Harper Tasche (sounds like "mackintosh"), co-founder of Harp Spectrum and former board member, passed away in March, 2023. He was a composer, performer, author, and an inspiring and beloved teacher.

He earned a unique and prominent place in the folk harp world. His artistry with cross-strung and small harps extended the horizons of harp players, teachers, and harp builders - as well as general audiences - throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad. Harper's credits include numerous solo recordings and publications, regular presentations at major folk harp festivals and conferences, and solo appearances on international radio, television, and feature film.

Author of the definitive tutorial for contemporary cross-strung, creator of the world's first CD completely dedicated to the instrument, and a design consultant to numerous harp builders, Harper Tasche was at the forefront of an astonishing cross-strung harp revival. His work with the 26-string folk harp added depth to this instrument as well, through stunning performances and complex new repertoire.

Harper Tasche was known as a concert artist who consistently evoked great peace, laughter, and tears from his audiences - the proof of a true master, according to ancient Celtic lore. His versatility was reflected in a classical music degree, performance awards in pop & jazz and Scottish Gaelic harp, and the title "Millennium Harper of Washington State" presented by the international Harping for Harmony Foundation.

As a composer and arranger, Harper Tasche drew from his Nordic and Celtic heritage as well as classical and historical sources. His ensemble works, commissioned for a variety of instruments and voices, have been performed across the United States and Canada. An increasingly global artist, one of his original compositions had its Russian premiere at the Rachmaninov Academy, and his cross-strung tutorial has now been translated into Japanese.