4th USA International Harp Competition

July 4-14, 1998

Winners

Gold Medal
Xavier De Maistre, France

Prizes
- Lyon and Healy Concert Grand Harp, Style 30
- New York Debut Recital, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, sponsored by The Humana Foundation
- $5,000 - David and Linda Rollo Award

After winning the 4th Competition, Xavier de Maistre was named principal harpist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Xavier also appeared in successful recitals in Wigmore Hall, London, presented by Salvi International and in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, on January 26, 1999. Xavier is now a world-renowned soloist and makes regular appearances in the major concert halls of Europe, Japan and the United States. His 2015/16 season has included appearances with the Chicago Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic, and many others across United States, Europe, and Asia. Xavier has been an exclusive Sony Music artist since 2008. Through his recordings, he was awarded the Echo Klassik Award as “Instrumentalist of the Year” in 2009, and his baroque concerto album Notte Veneziana immediately entered in the top ten of the classical music charts in 2012. His most recent CD, Moldau-The Romantic Album was released in 2015 and has received high critical acclaim.

Bronze Medal:
CAMAC Concert Grand Harp, “Atlantide Prestige,” or Electric-Acoustic Harp, “The Blue”

Kyo jin Lee, Korea

Silver Medal:
Aoyama Gold Concert Grand Harp, Monarch 47 D
Concerts in Tokyo and Fukui Japan, sponsored by the Aoyama Harp Company

Maria Luisa Rayan, Argentina

Special Prizes

Fons Music Foundation Prize for best performance of Ami Ma’ayani's Toccata for Harp: $1,000
Xavier De Maistre

Jan Jennings Prize for best performance of Francois Boieldieu's Concerto for Harp: ,$1,000
Xavier De Maistre

Fourth Prize: $4,000 - Jill Bailiff-Reyes Prize
Baltazar Juarez, Mexico

Fifth Prize: $3,000 - Marilyn Costello Memorial Prize
Kaori Otake, Japan

Sixth Prize: $2,000 - Peter S. Reis and Rebecca Flannery Prize
Danielle Riegel, The Netherlands

Seventh Prize: $1,500 - George H. McDonald Memorial Prize
Elisabeth Cardonnet, France

Eighth Prize: $1,000 - Hubert and Amalie Barger Prize
Ramiro Enriquez, Argentina

Jury

Charles Webb is Dean Emeritus of the Indiana University School of Music. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Methodist University and his doctoral degree in music from Indiana University. He maintains an active performance schedule as a conductor and pianist and serves as a judge for international music competitions throughout the world.

Sarah Bullen is the former principal harp of the New York Philharmonic and now principal with the Chicago Symphony; former chair of the harp department at the Manhattan School of Music; and an active solo harpist.

Marcella De Cray is a faculty member at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, active performer with the San Francisco Ballet, Opera, and Chamber Orchestras, founder of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, and former member of the Philadelphia and Metropolitan Opera Orchestras.

Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche is Professor at the Conservatoire National in Nice, teaching at Antibes and Cagnes sur Mer. She has appeared in virtually every European and South American country, as well as the United States, Canada, Japan, Tunisia, and New Caledonia.

Taka Kling is a teacher at the University of Victoria in British Columbia; founder of the harp department at the University of Louisville, former principal harpist with the Louisville Orchestra, and an active soloist and recitalist.

David Watkins is a composer and active soloist; former member of the orchestra at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; and principal harpist with the London Philharmonic.

Edward Witsenburg is faculty member at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague; former harpist with several orchestras in the Netherlands, including the Philharmonic of The Hague; and professor at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.

Elena Zaniboni is a leading performer; commissioner of new harp music, particularly among contemporary Italian composers; and much sought-after teacher of master classes, frequently at the National Academy of Santa Ceclia in Rome.

Contestants

Lioubov Klevtsova, Russia
Heidi Krutzen, Canada
Yi-wen Kuang, Taiwan
Josh Layne, Canada
Kyo-jin Lee, Korea
Hong Liang, China
Elizabeth Keadle Markey, USA
Triona Marshall, Ireland
Isabel Moreton, Germany
Tat’iana Oskolkova, Russia
Kaori Otake, Japan
Anna Pachinskaya, Russia
Maria Luisa Rayan, Argentina
Danielle Riegel, The Netherlands
Marcelo Silva, Brazil
Michaela Trnkova, Czech Republic
Yukiko Uno, Japan
Ann Yeung, USA

Anne Bassand, Switzerland
Celia May-Wai Chan, USA
Elisabeth Chardonnet, France
Shu-Hsin Chen, Taiwan
Bo Cheng, China
Ching-ju Cheng, Taiwan
Rosalba Cirigliano, Italy
Xavier De Maistre, France
Manon De Preissac, South Africa
Wiedke Dirks, The Netherlands
Cliona Doris, Ireland
Kirsten Ecke, Germany
Ramiro Enriquez, Argentina
Elisa Mediero Fernandez, Spain
Catherine Gima, Greece
Baltazar Juarez, Mexico
Masami Kaigawa, Japan
Mahalia Kelz, Germany

USA International Harp Competition

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The USA International Harp Competition exists to inspire, promote, and sustain artistic excellence while fostering a broader appreciation of the harp and its repertoire.

Bringing people together through the universal language of music, we enhance international and community relationships by producing our harp competition, composition contest, concert series, and educational programs.

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VIDEOS

More than the Gold

Founded in 1989 by Susann McDonald, the USAIHC is known as the foremost solo harp competition in the world, but it is so much More than the Gold. The video details the four core programs which make up the USAIHC, and also highlights our invaluable community engagement in our Host Families program. Enjoy learning about our:

Solo Performance Competition
USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest
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Concert Series
Community engagement - Host Families

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The USAIHC’s four programs – the Solo Harp Performance Competition, the USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest, Harp Start educational program, and Concert Series – are the framework that allow dreams to flourish and be shared. Our Competition and Composition Contest provide the opportunity for harpists and composers to make their dreams become reality, while Harp Start and our Concert Series share these dreams with people of all ages and backgrounds through culturally enriching performances.

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