This fall, Stephan Haluska has joined the TIMARA faculty to teach a sound art course and private lessons. A harpist by training, Haluska pushes his instrument to new limits through his innovative approaches to improvisation and composition. He draws inspiration from the harp’s unique textural, harmonic, percussive, kinetic, and visual qualities. Often focusing on unconventional harp techniques to expand his sound palette, Stephan plays the instrument with a collection of tools and assorted materials to prepare his harp and hardware and software electronics to further enhance the instrument.
Stephan has made a number of festival appearances, most notably International Harp Festival in 2016, NEOSonic Fest in 2017, and Can Triennial in 2018 and artist residencies, including Soaring Gardens in 2017.
In addition to his creative work, Stephan helps provide and promote opportunities for other like-minded artists as Managing Director for local music nonprofit, Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project (CUSP). CUSP is dedicated to strengthening the artistic engagement of the Northeast Ohio community by championing the creation and performance of new music.
Stephan received his MFA in Harp Performance with a concentration in Improvisation from Mills College in 2014, where he studied with Zeena Parkins, Roscoe Mitchell, Fred Frith, and Karen Gottlieb. In 2012, he received his BA in Music Composition and Theory from Bowling Green State University, where he studied with Dr. Elainie Lillios, Dr. Mikel Kuehn, Dr. Christopher Dietz, and Julie Buzzelli.
You can hear Stephan in action this Sunday, November 7 at 7 pm at the Praxis Fiber Workshop with composer and flutist Robert Dick, bassoonist Dana Jessen, and featuring electronics by Bob Drake. Find more information about the concert on Cleveland Classical or check out the Facebook event.
