Alix Raspe, Harp Teacher

Alix Raspé Gray, professionally known as Alix Raspé, is an award-winning solo and orchestral harpist, chamber musician, educator and musical entrepreneur.

Ms. Raspé currently serves as Adjunct Harp Professor for Phillips Academy Andover, as an Associate Harpist for Columbus Symphony and as Principal Harpist of the Lima Symphony Orchestra. From 2017-2018, Ms. Raspé served as Associate Harpist for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Ms. Raspé also currently teaches and coaches at the Chamber Music Connection (CMC) and Brookside Music School. While formerly a Boston resident, Ms. Raspé served as a faculty member of Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Camp, Note-Worthy Experiences, and as the Harp Specialist at The Harp Connection.

Ms. Raspé has received numerous awards as a soloist including: the Annapolis Music Festival Maestro Award for Outstanding Soloist at the age of 13, the NYU Excellence in String Performance and Leadership Award, and the NYU Orchestral Excellence Award. In 2015, Ms. Raspé was the winner of the NYU String Competition. In 2016, Ms. Raspé was awarded First Runner-Up in the New England Conservatory’s Lower Strings Concerto Competition. As an orchestral harpist, Ms. Raspé has performed with the New World Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, NY Pops, Symphony of New Hampshire, Symphoria, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Harvard Bach Society, LoftOpera, Park Avenue Symphony, Chelsea Symphony, and QUO.

Ms. Raspé has attended such prestigious music festivals as: the Tanglewood Music Center (Harp Fellow), the Aspen Music Festival, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute (Harp Fellow), MusicAlp, Saratoga Harp Colony, Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific, and Interlochen. Ms. Raspé has performed in Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Seiji Ozawa Hall, Symphony Hall, Juilliard’s Paul and Morse Halls, NEC’s Jordan Hall, and Symphony Space.

Ms. Raspé has always had an interest in helping build and develop communities through music. While at New England Conservatory (NEC), Ms. Raspé was the recipient of two Individual Solo Fellowships, an Ensemble Fellowship for NEC’s Community Performances and Partnerships, and two Entrepreneurial Musicianship grants. Shortly after graduating NEC, Ms. Raspé co-founded and co-directed the Dorset Chamber Music Residency, a community-driven classical chamber music festival, which had its inaugural summer June 2017. In 2018, Ms. Raspé served as Development Director of Caroga Arts Collective. From 2019-2021, Ms. Raspé served as Marketing and Development Director for The Chamber Music Connection.

Ms. Raspé graduated Pi Kappa Lambda from New England Conservatory with her Masters in Harp Performance where she studied with Jessica Zhou. Ms. Raspé received her Bachelor of Music from New York University with a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies where she studied with Bridget Kibbey. Prior to attending NYU, Ms. Raspé attended the Juilliard Pre-College where she studied with June Han. Ms. Raspé currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with her husband Erik, and their miniature Australian Shepherds, Ollie and Indie.

Ms. Raspé has performed with such artists as Michael Bolton, Roger Daltrey of The Who, MAX on Live with Kelly and Ryan, The Late Late Show with James Corden and IHeartRadio, and has been featured on the soundtrack of RuPaul’s Drag Races (Season 5), and in the film Reservation Road.

Alix has years of experience teaching all ages and levels. Specializing in both pedal and lever harp instruction, Alix creates a warm, encouraging environment, guiding her students to reach their highest potential as artists. As a 200-hr Yoga Alliance Instructor, Alix’s yoga experience motivates her students to engage in healthy music making, focusing on not only the notes on the page, but how their movement can develop their sound and playing.

Alix serves as Adjunct Harp Professor for Phillips Academy Andover, the Chamber Music Connection and Brookside Music School as well as maintaining a thriving private harp studio online and in-person.

Alix was President of MetroHarp's (New York Chapter of the American Harp Society) Young Harpists Alliance for 4 years where she coached masterclasses, seminars and performance anxiety workshops for harp students. Last summer, Alix helped teach musicians of all ages during a teaching residency at SUNY-FMCC with Caroga Lake Music Festival. Alix formerly served on the faculty of Noteworthy Experiences as their Harp Teacher. Alix has also taught several summers at Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s summer camp as their harp coach.