Olga Erdely April 1, 1927 – October 2, 2015
Olga Erdely, Russia’s foremost harpist and Moscow Conservatory Professor for 45 years, died on October 2, 2015, at the age of 88. A funeral service was held at the Small Hall of the Moscow Conservatory on October 5.
Erdely was a prominent representative of Russian musical culture as a “People’s Artist of Russia,” a national and international award winner, and a soloist at the USSR State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra for 40 years. She recorded more than 90 works for Soviet Radio and premiered many harp works by Russian and foreign composers. Erdely was the niece and student of Ksenia Alexandrovna Erdely (1878-1971), who is credited as the editor of Gliere’s Harp Concerto.
Since her 1963 invitation to the Moscow Conservatory faculty, Erdely trained many harpists who have become accomplished orchestra soloists, international award winners, and teachers around the world including: Zhen Yun (China), Irina Kotkina (Germany), Anna Ponomarenko and Stania Ramesova (Czech Republic), Irina Krapukhina (Switzerland), Galina Dykhnenko (now soloist at the Russian State Symphony Orchestra), and Yulia Komarova (Russian Helikon Opera).
“A musician with a brilliant technique, a refined taste, and a great artistic charisma, [Olga] Erdely was and will remain a prominent Russian harpist, whose beautiful art has gained a broad recognition in Russia and worldwide,” says Tatiana Erdely, daughter of Olga Erdely.
