Lavinia Meijer

The versatile harpist Lavinia Meijer has an affinity for music that allows her instrument to cross from classical to pop and easy listening. Her transcriptions are captivating; her harp rendition of Philip Glass’ Metamorphosis suite, which received the celebrated composer’s imprimatur, has proved popular on video and in live performance. Meijer recorded it for her 2012 all-Glass album, also featuring selections from the Oscar-nominated score for The Hours (2002). Born in 1983 in South Korea, Meijer grew up in the Netherlands with her adoptive parents and started playing the harp at nine. She earned a master’s degree from the Amsterdam Conservatory in 2005. Though her 2004 debut album, 1685, features music by Handel, Bach and Scarlatti, Meijer rose to popularity with arrangements of music by crossover composers Ludovico Einaudi and Yann Tiersen (selections from the 2001 film Amélie), and famous pieces by Debussy and Satie. She returned to Glass for The Glass Effect (2016), in celebration of his 80th birthday. The 2022 album Are You Still Somewhere? showcases Meijer as a composer herself and includes a collaboration with punk pioneer Iggy Pop.