Skaila Kanga

Skaila Kanga (born in India) is a harpist and is Head of Harp Studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London, England. After winning a Junior Exhibition to the Royal Academy of Music for piano, she switched to harp studies at age 17. She studied with Tina Bonifacio, Sir Thomas Beecham's harpist in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Early career

Skaila began with the BBC Concert Orchestra, after which she went on to freelance with many London orchestras under such conductors as André Previn, Sir Georg Solti, Otto Klemperer, Evgeny Svetlanov, Simon Rattle, Sir Adrian Boult, Rudolf Kempe, Carlo Maria Giulini, Pierre Monteux, Bernard Haitink, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez and Daniel Barenboim.

Solo career

Skaila's solo career has included many performances of concertos and broadcasts in the realms of records, films and television. She has worked for musical artists such as John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Michel Legrand, James Horner, Pat Metheny, Michael Nyman, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Barbara Hendricks, Kiri Te Kanawa, Richard Rodney Bennett and many others.

In 1977, Tommy Reilly and Skaila formed a duo for harmonica and harp which lasted 22 years. They performed in concert and on television throughout Britain, Europe and South America, recording on the Chandos Records, the label for whom Skaila also recorded all the major French chamber music repertoire with the Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, as well as Mozart's Concerto for flute and harp with Susan Milan, Richard Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia.

Session musician

Kanga has also been very active as a session musician in many other musical genres. She has worked with artists such as The Beatles, James Taylor, Pat Metheny, Sumi Jo, James Galway, Joni Mitchell, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Northern Line, Girl Thing, McFly, G4, Il Divo, Duel, Zizi Possi, Michael Civisca, Jose Cura, Slava, Robbie Williams, Westlife, Samantha Mumba, and Izzy Cooper. Paul McCartney, Boyzone, Eternal, Michael Ball, Jane McDonald, Sarah Brightman, Björk, Pharaoh Sanders, Milton Nascimento, Manic Street Preachers, Massive Attack and Sting (a solo track for the CD 20th Century Blues).

TV credits

Film soundtrack credits

Legend of Bhagat Singh, Life of David Gale, The Four Feathers, Die Another Day, The 25th Hour, Ghost Ship, Nicholas Nickleby, Cold Mountain, Troy, Shrek 2, Bridget Jones, Shark Tale, Alfie, Enduring Love, Sahara, Batman Begins, Fragile, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Constant Gardener, The Da Vinci Code. Harry Potter, The Mummy Returns, The Hole, Chocolat, End Game, Crush, The Others, Sacrifice, Possession, From Hell, Return to Neverland, Before You Go, The Time Machine, The Guru, Shipping News, The Truth About Charlie, We Were Soldiers, Talk To Her, Ararat, Simon, 101 Dalmatians 2, Swept Away, The Hours, Les Misérables.How to Train Your Dragon 2

Performances

Solo albums

Performs on

Criticism

Compositions

(Published by ALAW and included in the Lyon and Healy catalogue)

Collaborations

Residencies

Awards

Recent activity

External links

References

  1. ↑ Gilbert French, American Record Guide, February 2001