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Alexander Boldachev is one of the world’s most innovative and sought-after harpists, redefining the instrument’s place in classical and contemporary music. His performances span the globe, from Carnegie Hall in New York and the Salle Gaveau in Paris to Asian Theaters and the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony. As a soloist, composer, and arranger, he seamlessly bridges classical, rock, film, and game music, pushing the boundaries of harp performance.
A visionary artist, Boldachev is the founder of the World Harp Day, Zurich Harp Festival and a guest professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, the Milan Conservatory, and UCLA. His groundbreaking arrangements—over 300 works, including virtuosic transcriptions of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Tchaikovsky’s ballet music—have captivated audiences and expanded the harp repertoire.
Beyond the concert stage, Boldachev collaborates with the fashion world, working with iconic brands such as Fornasetti (which designed his latest album War and Peace), Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and Jacob Cohen. His performances bring a unique artistic touch to luxury events, seamlessly blending music and haute couture.
Currently engaged with leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, Gunma Symphony in Japan, and national orchestras in Mexico, Turkey, and Argentina, Boldachev continues to champion the harp as a solo instrument across all genres. His latest projects include cross-disciplinary collaborations in film, digital media, and theater, affirming his status as a bold innovator in the global music scene.
Helena Ricci is a trailblazing classical harpist from Switzerland who is making waves as a creative entrepreneur. In recent years, she has had the privilege of performing at prestigious venues such as St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Royal Opera House, and the Wigmore Hall, as well as playing for King Charles III. Before coming to Verbier, Helena took part in the Encuentro de Santander and the Britten-Pears Young Artist programme. She is a Master alumna of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she honed her skills and developed her unique artistic vision. She is passionate about merging classical music with technology and art through her innovative MUS!LUX project, which aims to create immersive concert experiences for audiences. In addition to her work as a musician, she is also a talented videographer. Her film on Brian and Roger Eno’s Cerulean Blue was selected as its official video for Deutsche Grammophon, showcasing her versatile talents in both music and visual arts.
Hannah Stone, former Harpist to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London where she gained a B.Mus. and M.Mus. degree. As part of her Master’s degree, she accepted an Erasmus Exchange place at the Universitat Mozarteum, Salzburg, to study with Professor Helga Storck.
During her studies at the Guildhall Hannah was selected to represent the Guildhall School in collaboration with the Academies Festival Orchestra, Singapore. This project culminated in an opening gala performance for the Singapore Sun Festival at the Esplanade Theatre with Dame Kiri te Kanawa. In 2010 Hannah returned to Wales to further her studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, supported by the Victor Salvi Scholarship and graduated in 2012.
A National and International Eisteddfod winner, Hannah was also a major prize winner at the Franz Joseph Reinl Competition in Vienna, the Camac Harp Competition in London and the International Harp Competition in Caernarfon.
Hannah has performed at many notable venues including the Barbican Centre, LSO St Luke’s, St John’s Smith Square, Museum of London, National Concert Hall in Dublin, St David’s Hall and the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. In 2010 Hannah was appointed principal harpist with the Schleswig Holstein Festival Orchestra touring Europe. She has performed as guest soloist with orchestras including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Sinfonia Cymru, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and Borusan Philharmonic Orchestra, Istanbul.
Hannah has performed for members of the Royal Family on several occasions including performances during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour of Wales. During the 2014 NATO Conference Dinner at Cardiff Castle, Hannah performed for the NATO delegates who included the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel and former Prime Minister, David Cameron.
She has given recitals at the Edinburgh International Festival, Litchfield Festival, Kings Lynn Festival, Kings Place, London and at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace. Hannah gave the World Premiere of ‘St Asaph’s Dance’ by Karl Jenkins in 2012 and ‘Amaterasu’ by Gareth Glyn in 2015 at the North Wales International Music Festival. Abroad, she has given recitals in Italy, Tokyo and Melbourne.
Broadcasts include ‘Bryn Terfel’s Christmas’, ‘Carols from Llandudno’, ‘Noson Lawen’ and ‘Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol’ for S4C and ‘In Tune’ for BBC Radio 3. Hannah features on Catrin Finch’s ‘Lullabies’ on the Deutsche Grammophon label.
In 2016 Hannah gave recitals in Toronto and Vancouver and recent engagements include performances at the Verbier Festival, Cardiff’s ‘Festival of Voice’, ‘Alison Balsom and Friends’ concert at the Royal Albert Hall and a memorial service for Lord Snowdon at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey.
Born in Switzerland in 1999, harpist Tjasha Gafner studied at the Juilliard School in New York with Nancy Allen after completing her master’s degree as a soloist with Letizia Belmondo at the Haute École de Musique de Genève. In 2024, she completed her master in pedagogy at the Haute École de Musique de Genève with Sandrine Chatron.
She is a laureate of numerous national and international competitions, including first places at the Felix Godefroid International Harp Competition (Belgium, 2012), Suoni d’Arpa (Italy, 2014) and the Martine Géliot International Harp Competition (France, 2016). In 2021, she won the Max D. Jost Prize, as well as the Leenaards Cultural Grant. Within ten years she has received more than 20 awards.
Since the age of ten, she has performed in Germany, France, Hong Kong, and many other countries, and has appeared as a soloist with the Kammerorchester der Bayrischen Philharmonie, the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, and the London Mozart Players. She regularly performs with various ensembles on an international level and also contributes to the expansion of the harp repertoire with her own transcriptions.
For her outstanding performances, she was awarded both first place and the audience prize at the 72nd International Music Competition 2023 in Munich.