Heidi Krutzen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Heidi Krutzen is a harpist. She is the principal harpist for the Philharmonia Orchestra,[1] a member of the Turning Point Ensemble,[2] and a chamber musician and soloist. She is the former principal harp at the CBC Radio Orchestra[3] and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra.[4]
Krutzen joined the Philharmonia Orchestra as the principal harpist in 2015.[5] At the time, she was based in Vancouver and a member of three chamber music groups: the Krutzen/McGhee Duo, Trio Verlaine, and Couloir.[5] Since then, she has continued to perform with chamber groups, including Couloir and Trio Verlaine.[6][7]
Flutist Lorna McGhee and Krutzen met in 2001 as soloists at a concerto,[8] and in 2004 released the CD Taheke: 20th-Century Masterpieces for Flute and Harp as the Krutzen/McGhee Duo.[9] With the Turning Point Ensemble and mezzo-soprano Judith Forst, Krutzen released the CD Disasters of the Sun: Music of Barbara Pentland in 2006.[10] Trio Verlaine is composed of Krutzen, McGhee, and violist David Harding, and they released their first CD Fin de Siècle – Music of Debussy and Ravel in 2008,[11] and Six Departures in 2014.[12][13] Couloir formed in Vancouver in 2010, and consists of cellist Ariel Barnes and Krutzen.[14][15] Couloir released the CD Wine Dark Sea in 2013[16] and Maxwell, Muhly & Couloir in 2016.[17] Couloir was also featured on the 2019 album New Jewish Music Vol.2, with Krutzen and Barnes each performing as soloists.[18]
In a 2016 Bachtrack review of a Philharmonia performance of Orpheus, Dominic Lowe writes, "Heidi Krutzen's performance on the harp was technically excellent and emotionally touching."[19] In a 2016 review for The Arts Desk, David Nice writes, "The core of Orpheus is his dance-song for Hades' tormented inhabitants, a homage to Bach's cantatas and passions which is typically spare – perhaps the reprise shared between Jill Crowther's cor anglais and harpist Heidi Krutzen, the dominant colourist of the work, was even more ineffable than the initial duet for two oboes".[20]
A 2017 Bachtrack review by Mark Valencia of a Philharmonia performance includes, "Luke Whitehead's mellow contrabassoon and Heidi Krutzen's expressive harp playing were beacons along the way to the work's widescreen finale",[21] and a 2020 Bachtrack review by Cameron Kelsall of a Philharmonia performance states "Heidi Krutzen supplied gossamer chords on the harp."[22] In a 2022 Musical Opinion review of a Philharmonia performance, Edward Clark writes, "I choose to celebrate: Heidi Krutzen, harp; Elizabeth Burley, celeste; Samuel Coles, principal flute; the horn section and the vigorous cello principal, Karen Stephenson."[23]