Gulnara Mashurova

Gulnara Mashurova was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She started piano studies at the age of six and by age nine was chosen to study harp at the Pre Moscow Conservatory with Natalia Sibor. From 1991 to 1993 she studied with Vera Dulova at the Moscow Conservatory. Gulnara received a Bachelor and Master's degree in Harp Performance from the Juilliard School as a Jerome Green full scholarship recipient studying under Nancy Allen, Principal Harpist of the New York Philharmonic. She received her second Master’s in Orchestra Performance with a full scholarship from the Manhattan School of Music studying under Deborah Hoffman, former Principal Harpist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Gulnara was a regular substitute with the New York Philharmonic both in live performances and recordings and has toured extensively with the Orchestra. She has performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sospeso Contemporary Ensemble, Absolute Ensemble, Stamford Symphony, Empire State Opera and Silkroad, the organization founded by Yo-Yo Ma.

Gulnara can be heard on recordings with the New York Philharmonic, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Silkroad, NHK Japan and the Absolute Ensemble.

She has appeared as a soloist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Flagstaff Symphony and the Thailand Philharmonic. In 2006 and 2007, Gulnara travelled to her native Kazakhstan to promote harp repertoire by performing concertos, recitals and chamber music.

In 1994 she was a finalist in the World International Harp Competition in Wales, Cardiff. She has participated in the Pacific Music Festival, Norfolk Music Festival, Spoleto Festival, USA and Spoleto Festival, Italy.

In 2003, Gulnara joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as Principal Harpist and is on the faculty of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.

Gulnara performs on a Lyon and Healy Style 23 harp.

Gulnara currently lives in Singapore with her husband and son and is a Swiss Citizen.