World Harp Competition

The Dutch Harp Festival (DHF) World Harp Competition is an international harp competition hosted in the Netherlands every two years. The competition is open to all harpists regardless of age, nationality and musical genre.[1][2]

World Harp Competition
LocationUtrecht, Netherlands
Presented byDutch Harp Festival
First awarded2010; 14 years ago (2010)
Websitehttps://www.worldharpcompetition.com/

The finals are held live at the Dutch Harp Festival in the Netherlands.[3] Since 2022 the semifinals are also held in the Netherlands over two days at the beginning of the Dutch Harp Festival.[4]

History

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The DHF World Harp Competition was founded in 2010 and named the Dutch Harp Competition. It followed the traditional classical format where candidates played from a set repertoire. In 2018 the competition changed its name to World Harp Competition and adopted a unique model in which candidates create their own 45-minute program showcasing not only their technical quality but also their unique style, creativity and their ability to connect with their audience.[2][1][5]

“Our mission is not to judge who is the best technical player but rather to find the best all-around artist. By giving competitors space to be creative, we hope to get harpists thinking about what makes a compelling performance and how best to connect with their audience", said competition director Elizabeth Jaxon.[6]

Organizers

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Elizabeth Jaxon is the director for the World Harp Competition. She is also one of the board member for the Dutch Harp Festival along with Remy van Kesteren, Gert Wijnalda and Paul Hooijmans.[7] Volunteers help to make the event possible by supporting as guides, harp movers, drivers, and roles in the restaurant, ticketing desk and information areas.[8]

Format and Prizes

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There are four rounds in the competition: a recorded Preliminary Round, a Video Round, live Semifinals, and live Finals. For the first round, contestants submit an audio recording of them playing a piece of their choice. The recording submissions are made anonymous before the judges listen to them to choose the candidates who are invited to the video round. Up to 14 candidates from the video round are invited to the live semifinals where they will play their full 45-minute programme. Based on the results of the semifinal, three finalists are chosen to present a 15-minute program of their choice.[1]

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes are awarded by the judges based on the candidate's performances in the semifinals and finals. Members of the public are also invited to vote for a candidate of their choice to receive the audience award. Each of the finalists receives a cash prize and the winner also receives further support from the Care, Coaching, and Career (CCC) development program.[1]

Competition winners

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Year 1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize Audience Award Special Prizes
2024

[9][10]

Kevin Le Pennec,   France Amy Nam,   USA Ariel Sol,   USA Kevin Le Pennec,   France
2022 [11][12] Juanjo Corbalán,   Paraguay Julie Rokseth,   Norway Maria Sá Silva,   Portugal Julie Rokseth,   Norway
2020 / 2021[11] Uno Alexander Vesje,   Norway Romy Wymer,   Netherlands Grace Roepke,   USA Romy Wymer,   Netherlands 4th Prize: Tara Minton,   Australia
2018[11] César Secundino,   Mexico Alice Belugou,   France/    Switzerland Aimee Hang Yu Lam,   Hong Kong César Secundino,   Mexico
2016[11] Emmanuel Padilla Holguín,   Mexico Jean-Baptiste Haye,   France Giulia Ott,    Switzerland Emmanuel Padilla Holguín,   Mexico
2014[11] Juliana Myslov,   UK Markus Thalheimer,   Germany Shiho Minami,   Japan Juliana Myslov,   UK
2012[11] Amandine Carbuccia,   France Sarah Verrue,   Belgium Ruth Bennett,   UK/   USA Amandine Carbuccia,   France Festival Classique Originality Award: Anna Steinkochler,   Austria
2010[11] Noël Wan,   USA Rino Kageyama,   Japan Eleanor Turner,   UK Noël Wan,   USA

Semifinalists

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2024

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  • Llywelyn Ifan Jones (United Kingdom)
  • Kevin Le Pennec (France)
  • Ruth Lee (United Kingdom)
  • Katia Mestrovic (Australia)
  • Océane Minder (Switzerland)
  • Amy Nam (USA)
  • Dafne Paris (Netherlands)
  • Fiona Rutherford (United Kingdom)
  • Ariel Sol Bertulfo Schwartz (USA)
  • Alexander Thomas (United Kingdom)
  • Emma Thomazeau (France)

[3]

2022

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  • Héloïse Carlean-Jones (France)
  • Juan Corbalán (Paraguay)
  • Cara Dawson (UK/Germany)
  • Maria Sá Silva (Portugal)
  • Julie Rokseth (Norway)
  • Nathania Ko (Canada)

[4]

2020

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  • ?

2018

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  • Alice Belugou (France/Switzerland)
  • Abigail Kent (USA)
  • Aimee Hang Yu Lam (Hong Kong/UK)
  • Rosanna Moore (UK)
  • Pia Salvia (Belgium)
  • Cesar Secundino (Mexico)
  • Uno Alexander Vesje (Norway)
  • Oliver Wass (UK)

[13]

2016

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  • Miriam Ruf (Germany)
  • Kana Onishi (Japan)
  • Emmanuel Padilla Holguín (Mexico)
  • Aurélie Bouchard (France)
  • Nick Scholten (Netherlands)
  • Giulia Ott (Switzerland)
  • Beate Loonstra (Netherlands)
  • Jean-Baptiste Haye (France)

[14]

Juries

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2024

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The 2024 jury members were Catrin Finch (Chair), Brandee Younger, Deborah Henson-Conant, Guido van Oorschot, Joost Neelemans, Martin Fondse, and Maya Fridman.[9]

2022

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The 2022 jury members were Gavriel Lipkind (Chair), Jana Boušková, Maryna Krut, Nikolaz Cadoret, Masumi Nagasawa, Sophie Nzayisenga, and Vasile Nedea.[15]

2018

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The jury in 2018 consisted of Remy van Kesteren, Maeve Gilchrist, and Rob Paterson.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "About the Competition". World Harp Competition.
  2. ^ a b "Utrecht - World Harp Competition". World Federation of International Music Competitions.
  3. ^ a b "DHF World Harp Competition announces 2024 semifinalists". Harp Column. 29 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b "World Harp Competition names semifinalists". Harp Column. 16 February 2022.
  5. ^ Dutch Harp Festival 2018, Les Harpes Camac, 3 July 2018, archived from the original on 28 April 2024
  6. ^ "Uno Vesje wins first prize at World Harp Competition". Harp Column. 9 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Dutch Harp Festival: Our team". Dutch Harp Festival.
  8. ^ "Dutch Harp Festival: Volunteers". Dutch Harp Festival.
  9. ^ a b Dutch Harp Festival: World Harp Competition, World Harp Competition, archived from the original on 21 April 2024
  10. ^ "DHF World Harp Competition announces prize winners". Harp Column. 20 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Dutch Harp Festival: Past Winners".
  12. ^ "2022 World Harp Competition announces winners". Harp Column. 20 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b "DHF World Harp Competition announces Semifinalists". Harp Column. 12 February 2018.
  14. ^ "Dutch Harp Competition Results". Harp Column. 10 October 2016.
  15. ^ "Fascinating Winners at the World Harp Competition". World Federation of International Music Competition. 19 May 2022.
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