Introducing Associate Professor of Harp Bridget Kibbey! "Bards and Griots" | Written and performed by Bridget Kibbey "De los alamos vengo, madre" | Written by Joaquín Rodrigo | Performed by YooJin Jang, violin & Bridget Kibbey, harp In Prof. Kibbey's words: I composed "Bards and Griots" as an homage to the musicians who traveled along the great global highway during the Islamic Era—musical snapshots of Persian, Turkish, and Celtic cultures (think kanun, oud, and then a bit of kora-inflicted bits, too). The piece acts as a quick-and-dirty survey of all those traveling musicians who landed in Andalusia, setting the table for the Rodrigo piece. My solo composition gave me the chance to improvise a bit on stage (which I love to do!), showing the expressive power of the harp. I was also excited to perform with Professor Jang on "De los alamos vengo, madre" — I loved the way she approached the work with a baroque aesthetic, tying the set together into a bow.