Rebecca Kauffman - Biography

Classical harpist Rebecca Kauffman began the study of harp with Alice Chalifoux, retired principal harpist with the Cleveland Orchestra. She also studied with the late Marilyn Costello, former solo harpist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Molly Hahn of Westport, ME and Jeanne Chalifoux of Alexandria, VA. She studied harp intensively for ten summers at the Salzedo Harp Colony in Camden, Maine, under the tutelage of Alice and Jeanne Chalifoux.

Rebecca is currently principal harpist for the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Harrisburg, PA, a position she has held for 29 years. She is also the second harpist with the Reading Symphony Orchestra, Reading, PA, and the former principal harpist with the Lancaster and York Symphony Orchestras, both in Pennsylvania. Rebecca has appeared as the featured soloist on numerous occasions with the Harrisburg and York Symphonies, the Millersville University-Community Orchestra, the Hershey Symphony, the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra in Ithaca, NY, and the Lancaster Chamber Ensemble. She has also performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Delaware Symphony Orchestra, Kennett Square Orchestra, Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the Binghamton NY Philharmonic. She has appeared in concert with a wide variety of concert artists, including Itzhak Pearlman, Gil Shaham, Lynn Harrell, Yanni, Roberta Peters, Shirley Jones, Maureen McGovern, Bernadette Peters, and the Lettermen. She has performed under the direction of many acclaimed conductors, including Yuri Temirkanov, Alan Gilbert, Stuart Malina, Anthony Princiotti, Richard Westerfield, Andrew Constantine and Sidney Rothstein. She has performed many solo recitals, including a performance at the Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA, various recitals with flutist Mary Hannigan of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and harp duos with her sister, Jane Kauffman Brye. Rebecca has performed for many choral societies, church services, weddings, receptions, and other occasions.

Rebecca received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Millersville University, Millersville, PA and Master of Music in Harp Performance from Temple University.