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Gaye LeBlanc
gleblanc@ucok.edu
A Texas native, Ms. LeBlanc has currently been principal harpist
with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic since 1996. She has also played pricipal harp wth Lawton Philharmonic, Tulsa Opera, Roswell Symphony (NM) and Fort Smith Symphony (AR). She started the harp faculty position at the University of Oklahoma in 1998, and teaches adjunctly with Oklahoma City University. She has also held harp faculty positions with the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute since 1999 and will be joining Blue Lake Fine Arts camp and the OK Mozart festival this summer. Ms. LeBlanc has been President or Vice President of the Oklahoma City Harp Society Chapter for 5 years organizing student recitals or master classes every year.
Before making Oklahoma City her home, Ms. LeBlanc was principal harpist in several ensembles in the Dallas regional area: Richardson Symphony, Irving Symphony, Plano Chamber Orchestra, Abilene Philharmonic, Abilene Opera, Turtlecreek Chorale, Orpheus Chamber Singers, Shreveport Symphony (LA) and Pine Bluff Symphony (AR).
In 1993, Ms. LeBlanc was chosen as princpal harpist for a six week European tour with the North Carolina School of the Arts giving concerts in six countries. She has also recorded with the Orpheus Chamber Singers and the Octavia Harp Ensemble.
Ms. LeBlanc received her Bachelors in harp performance at the University of North Texas where she started her studies of the harp at teh age of 20 with Ellen Ritscher. She also received her Masters in harp performance at Southern Methodist University. More extensive harp trianing consisted of two summers at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, under Lucille Lawrence and five summers at the Salzedo School in Maine, with Alice Chalifoux, pricipal harpist with the Cleveland Orchestra for 40 years.