Where Are They Now? spotlights Minnesota Varsity Featured and Showcase Artists from 2011 to 2014.
Harpist Caroline Donaldson of Eden Prairie was a Minnesota Varsity 2014 Featured Artist. She recently contacted Classical MPR's Christine Sweet to share her experiences of the past year.
Caroline Donaldson, 2014 Featured Artist
Harp
Age: 18
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minn.
Attends: PSEO at University of Northwestern, St. Paul, Minn.
The past year has brought many adventures and exciting new opportunities. One of the key highlights was participating in the Minnesota Varsity competition in the spring. This program benefited me in many ways. First, it increased my confidence as a musician. One of the challenges of being a harpist is that you are often a rarity. Having always been one of the few harp students in my teachers' studios, I rarely had someone else's musical talents to which I could compare my own. I often would wonder, "how proficient of a harpist am I?" Partaking in Minnesota Varsity opened my eyes to the gifts I possess. A second benefit of Minnesota Varsity was that it challenged me to practice hard and efficiently. Being busy with school, music rehearsal and lessons, work, and a social life has forced me to use my time to effectively to learn and perfect my musical repertoire. A final benefit of participating in Minnesota Varsity is that I was able to interact with amazing individuals. It was such an honor to work with talented and personable music technicians who made me sound as beautiful as I possibly could. I also greatly enjoyed working with the other staff members who made my experience so wonderful. Through increasing my confidence, improving my practice techniques, and introducing me to incredible individuals, the Minnesota Varsity competition has changed me into the musician and woman I am today.
My favorite part of this competition was the opportunity to have my piece professionally recorded. Having experienced only amateur recordings of my music, it was incredible to have high-quality microphones, lighting, acoustics, and technicians. All of these things enabled my music to sound unbelievably beautiful. It was such an enjoyable and interesting experience.
Along with Minnesota Varsity, I enjoyed many other activities this year. Some of them included traveling to Arizona with my orchestra, vacationing in Washington D.C. with my family, winning the state championship of the American Legion Oratorical Scholarship Competition, traveling to Turkey with some friends, and learning Handel's Harp Concerto. I am thankful to have a rich life, full of many activities and blessings.
My future goals are to complete a degree in harp performance and become a professional freelance harpist and teacher. I am also hoping to work in other musical venues and am excited to see how the next years unfold. Minnesota Varsity has confirmed my love for music, and I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to participate in it.
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