During the seventh edition of the Dutch Harp Festival, which took place last weekend in TivoliVredenburg, harpist and festival leader Remy van Kesteren proved that the harp has conquered a prominent place on the major stages. The festival opened with a spectacular concert featuring harp-like instruments from all over the world, including the kora of the African Sekou Dioubate, the delta harp of the Italian Kety Fusco, the konghou of the Canadian Nathania Ko and the inanga of the Rwandan Sophie Nzayisenga. A leading role was reserved for Ukrainian bandura player and singer/songwriter Maryna Krut. Especially for the festival – and as a jury member of the DHF World Harp Competition – she traveled to the Netherlands to play her music and tell her story. The Paraguan harpist Juanjo Corbalán (1991) won this edition of the World Harp Competition.
There were also impressive performances by the Norwegian harpist Uno Vesje (winner 1st prize World Harp Competition 2021) with his composition about domestic violence, which he performed – together with the women’s choir Vokal Vivo, alongside the Egyptian band Mazaher and baroque great Andrew-Lawrence King ( Guernsey). Students of the Leerorkest from Amsterdam-Zuidoost introduced their new harp-E in an infectious concert led by festival leader Remy van Kesteren.
9th May 2022
