Julie Gaisford Keyes

Julie Gaisford Keyes made her debut at the age of 15 as a soloist with the Utah Symphony.  She is a two time winner of the American Harp Society National Harp Competition wining first prize in the Intermediate II and 2nd prize in the Advanced Division. She is also past winner of the Ruth Lorraine Close Competition.

 

 Julie is a graduate from the Brigham Young University in harp performance and pedagogy.  Her major teachers include Sarah Bullen, Susann McDonald, Carrol McLaughlin, Reneé Sheranian, and Louise Pratt. 

 

Throughout her career, Julie has performed state-wide, nationally and internationally. Performances  include solo harp recitals, violin/harp recitals and flute/harp recitals throughout Utah and California. As an orchestral harpist Julie has been 2nd harpist with the Utah Symphony being the youngest member at age 17.  For almost 21 years, she has performed with the Orchestra at Temple Square and Tabernacle Choir. She performs on the longest live national radio and TV Broadcast "Music and the Spoken Word."

 

Julie is in her twenty eighth season with the Ballet West's annual Nutcracker performances. She has performed with numerous orchestras throughout the intermountain west including  Ballet West Orchestra, Boise Philharmonic, New American Symphony (Ogden, Utah) Salt Lake Symphony, Mormon Youth Symphony, Southwest Symphony (St. George, Utah)  and BYU Philharmonic, Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. As a concerto soloist she has soloes with the Utah Symphony, Orchestra at Temple Square, New American Symphony, Southwest Symphony and BYU Chamber orchestra.

 

As a composer and arranger, she has  published over two hundred  arrangements focusing on religious and children's music for the lever and pedal harp. 

In addition to her publications is a book “My Harp’s History - a record keeping book for all harps”. 

She has a large private harp studio teaching beginning to advance students.

 

Julie has served as president as the Utah Chapter of the American Harp Society and has been a board member for over 25 years.  On the national level, she was chairman of the American Harp Society Tape Library for 10 years. A native of Salt Lake City, Julie is the daughter of Walter and Marie Gaisford. She is married to Michael Keyes and has five daughters. She is also an avid triathlete qualifying and competing in 6 ironman events including the World’s 70.3 Ironman Championship in Zell am See, Austria.