American violinist Anne Akiko Meyers has unveiled an impressive trilogy of recordings this spring, culminating in her latest album dedicated to Philip Glass. This release features Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 1, a work originally composed for the composer’s father, alongside the world premiere of his New Chaconne, written specifically for Meyers. The album also includes Echorus, performed with fellow violinist Aubree Oliverson and the Academy Virtuosi from the Colburn School, highlighting Meyers’s ongoing commitment to close partnerships with living composers.
Earlier in May, Meyers released Beloved on the Platoon label, a luminous collection of choral and orchestral works centered around In the Arms of the Beloved, a requiem by jazz pianist and composer Billy Childs written in memory of his mother. Meyers recorded the piece with the Los Angeles Master Chorale under Grant Gershon, capturing its intimate emotional depth with her characteristic radiant intensity. The album also features works by Eric Whitacre and Ola Gjeilo, expanding Meyers’s exploration of repertoire that bridges spiritual reflection and expressive clarity.
In April, Meyers presented Blue Electra on Naxos, which highlights the world premiere recording of a violin concerto by Michael Daugherty inspired by Amelia Earhart’s life and legend. Commissioned by Meyers, Blue Electra offers a multifaceted, cinematic narrative tracing Earhart’s myth-enveloped journey, providing Meyers with ample space to express her dramatic instincts and flair for vivid musical storytelling.
In discussing these projects, Meyers reflects on the emotional breadth involved, the trust and risks taken when bringing new compositions to life, and how ongoing collaboration with composers continually shapes her identity both as a violinist and a storyteller. Her recording of Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic marked a dream realized. Their reunion for the recording was deeply inspiring, and Meyers describes the New Chaconne as a joyful and mysterious piece inspired by a meeting with Glass in New York. She was immediately captivated upon receiving the score.
Meyers approaches Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with a keen sensitivity to pacing and phrasing, recognizing the soulful and meditative nature of his music that requires a natural flow and attention to subtle nuances. She explains that Glass values performers’ interpretations over strict adherence to a fixed blueprint, allowing freedom within the structure to create a personal story shaped by varying colors and shades.
Collaborating with younger violinist Aubree Oliverson on Echorus was a joyous experience for Meyers. She describes their duet as a beautiful conversation between friends, praising Oliverson’s talent and open-hearted musicianship. Both the Philip Glass album and Beloved resonate deeply with Meyers on a personal level, not only in their subject matter but as extensions of her artistic voice. She expresses gratitude to living composers for creating new sound worlds and notes the strong connection audiences feel toward music by living artists.
In embodying In the Arms of the Beloved, a requiem for Billy Childs’s mother, Meyers drew inspiration from Rumi and from Childs’s own love and stories about his mother. The collaborative support of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Grant Gershon, and the other musicians made the experience profound and fulfilling. Meyers’s long-standing collaboration with Grant Gershon dates back to her childhood, and she values the transcendent sound of the Master Chorale, which influences her approach as a soloist. Premiering and recording works by composers like Whitacre, Gjeilo, Lauridsen, and Bach alongside the choir has been a continual source of inspiration.
The Blue Electra concerto required Meyers to channel the pioneering spirit of Amelia Earhart. Researching Earhart’s diverse life—from poet and aviator to women’s rights advocate and educator—allowed Meyers to feel the soaring spirit embedded in Michael Daugherty’s vivid concerto. She describes the emotional resonance in these recordings as especially close to her heart, emphasizing the importance of direct communication with composers. During the pandemic, she benefited from extensive Zoom sessions with Arturo Márquez to navigate the technical demands of his Fandango, likening the learning process of new works to triathlon training that builds motivation for greater challenges.
Meyers stresses the element of trust in her collaborations, calling it deeply personal and essential. Many composers she has worked with have become lifelong friends. When a composer writes for her, she views it as a precious gift—an invitation into their inner world—and feels a strong responsibility to honor that while bringing her own voice to the creation. She treasures the mutual openness and curiosity in these relationships, believing this space of trust is where the most compelling music emerges, something neither artist could create alone.
From her Latin Grammy-winning Fandango to these more contemplative recent projects, Meyers has explored a wide expressive range. Although she hints at new projects on the horizon, she prefers to keep the details a surprise, preserving the excitement of discovery for both herself and her audience.
