Jaymee Haefner

Jaymee Haefner’s performances have been described by Daniel Buckley as possessing “an air of dreamy lyricism… interlocking melody lines with the deftness of a dancer’s footwork.” Jaymee holds the Professor of Harp position at the University of North Texas (UNT), where she has taught since 2006. She currently serves as Director of Graduate studies for the College of Music and has previously served as Director of Undergraduate Studies and co-chair of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. An avid supporter of new compositions for harp, has premiered new works for harp by several composers (Patterson, da Silva, Broberg-Soriano, Schocker, and Libby Larsen) and has performed internationally (Hong Kong, New York City, New Orleans, Atlanta, Mexico, Czech Republic, Russia). Dr. Haefner chaired the 2011 American Harp Society Institute at UNT and served as the Treasurer for the World Harp Congress (WHC). She currently serves as the Treasurer for the USA International Harp Competition, as a board member of the AHS, Inc. Foundation, and serves on the American Harp Journal editorial board. She regularly writes for The Harp Column and The American Harp Journal, and has published two books: The Legend of Henriette Renié and One Stone to the Building: Henriette Renié’s Life Through Her Works for Harp, and recently had her article about Henriette Renié published by the New Grove Dictionary of Music. Dr. Haefner is a passionate teacher and has adjudicated for the Hong Kong International Harp Competition, the AHS National Competition, the Lyon & Healy Awards, the Young Artist’s Harp Competition, and the Italy International Harp Competition. A respected masterclass teacher, Dr. Haefner recently taught at the Eastman College of Music, the Boston Conservatory, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and Virginia Harp Center. Her students have secured faculty positions in Stockholm and San Antonio. She presented lectures for the WHC in Amsterdam and Sydney, and has led workshops for the AHS in Minnesota, Louisiana, and Utah. Her violin and harp duo (Crimson), received two grants from the AHS to commission works for violin and harp, and recently released their second recording (Renderings), which fuses visual and aural art. Her performances have been featured at AHS national conferences (New York City, New Orleans, Atlanta, Sioux Falls) and the World Harp Congress (Hong Kong). Jaymee has worked with conductors, including Fabio Luisi, Jaap van Zweden, Emmanuel Villaume, Roger Nierenberg, David Syrus, and David Stern. Her recordings include features with the Bloomington Pops Orchestra, Daniel Narducci, Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, and James Boldin; she has joined Johnny Mathis, Ronnie Milsap, Ben Folds, George Takei, and the Canadian Tenors on stage. Her ensemble (UNT HarpBeats) was featured in the Lyon & Healy Summer Concert Series (Chicago), the World Harp Congress (Hong Kong), and the American Harp Society National Conference (New Orleans), was invited to perform at the World Harp Congress (Wales) in 2022.

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