About Me.
Kirsten Agresta Copely
GRAMMY®-Nominated Harpist | Composer | New York City Luxury Event & Recording Artist
Kirsten Agresta Copely is a two-time GRAMMY®-nominated harpist and composer based in New York City. Internationally acclaimed for her distinctive blend of classical virtuosity, cinematic ambiance, and modern elegance, she is one of today’s most sought-after harpists for concert stages, luxury weddings, high-profile events, recording sessions, and film soundtracks.
Her 2025 album Kuruvinda received a 2026 GRAMMY® nomination for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album and has garnered more than 17 million Spotify streams worldwide. Her music receives steady national airplay on SiriusXM’s Spa Channel and has been featured in The New York Post, Crain’s Business New York, and Hollywood Soapbox.
Concert & Classical Career
A classically trained harpist, Copely began performing internationally as a teenager, touring the British Isles at fourteen and later earning Bronze Medal in the 1st USA International Harp Competition. She made her concerto debut at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium and has presented multiple solo recitals at Weill Recital Hall.
She has performed at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall, where she premiered Dinos Constantinides’ Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra, and has appeared in major cultural capitals including Dublin, Prague, Amsterdam, Peru, Israel, and Japan.
High-Profile Performances & Television
Kirsten has performed for heads of state, arena audiences, and major broadcast events worldwide. A feature in PEOPLE Magazine’s “Up & Coming” column helped propel her into the national spotlight, leading to performances at the White House State Dinner for President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Mexican President Felipe Calderón.
She has appeared at the MET Gala, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, and Late Night with Stephen Colbert. Her arena and festival performances include Madison Square Garden, the Hollywood Bowl, Live8, and Lollapalooza, collaborating with global artists such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, Enya, Florence + The Machine, Andrea Bocelli, Alicia Keys, Michael Bublé, John Legend, and The Who.
Recording Artist & Studio Harpist
In the studio, Copely is widely recognized as one of the industry’s premier recording harpists. She has contributed to Grammy®-winning albums including Kitt Wakeley’s An Adoption Story (Best Classical Compendium), and has recorded with artists including Sting, Kacey Musgraves, Kristin Chenoweth, Erykah Badu, Alison Krauss, Lionel Richie, Evanescence, Bonobo, Johnny Mathis, and Sissel.
Her harp can be heard in numerous film, television, and video game soundtracks, including Outlander, Sex and the City 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, The Tempest, Disney’s The Music of Pixar Live!, and Hulu and Apple TV+ productions.
Composer & Award-Winning Recording Artist
As a composer, Kirsten’s discography includes four solo albums: the GRAMMY®-nominated Kuruvinda (2025) and Aquamarine (2023), Around The Sun (2020), and her classical debut Dream World (2001). Her music blends harp, strings, and ambient textures into immersive soundscapes that resonate deeply with listeners seeking healing, reflection, and emotional connection.
Her recordings have received multiple international honors, including Silver Medal at the Global Music Awards, Outstanding New Age Performance at the Grand Prix Music Awards, and recognition from the One World Music Awards and LIT Talent Awards. Critics have praised her work as “spacious and lush, deep and intense” (Christopher Tin, Grammy® Award-winning composer).
Education & Leadership
Kirsten Agresta Copely served as Associate Professor of Harp at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music from 2017–2021. She holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she earned the prestigious Performer’s Certificate. She studied with Nancy Allen and Susann McDonald, who mentored her for over a decade.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the World Harp Congress, is a Songwriters & Composers Committee Member of The Recording Academy (NARAS), and a member of ASCAP.