Harpist Alex Chang is set to release her new album Abandon on July 17 on Adhyâropa Records. According to a press release, the album has two themes: love and improvisational creativity. Chang combines the sounds of acoustic concert harp and amplified, modulated electric harp, using effects, multitracking, and looping. She is also joined by guest musicians Adam Forman (percussion) and Jason Handron (bass) from Chang’s ensemble The Rock City Falls Trio.
“I like a listening experience that uses interesting transitions and juxtapositions, and I tried to use them to help shape this album,” Chang says. “I wanted to, as seamlessly as possible, weave a theme throughout the album so that each time you hear it, you realize how the music and listener have both been transformed along the way.” One example is her composition “Rain” from her Water Suite in C-sharp Minor, presented as a solo (layered harp), duo (harp with percussion), and trio (harp with percussion and bass).
Chang describes herself as moving the harp into jazz, folk, and rock textures, rooted in improvisation. She is also active as an interdisciplinary collaborator and impresario in the arts community of the Albany (New York) metro area, focusing on environmental themes and centering BIPOC artists. She leads The Rock City Falls Trio, a post-genre ensemble that focuses on collective improvisation with artists across many different disciplines. She teaches at Rutgers University as an associate professor of practice at the Arts, Culture and Media Department, and was the recipient of the 2025 Art Connects Artist Grant. Learn more on her website.
