Hannah Kuipers is the former Principal Harpist of the Santiago Philharmonica de Chile. She has received national and international honors in performance, including a Victor Salvi Foundation Award, 2nd Place and Premier Prix Renie in the American Harp Society’s Advanced Division, and an invitation to perform Renie’s Ballade Fantastique at the 10th World Harp Congress in Amsterdam. At age 13, she soloed with the Concert Orchestra of the Southeastern Minnesota Youth Orchestras performing Handel’s Concerto for Harp. Hannah won first prize in the Minnetonka Young Artist Competition in Minnetonka, MN. Hannah also won three first-prize awards across three divisions, setting a record at the Rochester Music Guild Competition on piano, harp, and voice. While at Indiana University on scholarship, she won the Jacob’s School of Music Harp Concerto Competition and in February 2009 performed Reinhold Glière’s Concerto for Harp with Indiana University’s Symphony Orchestra.

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While at Indiana University, Hannah performed extensively in operas, ballets, and musicals, including Nutcracker, Tales of Hoffman and Light in the Piazza. She worked with conductors David Effron, David Dzubay, Giancarlo Guerrero, Arthur Fagan, and David Robertson. She was a two-time first-prize winner for the Indiana Matinee Musicale Competition, both as an undergraduate student and as a diploma student. Hannah completed her Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance at Indiana University (2009) in three years. She was honored with a Performer’s Certificate during her Senior Recital, and in May of 2010 earned her Performer’s Diploma.

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Hannah’s pursuit of music has brought her to over 40 countries, including Norway, Italy, Germany, Australia, South Africa, and Morocco. She has been privileged to study with premier harpists Susann McDonald, Alice Giles, Naoko Yoshino, and Kathy Kienzle. Hannah has performed live on public radio on piano, harp, and voice. She toured Italy, British Columbia, and the USA with the Honors Choir of Southeastern Minnesota.

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Between 2011-2015 Hannah held the position of the Residential Harpist for the Cunard Cruise Line, touring all over the world on the RMS Queen Mary 2 Ocean Liner.

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In 2018, Hannah started her own music studio, furthering the arts in Texas. To this day, the studio is thriving and welcomes students of many culturally diverse backgrounds. Classes offered include: music theory, piano performance, and harp performance.

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Outside of music, Hannah has many interests. On a daily basis, you will find her spending time outside running, swimming at the local pool, or reading and cooking a great meal.