Mia Venezia

Philadelphia based harpist Mia Venezia performs and teaches throughout the country, including performance settings such as the Nashville Opera, the New World Symphony, the Richmond Symphony and the Pittsburgh Symphony. A frequent collaborator in chamber music, Mia was featured as a soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh and a two time winner of the Pittsburgh Chamber Society Chamber Division. She currently tours with flutist Aimee Toner as a Lyric Music Society Artist. Mia recently graduated from the Yale School of Music as a Irving Gilmore fellow, where she studied with harpist and pedagogue June Han. Previously she has received degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Northwestern University, graduating both institutes with distinguished honors. A passionate educator, Mia holds a private studio in which she hopes to inspire and foster the next generation of harpists.

Favorite Motto or Quote “You have to work like the devil to play like an angel.” – Carlos Salzedo, French harp virtuoso and pedagogue 
Favorite Composer Debussy and Ravel. It doesn’t get better for harp! 

What/Who inspired you to take up your instrument I was first introduced to the harp at 6 years old at a restaurant with my family. I couldn’t stop turning back to take in this huge instrument played by such an elegant harpist. The sound was like nothing I had heard before and made me fall in love with the instrument. I got my very own harp a year later and never looked back!