Plucked & Bowed

An appreciation for the harp runs deep in the composers featured on the second Composers of Note concert of the spring season. OSL Principal Harpist Sara Cutler joins OSL string players to perform a concert that celebrates the versatility of the harp, combining recognizable classics by Debussy and Beethoven with unusual arrangements that have helped expand the repertoire for the instrument, including a performance of Chávez’s Trio for Flute, Viola, and Harp. The chamber piece, an arrangement of songs by Debussy and De Falla, was written for Philadelphia Orchestra harpist Edna Phillips, who in 1928 was the first woman to hold that position. Chávez had originally been commissioned to write a harp concerto for Phillips, but it was put on hold. Luckily, due to the tenacity of Phillips, she was able to convince the composer to write this trio for her chamber ensemble, thus expanding the repertoire even further!