Teachers – Arpa Horta

Isabelle Perrin

Isabelle Perrin, principal instructor
French harpist and international performing artist.

After having excelled in her harp studies at the Conservatoire de Nice, Isabelle Perrin gave her first recital at the age of seventeen at the Festival Méditerranéen des Jeunes Solistes. She then continued her education at the Juilliard School of Music in New York for three years before joining the San
Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Upon her return to France, she was named co-principal harpist of the Orchestre National de France in 1990.

An international soloist, Isabelle Perrin is regularly invited to perform with many prestigious ensembles such as the Northwest Sinfonietta (Seattle, USA),
the Oshawa-Durham Symphony Orchestra (Canada), the Darwin Symphony Orchestra (Australia), the National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland), the BBC Wales Orchestra, the Brussels Symphony Orchestra, the Polish-Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National d′Ile de France, the France Radio Orchestra and the Korean Chamber Orchestra.

Isabelle Perrin′s personality has been an inspiration for many composers. Pierick Houdy winner of the Grand Prix of Rome wrote the “Concerto Français” for harp and orchestra for her. Bernard Andrès, a major composer for harp, dedicated his Danses d′Erzulie for harp, string orchestra and percussion to her as well. Elzbieta Sikora wrote the “South Shore” Concertino for electric harp for her. Isabelle Perrin has recorded several CDs under international labels such as Hortensia, Arion, Pavane, Intégral, and FIM.

The youngest French recipient of the Certificate of Aptitude for harp pedagogy, Isabelle Perrin is the professor at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris and at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. She is “Visiting Professor” at the Royal Academy of Music in London as well. Her passion for teaching has lead her to give master classes worldwide (Europe, United States, Japan, Korea, China, Australia, Mexico, etc.) and workshops at the most prestigious institutions such as Indiana University in Bloomington, the Julliard School in New York, the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow.

As the artistic director of the World Harp Congress, Isabelle Perrin coordinates the international exhibition held every three years in varying countries and continents. Isabelle Perrin has been knighted by the French Order of Arts and Letters in recognition of her exemplary career and her involvement in the musical world.

www.isabelle-perrin.eu

M. Lluïsa Ibañez

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M. Lluïsa Ibañez, harpist lecturer
Catalan harpist of great importance in the Spanish harp community.

Maria Lluïsa Ibáñez studied harp, piano and harmony at the Conservatory of Music of Barcelona, where she received the Honor Award for harp, harmony and music theory. She has been a member of several ensembles including the first trio of harps in Catalonia, the Catalan Contemporary Music Ensemble,
the Diabolus in Musica, the Bertrand Trio and the Harp Sextet “Rosa Balcells”, which she founded in 1994.

Her great dedication for music and for her instrument has been a source of inspiration for composers such as Carles Puértolas, Xavier Boliart, Teresa Borràs, Javier Codina and Francisco Fleta, who have written for her and her groups.

Drawing from her expertise in the fields of harp, harmony, and transcription of manuscripts, she has published and produced her own cadenzas for the Mozart, Handel and Albrechsberger concertos, as well as numerous transcriptions for harp and for harp and guitar duet.

Her obvious passion for teaching has brought her, from a young age, to the position as harp professor at the Music Conservatory of Barcelona. Her commitment to pedagogy incited the government of Catalonia to commission her to help develop the new music education program.

Berta puigdemasa

Berta Puigdemasa, teacher and workshop director.
Harpist and adventurer from Horta de Lleida.

Originally from Horta de Lleida, Berta Puigdemasa has spent eight years living between The Netherlands and France and she is continuously searching for innovation in sound, art and culture. Despite her ventures to other places in Europe, Horta de Lleida will always be her home.

At the age of 7 she told her parents she wanted to play the harp, but this wouldn′t be possible until five years later because of the lack of a harp teacher in Lleida. When she was 12 she started her harp studies in Barcelona with Maria Lluïsa Ibáñez. At the age of 16 at a summer master class in France she met Isabelle Perrin. It was in that moment that she knew this was the professor with whom she would continue her adventure with the harp. And that′s how it happened!

It was on an autumn day, over an orange juice with her family that the beautiful idea of gathering harpists from all over the world in the little paradise of Horta de Lleida, to enjoy a few days of good/quality/efficient work and fresh air together, was born.