Kathleen Wilson was born in Pittsburgh and began her harp studies in Pittsburgh with Paula Page, continuing with Alice Chalifoux at the Cleveland Institute of Music where she received a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in harp performance. She came to Charleston as Principal Harpist with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra after performing with various orchestras throughout Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania as well as the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra. She is an annual performer in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and has appeared as soloist with the CSO performing works by Mozart (Flute and Harp concerto, Paula Robison, flutist), Ravel and Grandjany. She has performed with orchestras throughout the Carolinas as well as performing occasionally with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra and is also well known as a freelance musician within the tri-county area, performing for many corporate and private functions. Kathleen is currently on the applied music faculty at the College of Charleston and Charleston Southern University while maintaining a private studio as well. Kathleen served as a judge for the first Young Artist Harp Competition held in July, 2008
In addition to her musical career, Kathleen has international standing as an open water marathon swimmer, having completed numerous world class long distance events, among them swims around Key West, Manhattan Island, the length of Tampa Bay, the San Pedro Channel (CA), Lake Zurich (Switzerland), Long Island Sound, the Santa Barbara Channel, the Straits of Gibraltar and the English Channel. She was named one of Charleston’s Most Remarkable Women 2001 with Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. proclaiming October 9, 2001 as Kathleen Wilson Day in the City of Charleston in recognition of her English Channel crossing, the first by a South Carolina resident. Additionally, August 17, 2004 was named Kathleen Wilson Day recognizing the Triple Crown milestone of long distance swimming as well as August 21, 2007 for becoming the first female swimmer in history to complete the 20 mile Santa Barbara Channel. She has been awarded South Carolina’s highest honor, the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Jim Hodges and was chosen to run Charleston’s anchor leg of the Olympic Torch Relay for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. She was awarded the Charleston Metro Sports Council’s Sports Moment of the Year for 2001 and Co-Athlete of the Year/Sports Achievement award for 2004.
As a frequent public speaker and owner of AquaHarp Presentations, Kathleen draws upon her experiences as an athlete and professional musician in describing the mental and physical strategies and experiences which have helped her face fears and achieve major goals, particularly a successful English Channel crossing. She authors occasional articles for The Harp Column, a national publication for harpists.
In November, 2005, Kathleen was elected to Charleston City Council, representing District 12, James Island. Her major areas of focus include traffic and transportation improvements and improved recreational amenities for all residents, especially aquatics. This past July, 2008, she was awarded a Liberty Fellowship, a statewide leadership initiative affiliated with the Aspen Institute, designed to identify and cultivate South Carolina’s most promising leadership.
Kathleen, a devoted and lifetime fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and avid baker, is married with two children.
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