Biography
Gretchen Sheetz Kirby is a solo, chamber, and orchestral harpist in Southern California and an adjunct professor at Concordia University Irvine. While classically trained, Gretchen has enjoyed performances featuring a diverse range of repertoires, including jazz combo gigs, musical theatre shows (such as The Fantasticks and A Little Night Music) and new music premieres. Her freelance career has provided her with opportunities to accompany artists from the Metropolitan Opera and the Los Angeles Opera and play at unique venues, from The Montage hotel in Laguna Beach to the Soka Performing Arts Center. She has performed with the San Luis Obispo Opera Symphony, Irvine Symphony, and Masterworks Orchestra (Irvine, CA), as well as with orchestral and choral ensembles at multiple universities throughout Orange County.
Gretchen earned her Master’s in Music in harp performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee in May 2017, where she was a student of Ina Zdorovetchi; she completed her undergraduate education at Concordia University Irvine (B.A. ’14, music, Summa Cum Laude) and harp studies with Mindy Ball. While at Concordia, Gretchen received the Outstanding Senior Award and the Senior Music Performance Award. Her time in Boston included many performances at the Conservatory, services at Park Street Church, and a harp teaching position at Wellesley College. Additionally, she taught several music history courses as a graduate assistant. Her harp experiences also include masterclasses and private lessons with Susann McDonald, Jessica Zhou, Heidi LehWalder, and Yolanda Kondonassis, and performances with the Pacific Harp Ensemble and The Boston Conservatory Harp Ensemble. Gretchen currently serves as the Director of Music and Worship Arts at Aliso Creek Church, teaches music history classes at Concordia, and maintains private harp lessons and a busy freelance career. She shares her passion for music and education with her husband, Jordan Kirby, a high school choral director.