About
Megan Conley had a musical upbringing in Austin, Texas. She began harp lessons with at the age of five. The daughter of Austin musician Danny Levin, she grew up playing music with her father and siblings in the family band. By the time she was 15 she had played on several albums of Austin musicians, including the Grammy Award-winning album ‘Los Super Seven.’
Megan received her Bachelor and Masters degrees in Music Performance from Rice University. In 2005, she was awarded a Fulbright Grant to study at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, France. In 2012, Megan won first place in the International Ima Hogg Concerto Competition, and subsequently performed the Ginastera Harp Concerto with the Houston Symphony.
Megan served as the Principal Harpist of the Houston Symphony from 2015-2022. In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, she created a 6-video series for the symphony, ‘Mornings with Megan,’ which offers educational musical content for young children.
Megan is a member of the Brooklyn-based chamber orchestra The Knights. She has performed with the New York City Ballet, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the International Contemporary Ensemble, the Bang On a Can All-Stars, and the Sarasota Opera. Megan toured with the Irish Chamber Orchestra in 2013. She also performed regularly as a substitute for the Broadway show 'The Fantasticks.'
Megan founded Ocean Music Action (OMA) in 2021. This nonprofit organization uses music to build community and inspire action to protect our oceans. OMA presents unique concerts, sharing music and dance centered on themes around the ocean and nature. Concerts are paired with volunteer activities in which the musicians and audience join together in helping the planet.
Megan lives in Honolulu, Hawaii with her husband, bassist Shawn Conley, and their young son.