Dear friends, We are very glad to welcome the organizers, guests and participants of the First Ksenia Erdeli International Harpist Competition, and are grateful for the idea of arranging this music festival. The event takes place on the eve of the anniversary of a wonderful harpist, founder of the Russian harp school Ksenia Erdeli. She dedicated her life to her love for art and for the harp, and the development of harp culture. She brought the harp to the concert stage as a solo instrument, and now we cannot imagine musical life without the harp. Erderly’s name has become a symbol of the Russian harp school. Hopefully, this competition will be a remarkable music event, setting the stage for future Erderly Competitions to come.

Good luck to everybody involved!

The Erdely family.

Camac and Russia go back a long way, ever since Milda Agazarian and our founder, Joel Garnier, met at one of the first 'Arpista Ludovico' international competitions in Spain. Over the years, the relationship has grown. Alexander Kushvid and I became friends, then business partners, when Alexander founded the flourishing company that is Camac Ltd in Moscow.

I am delighted to support the Ksenia Erderly International Competition. Named in honour of a great professor, who instigated the Russian National Harp School, this event additionally brings together the key elements of Camac's Russian success story. Milda Agazarian is Artistic Director, Alexander Kushvid is our co-sponsor, and once again it is all about an international harp competition. It is also the start of a new chapter, for this is Camac's first official visit to St Petersburg.

Warmest of warm Russian welcomes! Whatever the results turn out to be, I hope you will have a rich and valuable experience, surrounded by Russia's magnificent, inspiring musical tradition. I would also like to thank everyone who has helped make the competition happen: Milda, Alexander, Elizaveta Alexandrova and her Organizing Committee, and of course the jury, the competitors, and everyone who comes to hear them.

Best wishes,
Jakez Francois
President of Camac Harps company, France.

Dear friends,

Personally and also on behalf of the St Petersburg Chamber Opera Theatre, I would like to welcome all judges and participants of the Ksenia Erdely International Harp Competition. It is wonderful that St Petersburg’s great musical traditions, one of the finest things Russian culture has to offer, are being maintained and developed. I am delighted that this event is taking place in St Petersburg Chamber Opera Theater, on the banks of the Neva river.

To the young musicians taking part in the competition, I would like to say that remember, no competition should be an « end in itself ». It is always just the next step in the development of your talent as performers. Therefore, may your participation be an important milestone in the growth of your artistic experience and personality, opening new horizons, and enabling you to build up and strengthen your will to win.

Good luck for this challenge!

Yuri Alexandrov,
Artistic and General Director of The St Petersburg Chamber Opera Company,
People’s Artist of Russia.