University of York Music Press

Honeybourne writes that the objective of this project ‘is to harness the zeitgeist of our present situation, to bring comfort and enjoyment to a large ready-made audience
stuck at home, to aid musicians badly affected by the “cultural lockdown” and to add to the contemporary repertoire, creating an artistic keepsake of this extraordinary phase in our lives. Contemporary Piano Soundbites is a collection of solo piano miniatures composed, directly or indirectly, in response to the 2020 coronavirus crisis.’

..in the air.. by Sadie Harrison is one such piece. Whilst the title of the piece makes reference to the aerial transmission of the virus, it is meant primarily to express a feeling of quiet unsettledness, where drifting melodic fragments and harmonies come to rest momentarily before floating away again. The piece was also written as a gift for Harrison’s mother for her birthday on 12 April. 

Each miniature from this project will be premiered in a video recording, posted online in the Contemporary Piano Soundbites Series on the ‘Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts’ YouTube page over the coming weeks. Honeybourne is planning to post one or two each week during this difficult period, and to invite donations for the Help Musicians UK Coronavirus Hardship Fund. Harrison's ..in the air.. was performed by Honeybourne on 2 May and the performance can be viewed here.

The project is consequently a united gesture of support by and for musicians at this time of great concern and hardship. Honeybourne’s aim is that, ‘as well as supporting our colleagues, the connection will provide a snapshot of reflections and musings by some of the finest composers of our time at a unique and unprecedented moment in our history.’ 

UYMP would encourage all of its readers to follow this series as it unfolds to gain a rewarding and fascinating insight into how composers and musicians are supporting each other and still producing musical outputs of incredible quality during these challenging times. The link to the JustGiving page to support Help Musicians UK can also be found here.