Amelia Schwartz

Amelia Schwartz, 18, is excited to be the principal harpist for her third year with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. She began her musical career at the age of four when she studied piano under Patricia Weeks Eastman. Schwartz furthered her musical career when she began to study harp under Megan Stout at the age of ten. Schwartz has won many awards for harp, including three gold medals at the local level and three medals at the state level, silver (2023) and gold (2024 and 2025), at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Solo and Small Ensemble Music Festival. She has also won twelve superior ratings for piano with the National Federation of Music Clubs.  

Previously, Schwartz participated in the St. Charles County Youth Orchestra (SCCYO) as their principal harpist for two years, and she performed with SCCYO at the Missouri Music Educators Association Annual In-Service Conference in 2022. Prior to her graduation in 2025, Schwartz attended Cor Jesu Academy, where she performed in the Chamber Orchestra as a harpist, pianist, and percussionist and served as the co-president of the orchestra board. Schwartz has also participated in the Community Music School of Webster University’s Young People’s Symphonic Orchestra (YPSO) and, last year, made her Carnegie Hall debut with them. In addition, she has played as the second harpist for the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis under Conductor Roger Kaza.  

Schwartz is entering her freshman year at Washington University in St. Louis, where she will study harp performance and English literature. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing fantasy fiction, composing, playing video games, and hanging out with her younger siblings, Lily and Thomas. Schwartz would like to thank her parents, Tom and Sarah Schwartz, both music educators, who inspired her to begin harp and piano and have supported her the entire way. Schwartz would also like to express her gratitude and appreciation for her teachers and mentors: Megan Stout, Patricia Weeks Eastman, Carol Bauer, Shane Williams, Patrick Jackson, Jason Sieber, and Samuel Hollister, as well as her family and friends, all of whom have guided and supported her on this musical journey. Finally, she would like to thank God for blessing her with the wonderful ability to create beautiful music.