Lunchtime Concert: Harp Department
WED 21 JUN 13.00
A performance of solo and chamber music for harp, curated by Gabriella Dall'Olio.
KATYA AND LIZA RAJHANS
Emmanuel Chabrier
Habanera
Marcel Tournier
3rd and 4th Préludes from Quatre Préludes
MARIA MCNAMEE
Caroline Lizotte
Suite Galactique, Op.39
III. Scherzo del Pueblo
LUCIA FOTI & STEFANO FIACCO, HARP AND GUITAR DUO
Henriette Renié
Danse des Lutins
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Fantasia
I. Andantino
ABIGAIL MILLAR TODD
Dorothy Ashby (arr. Abigail Millar Todd)
Essence of Sapphire
Duke Ellington
Single Petal of A Rose
Katya and Liza Rajhans were born in 2003 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Started playing music (harp) at the age of 5. From 5 to 10 years old, they studied at the Kyiv Music School in the name of Shamo from the teacher Yelizaveta Gerasina. At the age of 11, they entered the specialized music school named after Chopin in Moscow, where they studied for 5 years with the teacher Helen Watson. During the training, they took part in many international competitions, where they became laureates. After that, they returned to Kyiv and entered Junior Trinity (online). This year they became students of the 1st year of study at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire under the guidance of Gabriella Dall'Olio.
Maria McNamee is an Irish harpist from Newry who began playing the harp at the age of 9, embracing both traditional Irish and classical music. She recently graduated with a first-class honour's degree and TCL silver medal from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where she continues to study for her master's degree with Gabriella Dall’Olio and Frances Kelly. In 2011, Maria joined Chetham’s School of Music where she spent 6 years studying with Marie Leenhardt, Gabriella Dall’Olio and En Hudson. Winner of the John Marson prize 2020, Maria was awarded 2nd prize in the London Camac competition 2021. In 2017 Maria became a runner up Irish heritage award winner. Solo engagements have included performances at St James Piccadilly, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, playing for London’s Irish ambassador at the Irish Embassy, for the Duke of Wellington at Aspley house, as well as regular performances at the Queen’s house and the ORNC Chapel in London. Maria is also a very active chamber and orchestral musician, part of several chamber groups and co-principal harp of the Young Musician's Symphony Orchestra. Maria recently performed as a soloist at Blackheath halls for Sally Beamish’s Seavaigers, written for solo fiddle and lever harp with string ensemble. This concerto was part improvised and inspired by Scottish folk music which tied in well with Maria’s love and interest in folk music. Maria is delighted to be generously supported by the Ann Driver Scholarship and the Helen Roll Charity/The Joyce Tudge Bursary Scholarship, Help Musicians UK and the Boise Scholarship.
Lucia Foti studied with Maria Ester Gattoni at Conservatorio di Como, Italy, where she graduated in harp performance with first class honours. Supported by a Trinity Laban Scholarship, she is currently attending a Master of Music at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, under the tutelage of Gabriella Dall’Olio and Frances Kelly. She won several competitions - notably, she was awarded a first prize scholarship at the 2015 Soroptimist Italia Competition for Young Talents. She has attended masterclasses with Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche, Anna Loro, Judith Liber, Luisa Prandina, Park Stickney, Heidi Krutzen, Gwyneth Wentink and Fabrice Pierre. She is a current reserve of the Young Musicians’ Symphony Orchestra, with whom she has performed at Cadogan Hall. As part of the Duo Images, Lucia regularly plays with flautist Anna Ratti. In 2018, they were both protagonists of Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto, which was performed with MaMu Ensemble and Orchestra Sinfonica del Lario. With guitarist Stefano Fiacco, she has formed Nazca Duo, who were selected as recipients of the 2022 Colin Blythe Fund. In 2021 and 2022, they performed at Wigmore Hall, as part of a Trinity Laban programme.
Stefano Fiacco studied with Giovanni Podera, Luigi Attademo, Nicola Jappelli, and Fabiano Merlante in Bergamo, Italy. In 2020 he studied with Graham Anthony Devine at Trinity Laban for his last Master’s year and graduated with first class honours. He is currently attending an Artist Diploma course in Guitar at Trinity Laban. He won several prizes in competitions including first prize at the Valstrona competition in 2013, the Estudiantina Bergamasca in 2016 and the special Nilo Peraldo Bert prize (ex-aequo) at the Nilo Peraldo Bert competition in 2015, and attended masterclasses with Giulio Tampalini, Ermanno Brignolo, Eduardo Fernández, Javier Riba.
Abigail Millar Todd is a 23 year old musician from Shetland. After moving to the Scottish Highlands she began playing the clarsäch through the Feisean nan Gaidheal. In 2012 she began attending Aberdeen City Music School, whereupon she transitioned to the classical harp, and studied under Alina Bzhezhinska Lazorkina. Abigail became a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland when she was 13. She also studied at the Music School of Douglas Academy (Glasgow) and Chetham's School of Music (Manchester) before beginning her studies at Norges Musikkhøgskole (Oslo) under Isabelle Perrin in 2017. Abigail has worked with various orchestras including the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Highland Chamber Orchestra and Oslo Kammerorkester amongst others. She works in a variety of jazz and popular music settings, which includes composition and lyric writing. She spent the summer playing at festivals across Scandinavia, including Øya festivalen with the band Fieh and at the headline concert of the Oslo Jazz Festival as part of a reimagining of the works of Radka Toneff. Abigail has been studying with Gabriella Dall'Olio since September 2020.
Queen's House
Admission free, no ticket required
