One of The Hermitage Artist Retreat’s guest artists has been nominated for a Grammy, as Chicago Symphony Orchestra resident composer Anna Clyne earned a nomination for Best Contemporary Classical Composition with her double violin concerto, Prince of Clouds, which was composed during her stay in Sarasota.

“For me, it was perfect timing,” said Clyne of her experience with The Hermitage. “The biggest challenge is starting.” She had a concerto to compose, but hadn’t yet hit that moment where it all starts to come together. After two weeks at The Hermitage, Clyne had crafted the work that would eventually garner this year’s nomination.

“The Hermitage gives you space and resources to really just focus on your art,” said Clyne, who found the natural setting and easy early mornings a welcome refuge from the “hustle and bustle” of city life. But it wasn’t all solitude at The Hermitage, and Clyne found inspiration in her fellow artists, cooking meals together and feeding off each other’s creativity. “They give you a lot of freedom to use your time as is best for your project.”

Initially envisioning an epic piece involving an orchestra with at least 30 separate musical lines, Clyne’s background in digital composition – with its penchant for layering – was well-served, but she wasn’t happy with the results. She decided to switch gears and head in the opposite direction, reducing the number of musical lines to only five and focusing her efforts on those. “To write a simpler piece is much more challenging,” said Clyne, “because each line is so exposed.” The result was Prince of Clouds.

Of her Grammy nomination, Clyne called it “a great honor,” going on to say it was “also a surprise.” For now, she’s already working on two new chamber orchestra pieces, which she hopes to complete when she’s back at The Hermitage in late February.