A harp for
Ekaterina (from Minsk)
Harpist Ekaterina left Minsk, Belarus, for the Netherlands in March of last year with her family and a few suitcases. She couldn’t bring her pedal harp with her, and finding a suitable new harp proved more difficult than expected. After a long search, Ekaterina ended up at the Musical Instrument Fund. The fund came to her rescue with a Lyon and Healy harp.
About Ekaterina
Ekaterina was born in Minsk. She studied harp and piano at a high school specializing in the arts. In 2002, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees (harp) with honors from the Belarusian Academy of Music. In 2003, she moved to the Netherlands to study with Erika Waardenburg at the Utrecht School of the Arts.
For many years, Ekaterina worked in Belarus as principal harpist with the National Opera and Ballet of Belarus. At the same time, she taught at the Belarusian Academy of Music and performed as a soloist with the Academic Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Alexander Anisimov. Later, Ekaterina formed a percussion duo in Minsk called Arfa con Ritmo.
A fruitless search
In 2022, Ekaterina moved to Drenthe with her family. Unfortunately, she couldn't bring her own pedal harp with her, and picking it up later wasn't an option.
Her small harp was fine to bring along. She sold it to rent a 43-string Celtic harp, but that turned out to be suitable only for teaching students. Playing in orchestras or giving professional concerts still seemed far out of reach for Ekaterina.
Ekaterina missed playing the pedal harp terribly. When she received an offer from Erika Waardenburg to participate in a project, that longing grew even stronger. She did, however, need a good harp for this. Unfortunately, her search for a suitable instrument was unsuccessful.
A temporary solution
Previous attempts to rent a professional harp failed for one simple reason: it was too expensive. Fortunately, the Musical Instrument Fund offered a solution. Ekaterina now has a Lyon & Healy harp (Chicago, 2014) on loan, thanks to a grant from the Support Fund. The Support Fund offers musicians a subsidy toward the loan fee if their financial situation warrants it. Thanks to the support of donors, the fund strives to help as many musicians as possible.
The Belarusian harpist is now once again able to keep her skills sharp and participate in projects, such as those with the Veenkoloniaal Symphony Orchestra (VKSO). In addition, she teaches at the Emmen Music School and regularly organizes events. In this way, Ekaterina strives to contribute to the classical music scene in Drenthe.
“I’m very happy with the harp. Last week, I was invited by the North Netherlands Orchestra (NNO) to participate in a project, through which I gave several wonderful concerts. I’m currently also playing in the Veenkoloniaal Symphony Orchestra (VKSO). A wonderful concert will be held at the Van Gogh House in Veenoord/Nieuw Amsterdam, Drenthe. I will also be introducing the harp at the Grote Kerk in Emmen on September 9 during the UITfestival. I can play again now, and I am very grateful to the Fund for this opportunity." (translated from English).