Competitions › Concours Français de la Harpe

Concours Français de la Harpe

France

Next edition

Edition: 2027
Registration deadline: 2027-01-25
Fee: EUR 45 (levels 1-4), 50 (levels 5-8), 60 (levels 9-11), 70 (Excellence), per level

Overview

The Concours Français de la Harpe is an open French harp competition with graded levels from 1 to 11 plus an Excellence level, so harpists of all ages and abilities can compete. All programmes are played from memory and public events accompany the contest.

Organiser: Marie-Monique Popesco and Véronique Chenuet
Instruments: Harp
Category: Solo harp
Age limits: No age limit; open to harpists of all nationalities

Rules & repertoire

Registration & fee

All nationalities, no age cap. Register online by 25 January 2027, subject to space. Excellence video is due before 18 January. Each level is paid separately: 1–4 €45, 5–8 €50, 9–11 €60, Excellence €70. Fees are refundable only if cancelled by organizers. A unanimous first prize requires moving up the following year. If entering two levels, only the best result counts for the award.
The 2027 form asks for contact data, nationality, birth date, level, selected repertoire, harp brand and optional model details. It links online payment and does not list recommendation letters.

Rounds & time limits

Levels 1–4 · prescribed selections

Level 1: Grandjany The See-Saw or Little Waltz No. 12. Level 2: Siterre La sirène or traditional While by My Sheep. Level 3: Holy Dolly’s Dance or Challan Jeux d’enfants au Petit Trianon. Level 4: Popesco Matinales Nos. 3 and 4 or O’er the Sea to Skye and Across the Water to Llanstephan’s Beach, without da capo.

Levels 5–8 · prescribed selections

Level 5: Challan Cascatelle on lever harp; on pedal harp choose Bochsa Étude No. 2 or Renié Danse d’autrefois. Level 6: Godefroid Le désir or Snoer Valse caprice Op. 99. Level 7: Hasselmans Aubade or Séverac Valse romantique. Level 8: Andrès Rumba or Glinka Nocturne La séparation.

Levels 9–11 · pools A and B

9 A: Thomas David of the White Rock or Renié Contemplation; B: Salzedo Chanson dans la nuit or Weiss/Shearing Lullaby of Birdland (Pool arrangement). 10 A: Posse E-flat Waltz or Pierné Impromptu-Caprice; B: Tournier La danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham or Jazz-Band. 11 A: Hindemith Sonata or Fauré Une châtelaine en sa tour; B: Posse Étude No. 7 or Paganini La caccia. At each level choose one from A and one from B. The PDF specifies editions.

Excellence · video preselection and live final

Record the required Henriette Renié Pièce symphonique (Leduc) before 18 January in one take without cuts or edits, via YouTube or a file link. For the final, play both Albert Zabel’s Concerto in C minor Op. 35 movement I (edition free) and Parish-Alvars La mandoline (Billaudot). Omit the video work. The dated 2027 repertoire sheet says 21 February in Limoges; the separate rules page has conflicting dates. Pianist provided or bring your own.

Repertoire

Public rounds. Play from memory. Available harps include Camac, Salvi and Lyon & Healy.

Source: Official general regulations · Official 2027 repertoire PDF page · Excellence video and final regulations · Registration and payment

Jury & prizes

Jury

Dominique Lacôte
Isabelle Perrin
Véronique Chenuet
Sylvain Blassel (2026 jury)

Prizes

Prizes from Camac (22-string Bardic harp or EUR 1,500 vouchers), the International Association of Harpists and Friends of the Harp, Instrumentarium and Magasin de la Harpe
Excellence winner invited to recitals at the next competition opening and the Festival Harpe en Avesnois

Past editions

Not published on the official pages we could check.

Summarised from official sources, last checked 14 Nov 2026. Main source