About Kristina

Kristina Slodki has been studying with Juno-nominated Ottawa Symphony Orchestra harpist Caroline Leonardelli since age 9.  

In August 2010 and 2011, Kristina was accepted on scholarship to participate in the Saratoga Harp Colony summer session in Saratoga Springs New York, where she received private instruction and participated in masterclasses by accomplished harpists Elizabeth Hainen (Philadelphia), Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche (Nice), Judy Loman (Toronto), Kimberly Rowe (Philadelphia) and Nancy Lendrim (Toledo). In August 2012, she was accepted to participate in the Harp Masters international program in Switzerland under the tutelage of Milda Agazarian (Moscow), Mara Galassi (Milan), Skaila Kanga (London), Maria Krushevskaya (Moscow), Carrol McLaughlin (Tucson), and Karen Vaughan (London).

Awards

  • Ontario Music Festivals Association Provincial Competition : First place for Grade 10 Pedal Harp (2012, 2013) 
  • ​Kiwanis Music Festival (KMF) - National Capital Region: First place for Grade 10 Pedal Harp (2012, 2013) 
  • Winner of the Marion Dempsey Trophy for best musicianship in harp (KMF, 2012) 
  • Excellence in Senior Harp Ensemble of the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy (2010, 2011) 
  • Royal Conservatory of Music’s Silver Medal for achieving the highest result in all of Ontario and Quebec for the Grade 8 harp exam (2009) 
  • Ottawa West Junior Music Club annual awards (2006, 2007, 2009) 
  • Excellence in Grade 3 Harmony at the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy (2007) 
  • First place scholarship in composition at the Canadian Music Showcase (2006)

Solo Performances

In July 2013, Kristina was featured in the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival’s Rising Stars concert, and participated in promotional events on CBC Radio. She has performed concerts in the past, including two concerts in her “1 Girl, 47 Strings” series, featuring members of the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra, and “Christmas in Many Lands", a Christmas concert featuring Christmas music from around the world. 

In addition to regular solo performances at the Ottawa West Junior Music Club, Kristina also performs at weddings, funerals, fundraisers, and private events in the Ottawa, Gatineau and Montreal areas, both on her own and in collaboration with other musicians. She has also donated musical performances for organizations such as the Queensway Carleton Hospital, The Ottawa Food Bank, Villa Marconi nursing home and various churches. 

Harp Ensembles

Kristina was a member of the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy's harp ensemble under the direction of Caroline Leonardelli from 2004 to 2012. This group performs regularly throughout the city. Performances have included preconcert showcases at both the National Arts Centre and Ben Franklin Theatre.  

In August 2010 and 2011, Kristina was a member of the Saratoga Harp Colony Harp Ensemble, which presented public performances in Saratoga Springs, New York.

 

Orchestral Experience

Kristina has had extensive experience as an orchestral musician, which began in 2007 with the Ottawa Junior Youth Orchestra. In 2009, she became principal harpist of the Ottawa Youth Orchestra, a position which she held until 2012 and which included a concert tour of Italy in 2011 and a joint performance with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra at the National Arts Centre in 2012. Kristina was principal harpist of the University of Ottawa Orchestra until 2014. She was invited as a high school student into this position by the conductor, David Currie. She is currently principal harpist of the Ottawa Pops Orchestra. She has also had orchestral engagements with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, University of Ottawa Wind Ensemble, the Calixa-Lavalée Choir, the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra, the Ottawa Summer Strings Orchestra, l'Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de l'Outaouais, the Saarland Youth Symphony Orchestra from Germany, the Ottawa Symphonic Ensemble and the National Concert Band/Denis Wick Canadian Wind Orchestra.