Ashley’s musical training began at a young age, starting with piano lessons at the age of seven.  Several years later, Ashley admired a harpist’s performance at a relative’s wedding and fell in love with the instrument.  Soon, Ashley began her harp studies with Page Durham-Hayes in Culpeper, VA at age thirteen.  When the family moved to Richmond the following year, Ashley’s private study of the harp continued under the direction of Mary Jane “M.J.” D’Arville, who, as it turns out, is the harpist who originally inspired Ashley’s study of the harp. 

 Throughout high school, Ashley had the opportunity to perform regularly with the Virginia Commonwealth University Symphony Orchestra and the Richmond Youth Symphony Orchestra.  In 1997, she attended the world renowned Salzedo Harp Colony in Camden, Maine and studied under Alice Chalifoux.  In the summer of 1998, Ashley was selected to participate in the Virginia Governor’s School program at the University of Richmond.

 Ashley attended college at the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating in 2003 with dual degrees in Harp and Marketing.  There, she studied harp with Rebecca Anstine Smith and performed with the American Harp Society Summer Institute Harp Ensemble, the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the University of Maryland Harp Ensemble, and George Washington University’s Symphony Orchestra.  Ashley also accompanied the University of Maryland Chorale on Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and played in the 3-piece orchestra for the musical, The Fantasticks.

More recently, Ashley has had the opportunity to perform at special events involving Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner.  She currently serves as Senior Account Manager at Royall & Company in marketing and college recruitment, and resides in Midlothian with her husband.  Ashley continues to play her harp regularly for weddings, concerts, church functions, private parties, and other events on evenings and weekends.