Janet Jackson Witman is known for her ability to successfully crisscross the realms of classical and Celtic harp music. Her classical training began as a young girl and eventually took her to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She earned a Bachelors of Music Degree under full scholarship studying under Marilyn Costello of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Janet also studied with the legendary Alice Chalifoux at the Salzedo Harp Colony in Maine, and with Maria Lorcini of the Montreal Symphony. She earned teacher certification at West Chester University.
Janet has performed as soloist with Allentown Symphony, Kennett Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony and the Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia. She performs regularly with the Wheatland Chorale of Lancaster, Wilmington String Ensemble, and Kennett Symphony. She has been featured in the prestigious Green Room of the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware for over 20 years.
Her Celtic harp experience began after years of enjoying Scottish and Irish music, and searching her Scots-Irish heritage. Janet has performed in Celtic concerts at the Fair Hill Scottish Games, Adams County Irish Festival, Lancaster Summer Arts, Rockwood Museum, First Night Celebrations in Dover and Wilmington, Delaware, and Longwood Gardens. In 1999 she won the U.S. National Scottish Harp Championship and in 2000, the All Eastern Scottish Harp Championship which sent her to the Edinborough Harp Festival.
Janet has been on the faculty of Music School of DE, Ohio Scottish Arts School, Pacific Harp Institute and guest performer and clinician at Somerset Harp Festival, The Harp Gathering, WAFHS in Gettysburg, SouthEastern Folk Harp Festival and American Harp Society Chapters in Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle, Princeton, Williamsburg, Charlotte, New York and the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, Scotland. In 2000, she established the Brandywine Harp Orchestra from her private studio, which became the longest running continuous performing harp orchestra in the U.S. They traveled to Edinburgh Scotland for their European debut in 2009.
Janet launched her own publishing company in 2020, Brandywine Harp Publishing and her music is sold worldwide. Janet resides in rural Chester County, PA with her husband, Kevin and two cats. Cheddar and Julie.