Lucia Bova first completed her musical studies in her native Italy. She subsequently studied for two years at the Conservatory in Nice, France, gaining the 1990 Premier Prix à l'Unanimité in harp performance. She was Principal Harp in the Alessandro Scarlatti National rai Orchestra in Naples (1989-1992), and in the 'Arturo Toscanini' Symphony Orchestra in Parma (1994-1996). She also appeared as soloist in the Teatro Regio in Parma.
In 1995 she published in the Italian periodical 'Sonus' (in collaboration with Graziano Tisato of Padua University) an article about the new timbral possibilities of the harp and new performance techniques. Since then she has specialized in the performance of new music. She has collaborated with l'Ex Novo Ensemble, l'Ensemble Alter Ego, a soloists' ensemble of the Accademia Filarmonica in Rome and the 'Polimnia' Ensemble.
She has also developed a fine career as a soloist, appearing at numerous festivals including Romaeuropa, Nuova Consonanza (Rome), Colloquio Internazionale sulla Musica e l'Informatica (Milan), Rassegna di Nuova Musica (Macerata), the Festival of New Music Performed on Period Instruments (Urbino), the Festival of Nations (Cittç di Castello), and Musica Verticale. She has given many recitals in France, Germany, Canada and the United States. In July 2002 she made an extended tour of Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg and France with the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra.
She has made recordings for bmg, edi-Pan, Capstone, Neuma, Valdom and Label Bleu labels. One of her cds features pieces for solo harp written specially for her by Ennio Morricone. Current projects include a cd dedicated to 18th-century music for harp, including unknown or rarely performed works for that instrument (on sale in December 2002).
She is currently working on a book on harp performance in the 20th century (for edt, Edizioni di Torino).