Professional harpist Molly Madden is an active performer and dedicated music educator. In addition to maintaining a private harp studio, Molly serves as principal harpist for the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and Heartland Festival Orchestra, and she frequently performs with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Illinois State University Wind Symphony, and other ensembles in Central Illinois.
Raised in a musical home, Molly fell in love with the harp when she was just two years old. After receiving her first harp at the age of seven, she began taking harp lessons, studying with Lynne Kirkwood and Joy Yu Hoffman, and continued her music education in college at the University of Illinois School of Music. There, Molly received awards and scholarships and earned Bachelor’s degrees in Harp Performance and Music Education and a Master’s degree in Harp Performance. Under the instruction of Dr. Ann Yeung, she received extensive training in solo harp performance, ensemble playing, and harp pedagogy. Molly completed her student teaching in Champaign-Urbana for grades K–8, teaching band, music technology, and general music.