Laurel Harned – Classical Guitarist
Laurel Harned (born 2006, Redlands, California) is one of the most promising young classical guitarists in the United States today. Winner of the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award 2024, she has established herself as a distinctive voice in a new generation of American classical guitarists — combining exceptional technical control with a musical maturity that belies her age.
Biography
Laurel began guitar at the age of nine under the guidance of Susan Graves and continued her studies with Jack Sanders. From the outset, her progress was rapid: an unusually focused student who approached the instrument with the technical rigour of a conservatory student and the musical curiosity of a performer with something to say.
Her development has been shaped by close work with some of the finest guitarists in the world. She has studied with Ana Vidovic, Los Romeros, the Beijing Guitar Duo, Jason Vieaux, and Goran Krivokapić. In October 2023, she was one of only six young players worldwide invited to the Pre-College Guitar Virtuosos masterclass with Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore — a distinction that underscores her standing among her peer group.
Education and Masterclasses
In summer 2023, Laurel attended the Celedonio Romero Guitar Institute, where she studied intensively with the Romero Quartet. She completed the highest levels of the Certificate of Merit examinations in theory and performance, received state honours, and was invited to audition for the Young Artist Guild of the Music Teachers' Association of California — a recognition granted to only the most advanced students in the state.
Competition Results
- 2023 — Winner, Denver International Youth Competition
- 2023 — Youngest semi-finalist, Josephina P. Tuason International Guitar Competition
- 2022 & 2023 — Semi-finalist, James Stroud National Classical Guitar Competition (Cleveland)
- 2024 — Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award 2024
The Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award is widely regarded as the most distinguished recognition for outstanding pre-college performing artists in the United States. Laurel's selection — which includes significant funding to support advanced study and performance opportunities — enabled her to travel to Spain for intensive study and to participate in European festivals and competitions.
Concert at Siccas Guitars & the Volterra Project
Laurel's online concert at Siccas Guitars, filmed at our studio in Karlsruhe, presents a programme that showcases her range: from the elegance of Morel to the virtuosity of Paganini. In 2024, Laurel travelled to Italy on a full scholarship to attend the Volterra Project — an international festival bringing together some of the most talented young musicians in the world for intensive study and public performance.
NPR: From the Top
Laurel's playing has been featured on NPR's programme From the Top, in the episode "Musicians from Rural America" — a broadcast that reaches millions of listeners across the United States and has long served as one of the most important platforms for introducing exceptional young classical musicians to a wider audience.
Repertoire
Laurel's repertoire spans the full breadth of the classical guitar canon. Her programme at Siccas Guitars included works representing the depth and range of a serious young artist. The guitar literature she has explored ranges from the Baroque transcriptions of J.S. Bach to the virtuosic pieces of the 19th and 20th-century repertoire.
Beyond Music
Beyond her musical career, Laurel teaches beginner students, enjoys hiking and running, and helps on her family's small farm in Redlands. Her natural warmth and precision come through in every performance. Laurel Harned is a young musician whose artistry, dedication, and competitive achievements mark her as one of the most exciting new voices in classical guitar today.
