Harp: the Shape of Sound

Valerio Lisci

Valerio Lisci has established himself in major international competitions, winning First Prize at the Suoni d’Arpa International Competition in Saluzzo in 2016, at the Korea International Harp Competition in Seoul in 2018, and at the Reinl Stiftung Competition in Vienna. In 2019, he was awarded the silver medal and a Special Prize for his interpretation of a contemporary piece at the 11th USA International Harp Competition. He has performed as a soloist in festivals and concert seasons across Europe, the United States, and Korea, including the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, O/Modernt in Stockholm, Arpa Plus in Madrid, Musikdorf in Ernen, Kammerfestival in Sylt, Mizmorim Festival in Basel, and Unione Musicale in Turin. He has also performed with orchestras such as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and I Solisti Aquilani. He was artist in residence for the Società dei Concerti di Milano and has performed in chamber ensembles throughout Europe.

From 2022 to 2023, Lisci served as Principal Harp of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva, performing in major European concert halls under the direction of conductors such as Daniele Gatti, Daniel Harding, Simone Young, and Kent Nagano. He is dedicated to composition and transcription for harp and has given masterclasses in Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. Lisci graduated from the Conservatory of Turin with Gabriella Bosio and from the Haute École de Musique in Lausanne with Letizia Belmondo.

Magdalena Hoffmann

Magdalena Hoffmann was appointed principal harpist of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2018. Previously, she held the same position with the Tyrolean Symphony Orchestra for four years and taught at the Tyrolean Conservatory of Music from 2015 to 2025. In March 2021, she signed an exclusive agreement with Deutsche Grammophon. The following year, her first DG album "Nightscapes" was awarded the "Opus Klassik - Young Artist of the Year" award.

Hoffmann studied with Fabiana Trani in Düsseldorf, with Cristina Bianchi in Munich and with Skaila Kanga in London. In addition, she worked with many famous harpists such as Fabrice Pierre, Isabelle Moretti, Mara Galassi, Alice Giles, Milda Agazarian and Park Stickney. She received numerous scholarships and has won prizes at various national and international competitions in Germany, France, the UK and Slovenia; most recently, she received two special awards at the prestigious International ARD Competition in Munich. ​ In high demand as a chamber musician, she has been invited as soloist and chamber musician to festivals such as the DAVOS Festival or the Festival Alpenklassik. She performs with renowned musicians, namely Karl-Heinz Schütz, Andrea Lieberknecht or Aleksey Igudesman.

Hoffman not only chooses her concert programmes with the aim of extending the conventional harp repertoire, but also constantly works on interdisciplinary concepts. In 2014, she first performed her theatre concert "ODYSSEY on 47 Strings" at the Harp Masters Festival in Switzerland, in 2017 she contributed texts and illustrations to Aleksey Igudesman's album "Funny Animals" (Universal Editions). Her first solo CD "FOOTNOTES" was published in 2018.