Sharlene Wallace – Ontario

lever & pedal harp player . composer . teacher . visual explorer

Winter… speaks to me. The spaciousness, the bleak white landscape full of shadows of whites and greys. It is minimalist in beauty and essence. I find winter quiet (except when the snow plow drives by) and in the stillness I can think and create. And there is the best feeling of coziness in front of a fireplace, with tea and a good book. Many of my compositions are inspirations of winter.

Sharlene Wallace (Shar) lives in a normal Toronto house bursting with an abnormal number of harps. From that tightly strung fortress of song she has launched campaigns across Canada, the US, Italy and France with music that listeners describe as Celtic, Classical, South American or contemporary, but it’s really all just Shar. She placed first in international lever harp competitions in the USA and Brittany (you should have seen the victory parades – so many harps!) and students and music lovers all over Canada have cherished her performances since the time when the CD was new. She’s played lever and pedal harp with orchestras and festivals everywhere, toured with Ron Korb (flutes), George Koller (bass), Joe Macerollo (accordion) and Susan Piltch (flute, piano). Lately she has been making music with pianist Eric Robertson and fiddle player Anne Lindsay in a trio called Iona Passage. For the record, though, she doesn’t own a passage, just a lot of harps.

Somehow, between all of that travelling and playing Sharlene found time to create ten recordings of her own music and arrangements. Trees.Listen, with co-composer Frank Horvat, was released in October 2024. It’s a nine-piece suite for Celtic lever harp and fixed electronics inspired by the ancient Celtic Ogham script and the book To Speak for the Trees by botanist, biochemist, biologist Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger. This project includes an album, sound installations, and a performance that premiered at the University of Guelph Arboretum in September 2024. One month later, she released Lilac Embers, an album of all Shar-music written for Celtic harp with electronics by Jean Martin.

Fall 2026 will unveil a new album with Iona Passage a passion of original and Celtic music performed/improvised “live off the floor” in a vibe of spacious peacefulness.

Sharlene has taught lever and pedal harp privately, in four universities and in workshops across North America, including over three decades for Island Mountain Arts in Wells, BC. She herself has a performance degree from the University of Toronto where she studied with harp oracle Judy Loman, who is 47 feet tall and 172 years old.

If Sharlene isn’t perched behind a harp, she is looking through the lens of her camera…

SHAR – ALBUMS

• the rhyme & the river (1996)
  A musical journey from Classical roots to South American rhythms and Celtic dances. Sharlene’s premier CD features harp performances of Celtic, South American (Cuban, Venezuelan, Colombian) and original music.
  Sharlene (lever harp), George Koller (bass), Evelyne Datl (piano, accordion), Brian Taheny (guitar), Alan Hetherington (percussion)
  
• Journey of Shadows (1998)
  This exciting, “wintery” CD from harpist Sharlene Wallace is a testimony to her innovative, virtuostic and gorgeous playing. The album journeys from crisp, winter-inspired original music to hot South American tunes with driving rhythms to a beautiful, naive waltz with harmonica player Carlos del Junco.
  Sharlene (lever harp), George Koller (bass), Evelyne Datl (piano), Rob Piltch (guitar), Carlos del Junco (harmonica), David Travers-Smith (trumpet), Rick Shadrach Lazar (percussion)
  
• Beyond the Waves (2004)
  Recorded in British Columbia, this album abounds in beauty, rhythm and lushness. Sharlene plays nine of her newest compositions as well as two commissioned pieces by Loretto Reid and Evelyne Datl, two wonderful pieces by Alfredo Rolando Ortiz and one lovely tune by Craig Noseworthy. Sharlene is accompanied by a diverse band comprised of accordion, saxophone, 5-string violin, cello, bass and percussion. And visually? Well the gorgeous photography and cover design reflects an album that is … delicious!
  Sharlene (lever harp), Oliver Schroer (5-string violin), Tom Keenlyside (soprano sax), Joseph Macerollo (accordion), Finn Manniche (cello), George Koller (bass), Sal Ferreras (percussion)
  
• Island Mountain (2004)
  Island Mountain is an eleven minute CD featuring Sharlene’s Island Mountain Suite. This suite, originally written for two harps was commissioned by Island Mountain Arts of Wells, British Columbia for the turn of the millennium. The Suite reflects the stunning landscape and history of the Cariboo Mountains from the ever changing cloud shadows, to the Cariboo Wagon Road travelled in the 19th century by thousands of gold prospectors, to the Jack o’ Clubs Lake that lies quietly at the foot of Wells. There is also a bonus track on this album of Alfredo Rolando Ortiz’s Merengue Rojo with Sharlene on harp and Sal Ferreras on percussion.
  
• Anticipation (2006) – Sharlene & Susan Piltch
  Anticipation is the collaborated beauty of Canadian duo Sharlene Wallace, harpist and Susan Piltch, flutist/pianist. With the amazing George Koller on bass their music is original, contemporary, stunning instrumental music. The music on Anticipation is composed by Sharlene, Susan, Rob Piltch, David Piltch/k.d. lang, Anne Lindsay, Loretto Reid, and Francis Kleynjans.
  Sharlene (pedal harp) & Susan Piltch (flute & piano) & George Koller (bass)
  
• Q&A (2013) – Sharlene Wallace & Kim Robertson
  Canadian and American harpists, Sharlene Wallace & Kim Robertson, join together in a joyful performance of high-spirited and soulful duets including contemporary, traditional and original music from Scotland, Ireland, France, South America and Canada. Kim & Shar first met at a harp retreat in the mountains of British Columbia. Throughout the ensuing years they have crossed paths and borders to perform together at festivals and concerts in the U.S., Canada and France. This is their first CD together and celebrates their friendship and mutual enthusiasm for the Celtic harp.
  
• In Night’s Deep Silence (2016) – Sharlene & George Koller
  Stillness . Calm . Peace – Spacious Listening
  A journey of Christmas and Winter music for anytime of the year!
  Sharlene (lever harp) & George Koller (bass)
  A432 tuning
  
• Here is Joy (2018) – Harp & Holly
  Sharlene (lever harp), Sandra Swannell-Young (fiddle), Terry Young (guitar)
  
• Trees.Listen (2024) – lever harp & electronics
  Composed by Sharlene Wallace and Frank Horvat
  Acoustic lever harp performed by Sharlene Wallace
  Trees.Listen is an immersive sonic journey, inspired by the profound knowledge of acclaimed botanist and climate visionary, Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger, and her book To Speak for the Trees. The soundscape comes to life with the intimate and evocative tones of the Celtic lever harp, fused with meticulously crafted electronic atmosphere. Experience the resonance of trees through the harp’s voice as every movement captures the spirit and wisdom of each tree. Trees.Listen is a musical storytelling experience that weaves the ancient past with modern sound design, offering a new way of “listening” to the planet.
  The music is rooted in letters from the ancient Celtic Ogham script, a medieval alphabet that named each letter for a tree. This is how important trees were to the ancient Celts. Trees.Listen has chosen a musical alphabet note A B C D E F G H(B) to be the predominant note heard in each piece, connecting the music to the tree inspiring the letter name.
  Sharlene created video projections for each of the 9 pieces of the suite.
  
• Lilac Embers (2024) – lever harp & electronics
  Lilac Embers is a sonic journey of spaciousness… rhythm… emotion… movement… a place to escape to… to feel… to rest. Almost everything you hear is of the harp – as is and modified and processed.
  All music composed by Sharlene Wallace (SOCAN) reimagined through improvisations of Sharlene Wallace and Jean Martin.
  Sharlene (lever harp), Jean Martin (electronics)
  
• Iona Passage (2026) – Sharlene, Eric Robertson (piano) & Anne Lindsay (fiddle)
  To be released in Fall 2026
  Celtic and original music to move the soul.

SHAR-COMPOSITIONS – *downloadable

• The Weaver, 2026
• Morning, Morning Glory, 2025
  – commissioned by Lori Gemmell and Jennifer Swartz – first performance Music and Beyond Festival, Ottawa, ON
• Fireweed for harp trio, 2025
• Opal Moon, 2025 *
• Buttercup, 2025 *
• Rosebud, 2025
• A Flower Hymn, 2024 *
• Adrift, 2024 *
• Trees.Listen, 2024
  – co-composed with Frank Horvat / Suite of 9 pieces for Celtic harp and fixed electronics
• Along the Way, 2022
  premiered Huron Waves Music Festival video 2022
• Stillness, 2022 *
• Alice’s Garden, 2021
  – Alice Munro’s 90th birthday / premiered Huron Waves Music Festival video 2022
• Sea Change, 2021
• Waiting (solo, harp trio), 2020
• Soul of the Forest, 2020 *
• Light Spirals (solo and harp trio), 2020
• Fantasy No. 1, 2020 (private commission / 2020)
• Foothill Fancy – solo, harp duo, 2020
• Huron Prelude, 2019
• The Griffin’s Dream, 2019 *
• With Love in your Heart, 2019
• Perth Manor Muse, 2018 *
• Breathless (pedal harp), 2018 *
• Three Score, 2017
• The Grey Dog, 2017
• Una Noche, 2017
• The Stars are Winking at Me, 2016
• Swantude (solo and multi harps), 2016
• Snow Petals, 2016
• A Rose Arose from a Rose, 2016 *
• Lumen Ordinum (5 harps), 2015
  – commissioned by Ottawa Chamber Music, for Judy Loman’s Order of Canada celebration, premiered by Lori Gemmell, Julia Seager-Scott, and Sharlene Wallace
• Dream Upon Dream (3 harps), 2013
  – written in honour of Judy Loman being given the Order of Canada / premiered by Sharlene, Lori Gemmell, Julia Seager-Scott / Ottawa ChamberFest
• Impish Jig, 2010 *
• Just a Little Something Between Friends, 2007
  – premiered CBC with Sharlene, Lori Gemmell, Monika Stadler, Oliver Schroer, Joseph Macerollo, George Koller
• Two Reflective Poems: 1. Moonlight 2. Into the Presence of Still Water, 2006 *
• Soaring (multi harps), 2006
• Planxty Vigrass, 2006
• Labyrinth Jig, 2006
• If I Only Knew, 2006
• Flerty (flute and harp), 2006 *
• Wallace Bay, 2004 *
• Three Sisters (waltz), 2004 *
• Somewhere on the Ocean Floor, 2004 *
• Floating (multi harps), 2004
• Fields in Winter, 2004
• Cariboo Wagon Road (Grade 4 RCM harp syllabus) – solo and harp duo, 2004
• Beyond the Waves, 2004
• Winter Still 2001 (Grade 9 RCM Harp Syllabus)
• Lost River, 2000
• Island Mountain Suite: Clouds, Cariboo Wagon Road *, Jack O’Clubs Lake, 2000 *
  – commissioned for harp duo by Island Mountain Arts, Wells, BC for The Millennium Project / Premiered by Sharlene Wallace & Kim Robertson in Barkerville, BC
• Cariboo Wagon Road, 2000 * (Grade 4 RCM Harp Syllabus)
• The Stars are Winking at Me
• Acacia Street, 2000 *
• Winter Still (Grade 9 RCM harp syllabus), 1998 *
• Winter Danse, 1998
• Still Life: Night Rhythms, 1998
• Still Life: In the Silence, 1998
• Still Life: Bound Branches, 1998
• Journey of Shadows, 1998
• Winter Frieze, 1996
• Trembling Angels (multi harps), 1996
• Dream Habanera, 1996 *
• Faythe, 1995 *
• Numerous Classical and non-classical pieces arranged by Sharlene for pedal and lever harps and harp ensembles.

COMMISSIONS

• Niagara Moon by Alfredo Roland Ortiz, (written for Sharlene to premiere at the 11th World Harp Congress, Vancouver, BC), 2011
• Piece for Celtic Harp and Orchestra by Rodney Sharman (for Sharlene and Kingston Symphony with Glen Fast conducting), 2008
• Tangoolish by Loretto Reid, 2004
• Suite for Celtic Harp by Kirk Elliott, 2004
• The Flower that Waved by Evelyne Datl, 2004
• Song of the Angels (for harp and choir) Nancy Telfer, 2002
• Ringaround by John Beckwith (for Sharlene and Vivi Vincent, harpsichord, 2000
• Sancerre by Bruce Mather (for Sharlene and Vivi Vincent, harpsichord), 2000
• Insect Variations, My Life as a Bug by Kirk Elliott, (for Sharlene and Vivi Vincent, harpsichord), 2000
• the rhyme & the river by Evelyne Datl, 1996
• Ice Lake by Evelyne Datl, 1996

Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, USA / Contemporary Etudes by Felice Pomeranz – for pedal and lever harps / editing and endorsement / 2020-2022

Dr. Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, Paraguayan harpist, composer, author, educator, USA / Editing 6 of his harp music books and 4 harp compositions / 2000-2026

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