The American Youth Harp Ensemble strives to use Music Education as a means to develop children by developing programs and performance opportunities for youth, regardless of financial means, and utilizing the harp as a catalyst for personal growth and community service.
The American Youth Harp Ensemble continues to dazzle audiences around the world as American's premier youth harp ensemble, well known for their musical sophistication, rich sound, emotional power, and imaginative programming of repertoire. The American Youth Harp Ensemble (AYHE) has brought world-class music to enthusiastic audiences in the U.S. and abroad through hundreds of performances, recordings, television and radio features most recently on CNN, NBC, PBS, and NPR affiliate stations. With fifteen national and international tours to their credit since 1999, the AYHE made its international debut performing in the Maastricht Music Festival (Netherlands).
Our Mission: The HARPS Foundation-American Youth Harp Ensemble maintains and develops programs and performance opportunities for children and youth, regardless of financial means or disabilities, utilizing the harp as a catalyst for personal growth and community service.
Our Vision: The HARPS Foundation American Youth Harp Ensemble is an innovative resource for increasing the appreciation, performance, instruction, and therapeutic value of the harp in the greater Richmond area and worldwide
Origins and Philosophy
Over the past four decades, music education has undergone many changes. Today, arts programs occupy a very narrow space in many public school curriculums. In 1999, a group of parents, teachers, and volunteers set out to build an organization that would sustain a vibrant independent harp program for the long-term and protect it from being lost with the ephemeral school arts budgets that are prevalent in our current era.
History
Since 1999, the American Youth Harp Ensemble (AYHE) has brought world-class music to enthusiastic audiences in the United States and abroad through hundreds of performances, recordings, and television and radio features.
Community Impact and Partnerships
With the support of our committed community partners, HARPS-AYHE delivers an immeasurable richness to the lives of our participants and audiences.
About the Artistic Director
AYHE Artistic Director and Founder Lynnelle Ediger-Kordzaia has seen her dream of a high caliber harp ensemble grow from infancy to maturity. Under her leadership, the AYHE has established and enjoyed an international reputation for musical and educational excellence.