Yolanda Kondonassis is celebrated as one of the world's premier solo harpists and is widely regarded as today's most recorded classical harpist. The 52-year-old virtuoso has recorded Ginastera's iconic Harp Concerto with the Oberlin Symphony Orchestra as part of a Ginastera Centennial album, which will be released by Oberlin Music and distributed by Naxos in October 2016. The commemorative album is produced by Erica Brenner with recording engineers Paul Eachus and Larry Rock.
Kondonassis, co-executive producer on the project, reportedly thinks of it as much as a labor of love and gratitude to Maestro Ginastera for his important contribution to the harp repertoire as anything else.
Ginastera Centennial tribute will also include works by the celebrated Argentine composer for violin, piano, and guitar featuring Gil Shaham, Orli Shaham and Kondonassis' recording partner Jason Vieaux respectively.
While the duo doesn't appear to perform together on the album, the Together collaborators' sound would make a unique and memorable addition to the Centennial project.
In an interview with Classicalite last year, Kondonassis remarked that she believed that it was the seemingly counterintuitive aspect of the harp and guitar's syncopation that gives their music it unforgettable sound:
"That fusion is really kind of addictive, especially for two plucked instruments.
"I think that's where the specialness comes from. I'm either playing with a flute or a string quartet of sorts -- you know, sustained instruments -- so the 'pluckedness' of the harp, that unique texture in the mix, is interesting.
"I think having two plucked instruments is quite resonate...capable of so many special effects."
For more information about harpist Yolanda Kondonassis or her work with Grammy-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux be sure to head over to her official website.
