STEPHAN
HALUSKA

Cleveland-based improviser, harpist, and composer, Stephan Haluska (he/they) draws from the instrument’s unique textural, percussive, physical, and kinetic qualities. Viewing the harp as a frequently misunderstood and underrepresented instrument in contemporary music, he often rejects conventional modes of playing in favor of finding new ways to expand his sound palette. Stephan plays with an advanced vocabulary of extended techniques and preparations, which explore the use of various tools, materials, gadgetry, and household objects, interweaving elements of found sound, collage, sound art, and movement into his artistic practice.

Since 2021, Stephan leads Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project (CUSP) as Managing Director. CUSP is dedicated to strengthening the artistic engagement of the Northeast Ohio community by championing the creation and performance of new and experimental music through concert programming and other events.

Stephan is on faculty at Case Western Reserve University as Part-Time Lecturer in the music department, teaching music technology. Stephan holds an MFA in Harp Performance with a concentration in Improvisation from Mills College in Oakland, California where he studied with Zeena Parkins, Roscoe Mitchell, and James Fei, and studied with Elainie Lillios and Mikel Kuehn at Bowling Green State University, where he received a BA in Music Composition and Theory.