Pianist Lara Downes brings her search for American sound to Rowan

Lara Downes sat in a dean's office at Rowan University on Tuesday, preparing for a concert that pairs her piano work with the vocal artistry of Rhiannon Giddens. The two musicians will perform Sounds Like America this Friday evening, October 30, at 7:30 p.m. in Pfleeger Concert Hall. The event is part of the Marie Rader Presenting Series.

Downes, who works as both a concert pianist and a broadcaster, recently completed a project for NPR titled America in Pursuit. She traveled across the United States to mark the country's 250th anniversary by exploring its history through music. The series involved conversations with scholars such as cultural critic Imani Perry, historian Jill Lepore, and writer Adam Gopnik.

During those interviews, Downes focused on the layers within specific pieces of music. She examined what those songs reveal about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. She described a personal frustration as her main motivation for starting the project. "I think one of my big motivations for starting this project was my own frustration about feeling like I did not know what people think," she said.

She added that many topics remain unspoken in public discourse. "I think there are a lot of things we're not talking about, and a lot of things people would just keep to themselves," Downes noted. The project led her to value ambiguity in her artistic work. She believes that holding space for uncertainty is central to her practice.

The upcoming performance at Rowan University will combine a concert with a conversation. Downes and Giddens have worked together for a long time. They will discuss the themes from the NPR series while performing music that reflects the complex history of the nation. Tickets are available for purchase for the Friday night event.