Gretchen Brumwell

Gretchen Brumwell is principal harpist of Orchestra Iowa and an active performer throughout eastern Iowa. In addition to her work as an orchestral and freelance musician, she has appeared as a featured soloist with many area symphonies, including Orchestra Iowa, the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony, the Fort Dodge Area Symphony, and the Iowa City Community String Orchestra. As a chamber musician, she is a regular performer on Orchestra Iowa’s Showcase Chamber series.

A passionate educator, Ms. Brumwell serves as harp instructor at the University of Northern Iowa and Coe College and maintains an active private teaching studio. In the summer, she is the harp instructor at the Five Seasons Chamber Music Festival. She has previously held faculty positions at Grinnell College, Wartburg College, Cornell College, the Lutheran Summer Music Festival, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Orchestra Iowa School.

Ms. Brumwell followed an unusual path to the field of music, receiving a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies and humanities from Grace University before earning her master’s degree in harp performance from Rice University. While at Rice University, she was a regular substitute with the Houston Symphony and the Houston Ballet Orchestra. She has studied with Paula Page, Mary Bircher, and the legendary Alice Chalifoux.