The International Harp Contest in Israel

Susanna Mildonian winner of the 1st International Harp Contest in Israel, 1959

The International Harp Contest in Israel is a harp competition. Founded in 1959 by Aharon Zvi Propes in the city of Jerusalem, it was the first competition for the harp in the history of the instrument.

Past competitions winners

Year1st prize2nd prize3rd prizeSpecial prizesOther details
1959 Susanna Mildonian, Belgium Suzan Hacket McDonald, USA Edward Witsenburg, Holland
1962 Lynn Turner, United States Guiliana Albisetti, Italy Brigitte Deshais du Portail, France for best performance of Toccata composed by Ami Maayani: Bogumila Lutak, Poland
1965 Martine Géliot, France Emilia Moskvitina, USSR Natalia Strebkova, USSR
1970 Chantal Mathieu, France Catherine Michel, France Ayoko Shinokazi, Japan
1973 Nancy Allen, United States Grace Wong, USA Caitriona Yeats, Ireland
1976 Ivan Ion Roncea, Romania Frédérique Cambreling, France Hazel Kathleen Kienzie, USA
1979 Emily Mitchell, United States Barbara Allen, United States Irena Kaganovska, Israel
1982 Alice Giles, Australia Linda Aiella, United States and Patricia Tassini, Italy —
1985 Naoko Yoshino, Japan not awarded Ieuan Jones, Wales (UK)
1988 Isabelle Moretti, France Lucy Wakeford, UK —
1992 Marie-Pierre Langlamet, France Yana Boushkova, Czech Republic Mariko Anraku, Canada
1994 not awarded Anna Makarova, Russia Godelive Shram, Netherlands
1998 Gwyneth Wentink, Netherlands Christina Bianchi, Italy Kyo-Jin Lee, Korea
2001 Letizia Belmondo, Italy Jessica Li Zhou, China Lavinia Meijer, Netherlands
2003 Varvara Ivanova, Russia Julie Bunzel, Israel Albane Mahe, France
2006 Sivan Magen, Israel Cécile Maudire, France Etsuko Chida, Japan
2009 not awarded Ina Zdorovetchi, Moldova Remy van Kesteren, Netherlands
2012 Anais Gaudemard, France Agne Keblyte, Lithuania Mai Fukui, Japan
  • In memory of Yona Ettinger: Anais Gaudemard, France
  • For best performance of R. Murray Schafer: The Crown of Ariadne: Anais Gaudemard, France
  • Aharon Zvi and Mara Propes Prize: Agne Keblyte
  • For best performance of Israeli composition by Zvi Avni, Fantasy for harp: Agne Keblite, Lithuania
  • Mario Falcao Prize: Mai Fukui, Japan
  • For best performance of a Free Choice Contemporary Work, in Stage II: Mai Fukui, Japan
 Semi-Final Round Competitors

Second Round Competitors

First Round Competitors:

2015 Yuying Chen, China Anaelle Tourett, France Eva Tomsic, Slovenia
2018 Lenka Petrović, Serbia Joel von Lerber,  Switzerland Marina Fradin, Israel Semi-final prizes:

Irina Kaganovsky prize:

2021 Claudia Lucia Lamanna, Italy Lea Maria Löffler, Germany Beatriz Cortesão, Portugal