American Harp Society

Founded in 1962, the American Harp Society is open to harpists, students, and those interested in the advancement of harp education, performance, and composition.

Catherine Gotthoffer (born 1923) was the first life member of the American Harp Society (AHS), and is a prominent freelance harpist who served as president of the AHS twice.

Catherine Gotthoffer played the violin from a young age. It wasn't until she was about ten years old that she set her eyes on the harp. She then went on to study the harp at Julliard with Marcel Grandjany. While at school, she met her husband, a trumpet player, and in 1944, she married Robert Gotthoffer. After graduation, Robert served in the Navy and left Catherine plenty of time to pursue her career as a freelance harpist in New York. After her husband's discharge, they went to Dallas to audition for the new symphony there. They were accepted and lived there for seven years, with the exception of summers spent in New York City. Catherine then got a five year contract with MGM in Hollywood and during this time, had her two children, Ann and Richard. In 1970, she started teaching at the California Institute of the Arts. In addition to her busy schedule as a freelance harpist and teacher, Catherine was also very involved in the American Harp Society. She helped to found the Los Angeles chapter and later went on to serve as the president twice, from 1968 to 1970 and from 1972 to 1976. Catherine then became the first life member of the AHS.

Grace Weymer Follet (1906-1986) was an astounding harp performer as well as a dedicated mother and teacher.

Despite neither of Grace Follet's parents being musical, they were very supportive of their children's interest in and study of music. At age fourteen, Follet started studying the Harp, and by fifteen she had graduated from high school. A year later Follet moved to New York and begin her study with Carlos Salzedo; she studied with him until she was twenty-one, but they remained close friends for the remainder of their lives.

In the summer of 1930 Follet began work on a harp instruction course entitled "The Four-Year Course in Harp for Credit in High School" that was published by Lyon and Healy and became widely distributed throughout the United States.

Follet was the editor of "Harp News" from 1955 to 1966 and was elected to Board of Directors of the American Harp Society in 1966, serving as National Vice-President and Secretary.

Follet was an avid teacher and continued to teach until her death in 1986; at age eighty-six she had fifteen students and was an adjunct professor at universities.