Ted Nichelson took his very first harp lesson at ISU. Already a successful pianist heard regularly at Von Maur, he loved the harp so much that he went on to get a Bachelor of Music in Harp degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, and even a Doctor of Arts degree in Harp Performance and Music Education from Ball State University!

Ted is now working as a full time professional harpist in Hollywood, California. He is trying to finish an amazing and expensive project restoring a rare, ornately carved gold-leaf Lyon & Healy style 26 harp built in 1929.

Click HERE to listen to my WJBC podcast interview with Ted, where he explains how complex harps are to play and how he came to own this one.

“I hope you will consider joining my Go Fund Me campaign to save the historical Detroit Symphony harp and restore it to its original condition.” –Ted Nichelson

This harp was featured for more than 30 years in critically acclaimed performances and recordings of the Detroit Symphony by principal harpist Elyse Ilku. Elyse was one of the very first female principle performers to be hired by the famous DSO.

Sadly, this amazing instrument recently experienced a series of unfortunate events, and now lays disassembled at the Lyon & Healy harp factory in Chicago.

Things began to go wrong soon after Ted Nichelson purchased the harp last October. A closer examination revealed several major structural problems requiring unexpected, expensive repairs. Then on November 7, 2014 the harp narrowly escaped certain destruction in a fire that destroyed an industrial complex where the workshop was housed in Joilet. Luckily, the technician hired to do the restoration had decided to work from home and had just finished relocating the harp into his garage several days before the fire. Whew!

Three weeks later when Ted flew to Chicago to see the harp in person, he was informed by the technician that he was in the hospital and had to cancel the meeting. That same technician he died unexpectedly. All of the money Ted had previously paid for the repairs was also lost, leaving the entire restoration project in jeopardy.

If you want to learn more or can help, please visit GoFundMe.com/savetheharp

Ted promises to bring back the finished instrument to Bloomington for a free local performance, which would be a treat to hear and see!

6-25-15 Susan Saunders