I am writing these words while the Middle East, my place of birth, my roots, is bleeding.  There are no words that can describe the pain, loss and suffering I see in the land and its people on a daily basis.

Like me, my friends, family, and neighbors who live on the other side of these fences that were built to divide us, carry an excruciating pain that grows deeper as the wars continue - pain that will live in hearts and souls for generations to come.

I wanted this project to bring people together through music. My grandfather, born in Syria and shaped by hardship, believed in peace until his last day. Because of him, I believe in peace, and I hope this is one belief I will never have to grieve.

The sonic landscape of conflict—the sudden silence after chaos, the irregular heartbeat of distant artillery, that unnatural quiet following destruction—has inevitably found its way into my musical language.

These experiences of personal loss, collective grief, and enduring hope became the foundation for the music in this album, each piece exploring different sides and shades of mourning.

- Tamar Sagiv

1. Shades of Mourning (2022) 4:14

2. Roots (2022) 5:14

3. Intermezzo (2023) 2:47

4. And Maybe You Never Used to Be (2023) 3:11

5. My Clouds of Grief (2024) 6:41

6. The End of Times (2024) 2:31

7. Imaginary World (2024) 4:28

8. Prelude (2024) 2:13

9. In My Blue (2024) 3:47

All pieces composed by Tamar Sagiv (b. 1994).

Release date: August 8th, 2025
UPC: 053479704108

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Quotes & Reviews

Tamar Sagiv interview with The Strad

Featured in NPR’s “The best new albums out Aug. 8”

Gramophone “Video Of The Day” July 11, 2025

“The basic structures are tonal and simple, but Sagiv inflects them in various directions, taking ideas from minimalism, jazz, coloristic composition, and more, all without losing her basic voice, and the album as a whole gathers quite a moving effect, with the small jazz accents of the concluding Prelude and In My Blue (her reference is Chet Baker's "Almost Blue") taking on a transcendent quality. An impressive debut that fuses performance talents and composition in an unusual and fresh way.” - James Manheim, AllMusic

“Grief is a powerful emotion. For centuries composers have channeled their grief into some of the most beloved music: Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Mozart’s Lacrimosa from the Requiem are just two examples. You can now add this incredible new album from cellist Tamar Sagiv. …I challenge anyone to listen to this music and not be moved. “ - Craig Byrd, Cultural Attache

Inclusion on the ASCAP New Music Friday Playlist