Giulia Azzurra Rettore is an Italian harpist, born in Padova in 1984 and now living in Vicenza. Since 2006 she enjoys working as a chamber, soloist and orchestral harpist in many different groups, ensembles, orchestras. She is also fortunate enough to have experimented many other musical genres such as celtic and folk music, jazz, pop and movies’ music.
She has performed as a solo and chamber musician in prestigious halls in the UK, Italy, Switzerland and Romania, such as: Queen Elizabeth Hall (London), London Coliseum (English National Opera), Piccolo Teatro Regio (Torino), Teatro Malibran (Venezia), Sala Filarmonica (Trento), Auditorium Pollini (Padova), Gallerie di Palazzo Leoni Montanari (Vicenza), Auditorium san Barnaba (Brescia) in Italy, Odeon Thetre in Bucarest (Romania). In 2020 her first chamber music album appeared for the label Da Vinci Edition: “Six Nocturnes for violin and harp” by Bochsa-Kreutzer playing in duo with the Italian violinist David Scaroni. In 2012 she has premiered and recorded the piece “Silenzio” for prepared harp by Simone Spagnolo, composed for Cage’s celebration at London’s ENO. In 2013 she premiered “Le tavole del peccato” for flute, sax and harp by the same composer and in 2021 “Gimnopedia rapsodica” for piccolo, flute, two harps, celesta and speaking voice. In 2015 she premiered “La Cantata della Creazione” by Pierangelo Valtinoni for oboe, cello, harp, organ and choir and in 2017 she recorded the piece “Annunciazione” by Mario Lanaro with the Italian Chamber Group “Ensemble Musagete” and “Polifonici Vicentini” choir. She is also proud of being part of the last album of the Italian pop singer “Cli”.
In 2008 she has won the first prize as a solo harpist at XXIII International Competition Giovani Talenti “Città di san Bartolomeo al mare” (IM) in Italy and in 2009 she has been awarded with a special scholarship by Rotary Club-Associazione Soldano for the best students in Brescia Conservatoire. She always gained prizes when playing in National and International Chamber Music Contests, especially in duo with the violin and in a quintet ensemble (flute, violin, viola, cello and harp), such as first pize at “Città di Maccagno Competition 2010”. With this duo she had also attended one year course at the International School of “Trio di Trieste”, in the class of “Trio di Parma”.
She has performed with some of the major North-Italian orchestras: Solisti Veneti, I Virtuosi Italiani, Orchestra di Ferrara, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, I Pomeriggi Musicali (Milano), Orchestra Filarmonia Veneta, Orchestra delle Venezie, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo, working under the baton of Ramon Tebar, Claudio Scimone, Ed Gardner, Romolo Gessi, Tiziano Severini and many others.
Giulia did her Italian harp diploma with full marks with Anna Loro at Brescia Conservatoire in Italy and completed her master studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, with Gabriella Dall’Olio, for 2011-12 with a Trinity Laban Scholarship. She attended many harp masterclasses and summer courses with Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche, Letizia Belmondo, Cristina Bianchi, David Watkins, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Fabrice Pierre, Sylvain Blassel, Willy Potsma, Sioned Williams, Lucy Wakeford, Margherita Bassani, Francesca Tirale amongst the others.
Alongside her performing career she now enjoys teaching harp at “Liceo Musicale Montanari” in the beautiful city of Verona and she gives monthly masterclasses at “Malipiero” musical Institute in Padova. Since 2014 she is Harp Section Professor for the junior orchestra “Giovani Musicisti Veneti”.