Birthday Present Pays Big Dividends

For her 12th birthday, Audrey Kindsfather asked her parents for a frog or a harp.

“I was all petted out,” said Joan Kindsfather.

And so Audrey got her harp and with it a world of opportunities.

“I got bored with the piano,” said Audrey, who said she tried the violin but didn’t like it. “I like the reaction people give. With the harp, you can play a variety of music. You can do anything you want with it.”

She started lessons with Laura Dishong, a harpist and the music teacher at Roberts Elementary School. She changed teachers when she moved up to a full-size harp.

“It has been phenomenal,” Joan said of her daughter’s harp experience. “I have no regrets.”

Kindsfather, a senior at Moorestown High School, will be one of the performers at Friday night’s eighth annual Café Night.

Café Night will showcase instrumental music students performing in small groups and as solo artists. The event, which will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. April 29 in the Band Room at the high school, is a fundraiser for the Instrumental Music Parents Club.

Tickets for the event are $18 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. The evening will include desserts, coffee, tea and lemonade. Money raised will be used for scholarships and to purchase equipment for the high school’s instrumental music program. This year, the club will be raising money to purchase an upright bass.

Audrey, who will attend the University of Richmond in the fall on a full scholarship, will play three different times during the evening. She will play a solo, a classical duet with an oboist and a piece from Les Miserables with members of the honors orchestra.

Kindsfather, who will major in biology at Richmond, won her scholarship for her harp playing.

“Richmond has a really good program,” said Kindsfather. “Everyone is just so nice and everyone knows me there.”

Audrey is a member of the American Youth Harp Ensemble in Richmond. The ensemble includes 300 harpists. Audrey would drive five hours most weekends for rehearsal. The travel, however, was worth it.

Through the ensemble, Audrey was able to travel to London and Austria to perform. She also had the opportunity to perform at the White House and the Kennedy Center this past December. Audrey also performs with Doctor’s Orchestra of Philadelphia and the West Chester Harp Ensemble

Her scholarship requires she also major or minor in music. And while she likes biology, she is excited to be able to continue to play the harp.

“Harp is my passion,” Audrey said. “Harp is the fun thing.”

For Café Night tickets, call 856-234-6318 or email djdowiak@comcast.net.