Guest Harpist Elaine Barber Returns for Jackson Concert

Megan Meisenbach and Elaine Barber

Music lovers shouldn’t miss seeing guest harpist Elaine Barber perform in concert Saturday night with members of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.

It’s really a return engagement for this talented musician and Mississippi College graduate. The principal harpist with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Barber will be a featured artist at the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra’s Chamber Series program at Millsaps College. The program begins on the Jackson campus at 6:30 p.m.

The Texan will join the orchestra to play dances by impressionist composer Claude Debussy and end with “Ragtime Dances” by Charles Ives. Barber will spot several familiar faces on stage. She served as the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra’s principal harpist from 1984 through 1992.

The concert at the Ford Academic Complex on the Millsaps campus will include a diverse selection of music that spotlights dance in music. Maestro Crafton Beck will direct the orchestra. The program will close with a dance selection by Igor Stravinsky.

On the Clinton campus, many know Elaine Martin Barber as the daughter of the late Mississippi College administrator Charles E. Martin. Joining the faculty in 1957, the 1951 MC graduate served the Christian university for years as its academic dean. He also authored a book, “Mississippi College With Pride,” that details the institution’s history dating back to 1826.

Elaine Barber settled in the Austin area to raise a family after earning her master’s degree in harp performance at Rice University. She’s a regular guest with the San Antonio Symphony in Texas. She’s traveled across much of the United States and studied music in Europe. In a review, the Austin American-Statesman described Barber’s solo performance as she played Debussy’s concerto for harp and string orchestra. Barber, the reviewer wrote, “charmed the audience with clarity, technical excellence and healthy expressiveness.”

MC Music Department Chair Angela Willoughby thinks highly of Elaine Barber, calling her “a fabulous musician. She is a sensitive player and a gifted teacher.” In addition, this innovative chamber member “typifies what a successful musician should be. We are extremely proud that she is an alum of the Mississippi College Music Department.”

At the Jackson concert, another wonderful featured performer will be guest flutist Megan Meisenbach, who’s performed before audiences from Mexico to Massachusetts.

Concert tickets cost $16 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, contact Jim Moritsugu of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra at 601-960-1565.