Emanuela Degli Esposti (born in Bologna, Italy) began the study of music at the age of five, becoming an accordion virtuoso. She studied harp with Professor Alba Novella Schirinzi and graduated from Bologna Conservatory of Music with maximum marks. She completed her studies at the Rubin Academy of Tel Aviv with Professor Judith Liber and studied at the master classes of Susanna Mildonian in Venice, Frédérique Cambreling in Sion and Mara Galassi in Milan. She attended classes of Alexander Technique helded by Fran Robinson and Daniele Bottaro in Pisa, Venice and Saluzzo (APM School).

She played as first harp in the orchestras of Florence (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino), Milan (RAI), Naples (RAI A. Scarlatti), Genua (C. Felice), Bari (Petruzzelli) and in the Swiss Radio Orchestra of Lugano, performing with conductors such as Berio, Chailly, Delman, Ficher, Kuhn, Inbal, Mehta, Muti, Oren, Prêtre and many others. She won the 1st Prize at the international chamber music competitions in Stresa (1982-1985), Palmi (1982-1984) and Milan (1985). As Solo Harp with orchestra she performed Haendel, Mozart, Dittesdorf, Gossec, Reineke, Debussy, Ravel, Berio, Sheriff.

As soloist she performed recitals in various harp festivals in Italy and abroad. In duo with oboist Marino Bedetti she performed at the Rio Harp Festival in 2023. Her recordings of particular note include an album of contemporary composers for Fonit Cetra (1988), Mozart’s Concerto K299 for The California Art Foundation (2000), a solo and chamber album with the Nocturne Quartett for Tactus (2008), four albums for La Bottega Discantica (Sonate Concertanti by Louis Spohr, 1998; Pedal Harp, solo recital, 2003; Duo d’Harpes au XVIII Siecle, 2007; and Valse, solo recital, 2012), the harp albums Le Jardin Féerique (2015), Heliopolis (2016), and Nel dolce tempo (2023) in duo with Jeuan Jones with compositions by Daniele Garella and for Tactus an album with solo sonatas by Giuseppe Millico (solo harp, 2017) as well as two albums with chamber music compositions by Marco Enrico Bossi (2018, 2021).

As soloist and chamber music performer she collaborates with various ensembles (Überbrettl Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Geneva Chamber Orchestra, I Virtuosi Italiani, Octandre, I Cameristi della A. Scarlatti). She is Director of the Leonardo Primavera Harp Orchestra.
Emanuela Degli Esposti published a book about C. P. E. Bach and edited for UT Orpheus many urtext editions for harp, which have been included in the programs of international harp competitions such as International Harp Contest in Israel (2003-2009), International American Harp Competition (2012), Franz-Josef-Reinl International Harp Contest in Munich (2013), International Harp Contest in Italy Suoni d’Arpa (2012-2016, 2019, 2022). She also collaborates and publishes harp music for Stella Mattutina (Florence) and performed the première of her own trascription of Chaconne by J. S. Bach at the Sala Bossi of Bologna Conservatory.

Emanuela Degli Esposti performed premières of noted contemporary composers in Italy and abroad: the Octandre’s Archives contains many live recordings of pieces with harp, performed over a period of 12 years.
Emanuela Degli Esposti is Professor of Harp at the Arrigo Boito Conservatory of Music in Parma, Italy and was jury member in international harp contests such as Munich (1999), Israel (1998-2003), Marcel Tournier International Harp Contest (2009-2012), Belgrade (2014), Novi Sad (2017), Rencontres Internationales de Harpe en Île de France (2017), Arpa Plus Barcelona (2019), International Slovenian Harp Competition (2019), St. Petersburg International Harp Competition (2019), AEDA International Harp Contest in Madrid (2022), J. Sibelius International Harp Contest in Turku, Finland (2023).

Emanuela Degli Esposti organized Judith Liber’s master classes in Villa Camozzi on the Como Lake from 1998 to 2011. She held international master classes in Varallo (1995), Como (European Academy Pomerio, 2000), Udine (Conservatory, 2004), Assisi (Umbria Festival, 2009, 2010, 2011), Salsomaggiore Terme (2009), London (Royal College of Music, 2005, 2010, 2013), Lovere (Tadini Academy, 2012, 2013, 2014), Belgrade (Mokranjac Academy, 2014), Madrid (Real Conservatorio Superior de Música, 2014, 2023), Sofia (National School of Music Lyubomir Pipkov, 2014, 2017, and Harpissima 2022), Riga (Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, 2015), Milan (Villa Medici-Giulini, every year from 2015 to 2024), Bucharest University of Music (2016), St. Petersburg (2016), Vibo Valentia (2017), Bologna (2019), Glasbena matica, Trieste (2019, 2023), University of Zagreb (2022), Stella Vorarlberg Privathochschule für Musik, Feldkirch (2023). Many of her students won competitions and play in important orchestras.
She is Artistic Director of the International Harp Contest in Italy & Festival “Suoni d’Arpa” (2009-2024), Vice-President of Conoscere la Musica – Bologna, and President of the Italian Harp Association.