Friday, December 6, 2019 — 5:30pm
Traditional and favorite seasonal tunes for Celtic harps
Katie Cosgrove is the current director of the High Desert Harp Ensemble, a group in existence for over 20 years. She began playing her first instrument at age 10, but diverged to become a professional ballet dancer, so music has always been an integral part of her life. Besides directing, she also composes and arranges music for the group, as well as individual pieces. The harp is her fourth instrument and proving to be the most fun.
Julie Norem-Hawley, musician, composer and arranger, plays and teaches the Celtic harp in Taos and Santa Fe among other locations. She has created original harp music for dance festivals and she and synthesist Will Yoder have created a CD, “A Guide to Dreams”, which features the harp in a series of soundscapes. Julie performs with Anam Cara, a Celtic band in Taos; with Becky Reardon, a singer/songwriter, in a group that features original and contemporary music; and as one of the original members of The High Desert Harp Ensemble she has been a devoted member for many years.
Chita Gillis has lived in Santa Fe since 1978. After raising her children and retiring from her career, she started studying the harp at age 65. Music and musicianship have been a primary focus in her retirement. She has been performing with the High Desert Harp Ensemble since 2015.
Dian El Aine began studying harp at the age of 63 with almost no musical background (other than a few guitar lessons in her youth). She has played with the High Desert Harp Ensemble for over 10 years. Her favorite saying is “If you just refuse to quit an instrument, you eventually improve.”