Described by the Philadelphia Inquirer as an “exceptionally fine” player, Helen Liu Gerhold is a seasoned international solo, chamber, and orchestral artist. She has soloed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Stars of Tomorrow Concert at the USA International Harp Competition, and the World Harp Congress. She has been a featured soloist at the Lyon & Healy Summer Concert Series, the Philadelphia International Harp Music Festival, on National Public Radio’s From the Top, with the Berkshire Symphony, Lower Merion Symphony Orchestra, and Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra. Among her accolades are the U.S. International Lyon & Healy Awards, top prizes in nearly all divisions of the American Harp Society’s National Competition, and the American Harp Society Foundation Award. She has given both masterclasses and recitals for the Philadelphia and Baltimore Chapters of the American Harp Society.

As an orchestral harpist, Helen has been playing as First and Second Harp substitute with The Philadelphia Orchestra regularly since age 17. She also performs with the Metropolitan (MET) Opera Orchestra on international tours, in the opera pit, and at Carnegie Hall. She has also performed in the Minnesota Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic. 

A lover of new music and chamber performances, she has performed in chamber ensembles and premiered new works at Tanglewood Music Center, and with the Network for New Music, Curtis Institute of Music’s 20/21 New Music Ensemble, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and more. Helen was a Tanglewood Music Center Harp Fellow.

In 2001, Gerhold received a harp from her aunt, harpist Yi Liu, and her first lesson with Miss Lucile Lawrence as her youngest last student. Gerhold continued her harp training with Ms. Lawrence, Virginia Flanagan, Dewey Owens, Judy Loman, and as Principal Harp for five seasons of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. Helen received her bachelors from the Curtis Institute of Music as the Marilyn Costello Fellow, studying under Elizabeth Hainen, Principal Harp of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Helen serves as Guest Faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music and is Executive Director of harp education nonprofit, the Lyra Society. She also received a career merit scholarship for her work with Lyra to complete her Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) at the Villanova School of Business.