About
Bulgarian harpist Tomina Parvanova Lyden is a sought-after musician in the New York metropolitan area. Most recently Tomina was the harpist of Broadway revival Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and has held the principal harp chair with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra for four seasons. Her extensive resume also includes performances at the 76th Annual Tony Awards, as well as appearances with renowned ensembles like the American Symphony, New York City Ballet, New Jersey Symphony, and Baltimore Symphony. Broadway credits span productions such as Soft Power, We're Only Alive For A Short Amount Of Time, and substitute musician for Paradise Square, Carousel, Hello Dolly!, and The Fantasticks.
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As a soloist, Tomina has performed with New York Repertory Orchestra, Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra (Bulgaria) and The Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble. She was a harp fellow at the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center where she performed under the baton of world-renowned conductors to include Jaap van Zweden, Kurt Masur, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, and worked closely with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Charles Wourinen. She has performed with artists such as Audra McDonald, Andrea Bocelli, Diana Krall and Ellie Goulding. Tomina has won multiple awards, including Second prize winner of the USA International Music Competition for Strings (2010, Boston, MA) and two-time winner of the AHS Boston Chapter "Ann Hobson Pilot Scholarship" (2010, 2011). She was chosen between candidates from all over the world to perform at the 9th World Harp Congress, Dublin "Focus on Youth" concerts (2005) and was a First prize winner of "Young Virtuoso" International Music Competition (2004, Sofia, Bulgaria).
While pursuing her studies in Boston, Tomina served as principal harpist with New England Philharmonic Orchestra, Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra and Longwood Symphony Orchestra. As a great collaborator in contemporary music, she has performed with new music groups including Random Access Music (RAM), Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Sound Icon, Ludovico Ensemble, and has taken part in the New York Institute & Festival for Contemporary Performance (IFCP -- 2014, 2015). She has recorded for labels such as Ghostlight Records, Warner Music Group, Albany Records and BMOP/Sound. Tomina holds a Masters Degree in Harp Performance from Boston University College of Fine Arts and a Bachelors Degree from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Her primary teachers include Ann Hobson Pilot, Cynthia Price Glynn, Ursula Holliger, Malina Hristova and Kohar Andonian.