International prize winning Harpist, Morgan Short, is quickly building a reputation as a gifted soloist having fifteen concerto engagements to her credit.  As winner of the Kathleen Price Award, her recent debut with the North Carolina Symphony was received with great enthusiasm, as the audience was “stunned by the uniquely beautiful sound of the instrument, which Short played with remarkable dexterity and sensitivity,” while “carrying the audience on a thoughtful and brilliantly executed musical journey.” (Classical Voice of North Carolina and Wesley Schulz, Associate Conductor, NC Symphony)  

Morgan won her first concerto competition at age 16.  She performed the Debussy Danses with the US Navy Concert Band, and received the Ambassador Middendorf Award.  Since then, she has won the Grand Prize in a dozen concerto competitions, awarding her the opportunity to solo with numerous orchestras such as the North Carolina Symphony, Fayetteville Symphony, Delta Symphony, among others, and likewise; solo with Festival Orchestras such as the Eastern Music Festival and the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. She has also performed Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  Elizabeth Hainen praised Morgan for her “stellar performance” of this work. (Principal Harp, Philadelphia Orchestra)

She has received additional invitations to perform as a featured soloist or recitalist at the following festivals: Saratoga Harp Colony (NY), Masterworks Festival (IN), Young Artists Harp Seminar (GA), and the North Carolina Summer Harp Festival.

Her most recent competition awards include First Prize in the American Harp Society National Competition (Advanced Division), First Prize in the Ronald Sachs International Music Competition, and Grand Prize in the Classics Alive Artist Management Audition in Los Angeles, Grand Prize and Audience Prize in the Rosen-Schaffel Competition for Emerging Artists, Finalist in the Anne Adams Award National Competition sponsored by the American Harp Society, and Semi-Finalist in the Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra Concerto Competition.  She has been awarded a Harp Fellowship at the Eastern Music Festival, and upon invitation, she has presented a multimedia concert at the 2019 American Harp Society National Conference.

Notable performance venues include: Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium for a NY International Music Festival as guest artist for VTech at age 15; Arthur Zankel Music Hall, NY as a featured soloist for the Saratoga Harp Colony; Mora Ferenc Museum (Hungary) and Galeri Caernarfon (Wales) for three international harp competitions and participation in a harp documentary.

Morgan actively freelances as an orchestral harpist, and has served as Principal Harpist for the New River Valley Symphony and numerous orchestras in North Carolina and Virginia, performing in several operas and two dozen fully staged Nutcracker performances.  She has also worked with renowned conductors: Gerard Schwarz, Steven White, Stefan Sanders, James Ross, Wesley Schulz, Grant Cooper, Captain Brian Walden, Antony Walker, Miriam Burns, Andrew Sewell, Larry Rachleff, Karin Hendrickson, Jessica Morel, Xian Zhang, and Jose Novo. 

As an active chamber musician, Morgan has enjoyed collaborating with UNCSA Faculty and the Chrysalis Chamber Music Institute.  In the fall, children from several Middle Schools will enjoy a Halloween residency program featuring a musical interpretation of Edgar Allen Poe’s tone poem, the Mask of The Red Death.

Morgan’s upcoming 2019 solo engagements include the Eastern Music Festival and Appalachian Music Festival performing the Debussy Danses under the baton of Gerard Schwarz; along with two performances of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with Maestro James Ross and the Alexandria Symphony.

@MorganShort.Harpist 

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