Looking for the perfect harp performance to add grace, beauty, and a magical touch to your next event in New Orleans, Louisiana? From elegant weddings and intimate private parties to concert halls and educational programs, New Orleans is home to a remarkable group of harpists whose artistry elevates every occasion. Whether you want classical sophistication, Celtic charm, or contemporary creativity, these New Orleans-based harpists will bring unforgettable music to your celebration.
Here are six of the most talented harpists you can book in New Orleans today:
Cassie Watson Francillon
Cassie Watson Francillon explores folk, jazz, classical, modern &
experimental music on the harp, as a visionary harpist in New Orleans, Louisiana. Active since 2007, in a self-initiated journey of harp discovery and performance, she has studied privately under harpists Gabriella Pinto, Brandee Younger, Mia Theodoratus and Patrice Fisher. Cassie composes, teaches, and has served on the board of the New Orleans Chapter of the American Harp Society. She was the Assistant Producer of the annual New Orleans Jazz and Pop Harp Weekend for 2018-2019 and is a producer of the Sirens in the Twilight Music Series series.
🔗 Website |📱 Facebook | Instagram
Judy Seghers
Judy Seghers, a 5th generation New Orleanian, decided when she was 3 years old that she wanted to be a harpist to please our Heavenly Father. Her music studies began at age 6 on piano and harp shortly thereafter. She graduated from both Ursuline Academy and NOCCA (New Orleans Center For Creative Arts) high schools (1984). Judy studied many years with LSU harp teacher and Baton Rouge Symphony harpist, Hye-Yun Chung, graduating from Louisiana State University on scholarship, with Bachelor (1988) and Master of Music (’90) degrees in Harp Performance.
🔗 Website |📱 Facebook | Instagram
Helen Maxwell
Helen Maxwell
…. has been at home in New Orleans since 1976, when she moved south with her husband, bandleader Jimmy Maxwell. She grew up in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, and began piano lessons at the age of eight.
Even as a youngster, Helen felt a passion for beautiful music and always knew she wanted to be a musician. In college, she devoted her playing to both piano and harp and received her graduate degree in the two instruments from Montclair State University in New Jersey.
🔗 Website
Ashley Toman
Ashley Lancz Toman began playing harp and studying music at the age of 14 in Traverse City, Michigan. Three years later she was accepted to the prestigious Eastman School of Music where she earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in harp performance and served as a harp teaching assistant, though her first love has always been performing.
🔗 Website
Wesley Daniels
Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina with a musical and family connection to Louisiana, Wesley decided to attend Loyola University New Orleans. It is there, she studied Classical Performance and Music Industry Studies. At Loyola University, she performed in a multitude of classical and jazz ensembles, in addition to taking private lessons.
🔗 Website📱 Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Patrice Fisher
World Music harpist & composer, Patrice Fisher, has been performing & recording her own compositions since 1980. She is a graduate of Tulane University, Wolf Trap Academy for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. & the Creative Music Studio Jazz School in New York. She has recorded 16 albums of original music, including her latest CD, “Happy Socks,” featuring musicians from New Orleans, Brazil, Guatemala & Honduras. She has traveled throughout the world, performing at festivals, like Cancun Jazz Festival, Jambalaya Jazz Fest- Brazil, Havana Jazz Festival, in Cuba & Festival Centro Historico Guatemala.
🔗 Website
Final Thoughts
From enchanting wedding specialists to innovative contemporary performers, New Orleans’s harpists bring a magical blend of elegance, tradition, and creativity to private events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, corporate gathering, or intimate celebration, these six outstanding harpists will ensure your special occasion resonates with unforgettable music.