Caitlin Mehrtens was appointed Principal Harpist with the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, starting in the 2024-2025 season.  She also serves as Harpist and Co-Leader for Houston-based contemporary music ensemble, Loop38.

Her extensive performing career includes soloist appearances with the Akademisches Orchester in Leipzig, National Repertory Orchestra, Texas Music Festival Orchestra, Ocean City Pops Orchestra, and the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia.  As an orchestral musician, she has performed with the Houston Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Spokane Symphony, and more.

In addition to performing, Caitlin greatly values her role as a teacher and mentor to students of the harp.  She serves as Adjunct Harp Professor at the University of St. Thomas, teaches through the online Certified Coaching program at Harp Mastery, and maintains her own private studio. Caitlin completed her Masters of Music at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music in 2018 under Paula Page.  Previously, she graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance under Yolanda Kondonassis, and a second Independent Major called “Communication through Multicultural Music and Movement.”   She grew up in Thornton, Pennsylvania with a very musical family.