Kaiulani Rita Dunn~Hawaiian Harpist
Kaiulani Rita Dunn is a native of Greenville, South Carolina. She started her first harp lesson at age seven. Her twin sister, Susan, a violinist, and she started their music business, Soothing Reflections LLC, performing for weddings, special events, etc. at age nine and made their first CD at age eleven. She has competed and won first place several times in national high school harp competitions, placed twice in a national chamber ensemble competition, and was finalist in a concerto competition. In spring of 2023, Kaiulani won the 2023 Rise Symposium award in the category of-Best Musical Performance at Converse University. In addition, her experience includes playing historical American folk music with a group for five years, being the traditional Celtic harpist for the “Return to the Green” Irish festival in Greenville and performing a traditional Hawaiian music concert at the famous Kawaiahao Church of the Monarchs in Honolulu.
Kaiulani has been featured soloist in Danse sacree et danse profane in The Greenville Summer Chamber Music Ensemble, and harpist for the Young Artists Orchestra, Spartanburg Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and Furman University Orchestra. She is a harpist for professional orchestras including Aiken Symphony, The Greenville Symphony, and South Carolina Philharmonic. Presently a Senior Harp Performance Major at Converse University, Dunn enjoys playing for the Converse Symphony Orchestra as principal harpist, and studies harp under John Wickey (Greenville Symphony principal harpist and former student of Dr. Lynne Aspnes at the University of Michigan and famous Salzedo harpist, Lucille Lawrence at Boston University). Next semester, she is excited to perform Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with the Converse Symphony Orchestra.
She has taken masterclasses with prominent harpists: Yolanda Kondonassis, Susann Mcdonald, Lynne Aspnes, Anita Burroughs Price (Principal Harpist of the North Carolina Symphony), Vonda Dar (Principal Harpist of the Augusta Symphony), Carolyn Lund Munford (Former Principal Harpist for South Carolina Philharmonic) Abigail Kent (Principal Harpist Fellow of The New World Symphony), Alexandria Mullens (AHS Concert Artists for two years).
Kaiulani enjoys being a part of special organizations and music clubs including: The American Harp Society (National Member), Harp Column (Subscriber), The Greenville Music Club, American Guild of Organist, Delta Omicron (secretary), Converse Asian and Pacific Islander Organization (Social Media and Communications officer), and Nu Alfa Phi Flames Society.
She believes music festivals are a helpful way to become a better musician. In summer 2023, she attended the North Coast Harp Institute (held at The Cleveland Institute of Music) where she studied harp with Yolanda Kondonassis. She also attended Varna International Music Festival in the summer of 2022 where she was employed as their music librarian, and stage help. Kaiulani was employed part-time the following year as a Musician Coordinator for Varna International as well. She is hoping to learn harp from Ms. Anna Kate Mackle (Principal Harpist of the Florida Orchestra) at the Eastern Music Festival in summer 2024.
When she graduates with her Bachelor’s degree this May, Kaiulani hopes to pursue her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in harp.
You can find Kaiulani’s 2024 Classical Music Competition harp performance here.