Hidden Grace was inspired by a trip to Italy. Walking along the streets of Florence on a starry night, the air seemed to carry an aura of hidden beauty, revealed in the subtle corners of a dimmed back alley, the inviting windows of a gallery, and the mesmerizing reflection of the Arno…And one could almost hear the echos of music from the Renaissance: Gabrieli, Gesualdo, and Monteverdi…

The piece attempts to capture those elusive memories, and I found no more fitting companions than the flute, viola, and harp to express the tenderness as well as the sumptuous colors within the music. The work turned out to be a musical fusion of Chinese and Italian flavors from a composer who has lived in the US for more than 20 years. —Zhou Tian

Commissioned by The American Harp Society and University of Kentucky for Fermosa Trio.