Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s music left a lasting impression at the 13th USA International Harp Competition, held from 14-24 May 2025 at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana. On Saturday May 24, three exceptional young harpists performed Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s recently republished Concertino for Harp and Chamber Orchestra, the required piece in the final round of the competition. That same evening, while the judges were deliberating, Diana Castelnuovo-Tedesco shared memories about her grandfather onstage at the Jacob School’s Musical Arts Center. The day before the finals, Diana gave an in-depth lecture about the composer’s musical legacy, including the Concertino, to harpists and educators gathered for the events.
Of the three finalists who performed the Concertino with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Matthew Kraemer, Shamim Minoo of Iran was named the gold medal winner; Zhong Ming Wan of Canada won the silver medal; and Huw Boucher of Wales took home the bronze medal. Boucher was also awarded the Concerto Prize for the best performance of the Concertino.
This year, 44 harpists from 19 countries participated in the competition, which is open to harpists of all nationalities between the ages of 18 and 32.
In anticipation of the Competition, a new edition of the Concertino for Harp and Chamber Orchestra was published last year by Schirmer Music, along with a new edition of the harp part, edited by Elizabeth Hainen, principal harpist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music, and artistic director of the USA International Harp Competition. The newly available editions are based on the composer’s original manuscripts, which are held in the Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Papers at the Music Division of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. For more background information on the Concertino and the new edition, please see this article.
Mario’s family wishes to thank USAIHC Artistic Director Elizabeth Hainen, Associate Artistic Director Emmanuel Ceysson, Board of Directors’ President Joyce Claflin, Executive Director Francine Marseille, Artistic Committee Advisor Moya Wright, and all involved for this precious opportunity to share Mario’s music with the harp world! We would also like to congratulate all of the participants and winners and thank them for their immense dedication to studying and performing this work, which is as demanding as it is beautiful.
Photo collage above features medalists Shamim Minoo, Zhong Ming Wan and Huw Boucher with Artistic Director Elizabeth Hainen and Associate Director Emmanuel Ceysson. Photos by James Brosher.