I’m a lay leader (Morning Prayer), licensed lay preacher and liturgical harpist. I research, arrange and play Gregorian chant and sacred Medieval vocal music on my three wire-strung harps for Sunday morning services (both Rite I and II) at St. Thomas & Grace Episcopal Church, Brandon, Vermont. I also do a significant amount of improvising in these styles, with my husband George Matthew Jr. accompanying at our historic pipe organ.
For our service preludes, I occasionally play Gregorian chant from the Roman Catholic Liber Usualis on my Stoney End Esabelle cross-strung wire harp.
I get asked often if I play concerts on my harps and the answer to that is no, I’m a church harpist. If you want to hear me, you’ll have to come to St. Thomas & Grace!
My present scholarly interests involve learning to read staffless chant neums of the early Middle Ages (9th century); being able to do so will provide me with a new source of Medieval music, rarely if ever heard, for my harp and church services. Another current project is finding and playing 13th century two-part organum on my harps.
Playing a Sunday service at St. Thomas & Grace on my Triplett Luna wire harp
My undergraduate degree in 2007 from Green Mountain College, VT was in sacred music focusing on pipe organ, with an introduction to Gregorian chant and the harp. Prior to GMC I studied music (classical piano) and business at SUNY Fredonia but did not complete my degree (1987-1991).
After graduation from GMC with honors (Summa cum Laude, Alpha Chi), I eventually left the organ and concentrated on playing the harp exclusively, and on arranging Gregorian chant for wire-strung harp. I now have three modern (chromatic) wire-strung harps, one Paraguayan harp, and my newest instrument, a cross-strung floor harp on which I hope to arrange and play Baroque music.
I began playing the Irish wire-strung harp in 2009 with my new Triplett Luna; the previous summer of 2008 I studied Irish harp briefly in Castleconnell, Ireland while George was on a carillon concert tour in Armagh and Cobh. I played my Triplett Luna on my 2014 CD Vox Celeste and in February 2016 my second wire harp, a chromatic cross-strung, was completed by Stoney End Harps. My third wire harp, a double-strung with a full set of Truitt sharping levers was completed by Dan Speer of Argent Fox Harps in November 2022.
Looking to the future, I’m hoping to someday acquire an Ecuadorian arpa folklorica: an Andean harp from the Otavalo and Cotacachi regions of Ecuador. These traditional folk harps usually have multiple soundholes and often feature beautiful floral neck carvings, colorful soundboard paintings and a mix of both metal and nylon strings. Their design heritage comes from several sources: Spanish missionaries to the region in the 1600’s, the classical Spanish harp and the indigenous Kichwa folk music tradition. They have an exquisitely beautiful and unmistakable sound that’s quite unlike other harps I’ve heard. They have proved challenging and elusive to locate/import, but I persist in my search… I look forward to posting here when I’ve finally found my Ecuadorian harp!
Antique Ecuadorian harp with elegant neck carvings… someday!
I continue to study the Anglican and Roman Catholic liturgies and the histories of both churches. In the spring of 2025 I earned a lay preacher’s license in the Episcopal Church. When I first began by leading the Morning Prayer service, I researched a historical/theological topic for my Reflection well in advance, using the academic resources of Middlebury College Davis Library.
Some of my past reflections covered: The Church of England’s Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and King Henry VIII and the creation of the Book of Common Prayer, St. Francis’ life and ministry today in the Episcopal Creation Care Season, and the Great O Antiphons (I demonstrated the Gregorian chant melody on my harp), including their Anglican relationship to the familiar Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”.
Insert sheet for Sunday morning prayer bulletin showing page from 1549 Book of Common Prayer. (October 29, 2023)
My newest harp Rebekah, a cross-strung floor harp with nylon strings was built by Stoney End Harps in early 2025.
My Rebekah Harp at ST&G
I like to do a lot of knitting in our cold Vermont winter months. My reading tastes lean strongly towards scholarly non-fiction and at present, theological works. I also collect books on traditional knitting and needlework from countries around the world. In spring and fall I continue to add colorful new roses to my ever-growing rose garden. My current non-scholarly activity involves insulating our three-seasons porch for year-round use!
George and I live with our three adopted rescue cats Jasmine, Daisy and Benjamin. They are ages 18, 17 and 11.
18 year old Jasmine Kitty has a little cardboard kit harp (Backyard Music Harps) of her very own that she likes to plunk and she also enjoys making periodic visits to church on Sunday mornings in her comfy carrier! She’s very popular with everyone.
Jasmine plays her little cardboard harp.
We adopted Benjamin Kitty from our local shelter on December 28, 2024. He’s 11 years old and loves to play!
