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Newly released 'A Harp for Christmas' CD features SFA faculty member


Emily Mitchell

NACOGDOCHES - Albany Records has recently released "A Harp for Christmas," the newest CD of Emily Mitchell, harp instructor in the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music.

The new holiday CD, available on Amazon.com, contains 21 carols arranged for solo harp by American flutist and composer Gary Schocker. Mitchell will return to New York in November to begin recording a second volume of another CD by the same name.

Vol. 1 includes Christmas standards "Silent Night," "Joy to the World," "What Child is This?" and "Deck the Halls." It also includes "Still, Still, Still," "Infant So Gentle" and "Cind Isus sa Nascut."

"There is a bonus track of J.S. Bach's 'Bist du bei mir,'" Mitchell said.

The CD was recorded at the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York City with Andre Gauthier as producer and Robert Friedrick as engineer in September 2012. Albany Records will release Vol. 2 for the holiday season of 2014.

An acknowledged concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, Mitchell has performed around the globe, including in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Brazil, Israel and Canada. She has toured 48 states of the United States under the auspices of Community Concerts for Columbia Artists Management. Mitchell has been profiled on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee," CNN, CNBC, Arts & Entertainment, the BBC, DRS-Swiss TV, the New York Times' WQXR, Radio France, National Public Radio's "Performance Today" and in People Magazine.

For 10 years, Mitchell was principal harpist for the incomparable Eos Orchestra in New York City. She also performed with the New York City Ballet and American Symphony Orchestras as well as the Broadway orchestras of "42nd Street," "The Producers," "Thoroughly Modern Millie," "Light in the Piazza" and "Wicked."