Aphelion: the point in a planet’s orbit that is farthest from the sun.
Aphelion
Aphelion is the seventh full-length studio album and a multimedia memoir in poetry, music, story, and imagery by award-winning harpist, composer, author and seminary professor April Stace. Drawing on her work as both a professional musician and an Episcopal priest, April invites audiences into stories that are at once deeply personal and widely recognizable: the ending of one chapter, the uncertainty of what comes next, and the surprising discoveries that await when we learn to inhabit our lives differently.
Throughout the performance, audiences are invited to reflect on questions such as:
How do we navigate seasons of profound change?
What can solitude teach us about ourselves?
How does creativity help us make meaning from loss?
Where do we encounter the sacred in everyday life?
What becomes possible when we stop trying to be everything to everyone?
At the center of the experience is the harp—an instrument capable of both intimacy and expansiveness—serving as a companion through stories of grief, beauty, longing, joy, and renewal.
Written over a two-year period, Aphelion traces the movement from disorientation toward wonder. Each musical piece is accompanied by an original poem, personal narrative, and visual imagery, creating an immersive experience that unfolds somewhere between a concert, a memoir, and a contemplative retreat.
At its heart, Aphelion invites audiences to consider what becomes possible when familiar roles fall away—and how periods of distance, loss, and uncertainty can open unexpected paths toward freedom, meaning, and creative life.
Program Length
60–90 minutes, with optional audience conversation or Q&A.
Ideal For
Arts and cultural venues
Retreat centers
Churches and faith communities
Colleges and universities
At its heart, Aphelion is an invitation to consider how life's endings can become beginnings, and how creativity can help us navigate the spaces in between.
Throughout the performance, audiences encounter:
Original compositions for harp
Spoken-word poetry
Stories that inspired the songs
Projected images that deepen the emotional landscape
Reflections on spirituality, wonder, and the creative process
Sneak peak: the music video for Ojito, a song about the Ojito Wilderness in New Mexico. (The first 14 seconds are silent, so don’t panic if you don’t hear anything at first!)
Confirmed Tour Dates as of 7/21/26:
October 2026: Madison WI, Chicago IL, Marquette MI
January 2027: Easton MD, Richmond VA
February 2027: Portland OR, Albuquerque, NM
March 2027: Dallas TX
Want to bring Aphelion to your community? Send April a message here:
