track 1 : Cuihmne by Christine Hedden
track 1 : Cuihmne by Christine Hedden
track 2 : In Time by Hsiung Patrick Wu
track 3 : Dawn by Salome Zhang
track 4 : String Quartet No. 3 by Patrick Wu
track 5 : Goodbye Miami by AJ Barker
There is a problem in the music industry. In a world where thousands of people are creating and innovating music like we’ve never seen before, the average listener has access to unlimited albums with just one click. Despite this, classical contemporary albums are met with little to no reception. Why? It’s because there is no real space for modern composers in today’s music world. The industry is divided. Some musicians cling to tradition and the established repertoire, while others push for change and seek to connect with broader communities. Living composers are writing incredible music, yet their work often goes unheard due to a lack of audience awareness and accessibility. Too often, the only people supporting new music are other living composers and musicians. And the question remains: how do we bring modern music to modern audiences?
Our debut album, In Time, is GAIA’s response to that question. It’s more than just a recording—it’s a statement of purpose. Featuring music exclusively by living composers, many of whom we commissioned, In Time explores different perceptions of time: how we feel it, how we lose it, and how we hold onto it. Each piece offers a distinct narrative, inviting listeners to reflect on their own experiences in a world where time feels increasingly fragmented. By curating a program rooted in emotional relevance and sonic innovation, In Time bridges the gap between contemporary music and modern audiences. It offers a space where listeners can connect not just with the music, but with the people creating it—composers who live in the same world, speak the same languages, and respond to the same cultural moments. In doing so, the album reflects GAIA’s broader mission: to amplify underrepresented voices, challenge outdated norms, and create space for music that speaks to the now.
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track 1 : Cuihmne by Christine Hedden
track 1 : Cuihmne by Christine Hedden
track 1 : Cuihmne by Christine Hedden
"At the beginning of writing this piece, I was about to embark on a long-awaited journey to Ireland,
track 1 : Cuihmne by Christine Hedden
to be there for a longer period of time than ever before. After returning home, I missed Ireland far more intensely than I had in the wake of my previous visits. It is one thing to go to a place, be stunned by its beauty and leave again, always a guest. It’s another to visit again and again, all the while knowing that your home lies elsewhere. On this past visit, I found that it is still yet another thing to journey to a place knowing that it is only beginning to become a part of you and that this part will continue to grow. “Cuimhne” is the Irish word for memory. This piece is written from a place of recollection where, in the words of John O’Donohue, “absence is transfigured and our time in the world is secretly held for us.”
For Boston-based artist Christine Delphine Hedden, writing was the first step in her musical journey. Growing up in the highlands of western Connecticut, she spent childhood days on her grandfather’s Christmas tree farm, singing Tolkien’s poetry to her own melodies during imaginative adventures. That early connection to nature and story remains central to her work today.
Christine is a performer of Irish traditional fiddle and viola, percussive dance, and song, as well as a composer of classical works, traditional tunes, and folk-style songs. In 2019, she released her debut album When the Aster Blooms with support from Club Passim’s Iguana Music Fund—a collection of original tunes inspired by New England folk traditions and Irish music. She has appeared at Club Passim, the Boston Celtic Music Festival, the Burren Backroom Series, and live on Brian O’Donovan’s A Celtic Sojourn.
Her classical compositions have been performed by ensembles including Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Verdant Vibes, Ethel String Quartet, Rasa String Quartet, and Barkada Quartet. As a 2023–24 fellow of the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy’s Composing Earth program, she created Solstice, a work reflecting on the loss of winter in New England, to be premiered at South Shore Conservatory’s Songs of the Earth.
Christine is also a dedicated educator. She serves on the faculty of South Shore Conservatory as String Department chair, teaching Suzuki violin, viola, and Irish fiddle. Her mentors include Evan Chambers, Gabriela Lena Frank, Kristin Kuster, Nancy Galbraith, and David Harding.
She holds an M.M. in Music Composition from the University of Michigan—where she premiered her thesis, A Thaisce Riamh: Concerto for Fídíl and Orchestra as both composer and soloist—and dual B.F.A. degrees in Composition and Viola Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. Through the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship Program, she also studied at the University of Limerick and the Blás International Summer School of Irish Music and Dance.
Christine is a member of BMI, the American Composers Forum, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She performs on a restored fiddle from her first teacher and luthier, Michael Seery.
track 2 : In Time by Hsiung Patrick Wu
"IN TIME" explores the themes of changing times. While the whole piece remains in the same tempo, or "in time."
I would like to invite listeners to ponder the fleeting nature of time and the impact of financial decisions on individuals and societies.
By juxtaposing these two fundamental aspects of human existence, the quartet prompts reflection on the interconnectedness of past, present, and future, as well as the delicate balance between risk and reward.
For Boston-based artist Christine Delphine Hedden, writing was the first step in her musical journey. Growing up in the highlands of western Connecticut, she spent childhood days on her grandfather’s Christmas tree farm, singing Tolkien’s poetry to her own melodies during imaginative adventures. That early connection to nature and story remains central to her work today.
Christine is a performer of Irish traditional fiddle and viola, percussive dance, and song, as well as a composer of classical works, traditional tunes, and folk-style songs. In 2019, she released her debut album When the Aster Blooms with support from Club Passim’s Iguana Music Fund—a collection of original tunes inspired by New England folk traditions and Irish music. She has appeared at Club Passim, the Boston Celtic Music Festival, the Burren Backroom Series, and live on Brian O’Donovan’s A Celtic Sojourn.
Her classical compositions have been performed by ensembles including Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Verdant Vibes, Ethel String Quartet, Rasa String Quartet, and Barkada Quartet. As a 2023–24 fellow of the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy’s Composing Earth program, she created Solstice, a work reflecting on the loss of winter in New England, to be premiered at South Shore Conservatory’s Songs of the Earth.
Christine is also a dedicated educator. She serves on the faculty of South Shore Conservatory as String Department chair, teaching Suzuki violin, viola, and Irish fiddle. Her mentors include Evan Chambers, Gabriela Lena Frank, Kristin Kuster, Nancy Galbraith, and David Harding.
She holds an M.M. in Music Composition from the University of Michigan—where she premiered her thesis, A Thaisce Riamh: Concerto for Fídíl and Orchestra as both composer and soloist—and dual B.F.A. degrees in Composition and Viola Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. Through the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship Program, she also studied at the University of Limerick and the Blás International Summer School of Irish Music and Dance.
Christine is a member of BMI, the American Composers Forum, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She performs on a restored fiddle from her first teacher and luthier, Michael Seery.
track 3 : Dawn by Salome Zhang
"IN TIME" explores the themes of changing times. While the whole piece remains in the same tempo, or "in time."
I would like to invite listeners to ponder the fleeting nature of time and the impact of financial decisions on individuals and societies.
By juxtaposing these two fundamental aspects of human existence, the quartet prompts reflection on the interconnectedness of past, present, and future, as well as the delicate balance between risk and reward.
For Boston-based artist Christine Delphine Hedden, writing was the first step in her musical journey. Growing up in the highlands of western Connecticut, she spent childhood days on her grandfather’s Christmas tree farm, singing Tolkien’s poetry to her own melodies during imaginative adventures. That early connection to nature and story remains central to her work today.
Christine is a performer of Irish traditional fiddle and viola, percussive dance, and song, as well as a composer of classical works, traditional tunes, and folk-style songs. In 2019, she released her debut album When the Aster Blooms with support from Club Passim’s Iguana Music Fund—a collection of original tunes inspired by New England folk traditions and Irish music. She has appeared at Club Passim, the Boston Celtic Music Festival, the Burren Backroom Series, and live on Brian O’Donovan’s A Celtic Sojourn.
Her classical compositions have been performed by ensembles including Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Verdant Vibes, Ethel String Quartet, Rasa String Quartet, and Barkada Quartet. As a 2023–24 fellow of the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy’s Composing Earth program, she created Solstice, a work reflecting on the loss of winter in New England, to be premiered at South Shore Conservatory’s Songs of the Earth.
Christine is also a dedicated educator. She serves on the faculty of South Shore Conservatory as String Department chair, teaching Suzuki violin, viola, and Irish fiddle. Her mentors include Evan Chambers, Gabriela Lena Frank, Kristin Kuster, Nancy Galbraith, and David Harding.
She holds an M.M. in Music Composition from the University of Michigan—where she premiered her thesis, A Thaisce Riamh: Concerto for Fídíl and Orchestra as both composer and soloist—and dual B.F.A. degrees in Composition and Viola Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. Through the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship Program, she also studied at the University of Limerick and the Blás International Summer School of Irish Music and Dance.
Christine is a member of BMI, the American Composers Forum, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She performs on a restored fiddle from her first teacher and luthier, Michael Seery.
track 3 : Dawn by Salome Zhang
"IN TIME" explores the themes of changing times. While the whole piece remains in the same tempo, or "in time."
I would like to invite listeners to ponder the fleeting nature of time and the impact of financial decisions on individuals and societies.
By juxtaposing these two fundamental aspects of human existence, the quartet prompts reflection on the interconnectedness of past, present, and future, as well as the delicate balance between risk and reward.
For Boston-based artist Christine Delphine Hedden, writing was the first step in her musical journey. Growing up in the highlands of western Connecticut, she spent childhood days on her grandfather’s Christmas tree farm, singing Tolkien’s poetry to her own melodies during imaginative adventures. That early connection to nature and story remains central to her work today.
Christine is a performer of Irish traditional fiddle and viola, percussive dance, and song, as well as a composer of classical works, traditional tunes, and folk-style songs. In 2019, she released her debut album When the Aster Blooms with support from Club Passim’s Iguana Music Fund—a collection of original tunes inspired by New England folk traditions and Irish music. She has appeared at Club Passim, the Boston Celtic Music Festival, the Burren Backroom Series, and live on Brian O’Donovan’s A Celtic Sojourn.
Her classical compositions have been performed by ensembles including Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Verdant Vibes, Ethel String Quartet, Rasa String Quartet, and Barkada Quartet. As a 2023–24 fellow of the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy’s Composing Earth program, she created Solstice, a work reflecting on the loss of winter in New England, to be premiered at South Shore Conservatory’s Songs of the Earth.
Christine is also a dedicated educator. She serves on the faculty of South Shore Conservatory as String Department chair, teaching Suzuki violin, viola, and Irish fiddle. Her mentors include Evan Chambers, Gabriela Lena Frank, Kristin Kuster, Nancy Galbraith, and David Harding.
She holds an M.M. in Music Composition from the University of Michigan—where she premiered her thesis, A Thaisce Riamh: Concerto for Fídíl and Orchestra as both composer and soloist—and dual B.F.A. degrees in Composition and Viola Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. Through the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship Program, she also studied at the University of Limerick and the Blás International Summer School of Irish Music and Dance.
Christine is a member of BMI, the American Composers Forum, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She performs on a restored fiddle from her first teacher and luthier, Michael Seery.
track 5 : Goodbye Miami by AJ Barker
I was born and raised in Miami, Florida and I spent the first 18 years of my life hating it. Once I moved away, I realized that my birthplace never really brought me peace, but instead seemed to be a place that held so much pain. I rarely visited, and if I did, my trips were short, brief and often ended on a sour note. I didn’t see Miami as a place that defined or shaped me— I saw it as a place that wanted to hold me captive. In April of 2025, I found myself in Miami one more time, and was surprised at how many thing had changed. The places I used to hang around as a teenager, the cafes I would frequent, the old buildings and houses that were falling apart. It was all gone. Miami was completely different and I suddenly has this polarizing realization that the home I grew up in was gone, forever, knocked down and replaced by bigger, cleaner and whiter buildings. All of the pale, washed out colors of my childhood had been washed away like the rest of the color in a once vibrant city. And I realized that I missed something so deeply that I spent so long running away from.
Goodbye Miami is homage to my home, my birthplace, a city that raised and filled me with an identity that I struggle to accept. Starting with the viola, the ‘narrator’, tells the story of a girl who starts her day with love for her home, her family, but also maintains the melancholic feeling. We move on to the next part, about culture and identity, with an upbeat salsa groove, where the piece utilizes a loop pedal and many different latin percussion instruments. The rest of the parts are setting up different scenes and landscapes, clubs and lounges, and
finally ends with the girl, looking out at the vastness of the ocean, wondering about all the things beyond and wishing she could be anywhere else.
For Boston-based artist Christine Delphine Hedden, writing was the first step in her musical journey. Growing up in the highlands of western Connecticut, she spent childhood days on her grandfather’s Christmas tree farm, singing Tolkien’s poetry to her own melodies during imaginative adventures. That early connection to nature and story remains central to her work today.
Christine is a performer of Irish traditional fiddle and viola, percussive dance, and song, as well as a composer of classical works, traditional tunes, and folk-style songs. In 2019, she released her debut album When the Aster Blooms with support from Club Passim’s Iguana Music Fund—a collection of original tunes inspired by New England folk traditions and Irish music. She has appeared at Club Passim, the Boston Celtic Music Festival, the Burren Backroom Series, and live on Brian O’Donovan’s A Celtic Sojourn.
Her classical compositions have been performed by ensembles including Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Verdant Vibes, Ethel String Quartet, Rasa String Quartet, and Barkada Quartet. As a 2023–24 fellow of the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy’s Composing Earth program, she created Solstice, a work reflecting on the loss of winter in New England, to be premiered at South Shore Conservatory’s Songs of the Earth.
Christine is also a dedicated educator. She serves on the faculty of South Shore Conservatory as String Department chair, teaching Suzuki violin, viola, and Irish fiddle. Her mentors include Evan Chambers, Gabriela Lena Frank, Kristin Kuster, Nancy Galbraith, and David Harding.
She holds an M.M. in Music Composition from the University of Michigan—where she premiered her thesis, A Thaisce Riamh: Concerto for Fídíl and Orchestra as both composer and soloist—and dual B.F.A. degrees in Composition and Viola Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. Through the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship Program, she also studied at the University of Limerick and the Blás International Summer School of Irish Music and Dance.
Christine is a member of BMI, the American Composers Forum, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She performs on a restored fiddle from her first teacher and luthier, Michael Seery.