Susann McDonald
Encyclopedia
Susann McDonald is an American-born classical harpist. In addition to a successful performing career, she has made a number of recordings and held significant academic and organizational posts.
. After studies in Chicago
and New York City
, at age 15 she entered the Conservatoire de Paris
, where she studied with Henriette Renié
and Lily Laskine
and in 1955 was the first American to win the Premiere Prix de Harpe. Not long thereafter, she was a winner in the first International Harp Competition
in Israel; in 1970, she returned to the competition as a judge. Around this time she also had an audience with Juliana of the Netherlands
following a recital at the Concertgebouw
.
From her early years, McDonald toured widely; besides Israel and the Netherlands, her travels took her to South America and Canada for recitals and to Europe for radio and television broadcasts. She also began to develop what would be a noteworthy academic career. For a time, she served simultaneously as head of harp departments at the Universities of Arizona
and Southern California
and California State College at Los Angeles
. From 1975 to 1985, she was the head of the harp department at the Juilliard School of Music. She then took a position as chairman of the harp department at Indiana University-Bloomington in the Jacobs School of Music
, which has the largest harp department in the world; somewhat later, she was named a Distinguished Professor of Music.
McDonald has also played a prominent role in organizations devoted to the harp. She is the artistic director of the World Harp Congress
and the honorary president of the Association Internationale des Harpistes, and she founded and is the music director of the USA International Harp Competition.
McDonald currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana with her friend and noted organist Diane Bish
.
of harp sonatas of Jan Ladislav Dussek
and Antonio Rosetti
for Orion Records
, presently available as compact disc
reissues from Marquis Music; in 1966 she had participated in a recording of vocal and instrumental concerted music by Joseph Frederick Wagner for the same label. More recently, McDonald has recorded encore pieces for Delos International
on both traditional and concert harps and traditional French harp literature, music for flute and harp with Louise DiTullio, 20th century composers, and music by Rosetti and Louis Spohr
in a series of releases for Klavier Records. She also recorded single issues including organ music with Diane Bish
for the Allen Organ Company, music of Miklós Rózsa
with oboist Allan Vogel
for the Bay Cities label, recital music for Boite a Musique, and mostly 20th-century literature for Music Works-Harp Editions.
Life
McDonald was born in Rock Island, IllinoisRock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. After studies in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, at age 15 she entered the Conservatoire de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
, where she studied with Henriette Renié
Henriette Renié
Henriette Renié was a French harpist and composer, a deeply religious woman who lived in poverty for much of her life, but who was independent and successful in a time when fame was socially unacceptable for women...
and Lily Laskine
Lily Laskine
Lily Laskine was one of the most prominent harpists of the twentieth century. She was a frequent performing partner of several distinguished French flautists, including Marcel Moyse and Jean-Pierre Rampal. Laskine also served as professor of harp at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1948 to 1958...
and in 1955 was the first American to win the Premiere Prix de Harpe. Not long thereafter, she was a winner in the first International Harp Competition
The International Harp Contest in Israel
is regarded as the most important harp competition in the world. Founded in 1959 by Aharon Zvi Propes in the city of Jerusalem, it was the first competition for the harp in the history of the instrument.-Winners of Past Competitions:2009...
in Israel; in 1970, she returned to the competition as a judge. Around this time she also had an audience with Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana of the Netherlands
Juliana was the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1948 and 1980. She was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry...
following a recital at the Concertgebouw
Concertgebouw
The Concertgebouw is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" literally translates into English as "concert building"...
.
From her early years, McDonald toured widely; besides Israel and the Netherlands, her travels took her to South America and Canada for recitals and to Europe for radio and television broadcasts. She also began to develop what would be a noteworthy academic career. For a time, she served simultaneously as head of harp departments at the Universities of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
and Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and California State College at Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
. From 1975 to 1985, she was the head of the harp department at the Juilliard School of Music. She then took a position as chairman of the harp department at Indiana University-Bloomington in the Jacobs School of Music
Jacobs School of Music
The Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music...
, which has the largest harp department in the world; somewhat later, she was named a Distinguished Professor of Music.
McDonald has also played a prominent role in organizations devoted to the harp. She is the artistic director of the World Harp Congress
World Harp Congress
The World Harp Congress, Inc. is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to players of the harp, with members in over 50 countries around the world. It was established in 1981....
and the honorary president of the Association Internationale des Harpistes, and she founded and is the music director of the USA International Harp Competition.
McDonald currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana with her friend and noted organist Diane Bish
Diane Bish
Diane Joyce Bish, born on May 25, 1941, in Kansas, is an organist and composer as well as executive producer of the Joy of Music television series. As a concert organist, she performs frequently at recitals throughout North America and Europe....
.
Recordings
McDonald in the early 1970s recorded LPsLP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
of harp sonatas of Jan Ladislav Dussek
Jan Ladislav Dussek
Jan Ladislav Dussek was a Czech composer and pianist. He was an important representative of Czech music abroad in the second half of 18th century and the beginning of 19th century...
and Antonio Rosetti
Antonio Rosetti
Antonio Rosetti was a classical era composer and double bass player, and was a contemporary of Haydn and Mozart....
for Orion Records
Orion Records
Orion Records was a primarily classical record label active from the late 1960s until 1988. It grew out of an earlier, Canadian label, Baroque Records, founded by former Everest Records executive Giveon Cornfield...
, presently available as compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
reissues from Marquis Music; in 1966 she had participated in a recording of vocal and instrumental concerted music by Joseph Frederick Wagner for the same label. More recently, McDonald has recorded encore pieces for Delos International
Delos International
Delos International is an American record label. Based in Hollywood, California, it specializes in publishing classical music. The Delos recording label was founded in 1973 by Amelia S. Haygood , one of the most prominent figures in the classical recording industry...
on both traditional and concert harps and traditional French harp literature, music for flute and harp with Louise DiTullio, 20th century composers, and music by Rosetti and Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Born Ludewig Spohr, he is usually known by the French form of his name. Described by Dorothy Mayer as "The Forgotten Master", Spohr was once as famous as Beethoven. As a violinist, his virtuoso playing was admired by Queen Victoria...
in a series of releases for Klavier Records. She also recorded single issues including organ music with Diane Bish
Diane Bish
Diane Joyce Bish, born on May 25, 1941, in Kansas, is an organist and composer as well as executive producer of the Joy of Music television series. As a concert organist, she performs frequently at recitals throughout North America and Europe....
for the Allen Organ Company, music of Miklós Rózsa
Miklós Rózsa
Miklós Rózsa was a Hungarian-born composer trained in Germany , and active in France , England , and the United States , with extensive sojourns in Italy from 1953...
with oboist Allan Vogel
Allan Vogel
Allan Vogel is an American oboist and educator. He is currently Principal Oboe of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.-Education:Vogel originally studied piano and voice at the New York High School for Music and Art, but eventually changed his focus to oboe. "From the moment I heard it, I fell in...
for the Bay Cities label, recital music for Boite a Musique, and mostly 20th-century literature for Music Works-Harp Editions.