The Dorset Harp Colony Faculty
Alix Raspé Gray
Founder and Lead Harp Instructor
Alix Raspé Gray, professionally known as Alix Raspé, is an award-winning solo and orchestral harpist, chamber musician, educator and musical entrepreneur.
Ms. Raspé currently serves as Adjunct Harp Professor for Phillips Academy Andover, Guest Harp Instructor for Phillips Exeter Academy, Guest Harp Instructor for The Groton School, Substitute Harpist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as an Associate Harpist for Columbus Symphony and as Principal Harpist of the Lima Symphony Orchestra. From 2017-2018, Ms. Raspé served as Associate Harpist for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Ms. Raspé also currently teaches and coaches for the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Music Connection (CMC) and Brookside Music School. While formerly a Boston resident, Ms. Raspé served as a faculty member of Note-Worthy Experiences, and as the Harp Specialist at The Harp Connection.
Ms. Raspé has received numerous awards as a soloist including: the Annapolis Music Festival Maestro Award for Outstanding Soloist at the age of 13, the NYU Excellence in String Performance and Leadership Award, and the NYU Orchestral Excellence Award. In 2015, Ms. Raspé was the winner of the NYU String Competition. In 2016, Ms. Raspé was awarded First Runner-Up in the New England Conservatory’s Lower Strings Concerto Competition. As an orchestral harpist, Ms. Raspé has performed with the New World Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, NY Pops, Symphony of New Hampshire, Symphoria, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Harvard Bach Society, LoftOpera, Park Avenue Symphony, Chelsea Symphony, and QUO.
Ms. Raspé has attended such prestigious music festivals as: the Tanglewood Music Center (Harp Fellow), the Aspen Music Festival, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute (Harp Fellow), MusicAlp, Saratoga Harp Colony, Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific, and Interlochen. Ms. Raspé has performed in Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Seiji Ozawa Hall, Symphony Hall, Juilliard’s Paul and Morse Halls, NEC’s Jordan Hall, and Symphony Space.
Ms. Raspé has always had an interest in helping build and develop communities through music. While at New England Conservatory (NEC), Ms. Raspé was the recipient of two Individual Solo Fellowships, an Ensemble Fellowship for NEC’s Community Performances and Partnerships, and two Entrepreneurial Musicianship grants. Shortly after graduating NEC, Ms. Raspé co-founded and co-directed the Dorset Chamber Music Residency, a community-driven classical chamber music festival, which had its inaugural summer June 2017. In 2018, Ms. Raspé served as Development Director of Caroga Arts Collective. From 2019-2021, Ms. Raspé served as Marketing and Development Director for The Chamber Music Connection. From 2011-2015, Ms. Raspé served as the President of MetroHarp Young Harpists Alliance, a youth group focused on performance practice for the Metropolitan Chapter of the American Harp Society.
Ms. Raspé has been a Guest Lecturer on musical entrepreneurship and the link of wellness+music (as she is a 500-hr Yoga Alliance Trained Yoga Teacher). Thus June, Ms. Raspé will be a Guest Lecturer for the American Harp Society’s National Conference in Orlando, Florida. Ms. Raspé has served as a Guest Lecturer for Arizona State University, Keene State University, Chamber Music America and more.
Ms. Raspé graduated Pi Kappa Lambda from New England Conservatory with her Masters in Harp Performance where she studied with Jessica Zhou. Ms. Raspé received her Bachelor of Music from New York University with a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies where she studied with Bridget Kibbey. Prior to attending NYU, Ms. Raspé attended the Juilliard Pre-College where she studied with June Han. Ms. Raspé currently resides in Hollis, NH with her husband Erik, and their miniature Australian Shepherds, Ollie and Indie.
Ms. Raspé has performed with such artists as Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bolton, Roger Daltrey of The Who, Laufey, and MAX. Ms. Raspé performed on Live with Kelly and Ryan, The Late Late Show with James Corden and IHeartRadio with MAX, as a soloist on WOSU Classical and has been featured on the soundtrack of RuPaul’s Drag Races (Season 5), and in Major Motion Picture, Reservation Road.