Harp

Maria Zorkina

In the orchestra since 2011

Maria Zorkina was born in Leningrad. She started studying music at an early age. She played the piano, sang in a choir and learned to play the harp.

In 1998, she graduated with honours from music college where she had studied harp playing (under prof. I.A. Donskaya) and symphony conducting (under prof. L.Ya. Savich).

She has worked at the Mikhailovsky and Mariinsky theatre orchestras, at the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Academic symphony orchestra, at Macao Symphony, and at Hong Kong Philharmonic.

In 2004, Maria graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg Conservatory (prof. A.A. Varosyan’s class).

In 2018, Maria Zorkina graduated with honours from the Perm State Culture University where she had studied symphony conducting under prof. V.I. Platonov. In November 2018, she made her debut as a conductor at the Perm State Opera and Ballet Theatre.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU INTO THE WORLD OF MUSIC?

It was “who”, not “what”. My mother did. It was she who once took we to a concert at the St. Petersburg Philharmonia. That concert witnessed the birth of my dream to be on that stage one day. I was particularly charmed by the conductor, Evgeniy Alexandrovich Mravinsky, who had such clear and precise control over time.

THE HARP IS SUCH A ROMANTIC INSTRUMENT. WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE IT OVER ANY OTHER?

I once saw a golden harp in one of the rooms at music school and instantly fell in love with it. I wanted no more black pianos, and I insisted on being put into the harp class instead, which ultimately happened. If you think of it, you have 7 pedals, 47 strings, 70kg of weight to carry, and 1500 parts to wrap your head around; that is not romantic at all. I am not going to discuss things that frequently come up when talking about the harp: its magical timbre, harp therapy and the like. To me, having a good command of the instrument is more important than just playing music in an eloquent way. Truth be told, I have always been an odd harpist. Harpists tend to be melancholic ladies in long dresses, but that is not what I am. I try to stay busy every minute, during every break we get — and we get plenty of those. For instance, right now I am learning to be a conductor, so I observe the musicians and Maestro and think what I could have done differently to get a different sound.

WHAT DOES MUSIC MEAN TO YOU?

Music is a language. Get fluent at it, and you will be able to express all your thoughts. Moreover, hearing someone play just a few notes can tell me much about that person. They play and I understand whether we would be of interest to each other.

WHAT SYMBOLIC MEANING DOES MUSICAETERNA HAVE TO YOU?

MusicAeterna is the last name of Teodor’s large family. It is a locomotive of the modern music world. It is a jewellery workshop of musical diamonds. MusicAeterna means quality.

musicAeterna orchestra events

October 11, 19:00

Moscow | Zaryadye Hall

Hændel. A Dedication Ceremony to George Frideric Handel

Georg Friedrich Handel (1685–1759)

Prelude

Augelletti, ruscelletti, the aria of Maria Kleopova from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)

Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 (1727)

Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno, the aria of Angel from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)

Ah! Crudel nel pianto mio, the aria of Armida from the opera Rinaldo, HWV 78 (1711)

Overture to the opera Agrippina, HWV 6 (1709–1710)

As with Rosy Steps the Morn, the aria of Irina from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)

De torrente in via bibet, duet with chorus from the psalm Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 (1707)

Oh, Let the Merry Bells Ring Round, aria with chorus from the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55 (1740)

Pena tiranna, the aria of Dardano from the opera Amadigi di Gaula, HWV 11 (1715)

Eternal Source of Light Divine, fragment from the cantata Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74 (1713)

Alla Hornpipe, No. 2 from the orchestral suite
The Water Music No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349 (1716–1717)

He Saw the Lovely Youth, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)

Piangerò la sorte mia, the aria of Cleopatra from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 (1724)

Ah! Stigie larve — Vaghe pupille, the recitative and aria of Orlando from the opera Orlando, HWV 31 (1733)

O Love Divine, thou Source of Fame, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)

Sing Ye to the Lord, chorus with solo soprano from the oratorio Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 (1739)

Performers:

artists of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
Tatiana Bikmukhametova, soprano
Yulia Vakula, mezzo-soprano
Ksenia Dorodova, soprano
Diana Nosyreva, soprano
Iveta Simonyan, soprano
Sofia Tsygankova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor, soloist and vocal coach of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
musicAeterna Choir and Orchestra
musicAeterna Dance troupe

Music Director and Conductor Teodor Currentzis
Stage Director Elizaveta Moroz
Choirmaster Vitaly Polonsky
Assistant Conductor Evgeny Vorobyov
Production Designer, Costume Designer Sergey Illarionov
Choreographer Valentina Lutsenko

Buy Ticket

October 17, 22:30

Madrid | Auditorio Nacional de Música