Harpist and composer Pippa Reid-Foster has created The Excelsior Suite, a new five-part work for pedal harp inspired by her 2024 North Atlantic Islands Residency.
During the residency, Reid-Foster sailed aboard the 75-foot fishing gaff The Excelsior from Orkney to the Faroe Islands, then returned via Shetland. The route exposed her to shifting weather, open seascapes, island communities and the daily rhythms of life at sea.
Those experiences affect the suite’s musical language. Reid-Foster draws on the movement of the boat, the pace of conversation and life across the islands.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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