By HOLLY WAGNER

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Eight harpists will be paying tribute to their teacher and the woman who has put Quincy on the map for harpists worldwide when they take the stage Saturday afternoon with the Quincy Symphony Orchestra.

Sarama Schnack is "one of Quincy's rare musical gems," said organizer Patricia Kuhn, a former harpist who plays violin with the symphony. "Sarama has become one of the few well-known harpists in the Midwest."

The Symphony Association is extending the Quincy Junior High School stage over the orchestra pit to accommodate the eight harpists and any others who may show up. Kuhn said she has invited as many of Schnack's former students as she could find. There are more than 100 in Quincy and Chicago from the years Schnack would commute to a rented studio.

Flying back to Quincy with a harp during the holidays will prove problematic for most of them, but in the process of relocating Schnack's students, Kuhn has learned that Schnack "has made an everlasting impression on each and every one of (them)."

Schnack's interest in the harp was sparked by a harp program begun by the sisters at Notre Dame in the 1870s. She began studying at age 10, and by 1939, she was a member of an accomplished 12-member ensemble. She went on to study with some of the best-known harpists in the nation, and eventually she returned to Quincy, where she taught from her home for many years.

Schnack, now in her 80s, played with the symphony from 1951 to 1975 and was a member of the American Harp Association for 55 years. She also taught at Valparaiso University in Indiana and Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo.

Schnack is "one of the very few music instructors in this community to give constant dedication in the arts back to the community for more than 62 years, and she is still counting," Kuhn said.

Harpists are rare because it takes a unique combination of dedication and circumstances to become one, Kuhn said. Students generally rent a Troubadour harp until they can afford to pay $30,000 for the handcrafted symphonic pedal version -- and then they need a vehicle to transport it.

But first, they require a teacher to inspire them.

"Sarama has started a legacy that is now literally around the globe, of students, teachers and performers on the harp," Kuhn said.

The harpists will be performing the Christmas selections "The Carol of the Bells," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Greensleeves," said ensemble organizer and QSO harpist Melanie Morgan.

The Christmas Memories Family Concert at 3 p.m. will also feature the Symphony Chorus and Youth Chorus.

-- hwagner@whig.com/221-3374