Grace Wong
Instrument: Harp
With the RPO since: 1979
My earliest musical memory is hearing my mother sing.
I knew I would make music my career when I started getting jobs after graduate school.
Most influential teachers: Fedor Lensky (ballet), Glady Mayo (piano), Dewey Owens (harp), Lucy Lewis (harp), Lucite Lawrence (harp)
Favorite composer(s): Debussy and Stravinsky
What do you most enjoy about performing? Moving my arms and legs in an organized fashion to make beautiful sounds.
What is your favorite part of being a member of the RPO? Being part of a wonderful family of friends.
I've always thought it might be fun to be a trapeze artist!
What do you think is the Orchestra's most important role in our community? To help show how music is an integral part of our lives.
Biography
Grace Wong, second prizewinner at the Fifth International Harp Contest in Israel, has been Principal Harpist of the RPO since 1979. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees were earned at Oberlin Conservatory and Manhattan School of Music, respectively. As a soloist, including a debut recital at Carnegie Recital Hall, she has appeared throughout the United States, toured Canada and the Far East and has given a series of recitals in South America. She is currently on the faculty of Hochstein School of Music and Dance and maintains a private studio.
