Rolliana is a singer, harper and harpsinger in performance, teaching, publishing and recording. She specializes in Celtic harp instrumentals and self-accompanied harpsong, performing in formal recitals and in shorter programs for schools, libraries, nature centers, older adult organizations, service groups, weddings, wedding and corporate receptions, banquets and other gala events. She has frequently appeared on the Edgewood College Concert Series and The Olbrich Gardens Winter Concert Series. 1995 saw the release of her debut solo recording, HarpSinger, on her Siochain Music label, now renamed "HarpSinger". In 1996, she won First Prize in The Professional Division of The First Great Lakes Harpers Regional Competition. In 1998, she received a major grant from the Palmer Foundation to bring 80 Celtic harp and song performances to the elderly in residential care facilities. She was recognized nationally by her invitational concert performance and workshop presentations at The 1998 Conference of The International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen (ISFHC), Galveston, Texas. Her "Dawning of the Day" CD, featuring solo Celtic harp, was released November, 2003.
Laryngitis and myopia brought Rolliana, an accomplished soprano soloist, to harp. The viral illness had made it impossible for the singers of The Madison Consort of Early Music to perform five-voice madrigals for an entire season. So The Consort advised its singers to take up early instruments and told Rolliana in particular to get and learn the harp. At the same time, Rolliana could no longer do opera roles because of vision difficulties. The suggestion to start playing harp came at just the right time and changed Rolliana's direction forever.
Her first harp, a gift from her mother, celebrated Rolliana's attainment of the Bachelor of Music degree [a second bachelor's degree] from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music.
Rolliana trained for 2 years on lever harp with Sue Richards, who later went on to international stardom as four-time National Champion of the Scottish Harp Society of America. Then Rolliana trained weekly for another 9 years with Karen Atz, Principal Harpist of the Madison Symphony. Rolliana also studied harp at various clinics and workshops by such luminaries as Alison Kinnaird, Chris Caswell, Kim Robertson, Ann Heymann, Philip Boulding, Laurie Riley, Tina Tourin, Dennis Doyle, Ron Price, Liz Cifani, Janet Harbison, Aibhlín McCrann, Becky Baxter, Therese Honey, William Jackson and Gráinne Hambly. During summer, 2000, she studied harp with Máire ní Chathasaigh and Gráinne Yeats at the school and harp festival of Cairde na Cruite in Ireland. Whereas Rolliana had at first maintained dual, yet separate careers in voice and in harp, she eventually combined the two as "HarpSinger". Thus arriving at Celtic harp from classical roots, Rolliana is one of few trained singers in the world today who accompany themselves on Celtic harp.
Coming full circle from having earned the Bachelor of Science Degree in Pre-Medical Biology from Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN, long ago, Rolliana began combining her love for music and medicine consciously using music to promote wholeness and healing, both for the performer and the listener. She completed hospice training with HospiceCare, Inc., a non-profit hospice in Madison, Wisconsin, in February, 2000. As a trained hospice volunteer, she served at first as "caring presence" [without music] in patients' homes. Then for three years, she volunteered exclusively playing at patient bedside, one-to-one, at HCI's new Anderson and Johnson HospiceCare Inpatient Residences. She completed training and internship and received certification July 10, 2007: ACCM = Advanced Certified Clinical Musician through Laurie Riley's Clinical Musicians Training Program for playing live at patient bedside in home care, hospice and hospital settings.
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