2026:
Two events, one in March and one in May!
Matt Dupont gave a beautiful recital on March 6 at 7:00 pm in Barnett Recital Hall, and a masterclass in Room 462 on March 7, both at the UBC School of Music, 6361 Memorial Rd., Vancouver.
Noël Wan will be giving a recital at St. James Community Square, 3214 W 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6K 2M9, on Friday, May 15, 2026 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm and a masterclass on May 16 in Room 462 starting at 1:00 pm at UBC School of Music, 6361 Memorial Rd., Vancouver. Pay buttons are posted on the subscribers' page and there is a pay button for concert tickets for non-members on the home page. Discount prices for members will be only until Feb. 27, then all tickets will be $30 payable on the home page. Masterclass tickets will not have any change in price.
NEW: Our 3 scholarship winners will perform short pieces as an opening act for Matt.
Alice Han - Salzedo: Tango
Grace Han - Natra: Allegro moderatro ben ritmato (Movement III) from Sonatine
Kaitlin Hui - Tournier: Lolita la Danseuse from Suite d'Images
Matt's website: https://www.mattdupontharp.com/
Noël's website: https://nywharp.com/bio
Matt's Program:
Opening:
Alice Han - Salzedo: Tango
Grace Han - Natra: Allegro Moderato (movement III of Sonatina)
Kaitlin Hui - Tournier: Lolita la Danseuse
Matt Dupont:
1 Padgett, Eileen: Memories in Water - Living Stream, Weight of Ice, The River Remembers, Waterfall Under Ancient Stars
2 Lizotte, Caroline: Suite Galactique - Exosphere, Hymne au Bon Combat, Scherzo del Pueblo
3 Fauré, Gabriel: Impromptu
4 Murphy, Kelly-Ann: And Then at Night I Paint The Stars
5 Schafer, R. Murray: Dance of The Bull + Ariadne's dream
6 Lizotte, Caroline: Stellar Sonata 1st movement Andare moderato
7 de Séverac, Déodat: Valse Romantique
8 Mozetich, Marjan: Songs of Nymphs - Prelude, Reflection
Encore Hasselmans, Alphonse: La Source
June 21, 2025 10:00 am to 12:00 pm online: Free workshop for members! Lisa Tannebaum Phrasing Seminar: Zoom link on Members' page.
During these exercises, Lisa will discuss and perform the following works:
- Toccata by Jean Baptiste Loeillet: The most important concept for Baroque phrasing is identifying the “state of the soul” to be expressed. Ms. Tannebaum will take a modern scenario suggested by the audience and create a story while she plays, demonstrating this state of the soul in real time.
- La Source by Alphonse Hasselmans: Areas of musical conflict/tension and resolution are identified and the purpose/ “narrative” function of each phrase is explored.
- Metamorphosis III by Philip Glass: A series of lines are drawn on paper while listening results in visual evidence of the music’s energy (drive) and musical momentum, important factors shaping musical direction.
- Fantaisie on a theme of Haydn by Marcel Grandjany: By using our own breath and “singing” participants physically feel the arc of the melody as well as important intervals and rhythmic patterns.
- Cours d’eau by Aurelian Hallopeau: While moving through space in response to music, we experience how each musical phrase advances the storyline or changes the emotional impact of the piece.
March 2, 2025 7pm Alexander Boldachev Concert at Vancouver Academy of Music
Brilliant virtuoso harpist ALEXANDER (Sasha) BOLDACHEV came to Vancouver again to teach a master class on March 1, 2025 at the UBC School of Music in Room 462 from 12:45 pm - 6:00 pm, then performed a concert on March 2, 2025 at 7:00 pm at the Vancouver Academy of Music. The concert left us amazed at his virtuosity and musicianship.
March 1 masterclass: Auditing was available for non-members at $10, buy tickets on the right side. Auditing was free for members.
March 2 concert: Buy tickets: non-members rate ($30) on the right side. Early bird rate for members ($25 and $20 under 20), please go to subscriber member home page.
https://alexanderboldachev.com/
ALEXANDER (Sasha) BOLDACHEV - SWISS-RUSSIAN HARPIST
Internationally acclaimed award-winning harpist, working in the genres of classical music and crossover Pops, improviser, arranger, and composer for film and theatre. Invited Professor in Royal Academy of Music, Herb Albert School of Music in UCLA and Milano Conservatory. Endorser of Italian brand “Salvi Harps”, founder of the Zürich Harp Festival and World Harp Day. Active humanitarian and project producer.
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Bach - Toccata and Fuga
Pärt - Fratres
Vivaldi - Summer and Winter from The Seasons
Rachmaninov - Prelude in C-sharp minor
Tchaikovsky - Dance of the Sugar-plum Fairy
Bonus piece: Mussorgsky - Baba Yaga from Pictures at an Exhibition
Shostakovich - Valse n. 2
Boldachev - War and Peace
Encore: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
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Harp Day(s) 2024 concert on October 25 at 7:00 pm at Unitarian Church of Vancouver, 49th and Oak. Online Harp Day on afternoon of October 26. Check tab marked Harp Day 2024.
Amelia Romano presented a workshop on lever harp 6:30pm on May 20, 2024. Workshop was free for members and registration is available here.
A concertizing lever harpist, programming classical re-imaginations alongside original works, Amelia received her master’s in classical lever harp performance at San Francisco State University under the tutelage of Karen Gottlieb - retired second harpist of the San Francisco Symphony. Her latest album, “Levers Engaged: Classical Works Re-imaged for Harp" and sheet music collection, “Classical Re-imaginations"; present the instrument as a valid voice in classical music. A composer, arranger and trailblazer in the lever harp world, she is equally at home writing Latin America inspired works for solo harp as she is adapting classical pieces for chamber collaborations.
“A genre-defying composer and arranger” World Music Central
On April 1, 2024, starting at 9:00 am PDT, VAYA adjudicator Anaïs Gaudemard will be giving an online master class. This was for WCHS members only; $35 for 15 minutes, $70 for ½ hour.
It did not take long before Anaïs Gaudemard's international fame was established after being awarded the 1st Prize at the prestigious International Harp Contest in Israel 2012, as well as the 2nd and Prize of the Münchener Kammerorchester at the ARD Competition 2016 in Munich. Anaïs Gaudemard was also awarded the Thierry Scherz Prize at the Festival des Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad 2015 and nominated "ECHO Rising Star" 2018/19 by the Philharmonie de Paris and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon. Since then, she has made debuts on the most prestigious international stages, such as the Wiener Konzerthaus, Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg), Barbican Centre (London) and Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), among others.
After her Solo album for the Harmonia Mundi label, her wide-ranging discography soon includes Mozart's Concerto K299 for flute and harp with Julien Beaudiment and the Lyon National Opera Orchestra, two discs with Avi Avital and the Between World Ensemble for Deutsche Gramophon, as well as a repertoire of French Romantic music produced by the Palazzetto Bru Zane for Alpha.
During the 2023/24 season, Anaïs will be performing the Harp Concerto op.74 by Glière, the Harp Concerto op.25, by Ginastera with Sinfonietta de Lausanne under the baton of Joseph Bastian, the premiere of the Nachstück composition written for her by David Coleman and will be touring Japan with Philippe Bernold.
Anaïs will also play in recitals in the Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, France and Italy.
The Institut de France recently awarded her the Tissier-Grandpierre Prize in recognition of her career.
Anaïs Gaudemard plays with a Style 23 Gold Concert Grand harp, a gift from the Lyon & Healy harp makers that she received at the 18th International Harp Competition in Israel in 2012.
Early Music specialist Antoine Malette-Chenier gave a workshop on style and interpretation for the Baroque harp on February 14, 2024, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm at Elizabeth Volpé Bligh's residence and on Zoom. Several students played, and Antoine demonstrated and answered questions about ornamentation, dynamics, and other facets of this period. There was a fee of $10 for everyone.
Harp Day 2023 was on October 28, in person for the first time since 2018! The location was the same as in 2018: the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, 949 West 49th Ave., at 49th and Oak Street in Vancouver. It's the perfect spot, with a big, flat parking lot and a central location. There was a large ensemble of harpists/harpers learning a new piece, a merchandise table, panels, a salute to Winter Harp's 30th anniversary, presentations by experts, including harp technician Manuel Gamalinda and UBC theory professor Robert Komaniecki, finishing with a concert featuring guest artist Ava Yeh and our own student ensembles and the large group from the morning session.
Please note, admission for Harp Day is for members only, but concert is available for all, and we have a family rate!
Schedule of the Day:
| Time | Topic |
| 9:30am-10:00am | Meet and Greet, load harp Location: Lobby |
| 10:00am- 12:00am |
Learn a new piece - Akiko by Fabio Rizza, arranged for 3 harps by E. Volpé Bligh, and Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke, arr. E. Volpé Bligh, if there is time. For this workshop, rehearsal and concert: Bring your own harp, pencil, tuner, tuning key, music, music stand, and seat. Bring your harps pre-tuned at A 441. Teachers: Elizabeth Volpé Bligh, Rosanna Chiu, Marilyn Rummel Location: Sanctuary |
| 10:00am - 11:00am | Panel A - Make a Living Panelists: Mehlinda Heartt, Hayley Farenholtz, Lani Krantz, Abby Madar Location: Fireside Room |
| 11:00am - noon |
Panel B - Preparing for a Competition - Ava Yeh, Grace Han, Alyssa Katahara Location: Fireside room |
| Noon - 1pm |
Lunch - a few places to eat nearby, such as Pho Hoa, Tim Horton's, Subway, Domino's Pizza, Sushi Mura and A & W - Bagged lunches may be eaten in the Linus-Priestley Room. No food or drink in the Sanctuary. Merch Table in lobby of Sanctuary |
| 1pm - 2pm | Winter Harp presentation. Presenters: Lani Krantz, Hayley Farenholtz, Marilyn Rummel and members of Winter Harp Location: Sanctuary |
| 2pm - 3pm | Robert Komaniecki on Theory Location: Sanctuary |
| 3pm - 4pm | Manuel Gamalinda on Harp Maintenance Location: Sanctuary |
| 4:15pm - 5:30pm | Rehearsal of ensemble Location: Sanctuary |
| 5:30pm-6:30pm | Dinner break |
| 7pm - 8:30pm | Concert Location: Sanctuary |