Albertina Chan

Albertina Chan is a versatile harpist, performing the traditional repertoire along with anything different and off-beat in and around her hometown of Vancouver. Her love of performing chamber music led to forming CORDEI. Notable performances for Albertina include Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp at a 2013 benefit concert for the Dalit Freedom Network of Canada, A Park Bench Play as part of Tom Cone’s 2012 Opera Project (involving the commissioning of 10-minute operas), the 2011 World Harp Congress, and the Vancouver Playhouse production of The Fantasticks. The Patrick Street Productions of The Light in the Piazza garnered the quintet of musicians the Jessie Award for Significant Artistic Achievement.

In the contemporary realm, Albertina maintains an active presence. She has performed concerts with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony at the Annex Series, Turning Point Ensemble, Music on Main, Erato Ensemble, and in the Canadian premieres of John Adams “El Niño” (with the VSO, the Vancouver Bach Choir, and the Vancouver Bach Children’s Choir) and “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses” with the Vancouver Film Orchestra and the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Also active in the classical realm, Albertina performs as an extra musician with the VSO, and has performed in the back-up orchestras of touring artists such The Canadian Tenors and Idina Menzel.

Sometimes a musician’s path veers a little, in the manner of a jazz improvisation. Albertina took a unique path to her current career and earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery (University of Toronto) after receiving her Master of Music with Judy Loman at the University of Toronto, and her Bachelor of Music with Jennifer Swartz at McGill University. Previously, she studied in Vancouver with Rita Costanzi and Elizabeth Volpe. Albertina was a recipient of the Anne Adams Award and the 3rd prize winner in the Young Professional Division of the American Harp Society Competition. She was principal harpist for both the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and the National Repertory Orchestra (USA) where she was also a featured concerto soloist Debussy’s “Dances Sacree et Profane”. Offstage, Albertina enjoys painting, making jewellery, watching Broadway musicals, and sampling chocolate.

This page was last updated in November 2018.