Tickets are still available for Austrian Harpist Elisabeth Plank, who performs at Greaves Concert Hall, Fine Arts Building, Northern Kentucky University (NKU) on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. The program will last approximately one hour without intermission.
Highland Heights is one of only seven U.S. cities on Plank’s U.S. tour, including Houston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Bloomington, among others. In addition to her recital at NKU, Plank will host several master class experiences for Cincinnati harp students at both CCM and SCPA during her three-day residency.
Harpist Elisabeth Plank (Photo provided)
Co-sponsored by Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts (SOTA), the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Harp Society, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), the recital will take place at Greaves Concert Hall, Northern Kentucky University (NKU), 141 Fine Arts Building, 100 Louie B Nunn Drive, Highland Heights.
Tickets may be purchased on line through the NKU School of the Arts (SOTA) box office here. Tickets will also be available at the door an hour prior to the recital. Ticket prices are $7 for adults, $5 for Seniors over 60 year of age, and free for students.
The Austrian harpist has established herself as an internationally sought-after soloist and ambassador for her instrument. She was described as “an exceptional player, great command of her instrument, so much character & color in her playing” by BBC Radio, Scotland. It is Plank’s ambition to redefine the harp’s repertoire, by performing and recording newly rediscovered pieces from the past, documented by many world premiere recordings, as well as collaborating with contemporary composers. Additionally she is an advocate of the historical double action harp. Her own arrangements have been published by Universal Edition and others.
As a recitalist or as a soloist with orchestra, Plank has performed in renowned concert halls and festivals in Europa, Japan and Latin America – such as Musikverein Wien, Wiener Konzerthaus, Harpa Reykjavík, Konzerthaus Berlin, Grafenegg and NOSPR, as well as international festivals, MDR Musiksommer, mosel musikfestival, Bogotá International Music Festival, Dubai Opera or Festival de Música de Morelia Mexico.
The harpist performs with orchestras such as ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Barockensemble der Wiener Symphoniker, Wiener Kammer Orchester, NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, Iasi Philharmonic Orchestra or Thüringer Symphoniker. Plank is a prize winner in a number of international competitions and was honored with the “Young Celebrity Master”-award of “HarpMasters.”
From 2019 to 2021 Elisabeth Plank has been artist-in-residence of Wiener Konzerthaus as part of the “Great Talent”-series. Besides being a selected artist for “Classical Futures Europe,” Plank has been chosen as musical ambassador for the “New Austrian Sound of Music” for 2023 and 2024 as first harpist ever.
Plank’s versatility also shows in her discography: her solo albums “L‘arpa notturna”, “1825 – Echoes of Vienna on Historical Harp“ and “musings” are critically acclaimed “a thoughtful and beautifully played disc […] Plank has a real command of light and shade. She‘s adept at creating musical perspective” (Gramophone). In 2023, Mozart’s double concerto with ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien under the baton of Howard Griffiths for “Next Generation Mozart Soloists” was released (alpha classics).
This is the second concert hosted this year by the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Harp Society, following a residency by jazz harpist Park Stickney in February.
For more information, please email the box office at boxoffice@nku.edu or by phone at 859-572-5464 from 12-4 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
