
About
"...special mention must be given to the NJSO’s harpist,
Tomina Parvanova, who […] elegantly showed how deftly
[John] Williams makes the harp a brief, but standout character."
The Hub
"...a first class professional harpist."
John Rutter
Bulgarian harpist Tomina Parvanova Lyden is one of the most sought-after musicians in the New York metropolitan area. Currently, the harpist of the hit Broadway revival Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Tomina has won the principal harp chair of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra for four seasons and has performed with such world-class orchestras as Boston Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, The Baltimore Symphony, Boston Ballet, American Symphony and Louisiana Philharmonic. Past Broadway credits include: Soft Power (Original cast recording GRAMMY NOMINEE), We're Only Alive For A Short Amount Of Time, as well as substitute musician for Paradise Square, Carousel, Hello Dolly! and The Fantasticks.
As a soloist, Tomina has performed with New York Repertory Orchestra, Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra (Bulgaria) and The Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble.
In 2011, Tomina 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, Renée Fleming, Diana Krall, Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters. 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 The Boston Conservatory. Her primary teachers include Ann Hobson Pilot, Cynthia Price Glynn, Ursula Holliger, Malina Hristova and Kohar Andonian.