MICHAEL MAGANUCO

I am a passionate teacher with over a decade of experience, an award-winning published composer, and an acclaimed arranger whose works are performed worldwide. But above all, I consider myself a harpist. What began as my childhood hobby, has evolved into a multifaceted career guided by my mission to reintroduce this ancient instrument to a modern world, and to challenge the misconceptions of what a harpist looks like or what the harp can do. Read on to learn more about my musical journey . . . 

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Harpist

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As an orchestral harpist, I can be heard performing across the Midwest from Indiana's South Bend Symphony to Iowa's Dubuque Symphony. Before moving to Southwest Michigan in 2022, I spent 12 years building my career as a freelance musician in Chicago, where I still perform with Lakeview Orchestra, Lake Shore Symphony, Chicago Metropolitan Symphony, and DePaul Symphony. In 2022, I made my debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestra as substitute principal harpist. From 2014 to 2020, as resident harpist of DePaul University, I performed full-time in the school’s orchestral, opera, and choral ensembles. I have also performed extensively with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as a recurring guest from 2014 to 2019, where I’ve had the honor of working with such esteemed conductors as Riccardo Muti, Ken-David Masur, Nicholas Kraemer, and Sir Andrew Davis. A few of my career highlights include performing alongside the brilliant writer and comedian Jenny Slate; a concert with New World Symphony conducted by one of my favorite living composers, John Adams; and an incredibly formative summer as harp fellow at Tanglewood Music Center, where I performed under the baton of world-renowned conductors like Christoph von Dohnányi, Raphael Frühbeck de Burgos, Michael Tilson Thomas, Robert Spano, Christian Macelaru, and also premiered one of the last works composed by the great Elliot Carter, with him in attendance.

 

I have appeared as featured soloist in performances of W.A. Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major, William Grant Still’s Ennanga, and Maurice Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro. I can be heard on the 2012 Grammy-nominated recording of David Maslanka’s Symphony No. 4 with Northwestern University’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Mallory Thompson. As a historical harpist, I have performed continuo on Baroque triple harp for DePaul University’s productions of Claudio Monteverdi’s operas, L’Orfeo (1607) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (1642), as well as Francesco Cavalli’s L’Egisto (1643). I have also been a guest speaker at harp conferences across North America, including the 42nd American Harp Society National Conference in Atlanta 2016, the 11th World Harp Congress in Vancouver 2011, and the 2010 Boston Harp Festival.

 

I earned my dual bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Boston University in composition and harp performance and my master’s degree in harp performance from Northwestern University.

 

In addition to orchestral performances and other public appearances, I am available to play for private events in Western Michigan, Northwest Indiana, and Chicagoland. I gladly offer a bereavement discount on music for funerals, wakes, and memorial services.

 

To check my availability and booking rates please contact me here

 

 

Teacher

 

In over twelve years of teaching harp, I have worked with students ranging from beginner to collegiate, and from ages eight to eighty. My high school students have performed with local youth orchestra programs including Chicago Youth Symphony, Elgin Youth Symphony, Midwest Young Artists, and Illinois Music Educators Association. From 2016 to 2020, I built a private harp studio and served on the music staff at one of the nation’s top-rated public schools, Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Today, I teach online and in-person lessons from my home studio in Watervliet, Michigan.

 

In addition to exploring solo harp repertoire, all my students learn music theory, harp history, and sight-reading. My more advanced students also focus on chamber music, orchestral excerpts, and how to prepare for auditions. Students especially interested in composing or arranging for harp may also choose to study music notation, composition techniques, and how to arrange music for harp. I encourage all my students to pursue ensemble experience whether at school, summer music camp, or regional orchestras.

 

For information about lesson rates please contact me here

 

 

Composer

 

I earned my bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition from Boston University, where I studied with composers Richard Cornell, Ketty Nez, and Martin Amlin, and participated in masterclasses with Samuel Adler and Peter Maxwell Davies.

 

My solo harp composition, Awakening Stillnesses was awarded the grand prize in the composition contest for the 8th USA International Harp Competition (USAIHC) at Indiana University. As the required contemporary work for the 8th USAIHC, all contestants performed Awakening Stillnesses during the solo recital round. The gold medalist of the 8th USAIHC, Agnès Clément, recorded it on her debut solo album, Dance, released in 2012. Awakening Stillnesses has since been performed by harpists worldwide and at harp conferences across North and South America including the 42nd American Harp Society National Conference in Atlanta 2016, the 11th International Harp Festival of Rio de Janeiro 2016, the 11th World Harp Congress in Vancouver 2011, and the 2010 Boston Harp Festival. 

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Awakening Stillnesses is published by Lyon & Healy and can be purchased here

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Agnès Clément’s recording of Awakening Stillnesses can be downloaded on iTunes or purchased here

 

 

Arranger

 

I have arranged, transcribed, orchestrated, and engraved over a hundred pieces for solo harp and various ensembles. I’ve also arranged for multiple harps and have enjoyed hearing my ensemble works performed by the Dallas Harp Quartet, Armed Forces Harp Sextet, and harp studios at Boston University, New England Conservatory, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

 

Since 2010, I have arranged a collection of ten works by Astor Piazzolla, the preeminent composer of Argentine tangos. This project began as a collaboration with principal harpist emeritus of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Ann Hobson Pilot, who also my teacher and mentor while I studied at Boston University. Pilot has since performed my arrangements across the country with violinists Lucia Lin, Tai Murray, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, flutist Leone Buyse, and in collaboration with Sarasota Contemporary Dance. In 2013, Pilot recorded six of my Piazzolla arrangements with Lucia Lin (violinist of the Boston Symphony and Muir Quartet) and J.P. Jofre (bandoneónist and Piazzolla specialist). Harmonia Mundi released their album, Astor Piazzolla: Escualo, in January 2015. My violin and harp arrangements of Piazzolla’s works currently include Ave Maria (Tanti Anni Prima), Escualo, Libertango, Oblivion, Tanguango, Valsísimo, Milonga del Ángel, La Muerte del Ángel, and Resurección del Ángel. All works are currently being edited for publication and should be available for purchase in the coming years.

 

My solo harp arrangement of Chiquilín de Bachín is published by Lyon & Healy and can be purchased as a digital download here

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Hear my other arrangements on Astor Piazzolla: Escualo 

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