Emily West
Instructor of Harp
Emily West is a professionally trained harpist currently located in East Central Indiana. Emily began taking harp lessons in high school at Ball State University under Jaclyn Wappel and Professor Elizabeth Richter. Throughout high school, Emily participated in the Youth Symphony Orchestras of East Central Indiana (YSOECI), the Indiana All-State Orchestra, the Music For All Summer Symposium, the Midwest Harp Festival, and the Ball State Harp Ensemble. In the 2017-18 YSOECI season, Emily won the Leonard Atherton Concerto Competition Award, performing Claude Debussy's 'Danse Sacrée for Harp and String Orchestra' with the YSOECI as well as with the East Central Indiana Chamber Orchestra (ECICO). Emily was also awarded Honorable Mention at the 2018 Midwest Harp Festival in the Advanced I division. Emily obtained her Bachelor of Music degree in Harp Performance from Ball State University, where she studied with Professor Elizabeth Richter and Dr. Joanne King. While at Ball State, Emily performed Maurice Ravel’s ‘Introduction & Allegro’ with the Ball State Symphony Orchestra as one of the ‘20-’21 undergraduate concerto competition winners. A recipient of the ‘Outstanding Senior Award’ at the Ball State School of Music Honors Convocation, Emily graduated summa cum laude in the spring of 2022. In May of 2024, Emily received her Master's degree in Harp Performance with an Arts Administration Certificate from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she studied with Professor Janet Harriman and served as the Harp Teaching Assistant. Emily has participated in Harp Masterclasses with Alice Giles, Trina Bourne, Faye Seeman, Diane Evans, Mary Bircher, Beth Robinson, Dr. Grace Bauson, Dr. Jaclyn Wappel, Grace Browning, and Emily Levin.
Recognized both nationally and internationally for her artistry, Emily has won first prize in the Jan Pennington Gray Harp Competition of 2023-24, first prize in the London Young Musicians Competition, first prize in the London Classical Music Competition, first prize in the International Clara Schumann Competition, second prize in the International Classical Music Stars Competition, and a special award for expressive performance from the London Young Musicians Jury Panel. Emily has performed as guest principal harpist with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, the Colorado School of Mines Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Soo Theatre. She has also subbed as second harpist with the National Repertory Orchestra.
Emily will be completing her Book 1 Suzuki Training in Summer of 2024.
Recognized both nationally and internationally for her artistry, Emily has won first prize in the Jan Pennington Gray Harp Competition of 2023-24, first prize in the London Young Musicians Competition, first prize in the London Classical Music Competition, first prize in the International Clara Schumann Competition, second prize in the International Classical Music Stars Competition, and a special award for expressive performance from the London Young Musicians Jury Panel. Emily has performed as guest principal harpist with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, the Colorado School of Mines Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Soo Theatre. She has also subbed as second harpist with the National Repertory Orchestra.
Emily will be completing her Book 1 Suzuki Training in Summer of 2024.
