James Anderson / Scroll
Harpists perform in BYU-Idaho's Harp Ensemble.

Under the direction of Shari Pack, part-time BYU-I music faculty, 12 student harpists performed classical arrangements.

“It was our largest show this year,” Pack said. “It [the harp ensemble] gets better and better each semester.”

Diana Ratigan, a freshman from Provo, Utah, played in her second ensemble Thursday night. She started playing the harp more than four years ago when she went with her mother to her mother’s harp lessons. Ratigan performs in tournaments and at weddings.

“I played at a fashion show for Utah Bridal Magazine,” Ratigan said.

Ratigan continues with her passion for the harp even though she says it is “for fun.”

She played the Style 24, a style pedal harp built in 1911 by the Lyon and Healy Harp Company in Chicago. BYU-I, Pack and the performers own the harps seen in the ensemble.

“The harp Lindsay [Anderson] played was the Criterion,” Pack said. “Twelve years ago when the school let us buy our first harp, they said, “Shari, you pick it out.” I felt I had money in my pocket.”

After the performance, Pack invited audience members to come on stage and pluck the strings and talk with the girls.

“I’ve never seen a harp before,” said Eric Bair, a sophomore from Caldwell, Idaho. “I will notice the harps more often when played with other instruments, now that I’ve seen them by themselves.”

The arrangements were split into four trios. Trio 1 consisted of Rachel Howe, a sophomore from Genesee, Penn., Kimberly Burt, a freshman from Blackfoot, Idaho and Erin Bambrough, a sophomore from Moorpark, Calif.

Trio two consisted of Alysha Visser, a sophomore from Franklin, Idaho, Laura Norstrom, a sophomore from Palo Cedro, Calif. and Jill Hubbard, a junior from Ephrata, Penn.

Trio three consisted of Tamara Raty, a senior from Rexburg, Lindsay Anderson, a junior from Centennial, Colo. and Sharla Kjar, a freshman from Centerville, Utah.

Trio four consisted of Ashley Russell, a senior from Brentwood, Calif., Ashley Zollinger, a junior from Centennial, Colo. and Ratigan.

Special guest Justine Turcotte, a harp teacher and harpist for the Rexburg Tabernacle Orchestra, performed a solo act of three classical arrangements in between ensembles.

Shannon Searle, a junior from Shelley, Idaho joined the Vox Celestis – Five Pieces of Harp and Organ arrangements on the organ.

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