Ariel Horowitz, violin & vocals; Britton-René Collins, marimba (track 2); Alexa Stier, piano (tracks 1 & 3); Eri Kang, piano (tracks 5 & 8) Produced by Paula Mlyn, Sean Swinney and Ariel Horowitz. Recorded at Sean Swinney Recording, LLC, New York, NY, March 2023 Engineered and Mastered by Sean Swinney
Hailed by The Washington Post as “Sweetly Lyrical,” violinist, composer/songwriter, and community organizer Ariel Horowitz (they/them or she/her) cannot remember life before loving music. In 2020, Ariel joined the Concert Artists Guild roster for North American management, and enjoys an active touring schedule as a soloist and as one-half of Vision Duo, an ensemble formed with fellow CAG artist Britton-René Collins in 2021.
As a composer, songwriter, and avid improviser, Ariel's original music centers themes of healing, community, and liberation. She has performed her compositions and songs around the world, including at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. As a community organizer, Ariel is honored to be the Founder and Artistic Director of the Heartbeat Music Project, a tuition-free program offering music and Navajo (Diné) cultural education as well as direct aid resources to young people in grades K-12 living on the Navajo Nation. Ariel's organizing for this work is as a long-term co-conspirator for Indigenous-led decolonization and landback efforts, and as a guest on the sovereign Navajo Nation. In 2022, HMP received the Lewis Prize for Music’s Accelerator Award in the amount of $500,000 to support their work with Navajo youth.
Creating Hearth was a joyful and vulnerable journey, which was only possible thanks to the support of my incredible community. To my collaborators— Britt, Alexa, and Eri—thank you for your artistry and belief in these stories. Sean Swinney, your brilliance in the studio brought Hearth to life. Gratitude to Bright Shiny Things and Concert Artists Guild. To my family and teachers, thank you for your unwavering love, voices, and stories. Mom, your strength and passion for liberation inspire me daily. Noah, you are my guiding light. To my younger self— thank you for all you did to get us here. I've got us now, and I'm proud to make the music we needed.
Imagine a crackling fire, a warm space to gather, connect, hold space for each other, and dream – that's the feeling I hope to evoke with Hearth. In this collection, classical composers converse with my own original multimedia pieces: violin, vocals, electronics, recorded natural soundscapes, voices of my loved ones, and spoken word meld in an indie/singer-songwriter-meets-classical dialogue. Hearth is a deeply personal exploration – a journey through diverse soundworlds, each one telling a story of healing, the power of community, and the path towards liberation. Hearth is dedicated to the incredible young people in my life and around the world who dream, organize, and fight for a liberated future for us all.
-Ariel Horowitz
Solitude
I am in solitude
Wondering who to be
I’m watching, I’m listening
I see things I don’t understand
I am in solitude but I’m not lonely
I am in solitude but I’m not lonely anymore
I am in solitude but I’m not lonely today
I am in solitude but I’m not lonely
I am in solitude but I’m not lonely anymore
I am in solitude but I’m not lonely today
And maybe
Maybe
Maybe maybe maybe
That is enough for now
Ooh ooh ah ah ah
That is enough for now
Cider Donuts
Maxie: giggle
It was autumn
It was autumn
Grandma: I - I just have the nicest people in the world
It was autumn
Uncle Al: no, we have
It was autumn
And we walked to the park
Theo: Noah!!
Maxie: ride the train!
Lino: what’d you say, mom
Maxie & Alyssa giggle
Maxie: do it again!
Theo: I’m getting back on the train! It was autumn
Amaya: silly singing me: cackling
It was autumn and we walked to the park by my house
We bought some cider donuts
We sat on the grass and I ate one
My eyes must have widened in surprise
When I looked at you, and you looked at me
And I knew
I told you everything and you loved me anyway
I told you everything and you loved me anyway
Mom: she just can’t be out there for a second
Papa: Good! Want some more water? Can Papa give you some more water? Laughing
Baby me: babbles
Papa: Papa’s gonna water your plants, look!
Baby me: it’s wet!
Papa: can papa water your plants? Here’s some water for you! Here. Now just hold it by this handle, watch how Papa does it. See how pretty it looks? baby me: it’s pretty!
Mom: it’s very tasty, see the plants think it’s tasty, too!
See Papa’s watering those beautiful tomatoes that were growing?
I told you everything and you loved me anyway
Noah: I couldn’t find any more bronze.
Me: oh that’s ok
Noah: wanna go back?
Me: yeah!
not that bad
It’s not that bad
It’s not that bad
you have to be strong
It’s really not that bad
It feels that bad
You have no other choice
It’s not that bad
It feels that bad
You have no other choice
Come on, it’s not that bad
There is no other choice
But it feels that bad
You have to be strong
Oh, but, you know, people have it worse
It’s pretty awful
It’s fine
Ugh
It feels really really weird, I mean everything feels different now, I don’t recognize my own body anymore and it’s not like I can get over this, there’s no cure, no fix, there’s nothing I can do about it other than try everyday to feel a little bit better and a little bit better,
Because it feels that bad because all of the things I’m doing to make it better are never going to make it the same
It’s never going to be the same
I’m never going to be the same
I will never be the same again
How Do You Tell Your Child?
How do you tell your child
About this broken world
How do you tell your child
This world’s not built for her
How do you tell your child
men can cut you with their knives
How do you tell your child
They do it all the time
How do you tell your child
About this broken world
How do you tell your child
This world’s not built for her
How do you tell your child
men can cut you with their knives
How do you tell your child
They do it all the time
How do you save your child
You kiss her on the head
Tell her she’s safe and and sound as
You tuck her into bed
Her knowing eyes meet yours and
You pray that this can end
She reads your empty promise
Knows it could be her instead
How Do You Tell Your Child
How do you tell your child
About this broken world
How do you tell your child
This world’s not built for her
How do you tell your child
men can cut you with their knives
How do you tell your child
They do it all the time
How do you tell your child
This world is hers to save
How do you sleep at night when
She has to be so brave
How do you tell her that you ’ ve left this big bad world for her
How do you tell your child
Here you go, it’s now your turn
How do you tell your child
About this broken world
How do you tell your child
This world’s not built for her
How do you tell your child
men can cut you with their knives
How do you tell your child
They do it all the time
They do it all the time
They do it
Phoenix
I never believed
That I was destined for a long life
My fire kindled brightly like the crinkled edges of my smile
Quick and abundant
Keeping everyone warm
While I scorched inside
Lately my flame has burned low
A compact lighthouse of legends and magic
From ash, the silhouette of a future unfurls slowly in the haze
beckoning me forward to a crystal clear green blue where I can live so exquisitely slow and gentle and steadfast in the noontime, everyone is already warm my fire sighs and sparkles just for me
