“…an exceptional soloist, harpist Anna Maria Mendieta, was even more impressive. A charismatic player, she ranged through her instrument: exquisite, finger flicked dustings up and across the strings; or guitar-like strums, crisp and percussive; or rich-blooded low notes or brilliant high ones. The interwoven sound of Mendieta and the orchestra was luminous…”
– Richard Scheinin, San Jose Mercury News. The review was selected by the League of American Orchestras to be featured and shared with the world.
Global Music Award winner Anna Maria Mendieta proved the impossible and made history offering her harp as a new voice for Argentine Tango. Her recent album Tango Del Cielo featuring Tango & Flamenco with harp and orchestra won several international awards and reached #2 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Chart. Ms. Mendieta is the winner of four Global Music Awards, three Clouzine International Music Awards, two Fox Music USA Latin Music Awards, two LIT International Music Awards, among others. She continues to gain international attention with her groundbreaking vision.
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American harpist Anna Maria Mendieta enjoys a busy career as a soloist, orchestral musician, recording artist and teacher. She is the principal harpist with the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera and has performed with many symphony orchestras and chamber music groups in the United States and abroad including the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera & Ballet, Russian National Orchestra, and Russian State Ballet.
Ms. Mendieta is often featured performing the harp concerti of Joaquin Rodrigo as well as special tango arrangements created for her for harp & orchestra. She has received international recognition as a pioneer and “exceptional soloist” by the League of American Orchestras for her premiere of the tango music of Astor Piazzolla making history with the unique programming and use of harp in this musical style. Her Harp-Tango project “Tango Del Cielo” (Tango of Heaven) has become an award-winning international touring show, an award-winning album and the focus of a documentary film. The show was featured at the 2019 World Tango Festival in Victoria, Canada.
As an advocate of contemporary music, Ms. Mendieta previously served a long tenure as the principal harpist with the nationally acclaimed Women’s Philharmonic. She was also the featured instrumentalist for several seasons with Theater Flamenco of San Francisco. A frequent winner of the San Francisco Symphony’s Adventures in Music program, she continues to perform innovative outreach programs for the San Francisco Symphony. Ms. Mendieta has performed for motion pictures, television, and national radio.
Collaboration
Multi-Grammy Award winners Jorge Calandrelli, Pablo Ziegler and Daniel Binelli, experts of the tango music of Astor Piazzolla, have composed music and arrangements for Anna Maria. This music is featured on her latest album produced at Skywalker Sound as the first album of its kind of Argentine Tango music for harp & orchestra. She was thrilled to work with multi-Grammy nominee Jeremy Cohen, who is co-producer, arranger and violin soloist on the album. Her latest collaboration has been with multi-Grammy Award winner Claudia Montero for a commissioned work for harp and orchestra.
Discography
Ms. Mendieta’s most recent album Tango Del Cielo (Tango of Heaven) reached #2 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Chart and has won many international awards for the album and the accompanying music videos including four Global Music Awards, three Clouzine International Music Awards for Best Classical Crossover Album and Best Music Video (Libertango & Oblivion) and others. Anna Maria has participated on many recording projects and for movie soundtracks at Lucasfilm/Disney’s Skywalker Sound. The National Geographic Society had Ms. Mendieta as a featured soloist representing the music of Spain on their album “Serenity – Songs of Peace and Enlightenment”. Ms. Mendieta was a signed artist for many years with the Sugo Music Record label with successful releases of several albums.
Education
Ms. Mendieta began studying the harp at the age of seven at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with Israeli harpist Efrat Zaklad. She continued her studies with Marjorie Chauvel and received her degree in music with honors from Notre Dame de Namur University, where she later served on the faculty. Extensive private study followed with San Francisco Symphony harpist Doug Rioth and renowned harp teacher Alice Chalifoux (famous protege of 20th century harpist Carlos Salzedo) at the Salzedo Harp Colony in Camden, Maine.
Other Awards and Honors
In recognition of her Spanish heritage, Anna Maria was invited by the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to perform solo concerts for National Hispanic Week in Washington D.C. She has been honored to perform for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, the King and Queen of Spain, President Bill Clinton, President Gorbachev, Secretaries of State Colin Powell and George Schultz. Ms. Mendieta has been featured by the American Harp Society to perform for their National Conference and in 2013 was awarded a special grant commission for a concerto to be composed for her. Ms. Mendieta is the only harpist to have twice received the “Matz Memorial Award” from by Lyon & Healy Harp Company. for “Outstanding Achievement”.
Celebrity Spotlight
Anna Maria enjoys performing concerts and shows with celebrity entertainers and is often given the spotlight. She has shared the stage with opera singer Frederica von Stade, performed with Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Frank Sinatra Jr., Johnny Mathis, Olivia Newton John, Fernando de la Mora, The Moody Blues, and song-writer/entertainer Barry Manilow who calls her his “favorite harpist”.
Harps
Ms. Mendieta performs on a Lyon & Healy Salzedo Concert Grand harp, a Lyon & Healy Gold Style #11, a custom Lyon & Healy Style #23, and a one of kind custom Horngacher Harp with the rare 8th pedal. She also enjoys performing on Salvi Harps while touring.