Pianist Lara Downes spent much of the pandemic seeking a musical approach to the emotions and sentiments welling up in people and communities as they faced isolation, lockdowns, and the protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd. As she compiled works that particularly drew her attention, many seemed linked by the themes of pursuing dreams, holding on to hope and finding redemption and renewal. Downes will release this collection of solo piano works in an album called Love at Last, later this month on Earth Day, and A Tempo host Rachel Katz spoke with her about the themes behind the album and some of her other projects, including a series of recordings highlighting the music of Black composers from over the past two centuries.
