More than 40 harpists from 20 countries gather in Bloomington, Indiana, this week to compete in the 12th USA International Harp Competition (USAIHC). The 10-day event includes four stages of competition, as well as several additional events and performances.
The competition kicks off with the opening ceremonies at 5:00 p.m. June 29 in Auer Hall at the Indiana University (IU) Jacobs School of Music. The first stage of competition begins June 30. Interspersed with the four stages of competition are four special events. Mélanie Laurent, winner of the 11th USAIHC will give a Laureate Recital at 2:00 p.m. July 3 in Auer Hall. A Composition Forum will be held at 3:00 p.m. July 6 in Ford Hall at the Jacobs School of Music. The event will feature Ari Schwartz, winner of the 7th Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest, whose winning composition will be performed in stage III of the USAIHC. Also on July 6, the Stars of Tomorrow concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. in Auer Hall. The performance will feature young national and international prize winners under the age of 18—too young to enter the USAIHC. Jazz harpist Park Stickney will perform a guest recital at 7:30 p.m. July 8 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington. The USAIHC will conclude with the final stage of competition and awards ceremony at 7:00 p.m. July 9 in the Musical Arts Center at Indiana University. The final three contestants will each perform Gabriel Pierne’s Concertstuck, Op. 39 for Harp and Orchestra with the IU Jacobs School of Music Summer Philharmonic, under conductor Brian Eades. The finalists will also play a free-choice piece after the concerto. Following the final three performances, the jury will select the gold, silver, and bronze medal winners.
Harp Column will post results throughout the competition. You can look for an interview with the winner of the 12th USAIHC in an upcoming issue of Harp Column magazine. For a detailed schedule of events, visit the USAIHC website.
