Parallel for Flute, Viola, and Harp: Trio Score and Parts

Parallel offers something genuinely rare in contemporary chamber literature: a piece that respects both the technical capabilities and the expressive depth of each instrument without favoring one voice. The combination of flute, viola, and harp is tactile and intimate, and Bjarnason's writing for this trio creates opportunities for meaningful collaboration that will challenge your ensemble musically without overwhelming them technically.

Parallel unfolds with the quiet intention of contemporary music that trusts silence and color over gesture. The flute and viola often move in tandem or opposition, creating luminous textures that the harp either anchors or dissolves. There is an introspective quality throughout, as if the three instruments are discovering each other in real time.

Advanced high school chamber ensembles, college-level flute, viola, and harp students, and professional chamber musicians seeking contemporary chamber works that sit comfortably in the modern repertoire. This trio works well for programs that value thoughtful, present-day composition and want to feature three distinct instruments in conversation.

• Balance the harp's natural resonance carefully; the instrument will project more easily than the flute and viola, so coordinate dynamics in rehearsal to ensure all three lines remain equally present throughout.
• Give the viola player space to explore the warmth of the middle register; Bjarnason's writing often highlights the viola's lyrical character, and rushing the phrase work will sacrifice the piece's contemplative quality.
• Listen across the trio for tonal alignment, especially in the flute and viola's parallel passages. The title itself suggests a compositional focus on voice-leading relationships, so tune not just to a standard but to each other.

This trio serves as an excellent centerpiece for a recital featuring Icelandic or Nordic composers, or as a bridge between classical chamber literature and new music on a mixed program. It also works beautifully in an educational concert setting where you want to highlight chamber collaboration and introduce audiences to contemporary compositional voices.

• Listening and responding to ensemble partners without a strong harmonic foundation
• Shaping long phrases with subtle dynamic shape rather than traditional structural landmarks
• Balancing a non-keyboard, non-string ensemble where the flute and harp have distinct acoustic properties
• Interpreting contemporary notation and compositional intent with minimal traditional guideposts
• Ensemble intonation in open, resonant textures