Natalia Shamayeva

Virtuoso soloist, valued orchestral harpist, author, pedagogue, jurist, entrepreneur, and a champion for the harp, Russian harpist Natalia Shameyeva wears many hats and wears them all well.

Ms. Shameyeva’s prodigious talents were recognized when she was very young and she was chosen to study at the Gnessins Musical School from an early age. On completion of her courses there she was given the great privilege of continuing her studies at the Moscow Conservatory with the legendary harpist, Vera Dulova. During these post graduate years she participated in competitions, (1965, International Competition in Israel, 3rd prize; 1969, International Competition in USA, 1st Prize; 1963, All Union (Soviet) Competition of orchestral musicians, 2nd prize and the title of laureate.)

Always interested in teaching, she was the assistant to Vera Dulova at the Moscow Conservatory and teacher at the  Gnessins Special Musical School.  At present she is Harp Professor at the Gnessin’s Russian Academy of Music.

In 1970 she became Principal Harpist with the Bolshoi Theatre, a position that earned her the admiration and respect of her fellow musicians and the Russian public.   Throughout her orchestral and teaching career, Ms. Shameyeva has kept up her interest in performing the solo harp repertoire and championing the compositions for harp of Russian composers.  Now retired from the Bolshoi Theatre, she has been an honoured guest artist at several World harp Congresses, performed throughout the world as harp soloist and given master classes in Japan, Italy, USA, Holland, Great Britain and China.

Not content to just play and teach, she is a driving force behind The Vera Dulova International Harp Competition and has been jurist for many national and international harp competitions. Her dedication to the furtherance of appreciation for the harp has led to her being elected to the Board of Directors of The World Harp Congress.  Ms. Shameyeva holds the title Honored Artist of Russia.