2024 Presenters NC

Nicolas Carter

At home in two cultures, Nicolas Carter was raised in Asuncion, Paraguay, where he learned to play the Paraguayan harp and later in Minnesota. His principal teacher Isidro Caballero (Father to Paraguay’s harp genius Nicolasito) taught him in the traditional folk style of learning by ear, an “ideal way for me to learn, every note I have to hear and feel it.” Playing professionally since 1988 in a variety of settings, as accompanist to singer Lizza Bogado, to playing in a various trios and groups from “Son del Sur” (Song from the South, Latin-American folk music), and “Los Amigos” (traditional Mexican music) to ” Nube” (New World Fusion). As a solo harpist, Nicolas has had concerts in Europe, the United States, and Latin America. Nicolas combines his passion for music with a deep interest in theatre, and indeed, holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Direction from the University of Minnesota. His CDs, more than a dozen, reflect the several musical idioms from Latin to Fusion in which he is fluent. After living in Central America for a few years, Nicolas is now is based in Chestnut Ridge, NY and gigs all over the United States. Check out Nicolas’ interview on The HarpSong® Podcast.  Website

Martha Gallagher

Martha’s harp journeys have been filled with joy, wonderment and delight. Her diverse music background of being lead singer in a rock band and a blues/jazz band, a classical flautist with a symphony, a guitar-playing folk singer/songwriter beginning at age 12, and love of Celtic music infuses Martha’s harp playing with a wide variety of genres, sounds, and energies. She has appeared with such luminaries as The Chieftains, as well being featured on BBC-TV, public radio stations across the US and at festivals all over North America. Martha finds joy in life through music and storytelling, sharing it through performances, recordings and inspiring workshops.  Website

Sue Richards

Sue Richards is a traditional Celtic harper; as a child she studied classical harp at Oberlin College and Ohio State University; then she turned to the Irish and Scottish music of her heritage, winning the American National Scottish Harp Championship four times. She has played for Presidents Clinton and Bush, Queen Elizabeth of England, and sat in with the Chieftains Irish band. She has toured with Ensemble Galilei from mid ‘90’s-present. She taught and directed the harp program at the Ohio Scottish Arts School, and toured with HARPA Ensemble in Norway and Scotland. Currently she tours with Banrigh ensemble, and performs with guitarist Robin Bullock. She has many recordings and books of arrangements and original tunes to her credit.  Website

TAPESTRY

Denise & Michael Grupp-Verbon

TAPESTRY, featuring Harpist, Denise Grupp-Verbon and Acoustic Guitarist & Multi-Instrumentalist, Michael Grupp-Verbon, is based in Toledo Ohio. Performing and recording together for over 20 years, Denise and Michael have created a truly distinctive sound featuring their unique arranging & composing. TAPESTRY has released 3 CDs, featuring Pop, Celtic, Folk and Original music. In addition, they have also published numerous arrangements and instructional books for solo harp. They perform for scores of concerts, weddings, corporate and private events annually. Michael is also a professional videographer and photographer, he specializes in video documentaries and landscape and wildlife photography. Denise is the Internship Manager for the School of Liberal Arts at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio. Denise and Mike are the founders of The Harp Gathering, now celebrating its 16th year. Website

Sunita Staneslow

Sunita Staneslow is originally from Minnesota and spent the past two decades living in Israel, performing with local musicians and working in hospitals as a therapeutic harpist. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, Sunita is a frequent presenter at the major folk harp festivals and is a tutor for the on-line Harp Column Academy. Sunita is known around the world for her books of harp arrangements. You can find Sunita walking her dog by the sea in Shetland, learning to knit or helping her husband restore an old stone house in Shetland. Website

Christina Tourin

She began playing harp at the age of four. She received Music and Education degrees from the University of Vermont and also studied harp at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and at McGill University in Montreal. After her studies in Counseling/Psychology at the University of Vermont and training in Resonant Kinesiology under the tutelage of Susan Borg, she continued on to receive her Music Therapy training at Arizona State University under the directorship of Barbara Crowe. As an International recording and touring artist, she has concertized extensively. She is an active workshop organizer and has been instrumental in the revival of the folk harp since the early 1970″s. In 1982 she founded the Scottish Harp Society of America and is the Founder and Director of the International Harp Therapy Program established in 1994. Healing with sound, working in hospitals and hospices, the labyrinth, composing, teaching, and writing books round out her full life.  Website

Frank Voltz

Frank Voltz began playing the harp as an adult. After playing the harp for only 5 years, he competed and won Second Prize in the Lyon & Healy International Jazz and Pop Harp Competition, Lever Harp Division. For the past 20 years, he has been guest clinician and performing artist at various harp festivals and conferences in the United States and Canada. Since moving to Winston-Salem, NC in 2009, he has performed on several occasions with the Winston-Salem Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, and the Piedmont Wind Symphony. In 2016, he performed at the American Harp Society (AHS) National Conference in Atlanta, GA. Frank has recorded five harp CDs and two piano CDs. He has published nearly 100 hymn arrangements, ensemble arrangements, and original compositions for pedal and lever harp through his music publishing company, Chiera Music. His music has been recorded by many harpists around the world.  Website

Angi Bemiss

Angi Bemiss is a lifelong musician who is best-known in the harp world as an arranger/publisher through her company Simply the Harp. Her arrangements are for lever harp but are easily playable/adaptable for pedal. Within 14 books and ~150 pieces of sheet music, there are arrangements for over 550 pieces – popular, theater, classical themes, traditional, instrumental, worship, wedding, lullabies, and holidays. Angi is a Certified Music Practitioner (CMP - MHTP) and Certified Therapeutic Harp Practitioner (CTHP - IHTP). She has played at Northside Hospital in Atlanta since 1998, plus in other hospitals and hospices. She is a popular workshop presenter, plays for weddings and church services, accompanies soloists, and gives presentations to community groups. In addition to her various roles with the harp and piano, she is a retired accountant and was a partner and CFO in a financial consulting firm. She lives in Atlanta with her husband Kevin.  Website 

Deette Bunn

Deette Bunn says it was love at first sight but it took a year of persistent parental persuasion before she started harp studies when she was 9. Classically trained with a Bachelors and Masters degree in harp performance, Deette has soloed with orchestras throughout the US and has held several principle harp positions as well. She discovered the lever harp - both single and double strung - during her 17 year stint as 2nd harp with the Syracuse Symphony and has been an active teacher and performer on the single and double strung lever harp ever since. Deette recently retired from the faculty at Cornell and Syracuse Universities and Lemoyne College, giving lessons on both pedal and lever harp, as well as from being the director of Harmony of Harps, a local lever harp ensemble for which she has written numerous lever harp arrangements. She is a harp therapist using both single and double strung harps at her local hospital and hospice. She continues to teach privately and perform, primarily on lever harp and double strung. 

Joy Slavens

Joy Slavens is from Laurel, DE and is a teacher, music director, writer, and performer. Joy began studying piano at age seven, and has been giving lessons for more than thirty years. After seeing a harpist at her own church, she became fascinated with this unique instrument, and began studying under Rebecca Smith of Crofton, MD for eight years.  Joy teaches many piano and harp students in her music studio at her home. She is currently the music director of Centenary U.M. Church, in Laurel, DE. Joy loves to create new arrangements of many styles of music, and writes original compositions and publishes her music which is sold throughout the U.S. and has been favorably reviewed by harp publications. Joy also has a harp ensemble, Expressions of Joy, which performs several times a year. They perform for churches, libraries, retirement communities, with a variety of styles of music. Music is Joy’s passion and she is forever grateful to have been blessed with the gift of music. She finds it to be rewarding that many others get to share in this gift through her music, or by learning for themselves. Serving God is also her passion, doing whatever He asks, whenever He wants, while being His vessel to be used by Him bringing others closer to Him.

My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Psalm 108:1  Website

Lee Timer

Lee Timer is a multi-instrumentalist who began playing the double-strung harp 25 years ago. (In fact, a double-strung harp was her very first harp!) Lee writes music, creates unique arrangements and shares her love of double-strung harp wherever she plays. Lee teaches harp at her farm in Michigan, and she is currently perusing her CCM (Certified Clinical Musician) endorsement via the Harp for Healing Program. You can follow Lee’s progress to become a Healing Musician via her blog: Harp and Song in the Mitten. Website

(Unfortunately, Lee won't be able to join us as she had an accident and hurt her hand. We are pleased to announce that Carolyn Deal will be stepping in for Lee!)

Beth Stockdell

Beth Stockdell has been a lifelong artist working in photography, stained glass, and multimedia painting. She expanded her repertoire and started playing the harp in early 2003. She has taken her harp coast to coast for a variety of learning opportunities, trained with many great teachers, and studied with an international group focused on healing music, Harp for Healing. Beth has been a regular volunteer for hospice playing for patients, family, and staff and teaching about the benefits of healing music. She works with the International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen (ISFHC – Folk Harp Society) as Editor-in-Chief of the Folk Harp Journal magazine.  Website

Debbie Vinick

Debbie Vinick is a harpist, teacher, composer, and arranger. She has been playing harp since age 9 and graduated from Eastman and Yale Schools of Music. She has published hundreds of compositions and arrangements including her popular books Christmas Carols for the Harp: 50 Songs in Medleys. Debbie has been president of the Connecticut Chapter of the AHS for the last 3 years. She lives in Connecticut where she has an active studio of harp and piano students and performs throughout the Northeast. She is delighted to be at the Harp Gathering for the first time!  Website