Leah has been acclaimed as one of Orange County’s outstanding young musicians as well as an award-winning artist and servant to community needs. Leah has competed and shown the community her talent as a harpist in many local scholarship pageants run by the Miss America Organization. She is currently Miss Southern California Regional and plans to return to compete for Miss California in June 2012. Last year, she was Miss Garden Grove 2011 and was awarded First Runner-up to Miss California 2011 last June! Her passion for the non-profit organization, Compassionate Harps, has allowed her to specifically use her talent in music to serve others in need. Leah has raised money and awareness for Compassionate Harps and was even featured on ABC Channel 7 Eyewitness News “Cool Kids” and awarded a scholarship from ABC for her tender work in Compassionate Harps.Leah is principle harpist in the CSUF University Symphony, CSUF Wind Symphony, La Mirada Symphony, Orange County Symphony, the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization, and the Montage Civic Orchestra. Leah makes a living as a freelance harpist as well, playing at weddings, receptions, and other special events in both Orange and Los Angeles County. She was recently chosen to perform as the featured harpist at Donald Trump’s glamorous Mar-a-Lago Club for a private celebrity event. She also plays frequently at the Anaheim White House restaurant for weddings and other events.
If you need a harpist for your special event, click on "Leah's Website" tab on this blog and contact her, or visit www.LeahHarps.com
COMPASSION FOR THE CONVALESCING
Compassionate Harps, a program of HealthCare Harps Institute, LLC, presently provides live therapeutic harp music to help ease pain and lessen anxiety for the critically ill and dying in hospitals, hospices, and homes in both San Bernardino and Orange Counties. Compassionate Harps is a community service and educational program that trains professional harpists to give service with their instrument at the request and comfort level of each patient. When harp music is played live, the melodies, tone, volume and intensity can be adjusted according to the needs of the ill person. It has been proven by hospice nurses that patients who have received therapeutic harp music exhibit less anxiety, sleep better, and require less pain medication. The harp has a wide range of pitches, which can be felt throughout the body. It has a universal significance with its unique effect: the glissando, creating an ethereal sound. This dynamic of harmonics cannot be experienced through taped music.
I have seen for myself Compassionate Harps’ powerful and loving service given during the bedside passing of my great-grandmothers and church/city leaders. I have also found, especially during my years as a contestant, that music therapy is not only effective with the older generation; it is equally effective, if not more, to the convalescent children in our local Children’s Hospitals. This is my personal link to the Children’s Miracle Network. Not only do I get to raise funds as a contestant, but also I get to actively participate in CMN’s ultimate mission to help kids. I frequently play the harp for the kids at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, CA (CHOC) and I have been named the “on-call” harpist there. Other than hearing Disney tunes on a harp, seeing a girl walk in with a sparkly crown gets the kids excited too!
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