Harp Concerto (2023) is all about relationships: the relationship between the composer and harpist and between the harpist and the ensemble. I scored this fifteenminute concerto for sinfonietta, a unique ensemble that combines a string quintet, woodwind quartet (or quintet), brass trio, percussion duo, and one soloist: the harp. Thus, the instrumentation acts like a pyramid, stacking each distinct instrument family with the harp at the pinnacle.
I composed this concerto for my friend and UCLA doctoral colleague Jillian Risigari-Gai Lopez. Over ten months, Jillian and I exchanged recordings and sketches, met in-person to test ideas, and workshopped the piece as a duo. Each of the three movements reflect the collaborative relationship of the composer and harpist, exploring my favorite orchestrations, rhythms, and harmonies and Jillian’s special technical and expressive abilities. The result is a deeply personal work, filled with outpouring love for learning a difficult yet incredibly gorgeous instrument. The piece finds ecstatic highs and cynical lows, shifting from blistering moments of virtuosity to serene glimpses of stillness.
Not yet premiered - two scheduled performances in 2025 were cancelled through performer illness