Midwest Harp Festival Hosts Paraguayan Harpist

This annual summer festival features student harpists and professional harpists of all ages from around the United States.

By: Kasey Littlefield | Category: In Our Communities | Issue: July 2011

Alfredo Rolando Ortiz worked for eight years as a medical doctor as well as a harpist and recording artist until his wife, Luz Marina, became pregnant. In order to have time for his growing family, he then decided to dedicate his life only to them and to his first love: the harp. Hundreds of pedal and folk harpists have attended his workshops, master classes and lectures in many countries. He has recorded over 40 albums and is the winner of a Gold Record in South America.

The Midwest Harp Festival celebrates its twelfth year with world renowned Paraguayan harpist Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, performing on Thursday, July 14. International performer Ortiz has been described as passionate and internationally acclaimed by the critics, a soloist of the “arpa paraguaya” (Paraguayan harp), a composer, author, educator and Gold Record winner recording artist. For more information about Ortiz, visit www.alfredo-rolando-ortiz.com.

This annual summer festival features student harpists and professional harpists of all ages from around the United States. Over 40 youth, teens and adults are joining together in Tulsa for this non-competitive week. The main emphasis is camaraderie, ensemble, chamber music with solo performance opportunities, a master class, private coaching, harp maintenance and three-day progressive workshops taught by talented clinicians. Youth and adult festival registrants perform in their different ensemble levels and combined ensembles after a week of rehearsing ensemble repertoire. Returning for the annual festival week are four outstanding clinicians from around the country, musicians Mary Bircher, Jan Jennings, Elizabeth Richter and Faye Seeman.

Sponsors for the festival include the National Endowment for the Arts, Oklahoma Arts Council, Vanderbilt Music Company, Colin Harp Music, Melody’s Traditional Music and Harp Shoppe and Lyon and Healy Harps.

The Midwest Harp Academy supports the arts community by educating and performing with the harp. For more information on the festival week or how to donate to the Harp Notes Society, contact Lorelei Barton, artistic director, at (918) 832-0934 or by email, eat0@eau0eav0eaw0. To learn more about the Midwest Harp Festival, go to www.midwestharpfestival.org

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