Piper Runnion-Bareford made her first solo appearance with the Nashua Chamber Orchestra when she was fourteen years old.  Since then she has earned a one year performance degree from the Royal College of Music, London, and attended the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, where she graduated first in her class in 2006. While at Curtis, Piper had the privilege of studying under Judy Loman and Elizabeth Hainen, as well as studying advanced harmony with Edward Aldwell.  It is a joy to return to play in her third appearance with the NCO!

Piper has played as soloist for numerous orchestras around New England, as well as in Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. She had the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC performing Handel’s Concerto in Bb with the Washington Choral Arts Society during her senior year at Curtis.  Piper has played as principal harp for the Baltimore Symphony, the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, the Nashua Chamber Orchestra, the New Hampshire Philharmonic, the Maine State Ballet Orchestra, the Merrimack Valley Philharmonic, the Brockton Symphony Orchestra, and the New England Conservatory’s Youth Philharmonic. Before moving from Philadelphia she had the privilege of being a member of the harp section for the Philadelphia Orchestra’s performance and recording of Mahler Symphony No. 6.  While in England, Piper was a member of the Prince Consort Harp Ensemble, and was sent to represent the Royal College of Music at the World Harp Congress in Geneva, Switzerland.

After graduating from Curtis, Piper was accepted as a student at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.  She is currently finishing the final courses of a double degree program, finishing with a Masters in Urban Ministry and a Master of Divinity degree.  She performs regularly throughout New England, both solo and as a member of the Amaryllis Chamber Ensemble.   Piper loves to teach, and maintains a growing studio teaching harp as well as Suzuki piano at the Manchester Community Music School.