Biographical Background for Rita Costanzi

Harpist Rita Costanzi resided in Vancouver for 28 years and was one of the city’s most recognizable artists, sharing her talents as concert performer, recording artist, actor, teacher, composer, writer, fundraiser and public speaker. She was Principal Harp of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestraand the CBC Radio Orchestra and on the faculties of the University of British Columbia School of Music, the Comox Valley Youth Music Center and the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific. Having established her reputation as an artist of rare depth and expression, she was soloist with orchestras across Canada and with every major arts organization in Vancouver. As a recipient of commissioning grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council, she premiered many new works written especially for her.

Invitations from the Tanglewood, Marlboro, Chautauqua, Sitka and Bellingham Festivals, the World Harp Congress, Cambridge Music Conference and Musikfest Horwelten reflect her status as an internationally acclaimed artist. Rita Costanzi’s inspired performances and teaching at the Brazilian FEMUSC International Festival were featured on television and in numerous newspaper articles. In addition to her yearly association with FEMUSC, she has also been invited as Artist/Teacher to Festival Internacional de Inverno de Campos do Jordao and III Rio International Harp Festival. Recently, she adjudicated and performed at the Montreal Symphony Standard Life Competition.

Adding a new dimension to her performance art, Rita Costanzi astounds audiences with the three monodramas written especially for her. The Westcoast Music Awards nominated her solo Classical CD, Of Fields and Forests for “Best Classical Album”. Vancouver Television introduced her in its series Pacific Profiles featuring prominent and unique individuals living in Vancouver and CBC Radio’s Tapestry devoted a documentary to her work playing for the terminally ill. Her fourth and most recent CD, Song of the Stars, an album of Celtic music for contemplation and healing, received a Five Star rating from CBC Radio’s Sound Advice. Her latestcomposition, Beneath Her Heart, for Women’s Choir, Children’s Choir andNarrator,was premiered by Vancouver’s Elektra Women’s Choir in April, 2008.

Costanzi’s distinguished teaching career includes Master Classes in conjunction with her solo appearances as well as at the Juilliard and Eastman Schools, the Peabody Conservatory, New York University, the University of Toronto School of Music and the Glenn Gould School. New York University’s Steinhardt School has invited her to join its distinguished faculty as Adjunct Professor of Harp, effective September, 2008.

Ms. Costanzi’s training began at an early age under the guidance of her father, the noted violist Francis Tursi, and harpist Eileen Malone. After graduating from the Eastman School of Music with Highest Distinction and the Performer’s Certificate, she furthered her studies with Bernard Zighera, Marcel Grandjany, and in France on an ITT International Fellowship with Jacqueline Borot. She was twice winner of the American Harp Society’s National Competition and recipient of the Lily Laskine Award for the most outstanding solo harp recital.

Rita Costanzi relocated to New York City in April, 2007.