history is what it is

Voces Boreales (Northern Voices) signifies two ideas: Northern Ontario, Yoko Hirota's residence for the last 12 years, and Canada as a whole, which is seen as the Northern country to many Europeans. This recording features solo piano works by five of Canada's distinguished composers. Hirota is a strong advocate for contemporary music.

For his first solo album, cellist Vernon Regehr presents previously unrecorded, unaccompanied works of six composers, all written in the past decade. As the title of the album suggests, the works display a highly varied array of expressive and emotional landscapes, utilizing the instrument's broad range of tone color.

In 2012 the Canadian Music Centre British Columbia Region announced a national festival celebrating the centennial of Barbara Pentland. This CD was created by Barbara Pritchard in honor of the Festival and this Pentland centennial.

Pianist and Composer Sherkin's debut album fuses classical lineage with modern origins. Sherkin interprets his own music spanning a rich stylistic palette and celebrates the possibilities of musical directness and pianistic virtuosity in our own time.

Burke, J.: Remember Your Power

The nine works on "... between the shore and the ships... - the Grand-Pre Recordings," represent the historic impact of the Acadian Deportation from Grand Pr� in 1682. Soprano Helen Pridmore's performance captures the mood of fear and uncertainty expressed by the authors of the texts, while clarinetist Wesley Ferreria portrays the calm strength which the Acadians drew from the vast open space of the colony's landscape.

Papineau-Couture, J.: Canadian Composers Portraits

Pentland, B.: Disasters of the Sun

Eatock is a composer, critic, and musicologist. The six works recorded on this disc were composed over the last quarter-century, which he has spent living in Toronto. This is intimate music, a mixture of vocal and instrumental works scored for one to four musicians. The pieces reflect Eatock's musical influences. Often, there is a historical aspect to his music, with stylistic ideas from past eras incorporated into his works. And there are also literary influences: Williams Blake, Walt Whitman and Alfred Tennyson are all represented on this disc.

Archer, V.: Canadian Composers Portraits

Hetu, J.: Canadian Composers Portraits

The chamber music of Schafer from 3 distinct periods of his life: Kinderlieder, a fresh and innocent early work from the 50's; Wild Bird, a compelling tone painting from 1997; and mature works from the more recent past, including Six Songs from Rilke's "Book of Hours". Performed by Calgary's Land's End Chamber Ensemble, an unusual collective of excellent musicians devoted to Canadian and international new music and classics from the 20th century.

Coulthard, J.: Canadian Composers Portrait

Oliver came to international attention during 1988-89 when he won 6 prizes for five compositions ranging from chamber to orchestral to electro acoustic music. This album features a collection of his orchestra music composed between 1995 and 2006. Oliver believes that music should resonate with the listener's intellect, emotions, and kinetic impulses.