Hannah Chen Wins 2026 Barbara M. Irish Harp Award

The annual $5,500 prize recognizes an exemplary undergraduate Curtis harp student.

Congratulations to harp student Hannah Chen, Curtis’ L. Daniel Dannenbaum Fellow, who recently won the National Federation of Music Club’s (NFMC) distinguished Barbara M. Irish Harp Award.

This annual award of $5,500 recognizes an exemplary undergraduate harp student at Curtis. It was established in 1999 by former president of NFMC Barbara M. Irish, who passed away several years later.

About Hannah Chen
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Chen is both a composer and harpist with numerous accolades, including first prize in the U.S. International Music Competition, New York International Young Musician Competition, BACAHS Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Competition, and more. As a composer, she is an alumna of Wildflower Composers Camp, SFCM Technology and Applied Composition Immersive, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and Luna Composition Lab, where her music was released on the New Moons album.

She is extremely passionate about musical accessibility and diversifying underrepresented composers, and has interned for the equity-focused group Ensemble for Themes Times and Art for the Heart, which brings live music to underrepresented groups. Learn more at HannahChenMusic.Com.

Learn more about the award, and the 2025 winner, Maya Lindsey.