Illinois harp program faculty, students, and alumni were featured prominently at the 42nd AHS National Conference held in the beautiful facilities at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia (June 30-July 3). Ann Yeung, AHS Immediate Past President, performed twice as the Aletheia Duo with Illinois Professor of Music (Flute) Jonathan Keeble, including the world premiere of Richard Prior‘s Call of the Sirens and for the Concert honoring internationally-renowned harpist and pedagogue Susann McDonald. She also was a featured panelist discussing the teaching legacy of Susann McDonald.  Julia Kay Jamieson led performances of two of her harp ensemble compositions for the Youth Ensemble performance that concluded the conference, emphasizing creativity and improvisation. Agnes Hall gave a presentation on auditions for college. Colleen Potter Thorburn played in several pop-up Exhibitors Concerts, and Ginger & Spice  entertained for the final evening’s reception concerts with their “four hands-one-harp.” Incoming Fall 2016 U of I harp class member Mana Azimi, a student of Charles W. Lynch III and Karen Miller in the Mesa Public Schools Harp Program, was selected to perform in the Opening Concert’s Honors Ensemble and for Naoko Yoshino’s master class. Stay tuned for AHS events and Illinois alumni in the future: 2017 in Northfield, Minnesota; and 2018 in Redlands, California.

Mana Azimi, Class of 2020