Samantha Wittchen, Harpist
Samantha Wittchen is a Philadelphia-based performing harpist, teacher, and arranger. Equally comfortable in a classical setting as she is onstage at a local club, Samantha is most adept at showcasing the harp’s versatility by performing in an array of musical contexts.
She has performed with the Allentown Symphony, the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra (LVCO), the Pottstown Symphony, and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. This past spring, she premiered Mbeera Ggwe Wantonda, a piece for two prepared harps by Ugandan composer Justinian Tamusuza, with fellow harpist Candace Lark-Masucci and Philly-based contemporary music ensemble Orchestra 2001.
Samantha has also performed in studio orchestras for such recording artists as McCoy Tyner, Olivia Newton-John, and Connie Francis, as well as popular touring shows like Video Games Live and A Salute to Vienna. In 2009, she appeared in the movie Law Abiding Citizen, starring Jamie Foxx.
Samantha studied harp performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Since 2005, she has been the Professional Associate for harp at the University of Pennsylvania, and in 2015, she co-founded Philly Music Lab to connect diverse, cross-genre musicians to new audiences throughout the Philadelphia region. Through Philly Music Lab, she is currently working on launching the inaugural Philly Jewish Music Festival in May 2026.
Samantha Wittchen is a Philadelphia-based performing harpist, teacher, and arranger. Equally comfortable in a classical setting as she is onstage at a local club, Samantha is most adept at showcasing the harp’s versatility by performing in an array of musical contexts.
She has performed with the Allentown Symphony, the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra (LVCO), the Pottstown Symphony, and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. This past spring, she premiered Mbeera Ggwe Wantonda, a piece for two prepared harps by Ugandan composer Justinian Tamusuza, with fellow harpist Candace Lark-Masucci and Philly-based contemporary music ensemble Orchestra 2001.
Samantha has also performed in studio orchestras for such recording artists as McCoy Tyner, Olivia Newton-John, and Connie Francis, as well as popular touring shows like Video Games Live and A Salute to Vienna. In 2009, she appeared in the movie Law Abiding Citizen, starring Jamie Foxx.
Samantha studied harp performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Since 2005, she has been the Professional Associate for harp at the University of Pennsylvania, and in 2015, she co-founded Philly Music Lab to connect diverse, cross-genre musicians to new audiences throughout the Philadelphia region. Through Philly Music Lab, she is currently working on launching the inaugural Philly Jewish Music Festival in May 2026.