Stacey Berkley

Stacey is an exciting new performer who came to prominence in the harp world with her first place winning performance at Harpfest 1997 Lyon & Healy International Pop & Jazz Competition. Stacey was a featured performer at HarpFest 1999 in Nashville, USA, and the 1999 World Harp Congress in Prague, Czech Republic. She has just released her debut CD, a collection of original compositions and unique arrangements of jazz covers.

Stacey was born on @#%^&*!! (local slang for none of your business) in Miami. She makes no bones about who is to blame for her becoming a musician. "My mother made me do it!" This loving gift of music from mother to daughter started with piano lessons at the relatively late age of 10. The piano was just the teaser. When Stacey was 12, her mother introduced her to another string and hammer instrument- the harp. The big differences are first it's your fingers that are the hammers, and second, you get to drag the harp around all by yourself. And as all harpists know, harps are much heavier than pianos. " How would you like to play the harp?'' A seemingly innocent query. " You mean the instrument the angels play?" asked Stacey. (Boy, was she naive!) And that was that. Major life change with one sentence.

When she was 15, she had the considerable fortune to become a student of the late and great Edward Vito, soloist and harpist under Toscanini. She originally envisioned music education as her future, and received a Bachelor of Music with honors at the University of Miami. It transpired that education was not her major calling in life. Once she started to perform in South Florida, she quickly realized that she wanted to share her talent with her audiences. Artists performing and recording in South Florida soon started to work with Stacey. She has recorded with Rod Stewart, the Bee Gees, John Denver, KC & the Sunshine Band, Jose Feliciano, Braulio, Nelson Ned, among others. She has performed in concert with Stevie Wonder as a featured soloist, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Melissa Manchester, Burt Bacharach, Johnny Mathis, Marvin Hamlisch, Peter Allen, John Davidson, Anthony Newley, Steve Lawrence & Edie Gorme and others.

She formed a chamber group with her violinist partner, Miriam Stern, called Serenade Ensemble, that regularly performs in South Florida. A premier group, they have entertained Presidents, Governors, Foreign leaders and dignitaries.

Stacey found her greatest calling in jazz and pop music. She has a natural talent for combining rhythm and jazz harmony with emotional playing. Her talent was recognized with a first place win at the 1997 Lyon & Healy International Pop & Jazz Competition at Monterey, California. This important prize has opened doors for Stacey to share her music with a much wider audience. She has just released her debut CD, acollection of original compositions and unique arrangements of jazz covers. On July 4th, Stacey performed at Harpfest99 held at Belmont College, in Nashville TN. She was also featured at the 1999 World Harp Congress, Hilton Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic.

Stacey never forgot who started her off on the harp. Every Thursday morning, her mother comes over for her harp lesson followed by a delicious lunch.