Harvard Alumni Duo Earn Grammy Nomination with “Alike: My Mother’s Dream”
Husband and wife, Ben and Allison Herzfeldt, both Harvard university alumni, have received a Grammy nomination for their album, Alike: My Mother’s Dream. The album is a deeply personal project,serving as a tribute to Allison’s mother’s lifelong dedication to emphasizing shared humanity over division.
Alike: My Mother’s Dream features seven tracks of classical music, blending contemporary compositions with rediscovered works from the late Romantic era. A central theme of the album is pairing composers from historically conflicted regions – a Russian and a Ukrainian,an Iranian and an Israeli – to illustrate the potential for peaceful coexistence. As Allison explains, the album aims to demonstrate that “just as these pieces belong right next to each other…so do these people belong next to each other-living in peace.”
The album is framed by orchestral pieces: Antonín dvořák’s “Songs My Mother Taught Me” opens the collection, while American composer Kim D. sherman’s “Invocation” – a setting of the phrase “Make peace on all your lands” sung in 15 languages – provides a powerful closing statement. A significant discovery featured on the album is the first-ever English-language recording of Amy Beach‘s ten-minute scena for soprano and orchestra, ”jephthah’s Daughter.” the manuscript for this piece was lost for over a century, seized by the German army during World War I, and only recently rediscovered. Allison notes this loss exemplifies the broader devastation of war, extending beyond lives lost to include ”great beauty and great potential.”
Despite geographical distance – Ben conducts and Allison performs as a soloist – the couple collaborates closely. Their process involves extensive repertoire discussion, performance planning prior to recording, and strategically scheduled rehearsals. For Alike: My Mother’s Dream, they performed in Dallas before recording there, and Allison joined Ben as a guest soloist at a festival he conducted in the Czech Republic, where further recording took place in Prague. They also serve as creative sounding boards for each other’s individual musical endeavors.
Both Ben and Allison maintain a connection to Harvard University, with ben regularly attending Reunions. Allison now experiences the campus anew through the eyes of her son.
The Grammy nomination is a significant honor for both artists, marking their first time being recognized by the music industry. They dedicate the nomination to the memory of Luise Vosgerchian, hoping she would be pleased to see their continued dedication to music. Allison expressed her hope that the album, though a small contribution, might inspire others to contribute their own “drop” towards a more peaceful and harmonious world.