Elizabeth Blakeslee has been a regularly engaged extra musician with the National Symphony Orchestra since 1999, playing second harp and substitute principal harp as needed. She has been harp instructor at George Mason University since 2012 and maintains a private studio of about 30 harp students. Ms. Blakeslee received her Bachelor of Music degree at Auburn University under the direction of Marjorie Tyre and her Master of Music degree at Virginia Commonwealth University under the direction of Marilyn Costello. She has held Principal Harp positions in the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Colombia, and guest Principal Harpist with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Ms. Blakeslee was the harp instructor at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in Winchester, VA, from 1996 until 2008. Ms. Blakeslee has served the American Harp Society in many capacities including Secretary, Publications Director, and Mid-Atlantic Regional Director. She was also on the Board of Directors for the Virginia String Teachers Association (VASTA) and was named VASTA Outstanding Studio Teacher of the Year in 2011. She served as President of the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association from 2013-2014 and obtained her teaching certification from the Music Teachers National Association in 2013. Her students have won competitions at the local, state, and national levels and have been accepted to the top conservatories in the country.