Courtney Hershey Bress

Courtney Hershey Bress is a trailblazing soloist, acclaimed educator, and Principal Harpist of the Colorado Symphony since 2001. Known for her magnetic stage presence and brilliant artistry, Bress has dazzled audiences across Asia, South America, and the U.S., performing with top-tier ensembles including the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and as Principal Harpist and featured soloist with the U.S. Army Field Band, Washington D.C. on many coast-to-coast tours of all 48 continental states.

A passionate champion of new music, Bress premiered Harp of Ages, Michael Daugherty’s first and only harp concerto—written expressly for her—in 2023 with the Colorado Symphony, followed by its international debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia in Bogotá. The national tour kicked off in fall 2024, and the world premiere recording with the Colorado Symphony, released by Naxos Records, is now streaming on all digital platforms. Her festival appearances include Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Grand Teton Music Festival, and Strings Music Festival, along with acting Principal Harpist with the Baltimore Symphony. Whether performing at the World Harp Congress, the American Harp Society, or on GRAMMY®-nominated recordings (Ancient Voices of Children by George Crumb), Bress brings an unmistakable voice and deep musical insight to every stage.

Beyond performing, Bress is a sought-after master teacher and speaker. She’s Adjunct Professor of Harp at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, Harp Instructor at the Lamont Summer Academy, Lecturer of Harp at the University of Wyoming, and has held faculty roles at Colorado State University and the Eastman School of Music.

Her book, For Love of the Harp (Veritas Musica Publishing), offers an inspiring mix of career stories, practical wisdom, and creative tools for arranging and composing for the harp. Her solo, chamber, and orchestral work appears on Naxos, Bridge, Albany Records, and more. Her latest chamber album, Night Music and Fantasies—a collaboration with violinist Andrés Cárdenes—was released in December 2022 to critical acclaim.

Bress holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Her teachers include Sarah Bullen, Kathleen Bride, and Gretchen Van Hoesen.