Roberto Sierra: Works for Cello & Piano

Composer Roberto Sierra's fourth recording in the series of his music on Albany Records features music for cello and piano. More than three decades separate the compositions, but despite this, there is a common thread that unites all the repertoire—an approach to composition that draws and builds on Sierra's musical heritage. Growing up in Puerto Rico, studying 18th and 19th century European piano repertoire, his musical memory merged this with the sounds of the popular Afro-Caribbean music of the time and this unique DNA shows in his compositions. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Sierra's music is performed throughout the world. He has served as Composer-in Residence with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, and the New Mexico Symphony. Cellist John Haines-Eitzen and Matthew Bengston call themselves the "Sierra Duo," having established a special relationship with the composer. They have spent years studying and performing Sierra's passionate and virtuosic music for cello and piano and this recording demonstrates their deep affinity for his music.