The Principal Harp of the Pittsburgh Symphony Gretchen Van Hoesen will organize and join in an ensemble of 16 harps to play a new score by Alyssa Reit inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's "The Snow Queen" on September 25 at 5:30 PM at Kresge Theater, Carnegie Mellon University. It is co-sponsored by The Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Harp Society and Carnegie Mellon University. Alyssa Reit will be narrating the Hans Christian Andersen story, Peter Reit will be conducting 16 harpists performing, including Gretchen Katie Ventura and Marissa Knaub Avon, the entire harp department at CMU, the PYSO harp section and many more area harpists. This production is a setting of the famous Hans Christian Andersen classic, for storyteller and 15 harps. In this performance, the music will incorporate excerpts from participant solos, specially arranged ensemble sections, sound effects, and excerpts from the orchestral repertoire to illustrate the story. The individual solos and ensemble selections will be set as musical interludes. In addition, participants will play underscoring and sound effects, accompanying the text. Harpists of all ages, skill levels, and harp types will be participating. Alyssa Reit has worked as an independent performer, composer and arranger in the New York tri-state area since completing her Bachelors and Master’s degrees at the Juilliard School as a student of Marcel Grandjany in 1975. Composition teachers include Jacob Druckman, Andrew Thomas, and Richard Einhorn. She has performed with institutions ranging from the Orchestra of St. Lukes, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Metropolitan Opera,
The Principal Harp of the Pittsburgh Symphony Gretchen Van Hoesen will organize and join in an ensemble of 16 harps to play a new score by Alyssa Reit inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's "The Snow Queen" on September 25 at 5:30 PM at Kresge Theater, Carnegie Mellon University. It is co-sponsored by The Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Harp Society and Carnegie Mellon University. Alyssa Reit will be narrating the Hans Christian Andersen story, Peter Reit will be conducting 16 harpists performing, including Gretchen Katie Ventura and Marissa Knaub Avon, the entire harp department at CMU, the PYSO harp section and many more area harpists. This production is a setting of the famous Hans Christian Andersen classic, for storyteller and 15 harps. In this performance, the music will incorporate excerpts from participant solos, specially arranged ensemble sections, sound effects, and excerpts from the orchestral repertoire to illustrate the story. The individual solos and ensemble selections will be set as musical interludes. In addition, participants will play underscoring and sound effects, accompanying the text. Harpists of all ages, skill levels, and harp types will be participating. Alyssa Reit has worked as an independent performer, composer and arranger in the New York tri-state area since completing her Bachelors and Master’s degrees at the Juilliard School as a student of Marcel Grandjany in 1975. Composition teachers include Jacob Druckman, Andrew Thomas, and Richard Einhorn. She has performed with institutions ranging from the Orchestra of St. Lukes, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Metropolitan Opera,