Harpist Gretchen Chell Cover recently collaborated with classical guitarist Miguel Bonachea and violist Stephen “Adam” Savage to release Chiaroscuro: Music of Light and Darkness. The 45-minute album features world premiere recordings of four compositions by Anthony Sidney. According to a press release, the title piece, Chiaroscuro, is the only music originally written for harp, guitar, and viola. The other trio on the album, Metteya, is Sidney’s own adaptation of his original version for oboe and two guitars. The album also features two works written for harp and guitar.
Sidney is also a recording artist on guitar and received a Sony lifetime achievement award in 2014. He says of his compositions on the album, “The harp and guitar are an important part of my composing life,” Sidney says of his works on the album. “The viola speaks to the heart, the harp speaks directly to the soul, and the guitar speaks directly to life and creation.”
Prior to releasing Chiaroscuro: Music of Light and Dark, Cover and Bonachea (known as the Vero Duo) released Sketchbook of a Journey (2017), also featuring Sidney’s compositions for harp and guitar and for solo guitar. Cover is a freelance harpist based in Vero Beach, Florida, and also performs with Wave Players, a harp, bassoon, and flute trio. She studied harp with Clementine White and Jeanne Chalifoux. For more information, visit Cover’s website.
