Ann Marie Liss

Instructor in Harp

While hearing Bible stories about David calming King Saul with the harp, Ann Marie Liss was determined to play the harp.  She started lessons at the age of nine, and at the age of 11, was a finalist in the American Harp Society National Competition. After winning many regional and national competitions, she was invited to perform at the World Harp Congress and present a concert tour in Australia, including a performance at the famous Sydney Opera House.

After two years of musical studies with Dr. Kathy Bundock-Moore at the University of Northern Colorado, Ann Marie was invited to study with French harpist Isabelle Perrin at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Musique de Paris, where, at the age of 23, she earned the prestigious Diplôme Supérieure de Concertiste (D.M.A.) in 2005, with simultaneous studies at the Conservatoire Municipal du 14eme Arrondissement de Paris earning the Diplôme Supérieure (M.M.) specializing in chamber music and harp performance.  Continuing in her musical formation, Ann Marie pursued chamber music studies under Michel Moragues at the Conservatoire National de Région de Rueil-Malmaison and harp performance studies with Germaine Lorenzini in Lyon, France. 

As the two-time winner of the North London Festival of Drama and Music harp competition, Ann Marie has been a finalist in many international competitions (Austria, Belgium, Germany, USA, Spain…) and was awarded second prize in the Associazione Insieme per la Musica concerto competition in Cremona, Italy.  Ann Marie has performed as guest solo artist and principal harpist with many orchestras throughout the United States and Europe, and as principal harpist with the Orchestre Alberic Magnard for the Opéra du Théâtre Impérial de Compiègne, (France), she has recorded television productions with the Théâtre Français de la Musique and also Radio France.  In 2005, Ann Marie was named professor of harp at the Conservatoire César Franck in Senlis, France and upon returning to the United States, she was appointed as assistant harp instructor at UNC, Greeley.  Since 2007 she has been a part of the Colorado College studio faculty while maintaining an active private studio and freelance concert career.