Elisabeth Plank Harfe

Following her solo-debut at age 17 at the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the young Austrian harpist Elisabeth Plank has established herself as an internationally sought-after soloist and ambassador for her instrument. Since the 2019/20 season she has been artist-in-residence of Wiener Konzerthaus as part of the "Great Talent"-series.

She has performed in renowned concert halls and festivals such as Musikverein Wien, Philharmony Kharkiv, Konzertsaal Gasteig, Musikverein Graz, MDR Musiksommer, and she regularly tours in Japan and South America. As a soloist, Elisabeth Plank has appeared with orchestras such as Camerata Bohemica Prag, Thüringer Symphoniker, NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra or Barockensemble der Wiener Symphoniker.

Her critically acclaimed debut recording "L'arpa notturna" (ARS Produktion), was released in 2017: "a thoughtful and beautifully played disc [...] Plank has a real command of light and shade. She's adept at creating musical perspective" (Gramophone Magazine). In September 2018 Elisabeth Plank has recorded the harp concerto by G. C. Wagenseil with the Barockensemble der Wiener Symphoniker. She has released her second solo album "1825 - Echoes of Vienna on Historical Harp" in May 2019 with Gramola.

A prizewinner in a number of international competitions in Germany, Austria, Italy and Japan (e.g. Musica Juventutis, Internationaler Reinl-Wettbewerb, Osaka International Music Competition), Elisabeth Plank was honoured with the "Young Celebrity Master"-award of "HarpMasters" in Switzerland in 2014.

Born in Vienna in 1991, she had her first lesson at age seven and, only two years later, she was accepted as a preparatory course student at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Starting from 2009, Elisabeth Plank has been under the tuition of Adelheid Blovsky-Miller and has concluded her studies in June 2015 with the highest distinction. In further studies she worked with Mirjam Schröder in Vienna and Fabrice Pierre in Brescia.

As a very eager performer and promoter of contemporary music, Elisabeth Plank is dedicated to also presenting her instrument outside the romantic repertoire it is most commonly associated with. Harp concertos and solo pieces have been composed for her by Andreas Wykydal, Onur Dülger, Arturo Fuentes, Lucio Bruno-Videla and Margareta Ferek-Petric.

The 2019/20 season has been Elisabeth Plank's first season as "Great Talent" of Wiener Konzerthaus, further highlights include performances at MDR Musiksommer, for Música en el MNAD Buenos Aires or at Musikverein Wien for the celebrations of its 150th jubilee. Highlights of the current season include a portrait concert as part of the series “Kovacics Entdeckungen”, concerts as a soloist with orchestras such as Wiener KammerOrchester, as well as her debuts at the MuTh Vienna and Konzerthaus Berlin.

Elisabeth Plank performs on a harp by Lyon & Healy as well as a double-action harp from 1825, made by Érard and restored by Rainer M. Thurau.