Shamim Minoo, Harp
, Happy Flâneries

Shamim Minoo began studying the harp and singing at the age of six in Iran, her native country, and is the first member of her family to pursue a career in music. From an early age, she performed with several national orchestras, including the Iran Youth Orchestra, where she performed Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp. She has also performed with the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Iran, and the Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 2018, she was unanimously awarded First Prize in the Excellence category at the French Harp Competition, which led to her giving recitals the following year in Limoges and Paris. In 2020, she continued her studies at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional (CRR) in Paris with Ghislaine Petit-Volta, before enrolling at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), where she earned her bachelor’s degree with the highest distinction, a unanimous “Très Bien” with honors from the jury, and is currently completing her final year of her master’s degree with Isabelle Moretti and Geneviève Létang.

In 2024, Shamim performed solo recitals throughout Italy and France, including notable appearances at the Harpissima event and the Camac Music Festival. She also received the Rossetti Prize, which enabled her to perform Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Concertino for Harp and Orchestra with the Nuovo Orchestra Scarlatti in Italy. During the summer of 2024, Shamim received a full scholarship to the Aspen Music Festival, where she studied and performed alongside Nancy Allen, gaining valuable experience. During her time there, she had the opportunity to perform with several renowned musicians, including Roderick Cox and Robert Spano.

Shamim won the Gold Medal and the Renié Prize at the 13th edition of the U.S. International Harp Competition (2025). Prior to that, she won First Prize at the Szeged International Harp Competition (under-25 category) in Hungary (2022) and First Prize at the Suoni d’Arpa Competition (Category C) in Italy (2023). She has also performed at the Philharmonie de Paris with the Conservatory Orchestra, conducted by Kirill Karabits, Lionel Bringuier, and Frank Strobel, and with the Ensemble Intercontemporain at the Cité de la Musique, conducted by Pierre Bleuse.
Shamim was named a laureate of the 2026 Escapades Revelation Prize, the Fondation de France (Monique Rollin Prize, 2024 and 2025), the Kriegelstein Foundation, Société Générale (2025 and 2026), Safran (2024 and 2026), and the Académie de Villecroze.

Shamim has been recognized by *Harp Column* magazine for “the resilience and depth that characterize her artistry.” She continues to inspire audiences around the world with her expressive performances.
After winning the USA International Harp Competition, she has performed as a soloist in France, Italy, Spain, China, and Hong Kong. She also served on the jury for the 2026 Salvi Wuxi Harp Competition in China.

Source: shamimminoo.com