KIMBERLY SNAUFER DEROSA
Founding Director of Houston Summer Harp Festival and Harp Journeys, Harpist, Composer, Recording Artist, Instructor
Kimberly Snaufer DeRosa is a highly versatile harpist, composer, recording artist, and educator with over 30 years of experience in the music world. Known for her expressive musicianship, she takes her audiences and students on unique and heartfelt musical journeys.
Her performances span the U.S. and internationally, including Canada, Mexico, Scotland, and Australia. Notable appearances include featured performer/presenter roles at the North Colorado Harp Festival, the Beauty of the Harp, Harp Journeys, various American Harp Society (AHS) chapters, and the AHS Summer Institute 2011 (as harp and guitar Snaufer-Garvin Duo). As a freelance musician, she is in high demand for solo recitals, orchestral performances, church services, special events, and sound baths/meditations. She performs on her concert grand pedal harp, her 30 string electric harp and her 38 string lever harp. Kimberly has released two CD recordings: Zero Hour (Snaufer-Garvin Duo) and Tidings of Joy (featuring guest musicians). Her current recording project focuses on reflective and meditative music and includes original compositions. She is proud to have performed with The Fort Smith Symphony on the recording premiering the music of Louis Ballard’s (Naxos label) directed by John Jeter and earning Best Classical Performance at the World Entertainment Awards (2025).
A passionate educator, Kimberly fosters a love for music and the harp while helping students of all ages develop self-expression, confidence, and polish. She offers private lessons (in-person and virtual), as well as masterclasses and workshops covering musicality, technique, performance preparation, and professionalism. She is the founding director of the Houston Summer Harp Festival (2000) and Harp Journeys for Adults (2004). Kimberly is the harp instructor for Lewisville ISD in north Dallas.
Kimberly co-hosts the virtual Harp Teacher’s Gathering, sponsored by Melody’s Traditional Music, and has been featured on Hangin’ with the Harp. She is deeply committed to fostering a sense of community within the harp world and has served the American Harp Society (AHS) at local, regional, and national levels.
Kimberly completed graduate studies at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto under the mentorship of world renowned harpist Judy Loman and earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Southern Methodist University, where she studied with Susan Dederich-Pejovich.
MEREDITH McCRINDLE
HSHF Featured Artist
Harpist, Composer, Entrepreneur, Recording Artist, Instructor and HSHF Alumna
Meredith McCrindle is a native of Houston, Texas and has lived in Ayr, on the West coast of Scotland, for the past decade. Having graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans in 2008 with a Bachelor in Music Business and Harp Performance, she moved to Scotland and graduated from The University of St Andrews with a Postgraduate degree in Management in the Creative Industry in 2010.
Meredith has appeared in Vogue as one of Scotland's most in-demand performing artists. As a musician, she has performed for royalty, presidents and celebrity events including Virgin and DIOR. In addition to performing as Resident Harpist at both Dumfries House and Trump Turnberry in Scotland, she maintains an active performance career in the U.K. with international guest appearances. Meredith has worked on projects for NARAS (The Grammy Organisation) and Emily Post and Debrett’s where she specialises in music etiquette.
PETER WILEY
HSHF Featured Guest
The ”HARP DOC”, Master Harp Technician
travels the world diagnosing, troubleshooting, and keeping harps in tip-top shape for harpists. Peter Wiley has worked in all aspects of Lyon and Healy's production department, including trunk making, regulating, manufacturing many of the harp's mechanical parts and assembly. As a journeyman regulator in 1988, Peter began traveling and managing the newly established Lyon and Healy Road Service Program. He earned the rare title of Master Harp Regulator, became Chief Harp Technician and later named Final Production Manager. After 20 years of employment at Lyon and Healy, Peter established his own company, Harp Doc, LLC. and continues providing invaluable support to harpists with his vast knowledge and maintenance service of the harp.
THERESE HONEY
HSHF Assistant director
Harpist Specializing in Historical Harp Early Music And Celtic Harp, Arranger, Instructor, Recording Artist
Childhood Fascination with the harp blossomed into an exciting and successful career as a professional harpist for this Houston native. She is a specialist in Celtic and Early harps, with a background in classical Pedal Harp. Performing on copies of historical harps, wire-strung harps and other folk harps of ancient design, Ms. Honey draws on her vast knowledge of early music history and her stunning virtuosity to bring alive the beautiful music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque eras. Her varied solo repertoire includes classical, popular, traditional and early music.
As an ensemble musician, she performs with Texas Early Music Project (TEMP) and traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and 13th-century Medieval music as a member of Wyndnwyre. She has toured throughout the United and in Europe including a performance in 1997 at the 20th Annual Carolan Festival in Keadue Co. Roscommon, Ireland.
Ms. Honey remains in demand for lectures, concerts and festival engagements and as a clinician and adjudicator across the United States. Her workshops include topics on Medieval, Renaissance and Celtic repertoire, arranging and style, technique, and Harp Ensemble. She is a dynamic teacher who inspires and motivates her students to learn more about the harp; its technique, repertoire and history. She co-hosts Melody’s online Harp Teacher Gathering.
Her private teaching studio is located in the Houston, Tx area. She is a published arranger and a recording artist with multiple CD releases.
HOPE COWAN
University of Houston Harp Faculty, Symphony of Southeast Texas principal harpist,
Young Audiences of Houston Artist, Recording Artist
Harpist Hope Cowan performs and teaches throughout the Houston area as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and event harpist. Active as both an orchestral and chamber musician, she is principal harpist with the Symphony of Southeast Texas and is a founding member of both the Canticle Duo and Lynx Trio. She has performed with many ensembles in Houston and beyond, including: Theater Under the Stars, ROCO, Milwaukee Symphony, MUSIQA, Monarch Chamber Players, and Mississippi Symphony. Formerly, she was Principal Harpist of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.
As an educator, Ms. Cowan is faculty at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music and the Houston Summer Harp Festival. She is also a teaching artist for Young Audiences of Houston and an alumna of the Da Camera Young Artist program. Ms. Cowan has a thriving private harp studio in Katy where she teaches students of all ages.
A strong advocate for the local Houston harp community, she was formerly the president of the Greater Houston Chapter of the American Harp Society, and currently serves as the organization’s Webmaster. She received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Houston, and a Master of Music degree from Rice University, both under the instruction of Paula Page.www.hopecowanharp.com
SUSANNA WANG
HSHF Faculty
Harpist, Lone Star College Music Faculty, Instructor, Music Director at King’s Cross Church and HSHF Alumna
As a music educator and professional harpist, Susanna Wang sees music as a medium for self-expression, a means of bringing beauty into the world, and a way to connect with others. She is on faculty at Lone Star College, maintains a private harp studio in the Washington Heights area and previously taught harp as adjunct faculty at Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University. Susanna served as principal harpist with the Central Texas Philharmonic, Houston Civic Symphony, Energy Corridor of Houston Orchestra and Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Symphony of Southeast Texas, Mobile Symphony, Galveston Symphony and Symphony North of Houston. As a soloist, she performed with Baytown Symphony, Lone Star Symphony Orchestra, and Energy Corridor of Houston Orchestra. A lover of chamber music, Susanna is a founding member of AURORA - a harp, flute, cello ensemble specializing in community concerts with diverse programming. She also enjoys performing as a soloist and exploring new and exciting music to introduce to her audiences. Recent highlights include a trio performance entitled "Celestial Wanderings" at Archway Gallery and an appearance as the wedding ceremony harpist on Netflix's Love Is Blind Season 5.
Susanna is an active member of the Houston chapter of the American Harp Society and is the music ministry director at King’s Cross Church in Cypress. She was a finalist in the Anne Adams Awards, first place winner of the Mildred Milligan competition college division, first chair harpist in the Texas All-State Orchestra, winner of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra’s student concerto competition, and a winner of the Concerto/Aria Competition at Stephen F. Austin State University where she graduated with a master’s degree in harp performance under the instruction of Ms. Emily Mitchell.
Susanna currently resides in Houston, TX with her husband and son. She enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, drinking coffee, reading, spending time with family and connecting with friends.