Internationally acclaimed harpist and composer Kirsten Agresta Copely is set to release her third solo album, Aquamarine, on July 28. Inspired by her deep connection with the ocean and imbued with memories of her late mother, this album is a heartfelt homage to the woman who ignited Kirsten’s passion for both music and the sea.
Aquamarine represents a profound moment of artistic expression and personal reflection – intertwining the power of the ocean, the beauty of her mother’s memory, and the boundless depths of Kirsten’s own artistic vision. Here is the album’s first single:
Kirsten’s mother (1936-2023), a remarkable pianist and former Miss Michigan, played an integral role in shaping her daughter’s musical journey. From their earliest moments together at the piano, to countless hours of travel for harp lessons and performances, her mother’s unwavering support and guidance set the stage for Kirsten’s artistic development. After recording and mixing the album in her newly built recording studio in Brooklyn, New York, Kirsten declared, “It was healing for me to record the compositions that were created throughout my Mother’s prolonged decline and transition.”
“I consider myself fortunate to have the ability to create within a secure and safe space, where I can breathe new life into melodies that bring solace to my spirit. My hope is for listeners to experience the therapeutic power inherent in both music and the ocean,” says Kirsten Agresta Copely.
From the eponymous opening track “Aquamarine” to the closing chamber work “Into The Mist” featuring cellist Dave Eggar and violinist Maggie Gould Wilson, the nine original tracks evoke the vastness and mystery of the deep blue sea. Kirsten’s evocative melodies resonate with the glassy movements of marine life in “Glass Octopus”, the enchantment of “Naiads”, and the sublime tranquility found deep beneath the ocean’s surface in “Deep Blue World”.
Aquamarine is Kirsten’s second New Age album. Her first, Around the Sun (2020), won “Outstanding New Age Performance” in the 2023 Grand Prix Music Awards; received the Silver Medal from the Global Music Awards; and garnered Listener’s Choice in the New Age Music Guide Top 10 Albums of 2020. Around the Sun is “a stunning recording of some of the most gorgeous and engaging harp music one could ever imagine (New Age Music Reviews),” and “surely one of 2020’s finest New Age music releases (New Age Music Guide).” Her recent EP All The Remains has received honors from the 1st Raighes Factory Awards (Beloved Contemporary Instrumental) and One World Music Awards (Best Acoustic Single).
About Kirsten Agresta-Copely
An international award-winning harpist and composer, Kirsten Agresta-Copely is hailed for her charismatic, telegenic presence on stage and known as the industry’s go-to harpist in the recording studio. An omnivorous artist steeped in rigorous classical training, Kirsten has performed with today’s leading artists including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Enya, The Roots, Lady Gaga, and Andrea Bocelli, to name a few. Her contributions to the world of music education are equally significant, having held esteemed positions at Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music and Sarah Lawrence College. She earned degrees from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and is on the
World Harp Congress Board of Directors.
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For more information and music samples, visit kirstencopelymusic.com.