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Ellie Choate’s musical versatility has afforded her the opportunity to touch virtually every area of music making.   She is as likely to be found in the opera or symphony orchestra as on stage with show orchestras backing headline artists.  She has worked “behind the scenes” on the musical scores of many major motion pictures and recordings, but has also appeared on camera for movies and television shows.  She is an active soloist and chamber musician, playing for events and concerts all around Southern California.

Throughout her childhood, Ellie’s family was actively involved in their church, where she directed children’s choirs and handbell choirs as a teen and young adult.  While still in college, her minister asked her to provide improvised harp accompaniment to a sermon he intended to deliver, opening a door to a new musical experience “off the page”.  While not the focus of her early piano and harp studies, arranging and improvisation have become a central part of her career.   Her solo harp CDs feature her arrangements of pop and jazz tunes, and she has published arrangements of Chanukah and Hymn tunes for harp ensemble. 

In addition to her private studio, Ellie is on the applied music faculty at UC Irvine, CSU Fullerton, and California Baptist University.  She was the chair for the 2005 AHS Summer Institute at USC and has done workshops on arranging, rhythm and pedagogy for the Los Angeles and Dallas chapters of the American Harp Society.

For more about Ellie Choate...

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Mrs. Gordon-Cartier Performance credits include appearances at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York City; the New Jersey Performing Arts Center; the Pablo Casals Music Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and the National Symphony Orchestra of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  She has appeared on several television shows and recordings and at events honoring Lord Guiness, Cicely Tyson and Sir James Galway.  Most recently she was a member of the orchestras for the Three Irish Tenors concerts and Clay Aikens “Make a Joyful Noise” tour. She frequently plays at churches and gospel events.
Mrs. Gordon-Cartier is a teacher and directs the harp program for the school the East Orange School District in New Jersey.

Robbin grew up in the church where her grandfather was the minister. She shares, “As a child, it was my faith in God that helped me when I was so far away from home in the summers.  Every Sunday I would go to church and it kept me grounded. For me the scripture in Matthew 5:16 - (Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven) means a lot to my life.  If people can see the light in me, even when it may be a light that they don't yet understand or believe where it comes from; they see what God has done in my life.”

For more about Robbin Gordon-Cartier...

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Angi has been a musician for most of her life.  She studied the piano beginning at the age of 6 and was a church musician for many years.  During her school years she played a number of other instruments, including the flute, oboe, and guitar.  In 1989, her husband surprised her with a harp, and lessons, for their 10th wedding anniversary.  It was at this point that her life as a musician took a meaningful turn.  With the harp, Angi realized that she would have the opportunity to quietly serve others with the peaceful and unique sound that comes from its strings.  Almost from the beginning, it was her desire to play the harp in hospitals.

Angi has recorded four CDs entitled "Simply the Harp": I – Peaceful Songs, II – Lullabies & Tranquil Songs, III – Contemplative Songs of Faith, and IV – Quiet Songs of Christmas.  She has also published over 80 sheet music arrangements and 5 books for harp.

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He is also Worship Principal for Consuming Worship Co., Kansas City, Mo. In 2007 he launched theSlingshot Group, Irvine, Ca., which partners with churches to find the best possible worship leader candidates. He and his wife Connie, live in Irvine, California. They have three children and four grandkids.

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Joanna Mell is an accomplished performer on both orchestral (pedal) and Celtic harps.  She is classically trained in harp, piano and voice.  She received her musical training at the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Moravian College.  She also studied the harp privately with Alison Simpson.

Joanna first became aware of the powerful effects of therapeutic harp music during the illness and death of a close friend in 1990.  She discovered that music is able to reach into the soul and spirit long after the physical body with its limited capacities and senses has deteriorated.  Since 1994, she has been working with Grand View Hospital Hospice in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, using her harp and voice as channels of God's love, compassion and healing power.  Joanna learned that only by completely yielding oneself to the Holy Spirit can the musician become "God's harp", playing the music of the highest order.  In 2007, Joanna became the founder and director of the Heart of God Foundation, home of the Heart of God Harpers and Heart of God Harper Training Program for therapeutic harpists.

Joanna uses her musical gifts to bring healing to those who are suffering in mind, body, and spirit, as well as to ease the transition of the soul from this world to the eternal.  Joanna is a full member of the International Order of Saint Luke the Physician, a network of Christians practicing healing in Christ's name.

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Recently, Erica returned to Southern California where she is working as a freelance harpist in Orange County; performing, teaching and is principal harpist for the OC Symphony and Wind Symphony. 

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Pearl
PEARL is a worship team of four dear friends.  In the fall of 1999, Bonnie Mohr, Sherry Nissen and Robin Spurs were attending the Wednesday morning Women’s Bible Study at Sierra Madre Congregational Church.  As they led worship, their friendship began to grow, and they realized how much they enjoyed playing and singing together. 

"We realized we had a unique sound and decided to form a trio called PEARL.  Very soon, our trio became four as God added another dear sister in Christ, Tammy Trypucko, and the layers of our PEARL were complete."

The name PEARL was inspired from Matthew 13: 45,46: “And again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  

"We also felt the name described our musicality, as we seek to sound soft, lustrous and smooth; intentionally layering our instruments and voices for variety and beauty."

For more about Pearl...