In this episode, Grace Browning chats with Inside the Notes about her life as a harpist. From in depth work on audition preparation, to stories of the incredible lineage of harpists in the Europe and US, to how the harp became cool, she shares great stories and fantastic passion for her instrument!
In 2019 Grace Browning joined the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra as their new Principal Harpist. After spending three years with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Grace moved to Dallas in 2014 to begin her tenure with the Dallas Opera Orchestra. A year later, she was appointed Principal Harpist of the Santa Fe Opera, where she continues to perform each summer.
Soloist
As a soloist, Grace Browning’s most notable performances include concertos with the Pacific Symphony, New World Symphony, and the National Repertory Orchestra. In 2015, she was also a winner of the Young Texas Artists Competition and the Aspen Music Festival Harp Concerto Competition. As a Chamber Musician, Grace is a founding member of the Dallas Harp
Quartet which features four of the country’s premiere harpists and for whom she enjoys arranging new works. As a pedagogue, she maintained a thriving harp studio at the Suzuki Music Institute of Dallas where she taught 14 students of all ages and skill levels.
Background
Originally from New Jersey, Grace began studying the harp at age nine. After spending two years at the Eastman School of Music, she finished her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan in 2009, followed by her master’s degree at The Juilliard School in 2011. She is excited about joining the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and always grateful for her teachers and mentors: Nancy Allen, Lynne Aspnes, Elizabeth Blakeslee, Kathleen Bride, Elizabeth Hainen, Joan Holland, and Anneleen Lenaerts.
