Grammy-nominated harpist Yolanda Kondonassis and the Interlochen Arts Academy String Orchestra will present the world premiere of Terra Infirma, an environmentally-themed concerto by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail this fall. The 25-minute work, with projections by designer Camilla Tassi, features Kondonassis in a dual role as soloist on both harp and percussion instruments. Andrew Grams will conduct the premiere on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET at in Corson Auditorium at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan. Tickets will be available starting Aug. 22. The event will also be livestreamed.
According to a press release, the storyline of the new composition grew out of Esmail’s personal experience during the catastrophic California fires of January 2025, which forced her to evacuate her home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Altadena. “Terra Infirma sits somewhere between a harp/percussion concerto and a monodrama—Yolanda leads us through the trajectory of a wildfire, starting with the eerie moments before the first spark, and ending with the hope of new growth,” Esmail says. “The work explores our human relationship to fire—a force that can be at once devastating and illuminating… This is a hopeful work that looks from utter devastation toward a future built through trust and shared intention.” Part of the work also draws on Esmail’s studies of Hindustani music, including elements of Raag Deepak, an ancient collection of pitches believed to invoke fire.
Drawing on a poem by Robert Walters titled “Terra Infirma,” Esmail places the harp in the role of the protagonist Earth, both fragile and powerful. In the composer’s words, the work is “part virtuoso concerto, part performance art, and part theater.” During the performance, Kondonassis choreographically moves her harp across the stage as she journeys through various arrays of suspended percussion. “The harp is a highly visual instrument, and Terra Infirma utilizes that element to the fullest,” Kondonassis says. “In this work, the harp is actually a character in the musical drama onstage, and that gives me the chance to portray an enormous range of artistic emotion.”
Kondonassis, a committed advocate for the environment and an Interlochen Arts Academy alumna, is founder and director of the non-profit organization Earth at Heart. One of her previous environmental music initiatives was her commissioning project FIVE MINUTES for Earth; the resulting album earned a perfect 10 from Harp Column’s recording reviewer Alison Young.
A world premiere recording of Terra Infirma is scheduled for release in April 2026 on the Azica label. The entire process, from initial workshops to the premiere and recording, is being captured by a professional film crew for an upcoming documentary. These projects are supported by the Allen B. Cutting Foundation.
For more information, visit Interlochen’s website and Kondonassis’ website.
