USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest Winner New Work Premiered

April 6, 2024 - Bloomington, IN

L to R: Quincy tilles, marienn sánchez, Ariel Sol Bertulfo Schwartz, Julia Johnson, tamara shu, alice ford

Congratulations to 7th USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest winner, Ariel Sol Bertulfo Schwartz, for the premiere of his new harp concerto, STRUM! tonight at the IU Jacobs School of Music. The string quartet edition was premiered by harp soloist Julia Johnson.

The orchestral edition of STRUM! will be performed on Friday, April 12, at 7:30pm EDT by soloist Noël Wan, Gold Medalist of the 12th USA International Harp Competition in 2022 (click for the link to the livestreamed performance).

Over the next year, the group of soloists involved in commisioning the piece will be performing the concerto all over the world. Many of these soloists competed in the 12th USA International Harp Competition in 2022, including Huw Boucher (Silver Medalist), Hyejin Kim (Bronze Medalist), and Noelia Cotuna Rizea (4th Prize Winner).

Congratulations to Ari for his innovative new composition, and to all of the talented musicians involved in this premiere and upcoming performances.

The 8th USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest is now accepting applications. Click to view the application form and the rules & procedures. All applications must be submitted by September 10, 2024.

Click here to learn more about the USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest and about Ari’s win in 2021.

USA International Harp Competition

Give Now

Vision

Our vision is to be a global platform for the harp that will inspire artistic excellence, encourage personal growth, launch careers and create community between musicians and their audiences.

Mission

The USA International Harp Competition exists to inspire, promote, and sustain artistic excellence while fostering a broader appreciation of the harp and its repertoire.

Bringing people together through the universal language of music, we enhance international and community relationships by producing our harp competition, composition contest, concert series, and educational programs.

Competition videos

Visit our Youtube channel to view the USAIHC video collection

VIDEOS

More than the Gold

Founded in 1989 by Susann McDonald, the USAIHC is known as the foremost solo harp competition in the world, but it is so much More than the Gold. The video details the four core programs which make up the USAIHC, and also highlights our invaluable community engagement in our Host Families program. Enjoy learning about our:

Solo Performance Competition
USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest
Harp Start educational program
Concert Series
Community engagement - Host Families

Dream with US(AIHC)

At all levels of the USA International Harp Competition, from our Stars of Tomorrow performers to our forty contestants, dreams are what fuel each individual to reach their personal best.

The USAIHC’s four programs – the Solo Harp Performance Competition, the USAIHC Ruth Inglefield Composition Contest, Harp Start educational program, and Concert Series – are the framework that allow dreams to flourish and be shared. Our Competition and Composition Contest provide the opportunity for harpists and composers to make their dreams become reality, while Harp Start and our Concert Series share these dreams with people of all ages and backgrounds through culturally enriching performances.

Dream with us and consider making a donation to the USA International Harp Competition!

The USA International Harp Competition, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to the USAIHC are tax deductible according to current USA laws.