Christine Holvick, Harpist

Christine Holvick, a professional classical and jazz harpist, singer, arranger, and composer, has been performing before large / sizable audiences since she was a child.

Originally from the San Francisco area, Professor Holvick began studying music at the age of six with the ambition to become a concert harpist. At ten years old she released her first album of a live concert performance of a harp concerto conducted by the illustrious Lucie Landen.

As a soprano, her concentrated vocal studies began at the Conservatory of Music at the University of the Pacific in 1971 where she received her Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance, magna cum laude. She then furthered her studies at the Eduard van Beinum Institute in the Netherlands with the internationally acclaimed Principal Harpist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Madame Phia Berghout, and the famous Dutch oratorio and lieder soprano, Madame Dora Lindeman.

Upon returning to San Francisco in 1976, she trained for the next four years with Stanford University’s Professor of voice and theater Evelyn Draper. She also opened her music performing business, "Holvick Harp Productions" in 1976 and entertained at restaurants, clubs, and hotels while retaining steady engagements at the prestigious Hyatt Regency and St. Francis Hotels as a harpist and singer. During this period she held the position of Principal Harpist with the Pacific Philharmonic for five seasons, while actively touring around the Bay Area in a flute and harp duo and the Sierra Ensemble Chamber Quintet. 

From 1978 to 1981, she intermittently lived aboard a cruise ship totaling sixteen months presenting nightly recitals and lecture demonstrations. Insert a photo or photos from ship. After her final voyage back to San Francisco, Professor Holvick coached from 1981 until 1983 with the soprano of the West Bay Area Opera Company, Annelle Delfs, while continuing her busy teaching and performing schedule.

Relocating to Santa Barbara in 1984, Professor Holvick received a Master of Music Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California. Professor Holvick became certified in the Suzuki method, and is able to teach music to children as young as two or three years old. She held the position of Adjunct Professor of Harp at Westmont College in Santa Barbara for twelve years and President of the American Harp Society for the Santa Barbara area for ten years where she was responsible for organizing events to promote the harp to the community. During this time she enrolled and conducted an ensemble of eight elementary school students to perform in various venues on Celtic harps. 

Over the years, in addition to providing instruction in piano, harp, voice and diction, Professor Holvick has been held in high regard for preparing audition candidates for choral and musical theater roles and for comprehensive tutoring in stage presence, costuming, stage fright, and stage makeup. Tapping into her skills as a trained dancer has proven invaluable to students in musical theater. 

Being highly creative, her imaginative compositions and arrangements continually add distinction not only to her jazz and pop performances, but also to her classical recitals, workshops, and lecture demonstrations. Although Professor Holvick is in constant demand as a harp soloist and singer/harpist, she also specializes in writing harp parts for recording studio artists, improvising with ensembles, and accompanying large choral groups.