The remote Texas Panhandle is the beginning location of Brianne Stedje's harp studies. Living on a farm in a Norwegian church community, Brianne & her family would travel the 200 plus mile trip every Friday for the next 6 years to Amarillo, Tx. There she was able to take instruction from Amarillo symphony principal harpist, Stephanie Bowen. She participated in solo, duet, ensembles & later in Amarillo Youth Symphony. Brianne, along with her older sister, also gained experience in music ministry serving their church with harp-organ duets, solos and accompaniment at the rural church they grew up in.
 Photo Courtesy of Family Photo - Amarillo, TX A year ago on a very cold, snowy, December winter day, Venus Harp Co., delivered to Brianne, her own Venus "Classic" Harp. The harp she had hoped & prayed for had finally arrived on the tail end of a serious Texas blizzard! Its craftsmanship was finer than she had imagined & its sound was bigger & more mellow than she dreamed a new harp could sound! (She had studied for five years on an older Venus "Classic" & could hardly believe how improved her new harp sounded.) In Spring 2004, Brianne auditioned with her new harp & received a full tuition scholarship to the Wanda L. Bass school of music at Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City. She continues her harp education at OCU with OKC Symphony principal harpist Gaye LeBlanc. The school website is http://www.okcu.edu/music/ Since Brianne's August arrival at the school, she has experienced playing in the wind philharmonic for the school's 100 year centennial celebration, fall concert & performances in the musicals "Secret Garden" & the "Fantasticks". A holiday performance of "Hansel & Gretel" will conclude her first semester. Her life aspirations are to develop her God given talents to become the best of what God has created her to be. |
