The Hampton Roads Harp Festival and Competition has announced the winners of its 2026 competition. After a preliminary online round, finalists were invited to perform live at the 10th annual Hampton Roads Harp Festival (HRHF) event, held on Feb. 28 at the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. In addition to cash prizes for the junior and senior divisions, winners also received scholarships to attend the HRHF Summer Institute, an intensive study program.
The winner of this year’s senior division (grades 12 and below) is Andrew Warmenhoven, a student of Melissa Dvorak and Kristal Schwartz. Inge Caroline Ulff-Møller, who studies with Anastasia Pike, was named runner-up.
Lyla Lin, a student of Fan-Fen Tai, won the junior division (grades 10 and below). Lillian Arzt, whose teacher is John Wickey, was named runner-up.
The winner of the division for grades 8 and below is Willa Cook, a student of Yoonee van den Eynde. Thea Watkins, who studies with Alisa Sadikova and Lisa Tannenbaum, was named runner-up.
Jury members for this year’s competition included Kristina Finch, Kate Loughrey, and Renée Murphy. The anniversary festival featured a headline performance, workshop, and masterclass by Alexander Boldachev; beginning in 2027, he will also serve as chair of the jury for the competition.
“Celebrating the Festival’s 10th anniversary made this year’s competition especially meaningful,” founder and director Anastasia Pike says in a press release. “What began as a regional gathering has grown into an international event. Hearing these young harpists perform with such artistry, dedication, and musical individuality is deeply inspiring.”
For more information, visit the HRHF Summer Institute website.
