Kathy Kienzle
BM, The Juilliard School
MM, University of Arizona
Teachers include Marcel Grandjany, Susann McDonald and Mildred Dilling.
Phala Tracy
BM, Oberlin Conservatory of Music
MFA, California Institute of the Arts
Teachers include Yolanda Kondonassis, Alice Chalifoux, Judy Loman, Susan Allen and Mary Kay Waddington.
KATHY KIENZLE has been teaching harp for over 50 years. She has registered Suzuki harp teacher training in books 1 through 5, as well as the harp practicum, the Suzuki Principles in Action course and Every Child Can. She is a Suzuki harp teacher trainer.
In addition to Studio Fidicina, Kathy teaches at the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College. She has also taught at St. Catherine University, St. Olaf College, Bethel University, Macalester College and the University of St. Thomas. She was on the faculty at the MacPhail Center for Music for 34 years.
Kathy was the principal harpist of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1994 – 2020. Prior to that appointment, she played principal harp with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. She won third place in the Israel International Harp Competition in 1976. Kathy also serves as chair of the Board of the World Harp Congress.
Kathy and Michelle Frisch perform in the Bell’ Alma Duo and have recorded 3 critically acclaimed flute and harp CDs: O Bell’ Alma, La Belle Vie and Bella Danza.
Phala Tracy has been teaching harp for over 25 years. She has registered Suzuki harp teacher training in books 1 through 5, as well as the harp practicum, the Suzuki Principles in Action course and Every Child Can. She is a Suzuki harp teacher trainer.
In addition to Studio Fidicina, Phala teaches at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. She also teaches at summer Suzuki Institutes across the country, including the American Suzuki Institute, the Idaho Suzuki Institute and the Utah Suzuki Harp Institute. She was on the faculty at the MacPhail Center for Music for 11 years.
Phala has developed a curriculum of Music Theory in Song and Rhyme (taught in person and online at theorysongs.com) for all instruments as well as a collection of Songs for Sight Reading for harp students. She is an active arranger, composer, improviser and freelance musician.
Phala has recorded a children’s CD of Critter Songs, all about cats, fish, dogs, bugs, tree toads, fruit bats, imaginary lizards and a frig frog fairy dog wog!