Boyd Meets Girl & Clarice Assad: ANAHATA
Photo by Mark Allan, Barbican
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Australian classical guitarist Rupert Boyd and American cellist Laura Metcalf - will give the world premiere performances of Clarice Assad's new concerto, ANAHATA, with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra from February 9-11, 2024, conducted by Carolyn Kuan. The duo is available for further performances of the work during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons.
A powerful communicator renowned for her musical scope and versatility, Brazilian-American Clarice Assad is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world music, pop, and jazz genres. The Grammy Award–nominated composer, celebrated pianist, inventive vocalist, and educator is acclaimed for her evocative colors, rich textures, and diverse stylistic range. With her talent sought-after by artists and organizations worldwide, the polyglot musician continues to attract new audiences both onstage and off.
Boyd Meets Girl has toured the world sharing their eclectic mix of music from Debussy and Bach to Radiohead and Beyoncé, and their two studio albums have been streamed four million times on Spotify alone. Both acclaimed soloists in their own right, Boyd has been described as “truly evocative” by The Washington Post, and as "a player who deserves to be heard" by Classical Guitar Magazine, while Metcalf, who has also toured as a member of the popular chamber ensembles Eighth Blackbird, Break of Reality and Sybarite5, has been called "brilliant" by Gramophone. The duo has toured throughout the USA, India, Nepal, New Zealand, and every state and territory in Australia, including engagements at Caramoor, Newport Classical, Festival Napa Valley, Austin Classical Guitar, Moab Music Festival and many others.
Clarice Assad describes her new concerto, written in three linked movements, as "a musical reflection on the complex nature of love," making it a perfect fit for the married duo.
Clarice writes, "Anahata, meaning 'unhurt' or 'unstricken' in Sanskrit, refers to the core heart chakra in yogic ideas - a psychic hub governing our ability for kindness, calmness, and deep human closeness. As cellist Laura Metcalf and guitarist Rupert Boyd first imagined this joint piece with me, 'love' emerged as our luminous inspiration, reflecting their connected lives as artistic and romantic partners. . . [the piece] traces an abstract romantic arc without literal storytelling; Anahata’s central theme indirectly resonates with the duo’s creative chemistry and personal bond. It merges with echoes emerging from my memories, threads of influence from my childhood in Brazil and adolescence in France. These personal ancestral ornamental details form this fabric of sound."
Duration: Approx. 20 minutes