Ensemble Lafayette

About the Artist

Ensemble Lafayette      Diane Kinsley, organ and Rebecca Anstine Smith, harp Ensemble Lafayette offers the rare and exquisite combination of the organ and harp in a wide variety of musical styles and repertoire. While every performance includes transcriptions as well as their own arrangements, Ensemble Lafayette also features original music for harp and organ.  In their ongoing pursuit to expand their repertoire, they discovered several beautiful compositions and arrangements by composer Peter Mathews.  Immediately a friendship formed, which inspired more original works, and a commission awarded by a 2017 Grant from the American Harp Society.   Rebecca and Diane have performed in recital series at the L'Organo Festival at Piccolo Spoleto, St. John's Church Lafayette Square, the Washington National Cathedral, a live-streamed recital sponsored by the Musician's Performance Trust Fund, the Annapolis Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, St. Giles Church in Richmond, Virginia, Gloria Dei! Lutheran Church in Arnold, Jesus the Good Shepherd Church in Owings. In the summer of 2022 they gave the opening recital for the Greenspring International Academy of Music Festival in Frederick and presented the world premiere performance of Peter Mathew's Suite française at the American Harp Society's National Conference in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  They received a second grant in 2023 from the American Harp Society to commission a new work for harp and organ by composer-harpist Maurice Draughn.  Currently they are preparing a new hymn arrangement, which was specifically dedicated and gifted to Ensemble Lafayette by composer Peter Mathews. They look forward to future performances where they will premiere these new works!               

Artist's Statement

In order to present such varied programs, the artists invest time and energy to research potential works that could be transcribed for this combination, as well as commission new works.  In this ongoing pursuit for new repertoire, they discovered works by American composer Peter Mathews.  The musicians and composer quickly formed both a musical and personal bond, and Peter often attends the world premiers of his enchanting works. Audiences sense Ensemble Lafayette's unbridled enthusiasm and delight in presenting more than just another concert, and listeners respond in kind with standing ovations and leave humming a favorite tune!