The Harpist of St Columbkille

Karen Conoán died peacefully Sunday at her home surrounded by her family. For more than 25 years Karen was the music director and worship coordinator for our parish. During this time, she earned the degree Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University. She was on the faculty of the Saint Cecilia Institute for Sacred Liturgy, Music and the Arts and she was appointed Harpist to the late Archbishop Daniel Sheehan.

It was a time when the Vatican II reforms had begun, and the laity were invited to become more involved in the faith. She was a pioneer in being active within the parish and the archdiocese. Our current liturgist, David Batter, has said that part of the reason he was attracted to come to St. Columbkille from the Cathedral was because of what Karen had established here.

The Vigil service will be in the church at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) and the  Funeral will be Thursday at 10:30.

Here's a clipping from Karen's old office files. We presume it was from the Papillion Times which accompanied the picture above. We're not sure of the date but it must have been from around 1984:

Ironing earned music money...
Harpist shares her talent
"The biggest question I get is 'Why didn't you pick up the piccolo, it would be much easier to carry around?'"

That's true, said LaVistan Karen Conoan, but "I just fell in love with the harp."

The 35-year-old mother of four began playing the ancient instrument as a 9th graders at North High School. 

When time permits, Karen performs at weddings, funerals, dinner parties and other events, carrying her 65-pound, 5 1/2-foot-tall harp in the back of the family station wagon.

Ironed shirts for lessons
"I do an awful lot of playing with people eating in the background," she joked. She's also performed for a commercial, an Omaha Playhouse play and at the annual Community Christmas Carol Concert, an event she coordinates each year at Papillion's St. Columbkille Church.

She discovered the harp at a high school music program. She worked ironing shirts for her uncle to pay for her first lessons which cost $15. "At 35 cents a shirt, that's a lot of shirts." she said.

"I really fell in love with the harp at that...my mother had to tell me to stop practicing."

Shortly after Karen and her husband, John, were married, they purchased two items -- a motorcycle for him; a harp for her.

A music education graduate of Wayne State College, she studied one summer at Indiana University and is currently a student of Omaha jazz harpist, Anita Clark. She minored in piano and can also play guitar, clarinet and viola.

With 46 strings and seven pedals (to produce sharps and flats) Conoan said a harp can produce sounds unique to other instruments. The luxurious, dreamy sound of a "glissando," where a harpist sweeps their fingers across many strings up or down the musical scale, is an example.

Not so glamourous
"It's not as glamourous as one thinks," she added, however. "You do get blisters and they break. Eventually, you get callouses."

One particular rough gig was playing harp for the Omaha Community Playhouse's production of "Peter Pan." It called for many glissandos as Peter Pan flew across the stage. She used a felt pick then, she said.

Now in her 10th year of directing the adult choir at St. Columbkille, Karen now also serves as liturgical director for the church. She has sang and performed for more services than she can count.

Although transporting a harp can take a toll on the instrument (which costs $12,000 new), Karen says bringing music to other people is important.

"I feel it's worthwhile bringing pleasure to other people...it's not just a beautiful piece of furniture."