Anastasia Jellison

About Anastasia

Anastasia Jellison is an Interlochen Arts Camp and Interlochen Arts Academy alumnna. She currently is principal harpist of the Williamsburg Symphony, Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia, and the Roanoke Symphony. She is also plays regularly with the Richmond Symphony and Richmond Ballet. Jellison teaches harp at Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, University of Virginia, and the College of William and Mary. She spends her summers playing with the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival. She has played with the Houston Symphony, the Houston Ballet, the Houston Grand Opera, the Knoxville Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Opera Roanoke, and several other ensembles throughout Texas, Ohio, and Virginia. She has toured Europe with the North Carolina School of the Arts, attended the International Festival-Institute at Round Top in Round Top, Texas, and has traveled to Japan with the Pacific Music Festival. Jellison holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Alice Chalifoux, Principal Harp of the Cleveland Orchestra for 47 years. In 1999 she completed her Master of Music Degree in Harp Performance at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, under the instruction of Paula Page, former Principal Harpist of the Houston Symphony.

I believe truly learning a musical instrument means learning ourselves: how we learn and problem solve, how we process and communicate our thoughts, how we train ourselves to focus and relax, both our mind and body. I strive to share insights needed in the moment rooted in technique, musical interpretation and ways to think outside of the box. My intention is also to give students the tools to continue their learning process beyond their years as students. Each student has their own inherit insights, whether discovered yet or not, and I enjoy being a part of that self discovery, which inevitably leads to continuing my own growth as a musician and teacher.