Sharon Watson

A prolific arranger, musician and educator, Sharon Watson wrote over 1500 songs for harp, violin, cello and flute...a labor of love that began some 40 years ago. Following in the footsteps of her mother, an early IU music school graduate, Sharon attended Stephen's College, and Indiana University as well. Following her graduation, “Sherry” landed her first major job as an organist and choir director at St. Paul's Episcopal church in Hammond, Indiana where she served for 23 years. During that period she wrote and performed several of her own original anthems and masses, which are available for sale. 

 

An equally accomplished pianist and harpist, Sherry maintained a busy schedule performing for private and public events each year, as well as the occasional recital. For several years she and her trio performed weekly (piano, violin, cello) at The Skyline Club, Indy’s premier private club, perfecting her trio arrangements. She was regularly requested to provide entertainment for Eli Lilly, headquartered in Indy, as well as other well-known companies. Other steady engagements at Florida venues included: The Breakers Hotel, The Boca Raton Hotel, Yesterday's, The Everglades Club and the Longboat Key Club. She has also had the pleasure of working at The Ritz-Carlton, in one of her favorite spots, San Juan, Puerto Rico. For 25 years, Sharon made a bi-annual trip to the Caribbean to study with her mentor Maria Rosa Vidal.

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Sharon played harp, piano, and organ with numerous symphonies, including: Northwest Indiana, South Bend, The Mid-West Pops, South Florida and West Palm Beach, and The Palm Beach Opera Company. She has done 'pit' work for hundreds of theatrical performances, including productions at: The Star Theatre (Merrillville, IN), The Sunrise Theatre (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), The Riverside Theater (Vero Beach, FL), and The Burt Reynolds Theater (Jupiter, FL). She has served as Music Director for: The Miss Illinois Pageant (Miss America), The Indianapolis Players, The Rosarian Theater (FL) and The North Palm Spotlight Players (FL).

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Sherry holds two Master degrees in piano and organ from The American Conservatory of Music. She completed her graduate work in harp at Valporaiso University, and completed some doctoral work in organ from Florida State University. Sherry continued to teach up until her death. Over the years, she taught at Thornton Community College, Palm Beach Atlantic College, and Palm Beach Junior College. She was an active member of numerous professional music associations. Her arrangements can be heard on Judy Walter Bailey's Christmas CD, "Gifts From My Harp", as well as the duo harp CD "Echoes of Christmas". For decades her arrangements have been used at the finest music schools (Indiana, Eastman etc.) She was born at home in 1936 and was raised (Wilson) on a farm in Kokomo, Indiana. She raised two daughters and a son, and was a doting grandmother to seven grandkids and two great-grandchildren all of whom studied some form of music with her. She adored going to harp conventions and sharing her passion for the craft with others. To many in the harp world she was considered legendary, not just for her skills as an arranger but, perhaps even more so for her enormous generosity and heart.

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