American Harp Society
Encyclopedia
The American Harp Society (AHS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is "to promote and foster the appreciation of the harp
as a musical instrument, to encourage the composition of music for the harp and to improve the quality of performance of harpists." Founded in 1962, the AHS is a member of the National Music Council
and is the largest national organization of harpists in the world with more than 3,000 members and over 90 chapters throughout the United States and in Canada. The organization's members include people from all 50 states and 20 countries, and range from professional performers, harp therapists
, college and university professors, adult amateurs, and students of all ages. The organization is currently led by President Lucy Scandrett.
Every two years the AHS holds a National Convention which features lectures, workshops, masterclasses, and performances by renowned harpists. The AHS frequently commissions new works for the harp for performance at these conventions. In the summers inbetween conventions, the AHS runs a Summer Institute for student harpists; utilizing a faculty made up of world renowned harp performers and pedagogues. Held con-currently with the Summemar Institute is the AHS National Competition which awards monetary prizes in five divisions: Junior, Intermediate I, Intermediate II, Advanced, and Young Professional.
The AHS publishes the American Harp Journal bi-annually, a periodical dedicated to all things related to the harp. Articles in the journal include such topics as biographies of major past and present harpists, bibliographies, harp construction and maintenance, historical studies, listings and reviews of publications and recordings, educational content for students and teachers, and coverage of AHS news and events. The AHS also publishes the AHS Teachers Forum, an annual journal dedicated to harp predagogy. The AHS formerly published Unkle Knuckles’ Knews, a magazine for young harpists. The Library of Congress
is home to the AHS Repository and the library at Brigham Young University
is home to the International Harp Archives which contains the AHS Archives, AHS Audio & Video Tape Libraries and Interview Series.
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
as a musical instrument, to encourage the composition of music for the harp and to improve the quality of performance of harpists." Founded in 1962, the AHS is a member of the National Music Council
National Music Council
The National Music Council of the United States is a United States national organization listed under Title 36 of the United States Code, founded in 1940 and chartered by the 84th Congress in 1956. The Council is composed of organizations of national scope interested in the development of music...
and is the largest national organization of harpists in the world with more than 3,000 members and over 90 chapters throughout the United States and in Canada. The organization's members include people from all 50 states and 20 countries, and range from professional performers, harp therapists
Music therapy
Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their...
, college and university professors, adult amateurs, and students of all ages. The organization is currently led by President Lucy Scandrett.
Every two years the AHS holds a National Convention which features lectures, workshops, masterclasses, and performances by renowned harpists. The AHS frequently commissions new works for the harp for performance at these conventions. In the summers inbetween conventions, the AHS runs a Summer Institute for student harpists; utilizing a faculty made up of world renowned harp performers and pedagogues. Held con-currently with the Summemar Institute is the AHS National Competition which awards monetary prizes in five divisions: Junior, Intermediate I, Intermediate II, Advanced, and Young Professional.
The AHS publishes the American Harp Journal bi-annually, a periodical dedicated to all things related to the harp. Articles in the journal include such topics as biographies of major past and present harpists, bibliographies, harp construction and maintenance, historical studies, listings and reviews of publications and recordings, educational content for students and teachers, and coverage of AHS news and events. The AHS also publishes the AHS Teachers Forum, an annual journal dedicated to harp predagogy. The AHS formerly published Unkle Knuckles’ Knews, a magazine for young harpists. The Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
is home to the AHS Repository and the library at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
is home to the International Harp Archives which contains the AHS Archives, AHS Audio & Video Tape Libraries and Interview Series.
Presidents
- Lucile LawrenceLucile LawrenceLucile Lawrence was an American harpist. At the end of her life, she was actively teaching as a faculty member of Boston University and the Manhattan School of Music as well as teaching privately.-Career:Lawrence was born into a prominent family with historic roots in New England...
(1962-1966) - Lucien Thomson (1966-1968)
- Catherine Gotthoffer (1968-1970)
- Suzanne Balderston (1970-1972)
- Catherine Gotthoffer (1972-1976)
- Ann Stockton (1976-1980)
- Pearl ChertokPearl ChertokPearl Chertok was an internationally regarded harpist and composer for harp....
(1980-1981)
- Patricia Wooster (1981-1986)
- Sally Maxwell (1986-1988)
- John B. Escosa, Sr. (1988-1991)
- Molly E. Hahn (1991-1994)
- Sally Maxwell (1994-1998)
- Lucy Clark Scandrett (1998-2002)
- William Lovelace (2002-2006)