Harpist Tomina Parvanova Lyden is a Bulgarian-born musician based in the New York metropolitan area whose career reflects an exceptional versatility across orchestral, theatrical, solo and chamber music performance. Equally at home on the concert stage and in the Broadway pit, she is recognized for her expressive artistry, technical command, and commitment to both traditional and contemporary repertoire.
Tomina maintains a significant presence on Broadway, where she regularly performs and has served as principal harpist on three Grammy-nominated productions: Gypsy, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Soft Power. Her Broadway work also includes a featured appearance at the 76th Annual Tony Awards, and since 2015, she has been a regular performer with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra, holding the principal harp chair for multiple seasons.
In addition to her work in the theater, Tomina is an active orchestral musician and has appeared with major ensembles including The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, New York City Ballet Orchestra, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She performs regularly with the New Jersey Symphony and with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the tri-state area. She is also a member of the NOVUS Ensemble at Trinity Church Wall Street, an ensemble dedicated to innovative programming and contemporary music.
As a soloist, Tomina has performed with the New York Repertory Orchestra, the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra (Bulgaria), and The Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble. A former harp fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, she has performed under the direction of distinguished conductors such as Jaap van Zweden, Kurt Masur, and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, and worked closely with Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Charles Wuorinen. Her career has also included collaborations with artists across genres, sharing the stage with Audra McDonald, Andrea Bocelli, Diana Krall, and Ellie Goulding.
A strong advocate for contemporary music, Tomina has collaborated with leading new-music ensembles including Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), Random Access Music, Sound Icon, and Ludovico Ensemble, and participated in the New York Institute & Festival for Contemporary Performance for two seasons. She has premiered new works with the NOVUS Ensemble and as part of the Prototype Festival, contributing to the expansion of the harp’s role in modern concert and opera repertoire. She has recorded for labels such as Ghostlight Records, Warner Music Group, Albany Records, and BMOP/Sound.
Tomina’s achievements have been recognized through numerous awards, including Second Prize at the USA International Music Competition for Strings in Boston, MA (2010) and First Prize at the Young Virtuoso International Music Competition in Sofia, Bulgaria (2004). She is a two-time recipient of the AHS Boston Chapter Ann Hobson Pilot Scholarship and was selected to perform in the 9th World Harp Congress Focus on Youth concerts in Dublin.
Born in Bulgaria, Tomina pursued her advanced musical training in the United States. While studying in Boston, she served as principal harpist with the New England Philharmonic Orchestra and the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, and performed as a substitute harpist with Boston Ballet and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. She holds a Master of Music in Harp Performance from Boston University College of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Music from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Her principal teachers include Ann Hobson Pilot, Cynthia Price-Glynn, Ursula Holliger, Malina Hristova, and Kohar Andonian.