Elizabeth Hainen

Elizabeth Hainen has earned an international reputation as one of classical music’s great harp ambassadors and has been Solo Harpist with The Philadelphia Orchestra for over 19 years.  She has launched major commissioning projects, including works by Pulitzer Prize winners Bernard Rands and Melinda Wagner, the latter being a world première of Pan Journal with the Juilliard String Quartet for the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.  Last season she gave the U.S. premiere of the new concerto by Tan Dun commissioned for her by The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Hainens’ fourth solo recording, Les Amis original works by Debussy and Caplet for the Avie label was released in the 2013-2014 season. Other recordings include the lushly romantic Music for Solo Harp on the Naxos label, a recording series for Lyon & Healy harps on the Egan label, and Harp Concertos on the Avie label with Rossen Milanov and the Bulgarian National Orchestra.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, Elizabeth Hainen began to learn the harp at age of 10. Her extraordinary progress took her to her mentor and teacher, Susann McDonald, at Indiana University School of Music where she was awarded the Performance Certificate and two degrees in performance. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including Winner of the American String Teachers Association and the Chicago Symphony Civic Orchestra Competitions, and Silver Medallist at the First USA International Harp Competition.

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