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Harpes aux Max: A Celebration of Creativity and Community
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May 30, 2025
The Harpes aux Max Festival was an unforgettable experience filled with music, collaboration, and community spirit! The first full day set the tone, welcoming guest ensembles from around the world, including talents from Brazil, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, Switzerland, and Venezuela. Showcasing our raison d’être, we welcomed musicians from the ensembles to our workshops where they could engage with our production process.
Katryna Tan leads the performers of the Rave Harps Mosaic Ensemble
The festival began with a series of al fresco ensemble concerts, featuring Rave Harp Mosaic, Pop Sisters, and the Hong Kong Harp Chamber Festival ensemble, all set against a backdrop of perfect blue skies. The diverse musical offerings included an extraordinary new jazz harp concerto by the eminent Geoffroy Tamisier, played by the Nantes Philharmonie, showcasing the eclectic blend of styles and tradition that is the hallmark of our ‘home festival’.
Students of the CNSM de Lyon in recital © www.mdbphotographie.fr
Evelyn Huber, a cherished friend and artist, wowed us with a diverse evening set supported by talented students from l’école de musique arpège, highlighting our ongoing commitment to nurturing young musicians. The night was further enriched by Rossitza Milevska and her trio, whose fresh and intricate sounds left us wanting more.
Evelyn Huber © www.mdbphotographie.fr
The festival remained vibrant on Saturday, marking our longest and most eventful day! Harp ensemble pop-ups filled the town, with captivating workshops on Venezuelan music and storytelling combined with harp performances. Highlights included an exceptional recital by Conservatoire Supérieure de Lyon students, showcasing a mix of classical pieces and lesser-known gems; Horizontes electrified the audience with a vibrant and beautiful evening performance; there were bold collaborations such as Noemi Von Felten and Stephan Eicher’s fusion of harp with electronic beats and vocals.
Noemi von Felten and Stephan Eicher© www.mdbphotographie.fr
One of the undoubted highlights of this packed day was the astonishing harp and circus act. In the hands of Collectif Les Harpinistes (Chine Lefèvre, Louise Huet, Pía Bautista and Gabriel Rainjonneau), the harp (and its covers!) became an acrobat, and was truly unforgettable! This unique show was a delight, accompanied live by Christine and Thierry Lutz. The night wrapped up with Sylvain Blassel and the Liger Quartet, bringing Edgar Allan Poe’s horror stories to life through music, all within the majestic Chapelle des Ursulines.
As Harpes aux Max closed, we reflected on the celebration of creativity and community spirit. Each visiting group showcased their uniqueness, with performances from Brazil to Switzerland filling the stage at Ancenis’ Théâtre Quartier Libre. In the chapel, next door, Hexarpa , a sextet formed by the harp professors of the Nantes area, gave an extraordinary performance to close the festival in memorable style.
We sincerely thank all the committed artists and directors who contributed to this festival’s success. Most importantly, we appreciate the outstanding organisation of COMPA, the local civic authorities, who help us share our love for the harp every two years, right at home!
Before packing away the harps, we celebrated with an evening reception, raising a glass to the wonderful memories created.
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