Melanie Mashner

Professional harpist Melanie Mashner is passionate about bringing joy to the people around her through music. Newly appointed as the Principal Harpist of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Melanie was the Graduate Assistant Instructor in Harp for the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music for the past two years, where she has worked and studied with renowned international concert artists Florence Sitruk, Susann McDonald, Elizabeth Hainen, Emile Naumouff, and many others. As a Global Leader Award recipient from the National Society of Leadership and Success, Melanie lived in Vienna, Austria for six months where she worked with Vienna Philharmonic Harpist, Anneleen Lenaerts, and was also recently a scholarship recipient at the Bowdoin International Music Festival with renowned harpist June Han. Melanie has won numerous awards for the harp and performs frequently as a chamber artist, orchestral harpist, and soloist throughout the midwest and northeastern United States. Recent performances include a premiere of Juan Pablo Contreras’ concerto for harp and chamber orchestra, Ángel Mestizo, with Arca Sonica in Ann Arbor, MI, and Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez as the IU Harp Department Concerto Competition Winner. Melanie has also been selected as a featured performer in the Orchestral Audition Showcase of the 2022 World Harp Congress in Cardiff, Wales.​ As the program coordinator of the 2019 11th USA International Harp Competition, Melanie was thrilled to bring harp music and education to over 1800 children and adults across Indiana as the head of their educational outreach program, Harp Start.

My teaching philosophy is to inspire and encourage my students at any age. We will work on setting goals so that together we can accomplish what is important to you. As the program coordinator of the 11th USA International Harp Competition and head of their educational outreach program, Harp Start, for two years, I gave presentations across Indiana for over 1800 children and adults, so I have experience teaching all ages.

In addition to the harp, I offer lessons on cello and piano, as well as music theory coachings. For students interested in playing the harp, starting out on piano is an excellent gateway. Please contact me to learn more about this! I look forward to meeting with you!