Desiree Blute

Desiree Blute is a 17-year-old harpist in her junior year at the Gregory School in Tucson, Arizona. She has studied with Dr. Christine Vivona for the past 10 years and has been performing with the Tucson Philharmonia Youth orchestra since 2017. She has been invited to be a guest performer with numerous performance groups throughout southern Arizona including the Catalina Foothills High School band, the Green Valley Concert Band, the Arizona Symphonic Winds, and the Foothills Philharmonic. Desiree has earned the position of principal harpist in the South Central Regional Honor Orchestra in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and she has been a member of the Arizona All State Orchestra as well. She has captivated audiences with guest solo performances including pieces such as the Boieldieu Harp Concerto and the Gliére Harp Concerto. She was invited to perform at the 77th Season Soiree for the Arizona Friends of Chamber music in 2024, and was selected as a solo recital artist as part of a “Rising Stars” recital series at St. Philips Episcopal Church in Tucson, Arizona. Beyond her solo performances, Desiree has collaborated with organizations to provide her harp talents for local projects. In 2023 she was chosen to be a spokesperson with the Arizona Department of Health Services to serve as a role model for teens in an anti-vaping campaign, the “Unvape Generation” which televises commercials highlighting her harp talents and promoting a vape-free youth culture. In 2023 she performed a 4-part solo recital series at La Encantada entitled “Love Notes.” She has also worked with local theater productions providing harp music and studio recordings for productions such as “You and Me and the Space Between” with the Soundrel and Scamp theater. Desiree has received many awards and accolades for her harp as well. As a 7th grader, Desiree was recognized as a special citation winner in the Tucson Philharmonia scholarship competition, and in 2024 she was a finalist in the same event and received the silver medal. In 2025 Desiree received a gold medal for her performance of Debussy’s Dances, Sacred and Profane. She earned first place in the Civic Orchestra’s Young Artist Concerto Competition in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 and was featured as a guest soloist in the Tucson Civic Orchestra’s Spring 2023 concert. She was recognized with a “Best in Class” acknowledgment in the Arizona State High School Solo and Ensemble competition two years in a row. At the World’s Strides festival in Anaheim, California, Desiree was one of twelve students chosen from over 2000 musicians to receive the “Maestro” award for demonstrating exceptional musicianship, and has earned this distinction three years in a row. She has recently placed 1st in the Charleston International Concerto Competition in 2024. In addition to her harp playing, Desiree is a dedicated competitive swimmer at the state and national levels. For more information and videos of her past performances, you can visit her website at desireebluteharp.com.