Slovenian Harp Quartet SIH4RPS

The harp, one of the oldest instruments in human history, has a rich original repertoire that has intertwined over the centuries with countless arrangements. This evening with the Slovenian Harp Quartet (aka SIH4rps) traces a broad stylistic arc, from the virtuosity of Antonio Vivaldi through the rich sonorities of Maurice Ravel and Lucijan Marija Škerjanc and the rhythmically charged works of Arturo Márquez and Astor Piazzolla to lyrical glimpses of the Romantic period in works by Edvard Grieg and Sergei Rachmaninov. The programme is complemented by new works by Slovene composers: The Water Man  by Aleksandra Naumovski Potisk, Folk Bagatelle  by Tine Bec and The Silk Road  by ensemble member Maria Gamboz. Together they offer a diverse insight into contemporary harp composition.

The concert is performed by the Slovenian Harp Quartet, otherwise known as SIH4rps, founded in 2024 and bringing together four outstanding harpists of different generations and backgrounds. The ensemble consists of Urška Križnik Zupan, principal harpist of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, and Maria Gamboz, principal harpist of the Orchestra of the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, joined by Tea Plesničar and Lara Hrastnik Samec, two younger harpists who regularly perform with orchestras in Slovenia and Austria and teach in Ljubljana and Krško. They are distinguished by their exceptional cohesion, thoughtful interpretations and exploration of the expressive possibilities of the harp, while also devoting particular attention to encouraging the creation of new literature for harp quartet, thereby contributing to the development of Slovene harp art.