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Meet the Teacher - Mary Muckle

MAry Muckle, Harpist and Harp trainerMary began her musical studies in piano and organ in Whitby, Ontario. She graduated, a piano major, from the University of California, Berkeley. She continued her piano studies at Arizona State University with Steven de Groote and studied harpsichord there with John Metz. She began harp studies in 1990 with Katherine Ely in Victoria, B.C. and has continued recently with Sarah Davidson, principal harpist for the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. Under the tutelage of Barbara Ross in Ottawa, she completed an ACCM in vocal performance from Conservatory Canada. After completing her A.R.C.T. and B. Ed. at the University of Toronto, she taught music in the St. John’s Newfoundland school system, before opening her private studio in St. John’s.

Mary has maintained a private music studio for 40 years in Whitby, St. John’s, Nanaimo, and Ottawa, affiliated with local and national chapters of the Canadian Federation of Registered Music Teachers. Mary with studentsShe has prepared students for RCM examinations and Kiwanis Music Festivals in all four locations.

Mary encourages her students to compose, arrange and perform their own music. In Ottawa, her students participate in the performing and music writing classes of the Canadian Music Showcase, an annual festival devoted to the performance of Canadian music. Mary has a particular interest in ensemble work for harp combined with other instruments. She has made many arrangements for harp, harp and voice, and harp ensemble as well as original compositions for voice and harp. Her works are published by Afghan Press.

Mary Muckle Harpist

Mary is also a performer on both lever (Celtic) and pedal (Orchestral) harps. She performs regularly for concerts, weddings, receptions and other special events. She is the harp accompanist for the Welsh women’s penillion choir, Cantorion Cerdd Dant in Ottawa. She is director of the Ottawa Youth Harp Ensemble, and was director (1998-2006) of the Ottawa Harp Choir, an ensemble of ten adult lever harpists. She currently directs adult harpists in The Heart's Desire Harp Ensemble. Mary teaches harp in her Heart’s Desire studio in Ottawa South.