The harpist Cecilia De Maria, UK born to Maltese parents, has signed an exclusive contract with Sony Music Masterworks. She entered the Purcell School at the age of 11 before moving on the Royal College of Music, where she studied with Daphne Boden, completing her Master’s Degree there with distinction.

Under the new recording agreement, De Maria will 'release a range of new works written especially for this talented and versatile musician, including works by composers of the moment, together with unique arrangements of classical pieces for harp'. The album will be produced by the Award-winning Anna Barry.

De Maria made her concerto debut in 2008 with the LSO and that year also made it to the string finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year, where she was honoured with the award of the Walter Todds bursary.

The Head of Sony Music Masterworks in the UK, Sarah Thwaites noted: ‘Cecilia is an extraordinarily talented performer and has the ability to instantly captivate any audience with her stunning musicianship and wide range of repertoire.  I’m very excited to work with Cecilia and to help share her artistry with the world.’