About Janelle Lake

Janelle Jansen Lake is a virtuosic and creative harpist in the Chicago area.  Equally comfortable with solo, chamber, and orchestral works, she specializes in contemporary, jazz, and pop music.  Ms. Lake received her M.M. and B.M. in Harp Performance from Northwestern University, studying under the tutelage of Chicago Lyric Opera's principal harpist and pedagogue Elizabeth Cifani.  Ms. Lake currently holds the principal harp position in the Elmhurst Symphony, North Suburban Symphony, and the Southwest Symphony Orchestras.  She has performed under the orchestral direction of such conductors as Benjamin Zander, Cliff Colnot, Steven Alltop, Mallory Thompson, and Victor Yampolsky.

As a lover of new music, Ms. Lake holds the harp position with the Chicago-based group Dal Niente.  With this group she has performed a multitude of irregular harp techniques and has even invented a new technique to suit a composer's desire.  She has premiered works by Augusta Reed Thomas, Drew Baker, and Kirsten Broberg.  Some of her favorite new music performances include works by Jon Deak, Michael Daugherty, and Lucio Berio.

Perhaps the most enjoyable part of Janelle's career, she says, is meeting and taking part in people's lives in a memorable way on a daily basis.  Despite playing hundreds of weddings, funerals, and other services, each ceremony is unque to her.  Most memorable performances for Ms. Lake include the National Republican Candidate conference (2007, MI), tea time and demitasse at the Grand Hotel (2007, Mackinac Island, MI), the opening of the Miller Park Baseball Stadium (2001, Milwaukee, WI), and the preview party for the international art and antique show with flutist, Kim Sopata (2008, Chicago's Merchandise Mart).

Beyond the sphere of performance, Ms. Lake is an energetic and creative teacher.  Ms. Lake's studio in Chicago includes more than ten students from age eight to "the golden years."  Her experience extends to all ages and classical, pop, and jazz styles.  Ms. Lake was recently appointed to the harp teaching position at the University of Chicago.  She also enjoys writing pieces for and teaching two adult beginner's groups named Tapestry and Harps Angelica.  Master classes with internationally acclaimed jazz harpist Park Stickney inspired her to transcribe many jazz pieces for harp.  Her most recent arrangement is a harp duet combining Gershwin's "An American in Paris" with "Rhapsody in Blue".