Elaine Barber, harp
Elaine Barber began playing the harp at the age of ten, and began playing professionally in her native Mississippi four years later. She earned her MM in harp performance at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, studying with Beatrice Rose.
Ms. Barber is Principal Harpist for Austin Symphony, and a regular guest with San Antonio Symphony. Also an early music specialist, she plays Renaissance and early baroque music with Texas Early Music Project. She has been a featured soloist at the American Harp Society National Conference, and with Austin Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Mississippi Symphony, Shepherd Symphony, and Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra. As an orchestral musician she has performed with Spoleto USA, Houston Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Mississippi Symphony and Mississippi Opera.
She has performed with Ray Charles and Pavarotti, for the King of Norway and the Governor of Mississippi, on movie and video game soundtracks and children’s TV shows. She plays with central Texas chamber music groups such as Austin Chamber Music Center, Cactus Pear Music Festival, Chamber Soloists of Austin, Musical Offerings, REVEL, Trio Copine, and Viola By Choice. She has recorded for the Naxos, Nonesuch and Matador labels, and has premiered solo and chamber works by Gordon Jones, James Sclater, Peter Stopschinski, and P. Kellach Waddle.
Ms. Barber maintains a private teaching studio in Austin and has been on the faculty of Mississippi College, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Austin Chamber Music Center, University of Texas Harp Camp, and Abilene Summer Music Festival.
