She is a harpist, therapeutic musician and teacher often credited as Mary Walter born in Richmond, Virginia who studied at the Peabody Institute of Music along with attending the Salzedo Summer Harp Colony in Maine during the summer months over six years.
In 1981 she became Principal Harpist with the Omaha (NE) Symphony where she regularly performed with the orchestra as a soloist. She remained with the orchestra for 40 years until 2021 and now performs with the Richmond Symphony.
Other orchestras and ensembles she has performed with include the Baltimore Symphony, Dess Moines Metro Opera, Mannheim Steamroller and Summit Brass. She has been a participant at the World Harp Congress and music festivals such as the Colorado Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival and the Midwest Harp Festival.
She is a Certified Clinical Musician and therapist musician who has given regular performances at the Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha, the UNMC Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center from 2018 as a member of the Healing Arts Program and Omaha Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. She is the resident harpist at Bon Secours St Mary’s Hospital and performs in Piedmont Hospice House as a member of the Therapeutic Musicians of the Blue Ridge.
Recordings she has performed on include Music for Ceremonies and Celebrations and A Royal Celebration by Craig Bircher, The Ancient and the Infant by Ron Cooley, Christmas and A Fresh Aire Christmas with Mannheim Steamroller, The Real McCall (An American Storyteller) by C.W. McCall, The Complete Brass Works of Paul Hindemith by Summit Brass and Simple Gifts by Willis Ann Ross.
In the field of musical education she teaches many students of all ages and varying abilities from her home studio. She has also been a member of the faculties of Creighton University and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s Glenn Korff School of Music.
Her husband is the trumpeter Craig Bircher who has performed as a member of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra.
Mannheim Steamroller recordings
Carol of the Birds(Traditional Catlonian)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Coventry Carol (Traditional English/Robert Croo/Thomas Mawdyke)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Deck the Halls (Welsh Traditional)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella (Traditional/Emile Blemont/Marc-Antoine Charpentier/Louis-Denis Seguin)(English Translation: Edward Cuthbert Nunn)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Traditional/Anonymous)
American Gramaphone Records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Good King Wenceslas (John Mason Neale)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
I Saw Three Ships (Traditional/Anonymous)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Wassail (Anonymous Middle Ages English/Ralph Vaughan Williams)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
We Three Kings (Rev. John Henry Hopkins Jr.)
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Sources:
- https://marybircher.com/
- https://arts.unl.edu/music/faculty/mary-bircher
- https://arts.unl.edu/faculty/cvs/Mary%20Bircher%20CV.pdf
- https://www.omahasymphony.org/a-moment-of-calm
- https://directories.harpsociety.org/professionals/2535
- https://harpcolumn.com/blog/university-of-nebraska-creates-new-harp-program-led-by-mary-bircher/
- https://www.classicalarchives.com/newca/#!/Work/382857
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mary-walter-mn0001539125
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/1591682-Mary-Walter