Harpist Ben Melsky is originally from Evanston, Illinois where he started playing the harp at age eight. He holds both Bachelor of Music and Master of of Music degrees from Northwestern University graduating with String Program Honors and a Minor of Musicology. As a soloist, he has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. as part of the Millenium Stage Conservatory Project, was a 2008 winner of the Northwestern University Concerto Competition with Alberto Ginastera’s Harp Concerto, and has performed major concerti with the Instituto Cervantes Orchestra of Chicago, Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, Middletown Symphony Orchestra, Southern Illinois Summer Music Festival, and Music Institute of Chicago’s World’s Fair Concert Series. Recently he was recorded at the Goodman Theater for their production of Animal Crackers.


As an orchestral musician he currently plays second harp with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and has played with the Chicago Philharmonic, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Southern Illinois Summer Music Festival Orchestra, Evanston Symphony Orchestra, Classical Symphony Orchestra, Northern Illinois University Symphony, Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra and FullScore Orchestra among others.

Ben has extensive training in many styles and has a diverse repertoire that includes classical, Jewish music, Celtic and Welsh music, Spanish music, Latin American music, jazz, pop, and more. He is available for weddings, ceremonies, receptions, parties, luncheons, dinners, church services, religious services, memorials, etc. He also has experience working with other instrumentalists and vocalists.


He currently maintains a private studio in addition to being an associate faculty member at Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North High Schools.


Please visit my website for more information, sample clips, photo, and contract information.


Thank you!