Maria Korchinska (harpist)

Maria Korchinska (born 16 February 1895 Moscow; died 17 April 1979 London) was one of the leading 20th century harpists in Great Britain.

Korchinska entered the Moscow Conservatoire to study both piano and harp in 1903 but on the advice of her father decided to concentrate on the harp from 1907. Her father recognised the likelihood of upheaval in Russia and believed that it would be easier for his daughter to find work as a harpist than as a pianist. In 1911 she won the first Gold Medal given to a Harpist by the Moscow Conservatoire. In 1919 she became the Professor of Harp at the Moscow Conservatoire and also the Principal Harpist of the Bolshoi Orchestra. She was a founder member of "Persimfans", the famous "Orchestra without a conductor".

In 1922 Korchinska married Count Constantine Benckendorff and her daughter Nathalie was born in Moscow in September 1923. The Russian Civil war had seen the confiscation of her husband's estate and conditions were extremely difficult. Maria Korchinska had to carry her father's body to his funeral. In 1924 the family decided to leave Russia for Great Britain, taking with them two Lyon Healey harps. One of these had been purchased in exchange for a bag of salt.

In Great Britain, Korchinska founded the UK Harp Association and had a successful career as a soloist and ensemble player. She was the first harpist to play at the Glyndebourne festival, was a founder member of the Wigmore Ensemble and was the first British judge at the Israeli Harp competition. Her son Alexander was born in England in July 1926. Bax's Fantasy Sonata for Harp was dedicated to her and she gave the first performance in 1927. Her portrait was taken by Norman Parkinson in 1953 and is part of the National Portrait Gallery Collection.

Korchinska also founded Harp Week in the Netherlands (now known as the World Harp Congress) with Phia Berghout. She practised three hours every day until her death in 1979. Favourite pieces included the Ceremony of Carols by Britten and Dances Sacre by Debussy. She taught Karen Vaughan, currently Head of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

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