Jara Goodrich is principal harpist with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Portland Opera Repertory Theatre, Portland Ballet, and Maine Music Society, and has just recently retired from the Portland Symphony Orchestra where she was principal harpist for 32 years. She has performed with the North Carolina Symphony, Cleveland Playhouse, Goldovsky Opera Theatre, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, CBS Sunday Morning, Morning Pro Musica, and Bay Chamber Concerts, and under numerous conductors including James Levine, Hugh Wolf, and Robert Shaw.

Devoted to teaching, Jara is on the faculties of the University of Southern Maine, Portland Conservatory, Camp Encore-Coda, and she coaches members of the USM Youth Ensembles. She has students from age eight to adult from around the state of Maine, and conducts the Maine Harp Ensembles, organizing two ensemble performances each year at USM. She often combines teaching opportunities within her active performing schedule, and fosters a love of performing in her students.

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Jara’s principal teachers have been French harpist, pianist, composer and conductor Carlos Salzedo (1885-1961) and Alice Chalifoux (1908-2008) at the Cleveland Institute of Music, then principal harpist with the Cleveland Orchestra.