Chicago-based harpist Lauren Hayes is an avid orchestral, chamber, and solo musician, distinguishing herself in the areas of contemporary music, ensemble performance, and harp and piano instruction. She performs frequently with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Minnesota Orchestra, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, the Chicago Philharmonic, on Chicago Symphony’s MusicNow series, and the Chicago Composers Orchestra. She has been an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, guest harpist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, and appeared with the Burnt Sugar Arkestra at Carnegie Hall in 2022. Most recently in 2023, she was a featured soloist at the Gothenburg Harp Festival and was awarded an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM). In addition to performing, she maintains a large private teaching studio in Chicago and is the Program Director for the Chicago-based non-profit, Sharing Notes.

Hayes holds a PD in Orchestral Studies from Roosevelt University (2019), an MA in Harp with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music (2016), and a BM in Harp Performance from the University of Arizona (2014).