Canadian harpist Andrew Chan is launching a new international harp festival in Toronto, to be held annually beginning this summer. Catherine Michel and Kathleen Bride are serving as artistic advisors. We asked Chan, Michel, and Bride to tell us more about the inaugural edition of the festival, to be held July 7–13 at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto (with a summer institute at Century Private School in Richmond Hill). Visit the festival website to learn more.
What was the impetus behind creating a new harp festival?
Toronto is the perfect city for an international harp festival, thanks to its diverse, arts-loving population, strong musical infrastructure, and the exceptional work and history of the Harps on the Hill School. As one of the most multicultural cities in the world, Toronto offers a rich audience base open to a wide range of musical traditions, all of which the harp can express. In the 13 years that the Harps on the Hill festival and educational programs have cultivated a thriving harp community, we have had over 90 harp students and have had many international artists visit for various masterclasses and events that reflect both excellence and diversity. In collaboration with the beautiful Aga Khan Museum, we aim to build an international harp festival that could grow into a cultural landmark annually.
What differentiates the iHarp festival from other harp events around the world?
iHarp is a dynamic global celebration of the harp, bringing together top harpists, educators, and music lovers to explore and expand the boundaries of the instrument. Through performances, workshops, and masterclasses, iHarp fosters creativity, diversity, and innovation, aiming to inspire a new generation of harpists and elevate the harp’s presence in the 21st century. The festival showcases both classical and contemporary styles, from historical pieces to cutting-edge compositions, ensuring that the harp remains a vital force in music and continues to evolve worldwide. Our mission is to empower and connect harpists globally while inspiring the continued growth of harp music.
Can you describe the different programs we can look forward to at the inaugural iHarp festival?
Many of us grew up listening to Catherine Michel’s wonderful recordings; she will give live performances of a newly discovered Bochsa concerto and Tournier concert pieces. Professor Kathleen Bride, being Grandjany’s student, will bring her personal collection of various Grandjany items in our tribute-exhibition of the great master. A historian of Paris, Michel Faul will give a presentation of Bochsa’s adventurous life story that most of us have never heard. Alexander Boldachev’s innovative and contemporary program with guitarist Alex Misko will premiere a new composition written for our festival, titled Wild Nord. In our Harp Ensemble concert, we will feature another premiere: Step into the Light by Canadian Gergo Teleki. We are also excited to present Indigenous art to showcase Canadian heritage.
You have a lineup of presenters from around the world and topics from ancient harp to Bochsa and the French method to contemporary electric harp. How did you develop this year’s programming?
Countless Zoom meetings with heated conversations! Just kidding….it’s been a wonderful collaboration among all of us who all want to share our passion, vision, and love for the harp to both fellow harpists and the public.
What aspect of the festival are you most excited about?
Presenting our extraordinary program to everyone. Hopefully our harpist-audience will be given both inspirations and tools to excel in their careers, explore new musical horizons, and integrate our ancient instrument into contemporary contexts.
In what ways does this year’s iHarp festival explore the theme “From Versailles to Hollywood?”
We have discovered and will be featuring music that was written for Marie Antoinette, and continuing chronologically into contemporary music, including music from Bernstein’s West Side Story.
Do you have any plans for future years of the festival?
We are excited to join forces from around the world into the Toronto International Harp Festival 2025 and to take place annually, providing a platform to elevate the status of the harp and for our art to be appreciated by a wider audience.
