The USA International Harp Competition (USAIHC) has announced the jury for the 13th USAIHC, which will take place May 14–24 in Bloomington, Indiana. Harpist Patrizia Tassini (Italy) will serve as jury president. Harpists Karen Lindquist (United States), Sivan Magen (Israel), Marcela Méndez (Argentina), Ghislaine Petit-Volta (France), and Guan Wang (China), as well as conductor Arthur Fagen (United States), will also serve on the jury.
Patrizia Tassini (Italy), Jury President
Patrizia Tassini is an international prize-winning harpist and a graduate of the Giuseppe Tartini Conservatory of Trieste and the Eastman School of Music. She has performed for the Italian National Radio Network, Radio France, and the Serbian Radio Television Orchestra. Ms. Tassini has been a jury member for several international harp competitions. In addition to performing concerts and masterclasses globally, she conducts the harp orchestra Ventaglio d’Arpe and teaches harp at the Jacopo Tomadini Conservatory of Udine, Italy. She has been a member of the board of the World Harp Congress since 2002.
Karen Lindquist (United States)
Karen Lindquist is an experienced chamber musician, soloist, and teacher, performing with ensembles such as Speculum Musicae, the Aurora Trio, and Canta Libre. She has toured the United States and Europe, soloing with major orchestras including the National Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and many more. A jury member for international harp competitions, she is also on the board of the World Harp Congress. Ms. Lindquist teaches in New York City and has recorded for Varese, Sarabande, and other labels.
Sivan Magen (Israel)
Sivan Magen performs internationally as a recitalist and soloist. A winner of the International Harp Contest in Israel, the Pro Musicis International Award, and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, he is principal harpist of the Finnish Radio Orchestra and professor at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. Mr. Magen has performed globally in prestigious venues and festivals, with top orchestras, and recorded multiple acclaimed albums, including his 2023 Gramophone Award-winning recording of the harp concerto Sigla by Lotta Wennäkoski.
Marcela Méndez (Argentina)
Marcela Méndez is an Argentinian harpist, educator, and writer, known for her work in performance, research, and promoting Latin American harp music. She has studied in Argentina, France, and Italy, performs globally, and has recorded five albums. As a researcher, Ms. Méndez has published books and scores on the harp’s history in Argentina. She founded the International Harp Academy of Argentina, Amigos del Arpa, and the harp department at the Escuela de Niños 9901.
Ghislaine Petit-Volta (France)
Ghislaine Petit-Volta, a harpist trained by Pierre Jamet, Brigitte Sylvestre, and Gérard Devos, is recognized for her solo career and chamber music performances. She has collaborated with major composers such as John Cage, Pierre Boulez, and Tôn-Thất Tiết. Her discography spans medieval to contemporary music. A passionate educator, she has taught at the Conservatoire régional de Paris and the Pôle supérieur Paris-Boulogne, and she founded the Collegium21 competition to promote exchanges between young harpists and composers.
Guan Wang (China)
Guan Wang is Professor of Music and Doctoral Supervisor of Harp at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. She is a board member of the World Harp Congress. A distinguished educator, she was awarded the Golden School Badge in 2024 in recognition of her students’ consistent success in international competitions. She actively promotes the harp in China through lectures, festivals, and competitions, and has released four albums. Ms. Wang performs solo and chamber music concerts all over the world in addition to concerto performances with symphony orchestras.
Arthur Fagen (United States)
Arthur Fagen is Professor of Music and Co-chair of the Department of Orchestral Conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Since 2010, he has been the Music Director of the Atlanta Opera. Mr. Fagen has conducted at top opera houses, including Vienna State Opera, and led renowned orchestras worldwide. A former Music Director of the Dortmund Philharmonic and Principal Conductor in Kassel and Brunswick, he has won international conducting prizes and recorded extensively, including award-winning works for Naxos.
View full biographies on the USAIHC website.
