We caught up with (the very busy!) Kaitlin Miller, who shared a bit about her experience over the last year as the AHS Concert Artist.
Be sure to join us on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd at 2 pm Eastern Time for a special live online performance of Ariel Sol's Self by Ms. Miller.
What was it like to travel so often this past year for performances?
It has been an incredible experience. I've loved exploring parts of the country that were completely new to me, and meeting so many talented harpists and forming lasting friendships has been truly rewarding. While balancing these travels with my teaching and doctoral studies has been both physically and mentally challenging, I have deeply enjoyed becoming further connected with the harp community and am grateful to have the opportunity to perform in so many new spaces.
Did you learn anything through the experience that you want to share?
One of the biggest takeaways from my experiences this past year has been learning to shift my mentality to a more positive and expressive mindset when performing. In the past, I often focused so much on playing all the right notes or executing perfect technique that I would lose sight of the bigger picture.
Ultimately, audiences are drawn to the emotion and connection in a performance. While virtuosity and technical skills are impressive, they can feel hollow without genuine passion. The performances that have resonated most with me weren’t defined by flawless execution but by the emotional depth and sincerity of the artist.
I’ve realized that when my focus becomes fixated on avoiding mistakes or aiming for perfection, I risk losing the joy and spontaneity that make live performances so special. Technical precision belongs in the practice room; the stage is for sharing the love of music with an audience. This mindset became especially important during my travels, where long days and little sleep sometimes made technical perfection elusive. These moments reminded me that connection and heart are what truly captivate listeners.
How did this experience prepare you for a career as a harpist, or the next steps in your journey?
Having the opportunity to perform so frequently and make so many connections is invaluable for young professionals like me. I have gained so many skills through this experience, such as feeling more confident in speaking to audiences, adjusting to new harps and spaces, conducting harp ensembles, etc. I also learned a lot by talking with other professionals about their experiences and am grateful for all of the expertise these colleagues have shared with me.
Any fun anecdotes you want to share?
One especially memorable trip was driving across New York State with Denise Abbattista, a harpist I met through the Central New York chapters who has since become a close friend. We were both headed to the Fredonia Harp Day, hosted by Sonja Inglefield, where I had the honor of performing and leading a workshop. Afterward, Sonja graciously took me to visit Niagara Falls for the first time. It was a really beautiful trip in so many ways!
What music did you play at the concerts?
I often love having a theme for the repertoire that I program. The theme for my first year came together very quickly because I have always loved pieces that tell a story. From this, I choose “Storytelling” as my theme and programmed Colorado Trail (Grandjany), Sonata for harp (Hindemith), Moldau (Smetana), Around the Clock Suite (Chertok), and a contemporary worked called caprice by Jeffrey Mumford, whom I met in Ohio at a new music festival hosted at Bowling Green State University. I always opened with Colorado Trail because Colorado is home for me, and I found that it was a fun way to introduce myself to the audience and tell them about my dirt bike and camping background.
For this current year, my theme is “Flight”. The pieces are a mix of bird inspired material with other pieces that are more loosely connected to the word “flight”. My program currently consists of The Lark (Glinka / Balakirev), Le Rossignol (Lizst / Renié), Le Coucou (Daquin / Renié), Birds in Winter (Mauldin), La Volière Magique (Tournier), Légende (Renié), and Self (Sol).
Where are you headed next?
My next performances will be spread out between Southern California, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Kansas City, New York City, and a few locations in Utah in the spring. It will be my first time visiting NYC in particular! The spring will be very busy but exciting for me.
Anything else?
I just want to thank everyone who has made these travels and performances possible. I felt so welcome and taken care of by all my hosts and thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone at my visits. I am so grateful to AHS for providing the Concert Artist program so that young professionals like me can connect with harp communities across the country. While I am sad to only have several months left in this role, I am so excited for the next Concert Artist to have these incredible opportunities.
