Harp to Harp Conversation

Principal Harp Emily Melendes and Donors Jan and Brian Grier Discuss an Instrumental New Addition to the Orchestra

Although responsible for some of the more ethereal sounds to emanate from the orchestra, the life of a harp can be a hard one. As Calgary Philharmonic Principal Harpist Emily Melendes explains: “Harps have about 2000 lbs. of tension on their soundboards and necks from their strings, and after around 20 years the wood begins to warp, or the soundboard begins to pull up, or the sound is no longer projecting as it used to. Most harps need a rebuild (a new neck or soundboard) around the 25–30-year mark.”

Which was approximately the age of the Calgary Phil harp that Emily began the 2024/2025 Season with. Thanks to a generous gift from longtime Calgary Phil supporters Jan and Brian Grier and their family, we were able to purchase a new harp, which arrived earlier this spring with Jan in attendance for the unboxing. In celebrating this beautiful new addition to the Orchestra, we spoke to both Emily and the Griers, discussing everything from how to choose a harp to inspired giving.

Emily with fellow harpist Ellie Kirk at the Lyon and Healy showroom.

What was involved in the process of acquiring a new harp?

Emily: To begin the process of acquiring a new harp for the Calgary Phil, I contacted Lyon and Healy, the premier harp maker in North America, and arranged to travel to their Chicago showroom during a time when they had multiple harps available in the style the Calgary Phil was looking for. This past January they had three “Style 23” harps to choose from, so I flew to Chicago and put each of the harps through their paces with my friend Ellie Kirk who lives in Chicago and is a regular sub with the Chicago Symphony. Together we listened both up close and far away to the different harps and judged their projection, their ease of play, and the way their low, high, and mid registers sounded. We decided fairly quickly which harp was the best fit, with both a beautiful, clear low and high register, and a warm mid-range that will continue to open up as it is played and exposed to the vibrations of an orchestral ensemble. 

You’ve had a few months to play the new harp. What has the experience been like? 

Emily: The new Calgary Phil harp is a joy to play! At first a new harp feels very tight, and this harp was no exception; I almost got blisters the first few weeks, but after about a month of constant playing and tuning, the harp settled into its new home and became more broken in. This process will continue for a few years, but the harp is already sounding fantastic in the hall. I can actually play the dynamics marked in the music and trust that even in the farthest balcony my sound is carrying, which is a real treat and means I don’t have to exhaust myself just to be audible. Every orchestral harpist dreams of being able to come in to work and play on a beautiful new instrument, so I feel very much like I’m living the dream right now! From the style (Style 23), to the color (natural), to the sound, I couldn’t be happier with the new harp.

Could you share your thoughts on Jan and Brian Grier’s gift, which made the purchase of the harp possible?

Jan and Brian and their family’s gift is so incredibly generous and transformative. I’m so grateful that they decided to fully fund our new harp, and that they so enthusiastically made sure that it was able to arrive during my first season with the Calgary Phil. Jan was able to attend the unboxing of the new harp, and we had so much fun unwrapping it from the layers of bubble wrap and foam it was packed in; Jan even learned how a harp works and played a few notes herself! It was extra special that she was able to be the first to welcome the harp to its new home. 

Your donation facilitated the procurement of a much-needed new harp for the Calgary Philharmonic. Why this particular instrument? 

Brian: In the spring of 2024, we attended an event that featured the [Calgary Phil’s] then principal harpist Gianetta Baril who graciously gave us a primer on the harp afterwards and told us also of the need for the orchestra to obtain a new instrument because of the age of the existing one. In October we learned from [Calgary Phil Development Director] Chris Petrik that a fundraising campaign was under way to get a new harp and he asked if Jan and I could help. It seemed that the right thing to do was make enough of a contribution to allow [the Calgary Phil]
management to make the decision to go ahead with confidence

Jan: Brian’s parents, Gordon and Irene Grier, passed away in 2018 and 2019 respectively. They were arts lovers: opera, theatre and orchestral music. Since their passing, Brian had been thinking of making an arts-related donation to honour them. So, when Chris Petrik approached us about helping with a new harp for the [Calgary Phil], it seemed like a good opportunity to contribute something specific for his parents. 

Is there a piece of harp music that evokes special feelings or memories for you? 

Brian: Many years ago we attended a solo performance by Frederica von Stade presented by Calgary Opera and one of the pieces she sang was To the Moon, which is introduced by the harp. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Dvořák is a personal favourite of mine for a number of reasons but I was unfamiliar with this work at the time. In June 2014 we were visiting Prague and as luck would have it, Rusalka was being performed at the National Theatre with, if AI and my memory can be relied upon, Maria Kobielska in the title role. My memory of the opera is that the harp’s range underpinned not just the musical themes but the broad themes of the tale as well.
 

Jan, you attended the harp unboxing. How did you feel on seeing it for the first time and/or hearing the first notes? 

Jan: Well, it was exciting, of course, to be there and get to help unbox the harp. It really is beautiful. I had not realized how incredibly complex the instrument is; I did not even know the harp had pedals, let alone the different materials in the strings. Emily gave me a thorough tour of the harp, and I was intrigued by the tuning process. Thank you to Emily for being so patient with me and for doing all the research and leg work to select the new harp. Welcome to Calgary, Emily! I became somewhat teary when Emily played Somewhere Over the Rainbow for us. I was thinking of how much Irene would have loved it.