Each year, the Seattle Chapter of the American Harp Society sponsors a composer's competition aimed at generating new intermediate level solos for the harp. This year's winner was Maryjean Zarick with her composition "Syrian Chant." Maryjean's composition is loosely based on traditinal Eastern Orthodox Christian liturgical chant. Since chant is monophonic, having no harmonic structure, the challenge was to create a bass counterpoint, using elements of the chant melody.

The selection process began in October 2009 when committee members accepted a total of 19 compositions. By January 2009, eight of the compositions had made it past the committee and were then distributed to harp students, who were given six months to prepare one piece each for a public concert.

On June 5, 2009, the public was invited to listen as the judges heard the eight pieces performed at the Daniels Recital Hall on 5th Avenue in Seattle, Washington. The recital was video recorded and aired on PBS television on July 1 in the Seattle market. It will air again later this month in the New York cable TV market. The video is a production of International Artists Records and Time-Warner Cable and will eventually be available for viewing at www.intartists.com (Click on Crescento podcasts.)

Committee members included Mark Andersen, former staff music arranger for NBC TV and current producer of the PBS concert series "Crescendo," Joyce Rice, Editor-in-Chief of "Harp Spectrum," an online magazine, and professional harpists Carol Levin and Susie Hussong. Serving as Competition Judges were Seattle harp teacher Patricia Jaeger and Patricia Wooster, Principal Harpist with Tacoma Symphony. Since some of the composers were well known in the harp world, all judging was done blindly, meaning that neither committee members nor judges had access to the titles of the pieces or the names of the composers.

As first place winner, Maryjean received a cash prize and her piece will be published by the print music division of International Artists Records and distributed through Lyon & Healy, Vanderbilt Music and The Harp Connection. The printed music will be available in the fall of 2009. It is interesting to note that Maryjean also garnered second place with another one of her pieces, entitled "Royal Procession and Dance."

Maryjean Zarick began her harp studies at Ohio University where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Music Therapy. Later on, she pursued graduate studies at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Over the years she has worked as a music therapist, freelance harpist, university teacher and music publisher. She currently lives near Orlando Florida and is owner of www.HarpMusicNow.com, a subscription website where harpists can download harp sheet music written by Maryjean and others. She has most recently achieved her dream of owning and restoring a 90 year old Wurlitzer pedal harp which she found in an antique store in Pompano Beach, Florida!

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 [Maryjean Zarick Wins Composer's Competition]

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