Natalie Severson, Harp
Harpist Natalie Severson has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony, the Aspen Festival Orchestra, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and the Ash Lawn Opera Orchestra, working with conductors such as Manfred Honeck, Gianandrea Noseda, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Juanho Mena and Péter Eötvös. Natalie earned her master's and bachelor's degrees at Carnegie Mellon University, studying with PSO principal harpist Gretchen Van Hoesen. In 2014, she performed Ginastera's Harp Concerto with the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic as the winner of the School of Music's concerto competition. As an undergraduate, she majored in both Harp Performance and French & Francophone studies, traveling to Courchevel, France, on a scholarship from the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership. She has performed and premiered works by composers such as David Stock, Reza Vali and Erberk Eryilmaz. In February 2016, she premiered Jean-Patrick Besingrand's harp concerto, Sur les ailes du temps, with the Carnegie Mellon Contemporary Ensemble. A Minneapolis native, Natalie lives in Pittsburgh with her harp, Sir William.