Deborah Goppelt
harpist and pianist
About
Deborah’s passion for music began as she watched her oldest brother practicing piano after his first lesson. Her fascination grew and at the age of eleven she started her own musical journey and studied piano with Dottie Smith, Donna Hopkins, and later Dr. Willis Delony. After studying piano for two years, she embraced the harp as well, studying first under Letreta Wilbert and then under Melissa Stockstill-Wiggins. In 2009, she began giving piano instruction. The Baton Rouge Music Club awarded her the Ruby Vought Organ Scholarship in 2011 and Deborah went on to receive organ instruction from Dr. Richard Webb.
She has attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival and Masterworks Festival. Through masterclasses and individual instruction, she has learned from harpists such as Marian Shaffer, Claire Jones, Baltazar Juarez, Dr. Heaven Fan, and Faye Seeman.
From 2010 to 2014, Deborah played harp and piano with the Louisiana Youth Orchestra and was privileged to be a winner of the 2012 Louisiana Youth Orchestras Concerto Competition.
After graduating from high school in 2012, she pursued her goal of recording an album of her own sacred arrangements. All I Need Is Jesus, was released in September 2013.
In 2014, Deborah filled the principal harp position with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra and the following year won the senior division of the Rapides Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition.
Deborah recognizes that her talents are a result of not only personal effort, but also God's gifting and her teachers' investment in her life. Her life and music have lasting purpose because of her personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Glorifying God and pointing others to Him, is the ultimate goal of her life and music.
She has attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival and Masterworks Festival. Through masterclasses and individual instruction, she has learned from harpists such as Marian Shaffer, Claire Jones, Baltazar Juarez, Dr. Heaven Fan, and Faye Seeman.
From 2010 to 2014, Deborah played harp and piano with the Louisiana Youth Orchestra and was privileged to be a winner of the 2012 Louisiana Youth Orchestras Concerto Competition.
After graduating from high school in 2012, she pursued her goal of recording an album of her own sacred arrangements. All I Need Is Jesus, was released in September 2013.
In 2014, Deborah filled the principal harp position with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra and the following year won the senior division of the Rapides Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition.
Deborah recognizes that her talents are a result of not only personal effort, but also God's gifting and her teachers' investment in her life. Her life and music have lasting purpose because of her personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Glorifying God and pointing others to Him, is the ultimate goal of her life and music.
