • Faculty of Belhaven University (Jackson, Mississippi)
  • Leading choirs and performing harp as a full-time choir director
  • Recording and publishing harp solos and arrangements (Lyon & Healy, Harp Column Music)
  • President of American Harp Society Chapter
  • Performing and teaching professionally
  • Recipients of distinguished scholarships for continued study