On Thursday, the audience in Person Hall erupted into applause as four UNC students took their places behind their wooden harps.
After a quick speech from Laura Byrne, a harp instructor in UNC’s Department of Music, the room was filled with the gentle and soothing melodies from the students’ harps. The notes of their first piece — a medley of classical tunes from Mozart, Haydn and Clementi — echoed off the walls.
This performance was UNC Harp Ensemble’s annual spring recital. For the past ten years, the ensemble has been led by Byrne.
The group consists of students enrolled in Music 203: Advanced Individual Lessons in Strings, which Byrne teaches for harpists. As part of the course, harpists receive individual lessons from Byrne while also rehearsing as an ensemble weekly.
Thursday’s recital included six pieces, ranging from the subdued notes of Cindy Horstman’s “Guzheng Lullaby” to the ethereal melody of Claude Debussy’s “First Arabesque.”
When picking the recital’s program, Byrne said she based it off of the ensemble’s abilities and adjusted it as the group practiced. She also tried to pick music that is appropriate for the season, such as an Irish jig or Easter-related pieces.
One of the seasonal picks for Thursday’s recital was the traditional Irish folk song “Molly Malone.” The song follows Malone — a fictional fishmonger in Dublin — who dies of fever, but whose spirit is suspected to still roam the streets.
The group also performed “Flower Duet” from Lakmé — a French opera by Léo Delibes. Before the harpists performed the piece, Byrne read lyrics from the opera aloud in English and French.
The four harpists — Jocelyn Bowns, Apsara Koneswaran, Ella Webb and Yiwen Wu — have been practicing for Thursday’s concert since the beginning of the semester.
