About the Harp Arrangers
Julie Keyes and Julie Staples have combined harp arranging companies
(JAG Harp Productions and LDSHarp Works) to create one place
LDSHARPMUSIC.com for comprehensive resource
of sacred music for harpists of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
and all Christian harpists.
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. Julie is a graduate from the Brigham Young University in
harp performance and pedagogy.
For over 23 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."
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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 Mitton Staple received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Degrees in Harp Performance and Pedagogy from Brigham Young University.
Julie spent several years as a harp instructor for Brigham Young University. She has played second harp with The Utah Symphony as well as principal harp for many other orchestras including Brigham Young University’s Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic, Symphony and Wind Symphony, as well as the Utah Lyric Opera. She has been the principal harpist for the Oquirrh Mountain Symphony for the past three years and is the harpist for the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra.
Julie is past Chapter President of the Utah Chapter of the American Harp Society, a position she has held for over a dozen years. She has also served as a board member and as the Honors Recital Coordinator.
Ida Louise Frandsen Pratt
May 11, 1928–June 4, 2023
Ida Louise Frandsen Pratt was a professional harpist and violinist, teacher, and composer. Music was her soul, her passion, and her lifelong career. Louise was a prolific arranger and composer publishing hundreds of religious and secular music arrangements which greatly enriched her harp students and the harp world.
Born in a small farming community in Clarion, Utah to a large family, Louise lived a long, beautiful life of music and service in her ninety-five years. Her music education began at an early age on the piano and at age eight, the violin. Louise had a natural talent with music, having perfect pitch and the ability to learn proficiently.
Louise was a kind teacher, yet she demanded excellence. She encouraged her students to think “outside the box” as she must have had to do in her own musical education. She had a great influence on the young musicians she taught as well as her university students, several of whom are now professional recording artists and world-renowned orchestral harpists.
Louise will also be well remembered in the harp world for her innovative ideas, her music, and her example, all of which brought a tremendous positive impact to the harp world.