Hello! My name is Ella Bougher. I’m the harpist of the EPYO. 
Since second grade, I have been homeschooled. I take online classes from The Potter’s School online. Homeschooling has blessed me with more opportunities to pursue art and the harp-opportunities that I would not have otherwise.

I began learning how to play the harp at the age of 7, and I’ve stuck with it for the past 10 years. Even though at times I’ve become extremely frustrated with it, I am incredibly grateful that I chose it as my instrument and that I can make lovely music with it every day. I am a student of Dr. Erzsebet Gaal Rinne, who has deepened my love of the harp through her teaching. 

When I’m not practicing my harp, I may be found with paint-covered hands. Art has been an equally important part of my life for over a decade. Between harp practicing, painting, and drawing, I spend much of my free time pursuing the Arts!
Upon graduating high school, I will be moving to South Carolina and attending the College of Charleston’s Honors College as an Art and Architectural History major, with a minor in History. I plan on pursuing a career in the museum curation field as an art historian. Harp will definitely continue to be one of my passions, and I plan on pursuing orchestral opportunities on the collegiate or professional level. 
I have had the honor of being an EPYO member for the past two years. During the 2021-2022 season, I have absolutely loved getting to play with the full youth orchestra under the leadership of the very friendly Dr. Chen. I’ve learned quite a lot not only about orchestral harp repertoire, which I’ve found to be rather different than solo repertoire, but also about music in general. I am thankful for the experience and knowledge I’ve gained from the EPYO, which I will certainly carry with me as I enter college this fall.