Masumi Nagasawa is a versatile, internationally-known harpist. She was born in Tokyo, Japan but spent much of her childhood and early education in the Netherlands. Besides her broad harp repertoire of classical and modern music, she is an expert on the 18th and 19th-century harp practice, giving master classes in conservatories and universities all over the world. She received her PhD degree from the University of Leeds, England, in 2018., under the guidance of Professor Clive Brown. Currently, she teaches both double and single-action pedal harp at the University of Music in Detmold, Germany as a regular guest teacher. She is also active as a researcher for the Japanese Ancient Harp, Kugo.
Masumi studied harp with Phia Berghout in the Maastricht Conservatory, receiving her orchestra and solo diploma cum laude. She was also awarded Prix d’ Excellence in the Netherlands and the Muramatsu Music Prize Grand Prix in Japan. Since then, she has been invited to many International Festivals, such as the Kuhmo International Chamber Music Festival, the Salzburg Music Festival, the Geneva Music Festival, the Ittinger Pfingstkonzerte and the Torino Milano Festival Internazionale della Musica.
On the single-action pedal harp, she has performed with the Academy of Ancient Music, the Freiburger Baroque Orchestra, the Balthasar-Neuman Ensemble, the Kammerorchester Basel, the Orchestra La Scintilla and the Netherlands Bach Society.
She has also been invited as a jury member for numerous International Harp competitions, including the Concours de harpe Lily Laskine in Paris.
Alongside her concert appearances, she composes and arranges music for the harp that has been published as well.
More than 20 CD recordings are released on labels such as Toshiba EMI Japan, Etcetera, Channel Classics, Globe, Ars and recently by BIS.
Research paper: Understanding the characteristics of the single-action pedal harp and their implications for the performing practice of its repertoire from 1760 to 1830
Publication: Bärenreiter Urtext / L.Spohr Fantasie c-moll für Harfe op. 35 ( BA 10954)
Masterclasses:
Detmold Hochschule für Musik (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020,
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Mozarteum, Salzburg (2017, 2020, 2021, 2022)
Norwegian Academy of Music (2017, 2018)
The University of Sydney (2018)
Conservatorium van Amsterdam (2017, 2018, 2022)
Codarts Rotterdam (2017)
ArtEZ Conservatorium (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024)
Prins Claus Conservatorium (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Guildhall School of Music, London (2019, 2023)
Royal Academy of Music, London (2020)
Royal Conservatory Birmingham (2023)
Royal Northern College Manchester (2023)
Chetham’s School of Music (2023)
University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna ( 2023)
Prague Conservatory ( 2023)
Conservatoire royal de Liege (2024)
Royal Conservatoire Antwerp (2024)
Lübeck Academy of Music (2024)