American Harp Foundation

Supporting and Preserving
the Art of the Harp

American Harp Foundation

Overview

Founded in 1993, the American Harp Foundation houses 19 educational funds in which donations are held for specific educational projects, such as scholarships, awards and prizes, each in accordance with the intent of the original donor.

The mission of the American Harp Foundation is to provide an enduring financial home for legacy funds that will advance and support the harp as an integral part of musical culture and provide opportunities to advance gifted young harpists in their pursuit of professional status.

The American Harp Foundation addresses the needs of the entire harp community, with a diverse array of investment tools for all non-profit American harp organizations, including classical, folk, historical, and jazz. With an extraordinary 30-year record the Foundation has successfully helped many harpists with scholarships and awards.

The American Harp Foundation continues its work supporting the American Harp Society by safeguarding and growing funds intended for educational awards and scholarships. Founded by lifelong and beloved AHS members, Sally Maxwell, Dr. Burton Adams, Jack Nebergall, Wenonah Govea, Ruth Papalia, and Dorothy Remsen, the Foundation is administered by a group of dedicated volunteers who share the vision of the founders.

Scholarships and Awards 2025–2026

The American Harp Foundation announces awards, competitions, and scholarships for 2025–2026. The prestigious Anne Adams Awards and Marcel Grandjany Memorial Competition will take place in 2026 and a new Lucile Lawrence Award will be held in an online format this spring, in 2025.

We invite your students to peruse the repertoire and requirements for all of these opportunities as well as the Kathy Bundock Moore Scholarship. Please feel free to be in contact with any questions. 

The Foundation is grateful to be able to provide opportunities for young harpists and we are always accepting donations to the many funds that enable these competitions and scholarships to be awarded to the harp artists of the future!

Legacy Opportunities

The Foundation houses many named endowment funds. There are numerous opportunities for donors to support the Foundation, including an online donation portal. Contributions by individuals or chapters to funds established prior to 2023 will benefit programs and activities of the American Harp Society and its members. Donations to newer funds or the General Memorial Fund may benefit other harp organizations and individuals or the American Harp Society. Each of you can help the Foundation to grow. You can be a part of that legacy.

DONATE

Your donation to the American Harp Foundation helps fund our educational projects that provide scholarships and awards to young harpists.

NEWS

2020 and 2022
Anne Adams and Grandjany Memorial Competitions
 

Jointly released in conjunction with the American Harp Society’s 60th Annual Conference

Foundation Members

Sally Maxwell (1935–2013), Founder, President Emeritus
Wenonah Govea, Founder, Emeritus

Foundation Board of Directors

Carrie Kourkoumelis, President
Kathleen Bride, Vice President
Holly Avesian, Secretary
Penny Howk Beavers, Treasurer and Donor Relations
Frances Duffy, Competitions Director
Kristina Finch

Elizabeth Huntley
Paula Page

Foundation News

The 2024 recipients of the Anne Adams Award and the Grandjany Competition have been announced. See the News page for details.

For Questions:

Contact Foundation President
Carrie Kourkoumelis by email
or
American Harp Foundation
28 Cargill Street
Melrose, MA  02176

Send Donations to:

American Harp Foundation
c/o Penny Beavers
646 Worcester Drive
Cambria, CA 93428-3230

Photo courtesy of Patricia Gilhooly.

History of the American Harp Foundation

Foundation Founders

Burton Adams, Wenonah Govea, Sally Maxwell, Jack Nebergall, Ruth Papalia, Dorothy Remsen

In 1990, a small group of long-time members of the AHS foresaw the potential of housing large donations and scholarship funds for the American Harp Society in a separate organization. It was their objective to hold the funds where they could grow and be used only for the purpose intended by donors. For 25 years these funds have been used to award scholarship funds for college students, national competition winners, high school students attending summer camp, and harp students in extreme need.

In 1993, the then-American Harp Society Foundation began three new awards: the Nebergall Award, the Karl Carlson Award, and the Doris Calkins Award. The Foundation now houses many separate funds. These funds will continue to benefit the American Harp Society and its members in perpetuity, but new donations to today’s American Harp Foundation may be directed to support other harp organizations and harpists.

Each fund within the Foundation is designated for a specific purpose. Only a portion of the interest/gains is given for each award and scholarship, thereby creating and building an endowment to ensure the funds and their growth in perpetuity.

American Harp Foundation