A young woman with dark hair and bangs, wearing a black spaghetti strap top, is standing in front of a colorful wall decorated with butterflies and flowers. She is looking down with her eyes closed.
“An augmented harpist”
— La Tribune de Genève

Bio + Photos

EPK

Helena Ricci is forging her own path as a creative, forward-thinking classical musician. The Swiss-born, London-based harpist fuses the harp with visuals to create immersive, dream-like experiences. As a composer, she is currently working on the OST for the video game Mercantisle.

A free spirit, Helena Ricci deliberately chose to forge a path outside the traditional competition circuit to pursue her own vision. Her MUSILUX creative lab invites audiences to (re)discover classical music in a new light, in and outside the concert hall.

A person wearing a black long-sleeve top and cream-colored shorts holds a large framed painting of flowers and birds in front of their face, obscuring their identity.
“Fast becoming a leading harpist of her generation”
— Richard Wintour, Friend of the Wigmore Hall

Ricci is a current Immersive Arts awardee. Last season her solo show Glow in the Dark it up Manchester’s Stoller Hall and Harrogate International Festivals. Her current show ANIMA, created at the Verbier Festival Academy and featured on Swiss national television, accompanies her debut solo album to be released in 2026.

“A unique visual experience. [...] Eyes and ears are transported. The audience is enraptured.”
— RTS Radio Télévision Suisse

A recipient of multiple awards, Ricci has performed for HM The King, at the Royal Opera House, Wigmore Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, LSO St Luke’s, St George’s Bristol, for the London Symphony Orchestra Discovery and in the West End.

Awards

  • Making Music Recommended Artist (2024-27)

    Verbier Festival Academy: Creative Project Development Residency (2024)

    The Stoller Hall Emerging Artist (2023-24)

    City Music Foundation Artist (2022 onwards)

    The Hattori Foundation Senior Awards (2022-23)

    The UK Harp Association Creative Fund (2022)

    DEBUT Horizon Artist (2022-23)

    The Nicholas Boas Charitable Trust (2022)

    Guildhall Creative Entrepreneurs Certificate (2020)

    The University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna: Tuning in! (2019-20)

    Master of Music with Distinction, Guildhall School of Music & Drama (2019)

    HMUK Postgraduate Award (2018 + 2019)

    Guildhall Harp Prize – Special Prize (2019)

    Bachelor of Music with Honours 1st Class, Guildhall School of Music & Drama (2018)

    Barbara Stringer Scholar (2018)

    Henry Wood Trust (2018)

    Chizel Educational Trust (2017)

    Kathleen Trust (2016)

    Irène Dénéréaz Fondation Awards (2014 + 2015)

    Paderewski Award (2014)

    SUISA Foundation Award (2013)

    1 st prize at the Swiss Youth Competition (2013)

  • Immersive Arts ‘Explore’ Grant (2026)

    Arts Council England: Develop Your Creative Practice (2024)

    New Diorama Theatre Broadgate: Research & Development Artistic residency (2022)

    Deutsche Grammophon Roger & Brian Eno’s “Mixing Colours” – winning video for “Cerulean blue” (2020)

    Transport for London Car-free photography competition (2020)

PRESS

Polaroids by Nikita Thévoz