Massachusetts harpist Judith “Judy” Ross passed away on Sept. 27 at the age of 83. She was born in Boston on March 8, 1942. The following tribute is reprinted here with her family’s permission: “Judith Lynne Ross [was] a beloved teacher, musician, and mentor whose...
Welsh composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Cerys Hafana released their third album Angel on Sept. 26, making their label debut on tak:til / Glitterbeat. Angel is now available via Bandcamp. According to a description on Hafana’s Bandcamp site, the album...
Tjasha Gafner will release her new solo album, From Keys to Strings, on Oct. 10 on the Genuin Classics label. The album will be available as a physical CD and digital download and on streaming platforms. “The album is dedicated entirely to my own transcriptions for...
Turkish harpist Güneş Hızlılar has been appointed to two new positions in her hometown of Istanbul, joining the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra and the faculty of the Maltepe University Conservatory. “After many enriching years performing with leading orchestras...
The Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra has announced an opening for principal harp, with auditions to be held Nov. 12. Applicants must send a one-page resume by email by Oct. 13 and mail a refundable deposit check postmarked by Oct. 13. Please see the audition listing for...
The Harper Trio, led by electric harpist Maria-Christina Harper, has released the first single from its second album Dialogue of Thoughts. In addition to Harper, the trio includes Josephine Davies (saxophone), and Evan Jenkins (drums). Dialogue of Thoughts is...
On Aug. 1, Trio Lawrence released its debut album Fujin’s Dream on the Post Haus label. The trio comprises University of Kansas faculty members Boris Vayner (viola), Daniel Velasco (flute), and Erin Wood (harp). The album is available now on digital platforms. To...
Alexander Boldachev released his album Credo on Sept. 12, making his debut on the Pentatone label. The album is available from Pentatone as a CD, LP, and digital download and via streaming platforms. In a social media post, Boldachev explained that the two composers...
Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles has appointed Alexander Boldachev adjunct professor on its harp faculty, beginning in January 2026. The school offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a two-year artist certificate program. “I will teach classical and...
The French duo Niseïs has released its second album Skugga, featuring traditional and early music from Sweden. The duo comprises Elodie Poirier (voice, nyckelharpa, and cello) and Anthony Castin (lever harp and traverso, with pedal harp on one track). Released Sept....
Dutch harpist Remy van Kesteren’s new album Leave What You Know, released May 16 on the V2 label, is now available digitally on all streaming platforms. Though van Kesteren describes the songs on the album as “from the same musical universe as my earlier work,” he...
The Royal College of Music (RCM) in London has appointed Elizabeth Bass and Oliver Wass to join its harp faculty, beginning in the fall 2025 semester. Royal College of Music Head of Strings Gary Ryan says in a press release, “Both [Bass and Wass] bring a fantastic...
Collegium21 has announced its 2026 guest composers and schedule. According to its website, Collegium21 is a musical and educational event which aims to promote the contemporary harp by bringing composers and young harpists together. The event takes place in two...
The Hampton Roads Harp Festival (HRHF) has announced required repertoire for its 2026 competition, set to take place Feb. 28, 2026, in Norfolk, Virginia. The preliminary round is via pre-recorded video, due one month before the festival. Finalists will be notified a...
The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra has appointed Bengi Canatan principal harp after she won the audition held in May. “I am thrilled to be joining the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra,” Canatan says. “Over the past year, I’ve been truly inspired by their artistic...
The Chautauqua (New York) Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has appointed Madeline Olson principal harp. “I’m incredibly excited for a full and engaging season with Maestro [Rossen] Milanov and my new colleagues in Chautauqua next summer,” Olson says. The CSO is the...
Scottish harper Karen Marshalsay released her second album, Eadarainn a’ Chruit (Between Us the Harp), on Sept. 5. According to a press release, the album showcases three types of Scottish harps: the ancient, resonant wire-strung clarsach of the Gaels; the buzzing...
The next Félix Godefroid International Harp Competition will take place April 29–May 3, 2026. The triennial competition is open to harpists ages 35 and under at the time of the competition, divided into four categories based on the length and difficulty of the...
Updated Oct. 12, 2026 The 22nd International Harp Contest in Israel has restructured its required repertoire and competition process into three stages, with the first stage taking place by video recording and the semifinal and final stages to be held January 15–22,...
The Rave Harps International Prestige Award 2025 has announced the final results of its Chamber Virtuoso category consisting of harp duos, which is the top chamber category in the competition. The three finalist groups performed the three required contemporary works...
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