Anna Verkholantseva Harp Masterclass

Born in Moscow in 1973, Anna Verkholantseva entered the Central Music School, where she began her harp studies at a very early age. She then entered the Moscow Conservatory where she studied with the legendary Vera Dulova. Ms. Verkholantseva has been a consistent winner at international competitions, beginning with the prestigious First Moscow International Harp Contest in 1997, when, as first prizewinner, she was awarded a concert harp donated by Salvi and Lyon & Healy. Anna Verkholantseva has already become an international soloist of distinction. Promoted by the Victor Salvi Foundation, she made her international recital debut at London's Wigmore Hall in 1998. During the same season she appeared as a concerto soloist at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, when she was accompanied by the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sergei Stadler. In 2000, she undertook an important concerto engagement in Talinn with the Symphony Orchestra of Radio Estonia, and in 2001, in Vilnius, she was a concerto soloist with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Saulus Sondetskis. She was also a soloist with the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Vienna. She has since been appointed as the principal harpist. Ms. Verkholantseva plays duos and trios with Yuri Bashmet, with whose 'Moscow Soloists' she was delighted to accept an invitation to play in the 2001 'December Nights' Festival held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. During the 2000-2001 season, she formed a very successful duo with violinist Alexander Trotstiansky, and, sponsored by the Victor Salvi Foundation, they gave concerts in London (Covent Garden), Italy (Venice) and the USA (San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, and in New York, where they played at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Room). Critics have been unanimous in their praise of Anna Verlholantseva's marvelous technique and impressive artistry. She will gives some materclasses at Trinity College London She was honored with the accolade of an invitation to play at the opening concerts of two succeeding World Harp Congresses, at Prague in 1999, at Geneva in 2002, at Dublin in 2005 She gave the world premieres of the Suite for Violin and Harp by Thomas Rajna, and of the Sonata for Harp and Violin, the Concerto for Two Harps and the Sonata for Viola and Harp by Valeri Kitka - works commissioned by Victor Salvi. Before taking up her present post in Austria with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Anna Verkholantseva was principal harpist of the Moscow State Orchestra of Cinematography, the Russian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra (conductor, Alexander Vedernikov) and the orchestra of the Stadttheater in Bielefeld, Germany. There are 6 places only in the Masterclass back