Fantasia's female harpist
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March of the Women - Emily Davison's legacy in classical music
7. Fantasia's female harpist
Harpist Edna Phillips was just 23 – and had only been playing for five years - when Leopold Stokowski appointed her principal harp at the Philadelphia Orchestra – the first woman ever to join a major American orchestra. Phillips faced extreme prejudice, but her performances were acclaimed by both audiences and critics. Phillips is given prominence in Stokowski's orchestra in Disney's Fantasia. Photo: Emil Rhodes/Family collection
