Skaila Kanga

Skaila Kanga

Skaila Kanga (born in India) is a harpist and Professor Emerita of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music in London.[1] After winning a Junior Exhibition to the Royal Academy of Music for piano, she switched to harp studies at age 17. She studied with Tina Bonifacio, Sir Thomas Beecham's harpist in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Early career

Skaila began with the BBC Concert Orchestra, after which she went on to freelance with many London orchestras under such conductors as André Previn, Sir Georg Solti, Otto Klemperer, Evgeny Svetlanov, Simon Rattle, Sir Adrian Boult, Rudolf Kempe, Carlo Maria Giulini, Pierre Monteux, Bernard Haitink, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez and Daniel Barenboim.[2]

Solo career

Skaila's solo career has included many performances of concertos and broadcasts in the realms of records, films and television. She has worked for musical artists such as John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Michel Legrand, James Horner, Pat Metheny, Michael Nyman, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Barbara Hendricks, Kiri Te Kanawa, Richard Rodney Bennett and many others.[3]

In 1977, Tommy Reilly and Skaila formed a duo for harmonica and harp which lasted 22 years. They performed in concert and on television throughout Britain, Europe and South America, recording on the Chandos Records, the label for whom Skaila also recorded all the major French chamber music repertoire with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, as well as Mozart's Concerto for flute and harp with Susan Milan, Richard Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia.[4]

Session musician

Kanga has been active as a session musician in many other musical genres. She has worked with artists such as Elton John, The Beatles, James Taylor, Pat Metheny, Chris de Burgh, Sumi Jo, James Galway, Roy Harper, Joni Mitchell and The Mission.

Awards

Recent activity

References

  1. ^ "Skaila Kanga". Royal Academy of Music. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Skaila Kanga". harpmasters.com. Harp Masters. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Skaila Kanga". naxos.com. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  4. ^ Mozart, Salieri, Susan Milan, Skaila Kanga, David Theodore, City Of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox – Flute And Harp Concerto K299 (297c) - Oboe Concerto K271k - Flute And Oboe Concerto (1992, CD), 1992, retrieved 21 June 2021
  5. ^ "Skaila Kanga". Royal Academy of Music. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Skaila Kanga". Royal Academy of Music. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  7. ^ "USA International Harp Competition". USA International Harp Competition. Retrieved 21 June 2021.