A Taiwanese native, Chiyun Casellas started learning the harp in high school when she was 16 years old. She attended a music conservatory studying both the harp and the piano. She later graduated Brigham Young University-Idaho in harp performance in April 2023 and will soon enter the Masters of music program at Michigan State University (MSU) in August 2023. 

 

Chiyun was instructed in harp performance by Chi-Mei Huang and Alicia McQuay in Taiwan and the US, respectively. Chiyun plays multiple genres of music on the harp, including jazz, classical, romantic, religious, movie tracks, and other modern music. She has played with various symphony orchestras, band, chamber, and harp ensembles, including performing a symphony premiere composed by Randy Kartchner. 

 

Chiyun enjoys teaching students, performing solo, accompanying other musicians, and composing and arranging pieces for the harp and piano for her online sheet music store. She wishes to become a professor at college after her schooling.

 

Chiyun’s teaching philosophy revolves around practicing to perfection in dexterity, tone, and musicality. She encourages students to explore their unique methodology of learning the harp according to their modes of learning. 

 

Chiyun also loves to explore all the possible unique sounds the harp can make and integrate them in her own music.

 

In her spare time, she likes to cook, travel, watch dramas, and spend time with her husband.