
One of the primary goals of the foundation is to raise the profile of young harpists who win major international harp competitions such as the prestigious U.S.A. International Harp Competition, Lily Laskine International Harp Competition and the Israel International Harp Contest. Winners receive a new (and often unique) harp presented by the foundation, debut recitals in the United States and worldwide, and a recording on the Egan Records label. To date, the foundation has played an important role in helping to launch the careers of many fine young harpists, now recognized as Victor Salvi Foundation Laureates: Anna
Verkholansteva, Gwyneth Wentink, Catrin
Finch, Letizia Belmondo, Maria
Luisa Rayan Forero, Dan Yu and Jane
Yoon. Others include the following foundation artists: Anneleen
Lenaerts, Emmanuel Ceysson and Varvara
Ivanova.

2008 Competition
Click here to read the press release for this year's competition.
Click here to view the poster for this year's competition.
Click here to view the winners of this year's competition.
For additional information on the history of the Lily Laskine International Harp Competition please click here.
2007 Competition
The 5th Lily Laskine International Harp Competition took place from August 28 - September 4, 2005 at the Salle Elie de Brignac in Dauville, France The prestigious event held under the auspices of the Minister of Culture and Communication, is a tribute to the great French harpist Lily Laskine. The competition takes place every three years and has earned the reputation as one of the pre-eminent harp competitions in the world. Major sponsors are the worlds leading harp makers, Salvi Harps and Lyon & Healy Harps, other sponsors include the City of Deauvillle and the Spedidam et la Conseil Regioinal de Basse Normandie. Marielle Nordman is the artistic director.
The competition has two categories: Grand Prix Lily Laskine for harpists born after September 1, 1975 and Prix Junior 2005 for harpists born after September 1, 1989. Information pertaining to the specific program for each level is available on the association/competition website at www.lilylaskine.com.
Grand Prix Lily Laskine 2005 prizes were as follows: first prize winner, Anneleen Laenerts won a commemorative gold concert grand Minerva Salvi harp valued at € 42,000, sponsored by
Salvi Harps, a debut recital in London and Paris and a CD recording by
Egan Records sponsored by the Victor Salvi Foundation. Second prize winner, Nina Kupriyanova (Russia) receive € 4,600 and the third prize winner, Reine Takano (Japan) won E 3,000.
L'Association des Amis de Lily Laskine is a not-for-profit association established in 1901 by former students and the many friends of Lily Laskine, to help young people, especially harpists, begin their careers. Since 1993, the Lily Laskine International Harp Competition has been the primary activity of the association. In the intervening years concerts "In Homage to Lily Laskine," are held at which young harpists accompany eminent musicians.
Past Grand Prix winners have included: Christine Icart, France (1993); Tatiana Oskolkova, Russia ( 1996); Catrin Finch, Wales (1999); Jane Yoon, Korea (2002).

The USA International Harp Competition takes place every three years at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. It was founded by renowned harpist Susann McDonald, who now serves as the competition’s Artistic Director. Formerly chair of The Juilliard School’s harp department, she currently holds the rank of Distinguished Professor of Harp at Indiana University. The IU harp department is the largest in the world.
The goals of the USA International Harp Competition are to:
Honor the achievements of young performers, and to foster their careers;
Increase public awareness of the harp as a solo instrument;
Promote international friendship and understanding among musicians;
Showcase the work of living American composers who write for the harp.
The competition is open to harpists between the ages of 16 and 32 years of age.
The 2007 winner of the USA International Harp
Competition is Maria Krushevskaya.
Click here to read
the full story.
Past winners include the following foundation-sponsored harpists:
Emmanuel Ceysson gold medal 2004 (France)
Dan Yu gold medal 2001 (China)
Maria Luisa Rayan Forero silver medal 2001 (Argentina)
The Victor Salvi Foundation provides the winner with a uniquely designed golden harp, the opportunity for a debut performance at London's Wigmore Hall, a debut performance at the Salle Gaveau in Paris, Lyon & Healy Hall in Chicago, New York City and other sponsored performances throughout the U.S. and worldwide. In addition, the foundation provides the gold medal winner a debut recording on the Egan Records label.
For more information on the USA International Harp Competition please visit www.usaihc.org
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The foundation also offers its support to the following international music competitions:




The International Harp Contest in Israel was established by A.Z. Propes in 1959. Every three years, the competition brings together harpists from all over the world to take part in this international contest.
The harp has a special position in Israel’s history. David, the singer of the Psalms, was a devoted harpist in Old Jerusalem. Jerusalem, King David’s city, has become the prime location for the contest which invites harpists under the age of 35 to participate. The participants’ repertoire always includes a new commission, usually written by a native composer.
International Harp Contest In Israel Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary
October 6-20, 2009 – Gala Celebration Planned
The International Harp Contest Israel celebrates its 50th
Anniversary October 6-20, 2009. In Tel Aviv. Maestro
Zubin Mehta will serve as Honorary President of the 17th International
Harp Contest in Israel and all musical celebrationassociated
with the accomplishments of the Harp Contest in Israel during
the past half century.
The event will begin with an unprecedented festive Gala Opening
Concert on October 6th, 2009 at the Mann Auditorium in Tel
Aviv. Previous First Prize winners and other guests will perform
6 harp Concerti with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Maestro
Nir Kabaretti conducting.
Thirty young harpists from 18 countries will compete for the
First Prize: A Special 50th Anniversary Gold Concert Grand
harp made and presented by Lyon & Healy, sponsor of the
Contest. It will be the 17th time that Lyon and Healy of Chicago
offers this First Prize. The Prize Winners will be chosen by
an International Jury of 12 members from 9 countries composed
of previous First Prize Winners, Internationally celebrated
soloists and teachers, and renowned Israeli musicians.
Jurors include: Judith Lieber,Israel, Chairperson, Ion
Ivan Roncea, Romania; Letizia Belmondo, Italy/Belgium; Alice
Giles, Australia; Suzanna Klincharova, Bulgaria/France; Heidi
Lehwader, US; Ruth Maayani, Israel; Sussana Mildonian/Belgium-France;
Fabrice Pierre, France; Zeev Steinberg, Israel; Lynne Turner,
US; and Hayuta Dvir, Israel.
The 17th International Harp Contest in Israel, will take place
50 years after Aharon Zvi Propes founded the first International
Contest for harp in the world. It took place in Jerusalem in
1959 and its success has reverberated around the entire harp
world ever since.<
On this occasion special tribute will be paid to the city of Tel Aviv
on its 100th birthday. "Take up the melody and sound the timbre, the sweet
harp with the psaltery" (Psalms, 81,3).
For more information please contact:
The International Harp Contest in
Israel
34, Yecheskel Street
62595 Tel Aviv
Tel +972-3-6041808
Fax +972-3-6041688
Email:
harzimco@netvision.net.il
www.harpcontest-israel.org.il
Past Winners
The winner of the 16th International Harp Contest in Israel is Sivan Magen of Israel.
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The winner of the 16th International Harp Contest in Israel is Sivan Magen from Israel. The second place was awarded to Cecile Maudire from France and the third place to Etsuko Chida from Japan. Click here to read the full story. |
Past winners include the following foundation-sponsored harpists:
Letizia Belmondo gold medalist (Italy) 2001
Varvara Ivanova gold medalist (Russia) 2003 – Varvara also won the Herlitz prize for the best performance of "Maqamat", by Ami Ma’ayani.
The Victor Salvi Foundation provides the winner with a uniquely designed golden harp, the opportunity for debut performances at London’s Wigmore Hall, a co-sponsored debut with the Israel-International Harp Contest at Merkin Hall in New York City, Chicago’s Lyon & Healy Hall, and other sponsored performances throughout the U.S. and worldwide. In addition, the foundation provides the gold medal winner a debut recording on the Egan Records label.
For more information on the Israel International Harp Contest please visit www.harpcontest-israel.org