The New York Philharmonic

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We Are NY Phil: Principal Harp Nancy Allen

Posted September 23, 2019

Welcome to We Are NY Phil, a new video series that follows musicians of the New York Philharmonic outside the concert hall as they share their passions outside of music.

First up is Nancy Allen, an animal lover and Principal Harp of the Philharmonic since 1999. Her love for horses began as a child and hasn’t abated, despite her demanding career in music. In fact, her passions inform each other: complex, precise hand / foot coordination is necessary for both playing the harp and riding a horse.

Learn more about the harp and travel to upstate New York, where Nancy brought us along on a horseback riding session.

Watch the video on Facebook, Instagram TV, or click on the link above to watch the full director’s cut.

Nancy plays one of Schoenberg’s early songs, Erwartung, which she will perform this week, and an excerpt from Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, which the Orchestra performs next week.

Learn more about Nancy Allen