Annual full scholarship from the Fondation de Luxembourg to harpist Isla Biffin
The harpist Isla Biffin, a Master's student at the Mozarteum University, has been awarded the 2024/25 annual scholarship from the Fondation Armand & Nicky Delvaux under the patronage of the Fondation de Luxembourg for her outstanding academic achievements. The scholarship is endowed with 20,000 euros. Our warmest congratulations!
The Fondation Armand & Nicky Delvaux was established by the Austrian-born founder in memory of her husband and supports medical research and education, humanitarian crises and environmental disasters, and helps needy and disadvantaged children, young people and the elderly. Since 2024, the foundation has also supported students at the Mozarteum University: the criteria for this are financial need and outstanding achievements of the nominated students; the decision was made by the university together with the Fondation Armand & Nicky Delvaux.
Isla Biffin was born in Armidale, Australia, in 2001. She began her harp studies in 2007 with Sayo and Sebastien Lipman in Brisbane and later with Jane Rosenson in Sydney. She has participated in masterclasses with renowned harpists such as Alice Giles (2012) and Marie-Pierre Langlamet (2021 and 2023). She has been principal harpist of the Australian Youth Orchestra since 2015 and principal harpist of the Opera Australia Orchestra since 2016. She has played in several youth orchestras including the Bellingen Youth Orchestra, the Armidale Youth Orchestra and the Victorian State Music Camp Orchestra, where she was awarded the Conductor's Award for Outstanding Performance. She has played with the Salzburg Wind Philharmonic Orchestra at the Salzburg Festival Theatre and has performed several times with the Mozarteum University Orchestra.
Isla regularly gives solo concerts in Australia and has won several international competitions as a solo harpist. In 2022 she won first prize at the International Reinl Competition in Vienna and in 2023 first prize at the Wales International Harp Festival in the concertmaster category. Also in 2023, she won first prize at the Melbourne Recital Centre's Great Romantic's Competition.
As a chamber musician, Isla has been selected several times for the Australian Youth Orchestra's Advanced Chamber Music Programme and plays in a chamber ensemble in Salzburg as a Live Music Now scholarship holder. In June 2024, Isla completed her Bachelor's degree at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg with top marks. Since October 2024, she has been continuing her master's degree with Stephen Fitzpatrick at the Mozarteum University Salzburg.
