French Musician. She was probably the most acclaimed harpist of the 20th. century. Born into a Russian family that had emigrated to Paris, she was raised with an early love of music. Her mother was a pianist who first attempted to teach her that instrument...she never really took to it, and decided on the harp, in which her parents helped instruct her. (She said that the key to being a harpist was "Good fingers and a sacrificed childhood"). Accepted to the Paris Conservatoire at 11, she won her first competition at 13, and became the first female to play with the Paris Opera orchestra at 16. She was the solo harp for a number of orchestras, including those conducted by Lamoreux, Serge Koussevitzky, and Walter Stamm, and was the founding solo harpist when the Orchestre National was organised in 1943. She accompanied the leading singers of her day, including Piaf and Chevalier, and recorded extensively for the film industry. In later years, she accompanied flautists Marcel Moyse and Jean-Pierre Rampal. Active as a teacher throughout her career, she was professor of harp at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1948 to 1958. Madame Laskine recieved numerous awards including the Legion of Honour in 1958, the International Grand Prix from the Acadamie Charles Cros in 1963, and the Grand Prix du disc in 1966. She left a very large recorded legacy. Since 1993, an international harp competition named in her honor has been held every three years.
French Musician. She was probably the most acclaimed harpist of the 20th. century. Born into a Russian family that had emigrated to Paris, she was raised with an early love of music. Her mother was a pianist who first attempted to teach her that instrument...she never really took to it, and decided on the harp, in which her parents helped instruct her. (She said that the key to being a harpist was "Good fingers and a sacrificed childhood"). Accepted to the Paris Conservatoire at 11, she won her first competition at 13, and became the first female to play with the Paris Opera orchestra at 16. She was the solo harp for a number of orchestras, including those conducted by Lamoreux, Serge Koussevitzky, and Walter Stamm, and was the founding solo harpist when the Orchestre National was organised in 1943. She accompanied the leading singers of her day, including Piaf and Chevalier, and recorded extensively for the film industry. In later years, she accompanied flautists Marcel Moyse and Jean-Pierre Rampal. Active as a teacher throughout her career, she was professor of harp at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1948 to 1958. Madame Laskine recieved numerous awards including the Legion of Honour in 1958, the International Grand Prix from the Acadamie Charles Cros in 1963, and the Grand Prix du disc in 1966. She left a very large recorded legacy. Since 1993, an international harp competition named in her honor has been held every three years.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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