Kristan Toczko – Newfoundland

harpist . teacher . @HarpistKT

Summer. Summer, it’s also the best season in Newfoundland where there are whales that can be viewed from shore, puffins, and icebergs! – Kristan

Kristan Toczko (@HarpistKT) is a virtuoso Canadian harpist and one of the most widely seen and heard classical musicians in the world. She has become a viral social media musician gaining over 4 million followers across social media, with her performances reaching hundreds of millions worldwide. Her debut album, Rock Echoes (2024), received widespread acclaim, remaining on the Billboard Classical Crossover charts for two consecutive weeks. She holds degrees from McGill and Yale Universities and has won major competitions in Canada and abroad, performing in acclaimed venues including Carnegie Hall. Kristan appeared as a soloist at multiple music festivals and has worked with world-renowned orchestras. She is also a Signature Artist at Musicnotes, where she publishes her harp arrangements. Kristan plays a Lyon & Healy 85CG pedal harp and a Salvi Delta C electric lever harp, and currently resides in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Harp Studies:

• McGill University: Jennifer Swartz
• Yale University: June Han
• Aspen Festival: Nancy Allen, Deborah Hoffman
• Private lessons: Judy Loman
• National Orchestral Institute: Elizabeth Hainen
• National Youth Orchestra of Canada: Heidi Krutzen
• Lucerne Festival Academy: Frédérique Cambreling Private Lessons for 8 years: Dorothy Brzezicki

Kristan is reshaping how audiences see and experience the harp. Through her online presence, she reaches people who might never have encountered the instrument at all, using the accessibility of social media platforms to expand its reach and introduce niche genres through her song covers. Her work blends classical with contemporary, showcasing the harp in a new light. By exploring genres rarely associated with the instrument – heavy metal, rock, video game music, film scores, and more – she challenges stereotypes and opens the door to new sounds.

A key part of her work is education. By showcasing the harp up close, answering questions, and explaining how the instrument works, Kristan has contributed to the growth of the harp community itself. Her educational content makes the instrument feel approachable, inspiring new players to begin their harp journey and helping audiences understand what the harp can truly do. This visibility has also supported the wider harp ecosystem – increasing interest in learning the instrument, encouraging people to hire harpists for events, and ultimately creating more opportunities for working musicians. Her transparency invites audiences to engage with the harp in ways they rarely experience in traditional settings.

Her dive into the world of electric harp has opened the door to new collaborations and sound possibilities. Through creative sound effects – distortion, overdrive, fuzz, and others – she showcases textures and colours rarely associated with the harp, expanding its expressive range and showing just how versatile, modern, and relatable the instrument can be.

Her growing online community has become part of that evolution, helping bring the harp to audiences who may never have encountered it otherwise.

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