MAXINE EILANDER
Seattle based harpist Maxine Eilander plays on a range of specialized early harps: the Italian triple strung harp, the Spanish cross-strung harp, the German 'Davidsharfe', the Welsh triple harp for which Handel wrote his harp concerto, and the classical single action pedal harp.
Maxine was born in The Netherlands and grew up in South Africa, where she earned her Bachelor of Music on the classical harp. Her special interest in early music led her to further study at the Hochschule für Kunste in Bremen, Germany, where she completed her post-graduate diploma in early harps and continuo practise. Since then she has appeared as a soloist with many leading ensembles including Teatro Lirico, Tragicomedia, Tafelmusik, The Toronto Consort, Les Voix Humaines, and Seattle Baroque. She has appeared around the world, playing continuo in productions of various baroque operas and chamber music. Maxine is managing director and harp instructor for the Seattle Academy of Opera, which she co founded with Stephen Stubbs, the organization's Artistic Director.
There is an increasing list of recordings featuring her as a soloist. She has just completed recording Handel's Harp, released on ATMA in 2009, with all of Handel's obligato music written for the harp, including his famous harp concerto, which she has also recorded with Tafelmusik (A Baroque Feast, Analekta, 2002). The 2008 release of William Lawes' Harp Consorts on ATMA has already garnered much favorable press, including five stars from Goldberg Magazine. Other recordings include: Sonata al Pizzico, a recording of Italian music for harp and baroque guitar with duo partner Stephen Stubbs (ATMA 2004), and Teatro Lirico released on the ECM label in 2006, Ayque si, Spanish 17th century music with Les Voix Humaines (ATMA, 2002), Scarlatti's oratorio Hagar and Ishmael, with Seattle Baroque (Centaur, 2003), and Monteverdi's Vespro della Beata Vergine, with Tragicomedia (ATMA, 2002), and 2005 Grammy nominated Conradi's Ariadne for the Boston Early Music Festival (CPO, 2005).