Judy Loman

Loman, Judy

Judy (Judith Ann) Loman (b Leatherman). Harpist, teacher, b Goshen, Indiana, 3 Nov 1936; Diploma (Curtis) 1956. Judy Loman studied harp with Carlos Salzedo - at the Salzedo Harp Colony in Camden, Maine, 1947-56, and at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia - and was his assistant in the Salzedo Harp Ensemble in 1957. She moved to Toronto in 1957 and became the principal harp of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1959. Her many appearances as soloist with the TS have included performances of the John WeinzweigConcerto, which was written for her, and of Harry Somers's Suite for Harp and Chamber Orchestra, which she played with the orchestra on its 1965 European tour. The TS commissioned R. Murray Schafer'sConcerto for Harp and Orchestra for her, and premiered the work 6 Apr 1988. Loman appeared as soloist with the orchestra on its 1979 Canadian and US tour, and in 1987 on its tour to northern Canada and the Arctic. She also has appeared as soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. She has given many recitals and has performed on CBC radio and TV, with the Festival Singers, at the Festival of the Sound, at the Elora and Stratford festivals, and with the York Winds. Robert Turner and John Felice have written works for her, and she premiered Schafer's Crown of Ariadne 5 Mar 1979 for New Music Concerts, playing both percussion and harp; her recording of the work received a Juno Award as best classical album of 1979, and the Canadian Music Council's Grand prix du disque. She gave the premieres of Schafer's Theseus 28 Jan 1986 with the Orford String Quartet, of Weinzweig's 15 Pieces for Harp in 1986, and of Glen Buhr's award-winning Tanzmusik in 1987 in Pittsburgh as part of the American Harp Society's annual composition competition. Some of Loman's own arrangements, realizations, and transcriptions of music for harp may be heard on her recordings. She became a member of the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, in 1966 and established a summer school for harpists near Fenelon Falls, Ont, in 1977. Her pupils have included Gianetta Baril, Nora Bumanis, Sarah Davidson, Erica Goodman, and Elizabeth Volpe.

Loman became a board member of the World Harp Congress in 1985. She adjudicated at the 1985 Israel International Harp Contest, for the American Harp Society's annual harp composition competitions, and at the 1989 USA International Harp Competition.

Judy Loman was married to the trumpeter Joseph Umbrico.

Discography

Addison Serenade for Woodwind Quintet and Harp. Toronto Ww Quin. 1967. CBC SM-186

Britten - Hovhaness - Salzedo - Loman, arr - et al. 1971. CBC SM-167

Chimera: Houdy Quintette - Luedeke The Moon in the Labyrinth - Schafer Theseus, The Crown of Ariadne. Orford Str Quar. 1991. Centrediscs CMC-CD-41-4292

Contemporary Canadian Music: Somers Suite for Harp and Chamber Orchestra. CBC SO, Susskind conductor. 1963. Col MS-6285

Dance of the Octopus: Cahn - Norvo. Nexus. 1988. CBC Musica Viva MV-2-1037 (CD)

Fauré - Hindemith - Salzedo - Scarlatti - Haydn. 1969. CBC SM-93

Folk Songs of the British Isles. Marshall soprano. 1975. CBC SM-248/Marquis MAR-102

The Genius of Salzedo: Salzedo - Handel - Pescetti - Haydn. 1985. Marquis ERA-117

Make We Merry: carols - Britten 'Interlude' from Ceremony of Carols. 1970. CBC SM-80/RCA LSC-3174

Pescetti Sonata in C Minor - Turner Fantasy and Festivity. 1971. CBC SM-188/(Turner) 7-ACM 15

Schafer The Crown of Ariadne - Britten - Tailleferre. 1979. Aquitaine MS-90570

Selections. F. Chaplin violin, Johnny Burt orch. 1966. CTL CTLS-5075

Sentient: Scarlatti - Handel - C.P.E. Bach - et al. 1978. Aquitaine MS-90505

Vaughan Williams 2 carols (from Folk Songs of the Four Seasons). Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Iseler conductor. 1968. Mel SMLP-4030

Weinzweig Concerto for Harp and Chamber Orchestra. Toronto Repertory Ensemble, Barnes conductor. 1967. CBC SM-55/5-ACM 1

- 15 Pieces for Harp. 1986. CBC Musica Viva MV-1029

Writings

Judy Loman, 'Review: Crown of Ariadne,' American Harp Journal, vol. 7 Winter 1980

'Report of the USA International Harp Competition,' American Harp Journal, vol 12, Winter 1989

'A composer interview with R. Murray Schafer,' World Harp Congress Review, vol 3, Spring 1989