On 25 September 2026, Divine Art is proud to present Eduard Tubin's powerful Requiem for Fallen Soldiers and other major choral works by the composer, performed by the Estonian National Male Choir, conductor Mikk Üleoja. The soloists are Iris Oja (mezzo-soprano), Indrek Vau (trumpet), Madis Metsamart and Anto Õnnis (percussion), and Piret Aidulo (organ). The album is released to tie in with the sixth annual Tubin Festival from 28 September to 4 October 2026 in Tartu and Tallinn, Estonia. Artistic Director of the Festival Mihhail Gerts has written an excellent article about these choral works for the booklet notes. Eduard Tubin (1905-1982) is recognized as one of Estonia's greatest composers. He had to flee the country during World War II and spent his later decades in Sweden, but he drew strength from his national heritage and often incorporated Estonian folk music into his works. He was a devoted choral conductor throughout his entire creative career, and men's choir music held a particularly special place in his heart. The album includes all his choral songs written during his homeland period, some from the early years of his exile to Sweden, and two major works influenced by the tragedies of World War II: 'Reekviem langenud sõduritele' (Requiem for Fallen Soldiers) and 'Taganejate sõdurite laul' (Song of the Retreating Soldiers). He composed all of his choral songs from his homeland period for the men's choir of the Tartu Men's Singing Society and remained associated with the group until his escape from Estonia in 1944. The songs include 'Karjase laul' (The Shepherd's Song), written to a folk text, as well as 'Igatsus' (Longing), 'Randaja õhtulaul' (The Wanderer's Evening Song), and 'Noore kotka laul' (Song of the Young Eagle), all set in the 1930s to texts by one of the composer's favourite poets, Ernst Enno. His rich musical landscapes often depict memories of his youth as a shepherd. Mihhail Gerts says, 'These miniatures, characterized by a wide dynamic range and a wealth of tonal colors, transport the listener to the meadows along the shores of Lake Peipus near the composer's birthplace, where the young music enthusiast spent his summer months.'

On 14 August 2026, Divine Art is delighted to present The Complete Piano Music of Anthony Hedges (1931-2019) Vol 1, the first of three albums from British pianist Adam Davies presenting the entirety of this prolific composer's concert music for piano. This first volume documents a thirty-year maturation showcasing the full breadth and diversity of Hedges' creative output, starting with the earliest of the published piano pieces, the Five Preludes of 1959, fresh with youthful energy and verve, and ending with the bright and evocative Five Aphorisms of 1990. Between these sit two weighty centrepieces marking important stylistic departures: Four Short Pieces, his gritty foray into serialism, and the bold intensity of the First Sonata. Interspersed with these are delightful miniatures written for budding pianists, reflecting the composer's pianistic skill and facility in writing for younger musicians. This music is colourful, rich in it's allusions, and expertly crafted. Many of these works are being recorded for the first time. Adam Davies first encountered the music of Anthony Hedges in his youth and saw the composer himself in performance, as he grew up in Beverley, East Yorkshire, also by then Hedges' home. He rediscovered the composer during COVID after finding his own long-neglected score of Ten Bagatelles Op.156, gifted from his boyhood singing teacher, and was reminded of the quality and accessibility of the writing. Such was his enjoyment of these pieces, and his surprise at the relative lack of recordings of Hedges' music, that he resolved to record the complete piano music. Anthony Hedges' daughter Fiona provided the scores and private recordings of many of these works by the composer himself: 'Listening to these works proved to be a liberating experience he played like a composer: perhaps not with note-perfect Polish, but with crystal-clear imagination, purpose, character, and expression permeating every note and phrase.I have tried to convey something of his essence in these recordings, which I hope will serve to bring wider attention to this richly deserving repertoire.' The album is financially supported by the Ida Carroll Trust. Composer, pianist, conductor, teacher and critic Anthony Hedges was born in the town of Bicester and educated at Oxford, where his broad musical activity included singing in the Oxford Bach Choir under the batons of such luminaries as Vaughan Williams and Constant Lambert. During his National Service (1955-57), he worked as pianist and arranger for the Royal Signals Band. He taught at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire in Glasgow and later at Hull University, where he became a Reader and earned his Honorary Doctorate, also during that time meeting poet Philip Larkin and setting his words to music. As well as a weekly column for the Glasgow Herald, he contributed reviews and interviews for the Guardian, the Scotsman, and other publications. His expansive output covers all genres, including popular and frequently broadcasted lighter works for brass band and orchestra. Pianist Adam Davies was born in Manchester and raised in Beverley, East Yorkshire, where he had the opportunity to hear Anthony Hedges at the piano several times. Davies was educated at the Royal Northern College of Music, where his teachers were John Gough and Dr. Murray McLachlan. Adam performs throughout the UK as a recital and concerto soloist and teaches at Chetham's School of Music, Manchester. In 2019, he commissioned and gave the world premiere of Tom Harrold's Crux, and he has performed as duo partner with Kathryn Stott.

On 21 August 2026, Divine Art is thrilled to release the world premiere recording of Piedra de sol (Sunstone), acclaimed composer Joby Talbot's stunning choral setting of Mexican poet Octavio Paz's epic masterpiece, performed by GRAMMY Award-winning choir Conspirare and Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson. Drawing on the symbolism of the Aztec calendar stone, Octavio Paz's poem Piedra de sol (1957) is like no other. It uses techniques of modern poetry, particularly surrealist imagery, to meditate on cyclical time and the possibility of breaking it's grip through poetry and love, as explained by Adela Pineda Franco of the University of Texas at Austin in her excellent booklet article. The poem had a profound emotional impact on Joby Talbot: '..the hugeness of the poet's vision; the cosmic immensity of the imagery; the febrile surrealistic intensity of a sensory journey through space and time from reality to fantasy and back again; the sudden moments of heartfelt intimacy that never fail to surprise.' The seventy-minute-long musical structure mirrors the poem's narrative journey from ecstatic vision, through deep despair, to eventual enlightenment. It features a wide range of vocal textures, extended passages of complex rhythmic interplay, exposed solo passages for a single voice, and episodes where slabs of sound reflect the poem's terrifying images. Colouring much of the music is the marimba (superbly played by Thomas Burritt), which anchors the harmonies and rhythm and contributes to the otherworldly character of the musical palette. Piedra de sol invites listeners and performers alike on a journey of infinite dimensions - a voyage whose course bends, advances, recedes, comes full circle, and arrives forever. London-born Joby Talbot is a leading composer for concert, stage, and screen. He has written widely for voice and choir, setting poetry, sacred, and historical texts for varying ensembles. Prominent within Talbot's catalogue are his works for stage and screen. His operas Everest (2014) and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2020) both explore themes of despair and endurance, while his collaboration with leading choreographer Christopher Wheeldon has produced original full-length narrative ballet adaptations of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (2010), The Winter's Tale (2013), Like Water for Chocolate (2021), and the life of Oscar Wilde (Oscar, 2024). Talbot has also scored major feature films The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Sing (2016), Sing 2 (2021), and Wonka (2023). Conspirare is a professional choral organization under the leadership of Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson. Inspired by the power of music to change lives, this ensemble engages singers from around the world who join voices to deliver world-class, extraordinary live musical experiences and recordings. Their discography includes 17 commercial albums and 20 self-produced live albums. Hella Johnson and Conspirare were awarded a 2015 GRAMMY for Best Choral Performance for The Sacred Spirit of Russia, and their recordings have received 12 total nominations, including for advena: liturgies for a broken world: music of Mark Buller, released in 2025 on Divine Art. Conspirare has also been recognized with the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkrtik for it's Path of Miracles album (2015) and the Edison Award in the Choral Music category (2010). Conspirare has performed throughout the United States and internationally. On this recording, the choir includes tenor Haitham Haidar (whose recently released debut album Zaytoun on Athene was nominated for a JUNO Award), Savannah Porter of Voces8, early music specialists Jonathan Woody and Dann Coakwell, and the incredible Basso Profundo Glenn Miller.

Divine Art is delighted to present Made in Germany, from Texas-based Olmos Ensemble, the first in an exciting series of albums catalogued by country, presenting rarely performed and unrecorded works for mixed chamber instrumentation. Originally formed by the principal players of the San Antonio Symphony, Olmos Ensemble has established itself as one of the premier chamber music organizations in Texas, and features leading musicians from across the United States. Made in Germany will be released as they open their 32nd Season. Each album in the series will feature a works of varied instrumentation, creating a unique collection of recorded chamber repertoire that only an ensemble like Olmos - through their remarkable access to top musicians around the United States - could bring together. The Ensemble's concert programming has won great acclaim for it's focus on showcasing neglected works by female composers, and Olmos is thrilled to bring this to their recordings as well, with each album in the series featuring works by women composers, including many premieres. Made in Germany features three composers of German origin: Richard Strauss, Rudolf Tillmetz, and Ruth Schonthal. The album includes the first recording of Laszlo Varga's highly regarded arrangement of Strauss' Don Quixote for six instruments: clarinet, French horn, violin, viola, cello and piano, which includes every core member of Olmos Ensemble apart from flute. As the original primary voices in the larger orchestrated work (all but piano), these six instruments work wonderfully together in recreating the thrilling tale of Don Quixote. Also included is the first professional recording of Rudolf Tillmetz's only chamber work, the Nocturne for Flute, Horn, and Piano, Op. 31. One of the few Romantic-era trios for this unusual instrumentation, the piece reflects the salon music tradition of late 19th-century Germany, emphasizing lyrical writing and equal interplay between instruments, and although not widely known is a valuable work in the horn and flute chamber music repertoire. German-born Jewish composer, Ruth Schonthal fled Nazi persecution early in her life, first moving to Mexico and later America to study with Paul Hindemith. Completing the album is a rare recording of her late-career Theme and Variations for Solo Flute, which distills her lifelong commitment to melodic expressiveness and emotional narrative into a unique work for solo flute. Future albums in this series will focus on the Czech Republic, America, Italy and Austria. 'We are excited to record music that has never before been paired together on an album and present to the classical music loving public a unique set of all-encompassing recordings that will range from solo works through nonets and possibly larger. With the group consisting of people living in entirely different parts of the US, Olmos Ensemble is unique in it's ability to maintain 31 (and soon 32) seasons of existence, all while presenting lesser known works in addition to insightful interpretations of the great standards.' Members of Olmos Ensemble on this recording are: Artistic Director Mark Teplitsky, Assistant Principal Flute of the Naples Philharmonic, previously second flute at Houston Symphony; violinist Eric Gratz, a soloist, concertmaster, chamber musician, and Artistic Director of the American Chamber Music Society in Chicago; Ilya Shterenberg, Acting Principal Clarinet of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (Canada), and Principal Clarinet of several orchestras across the US; cellist Julian Schwarz, first prize winner at the inaugural Schoenfeld International Competition 2013 and a founding member of the Frisson Ensemble; Jeff Garza, principal horn of the Oregon Symphony and the Bellingham Festival of Music; violist Colin Brookes, a founding member of the award-winning Ulysses Quartet, and award-winning soloist; soloist and chamber musician Elizabeth Dorman (piano), a regular guest Keyboard at the San Francisco Symphony, and faculty member of the San Fransisco Conservatory of Music.

In June 2026 Divine Art is delighted to present Francis Poulenc: Music for Two Pianos performed by pianists Antony Gray and Rob Hao. Among the highlights of this superb new release are the first commercial audio recording of Antony Gray's own transcription for two pianos of Poulenc's score from the film Voyage en Amerique, the first recording of Poulenc's two piano reduction of the Concert Champetre, plus the recently discovered Valse de musique de soie. A superb pianist as well as a composer, Poulenc's works for piano are without exception charming, delightful and gratifyingly written. However, most of his piano music comes from the early part of his career, as Poulenc destroyed many of his later works, including a number for four hands/two pianos. The two-piano works on this album represent those later periods when he was at the height of his powers. The first comes from his delightful score, which was sadly lost, for the 1951 film about a couple from rural France on their first ever flight, Voyage en Amerique. Antony Gray tracked down a copy of the soundtrack, which was scored for two pianos, and transcribed it himself, realising this was the only way of recovering the score, and presents it here with Rob Hao in it's first commercial standalone recording. To complete the transcription of the soundtrack, Gray also includes the song, Adieu Maison, with soprano Helen Miles, and a Valse, in which the two pianos are joined by an accordion, performed by Alise Silina. Gray and Hao also present a later version of this work entitled Embarquement pour Cythere, scored only for two pianos. The Sonata for two pianos, arguably Poulenc's finest keyboard work, is emotionally dark and looks forward to the tenderness and anguish of the Dialogues des Carmelites. Very few works in the piano duo repertoire match this sonata in power and emotional force -aggressive dissonance is contrasted with passages of achingly beautiful material. One of his final keyboard works is the deeply emotional Elegie in which as with all Poulenc's music for two pianos, the material throughout is passed equally between the two instruments. The Concert Champetre, originally written as a concerto for harpsichord and orchestra, was reworked for two pianos, and despite missing the rich orchestral palette it's a strong work in it's own right, and is given it's first recording here. Poulenc's other works for two pianos will be made available as bonus digital-only tracks accompanying the album. The first will feature Sonate pour piano a 4 mains, written in 1918 when Poulenc was only 19 years old. It was influenced by Satie and Stravinsky, as well as Chabrier, yet is already stylistically unique and a real achievement for such a young composer. The Capriccio for two pianos is a transcription by Poulenc of the Finale of his cantata Le Bal Masque, with hilarious and surreal music, befitting the cantata text by Max Jacob. The album will be completed by the Valse de musique de soie for solo piano, performed by Antony Gray, a work only recently rediscovered in 2017. Antony Gray and Rob Hao, both pianists and composers, are from Australia. Antony Gray has long been regarded as one of the most interesting and communicative performers of his generation with many solo and chamber music performances around the world and many pieces written for and premiered by him. His recordings for Divine Art have included music by Malcolm Williamson, John Carmichael, and an acclaimed set of Saint-Saëns piano music. Rob Hao's compositions and performances have taken him across Australia, the UK and continental Europe, and he has given regional and world premieres of over thirty works in both ensemble and solo settings. His debut solo recording 'Palimpsest' for Divine Art explores how music and styles from different times interact and inspire new ideas.

Divine Art proudly presents the first vinyl edition of Fantasies, Burkard Schliessmann's wonderful interpretation of the solo piano works of Robert Schumann. Now issued as a triple gold audiophile LP, this deluxe pressing follows the album's acclaimed release on SACD and Dolby Atmos digital, which drew widespread praise for both it's sonic fidelity and interpretative depth. Recorded at Berlin's renowned Teldex Studios with producer Julian Schwenkner and engineer Jupp Wegner, the album uses a 14-microphone setup to capture the full breadth of Schliessmann's artistry - revealing the intricate emotional architecture and expression of Schumann's writing. Schliessmann draws out the music's structural sophistication, making bold connections to Wagner's Tristan, while with spacious, poetic lyricism. The result is a revelatory journey through Schumann's psyche - one that Schumann Journal described as "completely new, surprising and unexpected. a MUST!" (Irmgard Knechtges-Obrecht), while the American Record Guide hailed the album's "perfect" sound as "one of the most beautiful-sounding recordings I've heard recently" (Rob Haskins). Pressed on triple heavyweight gold vinyl, this edition delivers analogue warmth and detail that will reward the most discerning listener. A vital collector's release, Fantasies continues Burkard Schliessmann's legacy of uncompromising interpretations and outstanding recorded sound.

On 24 April 2026, Divine Art is proud to present the complete Annees de pelerinage Suites for solo piano by Franz Liszt, performed by the exciting Taiwanese-American pianist Brian Hsu. Released as a 3-CD set, this monumental cycle traces a physical and emotional journey by the composer through the magnificent alpine landscapes of Switzerland, the art and literature of Italy, and the journeys within. The album was recorded and engineered in Dolby Atmos® spatial audio by GRAMMY®-nominated producer Sergei Kvitko. Brian Hsu explains how the inception of the album came during COVID: "These pieces became a way for me to travel through music-to wander the mountains of Switzerland, drift along the canals of Venice, and encounter the art and architecture of Italy through Liszt's imagination. In a moment defined by isolation, this repertoire offered connection, motion, and emotional release." Hsu's performances trace these connections, bringing forth the vivid imagery, energy, youthful exploration, and outward discovery in Books I (Suisse) and II (Italie). His performances then underline how Book III unfolds as a spiritual pilgrimage-an inward journey shaped by reflection and acceptance. Brian Hsu was drawn from an early age to the imagination, virtuosity, emotional range, and expressive power of Liszt's music, and he took on the recording of this work as a "personal challenge". Recordings of the complete Suites have been achieved in full by fewer than two dozen pianists. Hsu presents Liszt not only as the virtuoso whose technical brilliance reshaped the piano literature, but as a poet, philosopher, and artist whose musical language evolved alongside his professional and personal life. Liszt is deeply associated with dazzling virtuosity and showmanship, but this represents only one facet of a composer whose artistic voice grew increasingly reflective, restrained, and forward-looking over time. Hsu's interpretation of Annees de pelerinage presents the comprehensive view that each Book offers a distinct emotional world, and that together, they form a narrative that mirrors the stages of a life well-lived. Since his concerto debut at the age of 16 with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Brian Hsu has gone on to establish himself as a pianist of electrifying energy and highly communicative performances. Critics have praised his playing in superlatives, noting his "breadth of expression and technical ability." Mr. Hsu has performed throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and South Africa, appearing as concerto soloist with such ensembles as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Taiwan National Symphony, Juilliard Orchestra, Haddonfield Symphony, Sendai Philharmonic, University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and music festivals. His performances have been broadcast nationally on WQXR radio in New York and All Classical Radio in Portland. In addition to competition successes, Mr. Hsu has been the recipient of numerous awards during his studies at The Juilliard School, Yale University, and the University of Michigan. An avid chamber musician, collaborator, and educator, Mr. Hsu continuously performs with distinguished artists worldwide and has given masterclasses at various colleges and universities throughout the United States and Asia. He is currently an associate professor of piano at the University of Oregon.

On 17 April 2026, Divine Art is delighted to present France Revisited, Vol. 2, the second volume of French music for piano four hands from Piano A Deux, the husband and wife team of Robert and Linda Stoodley. France Revisited, Vol.2 includes Gabriel Faure's Dolly Suite, George Onslow's Sonata No.2 in F Minor, Op 22, and the Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 by Franz Liszt, arranged for four hands by Franz Bendel with new cadenzas by Piano A Deux - this is the premiere recording. Faure's Dolly Suite is a charming set of six duets for four hands, written for the daughter of Emma Bardac, who eventually married Debussy. The Suite was often re-visited by Faure, and in 1906 was arranged for orchestra by Henri Rabaud. The piano duets were first premeired by Alfred Cortot and edouard Risler in 1898. Born in France but of English descent, George Onslow's music found approval from elites like Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn, being crowned the "French Beethoven" by his publisher and other contemporaries, although later falling out of favour. During their research into less well-known composers, Piano A Deux discovered Onslow's duet sonatas in a dusty library drawer. The Opus 7 Duo Sonata was recorded for the first volume of France Revisited and the Sonata No.2 in F Minor, Opus 22 is heard in this second volume. Given many performances by Chopin and Liszt, it is conceived on a grand scale, symphonic in structure and reflects the Beethovenian aspects of Onslow's style. Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 is probably one of the best-known solo pieces in the piano repertoire, from a composer who stands like a colossus in the pianist world, crossing geographical boundaries. Piano A Deux have taken Bendel's arrangement for four hands, adapted it and written their own cadenzas, returning the piece to it's virtuosic persona. An adventurous piano duo with a wide repertoire which includes major classical works and their original arrangements from the world of opera, film and musical theatre, Piano A Deux have performed in countries like Singapore, Italy, Germany and Finland to standing ovations. Meanwhile their concerts on cruise ships have won them a large following of seasoned concertgoers as well as new audiences who are delighted by their unique themed programs, exquisite music-making and charisma blended with humour." Novel programming presented with charm, humour and drama, combined with their original arrangements has won them many fans worldwide. Surprisingly, Robert & Linda met online, not through music. They married in 2008 and "Piano À Deux" was formed in 2010. Piano A Deux have been hailed as being worthy of taking on the mantle of longtime Divine Art recording artists Goldstone and Clemmow, a duo whose career was aborted by the untimely death of Anthony Goldstone. Their playing in 'France Revisited' Vol 1 was praised as "piano four hands... at it's very best.."

In March 2026, Divine Art Records presents the premiere recording of 24 Preludes for Piano by Nicholas Scott-Burt, performed by Da-Hee Kim, marking the Divine Art debut for both composer and pianist. In his 24 Preludes for Piano, composed between 2019-2020, Scott-Burt takes a post-modern approach to the long-standing tradition of presenting a cycle of works in all 24 major and minor keys. He follows in the footsteps of J.S. Bach, Chopin, and Shostakovich, among others, aiming to represent the innate expressive qualities associated with each key, while bringing a unique approach to the work's architecture. Each prelude is treated as a miniature, yet is also combined to create a seamless, integrated structure - a giant 'symphony' for the piano. The works are arranged in a sequence of alternate major and minor Preludes and are grouped into four suites (books) of six movements each, equivalent to the four movements of a symphony. Each has it's own character: Book 1 is neat and neo-classical; Book 2 more extravagant and romantic; Book 3 somewhat more introspective; and Book 4 bright and sunny, though with it's darker moments. In addition to the cycle of Preludes, the album includes Scott-Burt's Minimalis I and Love Song. Scott-Burt's writing embraces a broad range of styles, referencing music of the past which has led to this point, with echoes of Bach, Chopin, Shostakovich, but also Handel, Purcell, Schumann, Liszt, Prokofiev, Bartók, Messiaen, and jazz. All the colours in his sound world combine to produce a consistent and individual musical language. Scott-Burt is convinced that if there exists a music of the age in the twenty-first century, then it is one which embraces all music of the past. Award-winning Korean pianist Da-Hee Kim trained at the Paris Conservatoire before studying at the University of the Performing Arts in Munich, and completing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance at the Peabody Conservatory in the U.S. Da-Hee has performed at leading venues and festivals in South Korea, Europe, and the UK, including Salle Colonne and Salle Cortot in Paris, Palazzetto Bru Zane in Venice, Steinway Hall in London, St George's Bristol, and the July Festival in Seoul. Composer Nicholas Scott-Burt studied music at the University of Bristol, gaining the degrees of BA, MMus, and PhD, and is an organist, pianist, and conductor. His compositions range from pop songs to symphonic scores, choral and sacred music, a violin concerto, a chamber concerto for flute and harp, and a Sinfonietta: The Western Cape, composed in 2024 for the Cape Town and Stellenbosch Youth Orchestras.

In March 2026, Divine Art Records presents Cocteau from pianist Isabelle O'Connell, exploring the musical connections and artistic spirit of the multi-talented and influential French artist, filmmaker, novelist, and poet Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). Throughout his life, Cocteau worked with the legendary Ballets Russes, was involved with major art movements like Cubism and Surrealism, and was one of the most important avant-garde directors in cinema. Isabelle O'Connell's Cocteau is anchored by Irish composer Rhona Clarke's brand-new work Cocteau, written especially for O'Connell, and heard after the listener moves through Cocteau's contemporaries and collaborators in Paris a century ago: Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky, and members of Le Groupe des Six for whom Cocteau was a figurehead (Georges Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, Germaine Tailleferre). The initial spark for this revealing new album came from conversations between Isabelle O'Connell and Rhona Clarke during the COVID pandemic. Rhona had developed a fascination with the work of "this complete artist," and Cocteau is a set of six short pieces inspired by his drawings, paying tribute to his "overall aesthetic and personality, his quirkiness, modernism, sense of freedom, his mix of the sublime and the ridiculous." The works by Satie include his Trois Gnossiennes and Trois Gymnopédies (available as digital-only tracks), epitomising qualities that Cocteau so admired - clarity, refinement, with minimal and spare textures. The album also features the Ragtime Parade from the surrealist ballet Parade, conceived by Cocteau for the Ballets Russes, and Rêverie de l'enfance de Pantagruel from his orchestrated work Trois petites pièces montées, originally composed for a concert Cocteau organised. The album further includes Stravinsky's Ragtime and Les Cinq Doigts, Darius Milhaud's Le Boeuf sur le Toit from Cocteau's ballet, and three works by Germaine Tailleferre, the only female member of Le Groupe des Six. Though the composers of the group had differing styles, their music followed Cocteau's artistic principles, sometimes incorporating elements of American jazz and café music, often with a hint of humour or parody. L'Album des Six was the only work on which all six collaborated. Since her Carnegie Hall debut recital in 2002, Franco-Irish pianist Isabelle O'Connell has developed an international career as a soloist and chamber musician. She is co-founder of Grand Band, a piano sextet described by The New York Times as "six of the finest, busiest pianists active in New York's contemporary-classical scene." She has worked with composers John Adams, Meredith Monk, Donnacha Dennehy, Georg Friedrich Haas, Missy Mazzoli, Joan Tower, Kevin Volans, and Julia Wolfe. A Fulbright scholar, Isabelle currently serves on the piano faculty as Artist-in-Residence at Bard College and Conservatory of Music, New York.

The album opens with Liszt's transcriptions of two passionate and romantic works: Schumann's Widmung from the song cycle Myrthen and Isoldes Liebestod from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, followed by the charming and magical Spinnerlied from Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer. Several transcriptions of Schubert's lied are featured here: the sombre Der Doppelgänger from Schwanengesang and Der Müller und der Bach (the inspiration for the album) from Die Schöne Müllerin; the soothing Frühlingsglaube and the delightful and imaginative Ständchen von Shakespeare (Horch, hoch! Die Lerch!); finally, a piece (No. 6) from Liszt's own Soirées de Vienne cycle - arrangements of Schubert's tremendous 12 Valses Nobles, D. 969. The album has a "coda": the Valse from Gounod's opera Faust, the subject of several works by Liszt. This famous virtuoso piano transcription is full of drama and excitement, with "diabolic" sections but also gentle and lyrical, at times even transcendent. Indre Petrauskaite says, "It is delightful to take the example from Liszt himself and continue to 'practise' the love for the original music while 'revisiting' these famous transcriptions.'

Divine Art is delighted to present the 16 January 2026 release of Expectations from organist Alexander Ffinch, a musical journey of the seasons featuring original works and arrangements, recorded on the magnificent organ at Cheltenham College. Expectations takes the listener through a journey of the fall, winter feasts and festivals, and highlights the anticipation of opportunities and renewal in the new year. The various colours and choruses of the organ spark the imagination, making a wonderfully visceral listening experience which challenges the expectations of both the organ enthusiast and those new to the world of organ music. In this way, Expectations is a perfect follow-up and partner album to Ffinch's 2024 release Parallels, which featured original works and arrangements alongside music not usually associated with the organ. Ffinch begins our seasonal journey at Halloween with Saint-Saens' spine-chilling Danse Macabre in a transcription by E. H. Lemare. Alexandre Guilmant's powerful Marche Funebre et Chant Seraphique maintains the dark atmosphere, portraying the arrival of a solemn funeral procession. We then look ahead to the Christmas season in a refreshingly colourful new take on the Advent melody Non Komm der Heiden Heiland by the young composer William Mason, intermixed with the exquisitely crafted Air from Brook Green Suite by Gustav Holst and Derek Bourgeois' lighthearted Serenade, which provide a different kind of anticipation, both written for upcoming occasions. Christmas is in full swing with arrangements of the Overture, Russian Dance (Trepak), and Dance of the Reedpipes (des Mirlitons) from Tchaikovsky's festive ballet The Nutcracker, wrapped up together with the dazzlingly inventive Variations sur un Noel by Marcel Dupre, a towering figure of 20th-century organ music. This brings us finally towards the new year with the captivating Epilogue from Fanny Mendelssohn's Das Jahr, a stark yet optimistic depiction of the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Two works by master organist Marcel Lanquetuit complete the album: the centenary of his famous Toccata comes up in 2027, giving the album an ongoing cyclical feel, and we also hear his lesser-known Intermezzo. Just as Ffinch offered an organ 'surprise' along the lines of Coldplay's "Paradise" on Parallels, he also extends the question of expectations with David Bowie's probing song, "Life on Mars?". The release will also mark the 10th anniversary of David Bowie's death and reminds us, 55 years after it's release, that the journey to find ourselves doesn't end with New Year's Resolutions. In "expectation" of the January release, Divine Art will release digital singles of the seasonal works throughout the end of the year. Alexander Ffinch has established himself as a renowned organist with performances spanning the UK, Europe, USA, and Asia. Notable for his role as the College Organist at Cheltenham College since 2004, Alexander oversees daily organ performances in the College Chapel and accompanies choirs while maintaining an active schedule as a recitalist. He has featured previously in the Cheltenham International Music Festival and on BBC Radio 3 live broadcasts. His recordings have also recently featured on Radio 3 programmes. There are forthcoming recitals at Notre Dame and La Madeleine in Paris as well as regular series appearances in Cheltenham and other concerts in both the UK and USA.

On 9 January 2026, conductor Shea Lolin presents Frisson, an exciting new album of music for woodwind orchestra and his third recording with the principal woodwind players of the Czech Philharmonic (Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year 2024). Frisson follows the release of the ground-breaking Twisted Skyscape, the first album devoted entirely to new music for woodwind orchestra, and Chromosphere, which focused on contemporary repertoire. Frisson marks Shea Lolin's 20-year involvement with the woodwind orchestra and celebrates it's evolution from the early eighteenth-century genre of Harmoniemusik - formal ensemble music for pairs of winds - to it's modern form. The album features a superb programme of arrangements for woodwind orchestra by Shea Lolin, all originally commissioned by the Bloomsbury Woodwind Ensemble. He expands Franz Krommer's exquisite Octet - Partita in F Major, Op. 57, and Richard Strauss's youthful Serenade, Op. 7, creating a broader sonic landscape while maintaining their essence. Also included is Cécile Chaminade's beloved Concertino, Op. 107, arranged for woodwind orchestra and featuring young Glaswegian flautist Fiona Sweeney, who makes her debut with the Czech Philharmonic on this release. Completing the album is More Gordian Knots by Guy Woolfenden OBE, a spirited reimagining of Purcell's music for The Gordian Knot Unty'd, written during Woolfenden's remarkable 40-year association with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Electrifying debut album from a bold new voice in classical piano. British pianist Ophelia Gordon makes a striking debut with this album of works by Nikolai Kapustin, the Soviet composer whose music fuses the harmonic language and rhythmic drive of jazz with the formal precision of classical composition. Though Kapustin's music sounds improvised, every note is meticulously written - jazz in spirit, but classical in structure. Gordon brings rare authenticity to this repertoire, having tracked down long out-of-print vinyl recordings of Kapustin's own performances in a personal search for the composer's true voice. The programme is carefully curated to offer a compelling listening arc, capturing Kapustin's wit, lyricism, and fire with both intimacy and flair. Recorded on a characterful 1961 Steinway D, the album's sound is warm, immediate, and rich in detail - engineered with a microphone setup designed to balance the immediacy of a jazz trio with the depth and clarity of classical solo piano. This release marks two milestones: the first full Kapustin album by a British female pianist, and the first classical album by a BRIT School alum. With a growing reputation for fearless artistry and cross-genre fluency, Gordon offers a vital new perspective on one of the most original piano voices of the 20th century.

Divine Art is delighted to announce a superb collection of sensuous classical Spanish language songs for voice and piano, from the sublime musical partnership of lyric soprano Esther Rayo and renowned pianist and conductor Peter Grunberg. This program of works was first heard in a series of concerts given by the San Francisco based teaching and performance organization LIEDER ALIVE! The album features songs by early 20th century Spanish language composers: Fernando Obradors, Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados, Alberto Ginastera, Xavier Montsalvatge, Consuelo Velazquez and Manuel Ponce. Drawing from Spanish classical poetry and regional folk melodies, these vibrant song cycles offer appeal to art song aficionados and first-time listeners alike. Born in California, and surrounded by Spanish music and language, this music is close to Esther Rayo's heart. Her connection with these songs started when she was introduced to the music of Manuel Obradors while in college. Obradors offered the perfect starting point for her continued study and discovery of Spanish art song, and she was guided by the great 20th century sopranos Montserrat Caballe and Victoria de los Angeles, who kept this music alive. While she was at graduate school in 2017, Esther was introduced to Peter Grunberg by Maxine Bernstein, Founder and Director of LIEDER ALIVE! And they made an immediate musical connection around the works of Spanish language composers. LIEDER ALIVE! #helped provide opportunities for Peter and Esther to perform this music together, alongside it's standard mission of promoting German Lieder. Over the years they continued to study and learn more classical Spanish repertoire, resulting in this, their debut album together. And, even after all these years, they still feel they've only just scraped the surface of this wonderful repertoire!

Divine Art is delighted to announce a superb collection of sensuous classical Spanish language songs for voice and piano, from the sublime musical partnership of lyric soprano Esther Rayo and renowned pianist and conductor Peter Grunberg. This program of works was first heard in a series of concerts given by the San Francisco based teaching and performance organization LIEDER ALIVE! The album features songs by early 20th century Spanish language composers: Fernando Obradors, Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados, Alberto Ginastera, Xavier Montsalvatge, Consuelo Velazquez and Manuel Ponce. Drawing from Spanish classical poetry and regional folk melodies, these vibrant song cycles offer appeal to art song aficionados and first-time listeners alike. Born in California, and surrounded by Spanish music and language, this music is close to Esther Rayo's heart. Her connection with these songs started when she was introduced to the music of Manuel Obradors while in college. Obradors offered the perfect starting point for her continued study and discovery of Spanish art song, and she was guided by the great 20th century sopranos Montserrat Caballe and Victoria de los Angeles, who kept this music alive. While she was at graduate school in 2017, Esther was introduced to Peter Grunberg by Maxine Bernstein, Founder and Director of LIEDER ALIVE! And they made an immediate musical connection around the works of Spanish language composers. LIEDER ALIVE! #helped provide opportunities for Peter and Esther to perform this music together, alongside it's standard mission of promoting German Lieder. Over the years they continued to study and learn more classical Spanish repertoire, resulting in this, their debut album together. And, even after all these years, they still feel they've only just scraped the surface of this wonderful repertoire!

Advena: liturgies for a broken world, featuring world premieres of choral music from composer Mark Buller performed by GRAMMY® Award-winning choir Conspirare and Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson. Releasing digitally on August 29, 2025 and on CD on September 5, 2025 on Divine Art Records. Born of personal reckonings with inherited faith and culture, Mass in Exile and Requiem for the Light are liturgies in forms reimagined through the lens of our present moment. Composed by Mark Buller with librettist Leah Lax, these works reimagine ancient forms through the lens of our present moment. Buller's vibrant musical language combines with mystical choral textures to create an emotional intensity that feels both intimate and urgent. These works are presented between two companion works - Introit: Fruit of Your Heart and Communion: A Questioning - with texts by British poet and librettist Euan Tait which offer chant-like settings that extend the project's core themes, anchoring the whole in a wider human arc. Artistic Director and conductor Craig Hella Johnson is passionate about the power of Buller's music in this moment, saying: "We find ourselves in a pivotal cultural moment-one that calls for expressions of beauty and truth, offered both for inspiration but also as acts of resistance. This collaborative art-Mark Buller's music and the words of Leah Lax and Euan Tait-creates a space of welcome where we are reminded of our shared humanity, our urgent need for bold truth-telling, and our capacity to heal and grow." Conspirare is at their finest in this music and singers Simon Barrad, Emily Yocum Black, and Michael Hawes can be heard in solo roles. Conspirare is joined by dynamic instrumental collaborators Patrice Calixte, Mariama Alcântara, Bruce Williams, Douglas Harvey, Jessica Valls, Marc Garvin, and Thomas Burritt.

Australian pianist Rob Hao makes a striking debut with an album that explores how music from different times and styles can interact and inspire new ideas. At the heart of the recording is the premiere of Palimpsest 571, Hao's original work completing Franz Schubert's unfinished Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor, D. 571. Rather than trying to imitate Schubert's style exactly, Hao embraces the gap between past and present, creating a continuation that respects the mood and mystery of the original fragment while adding a fresh, modern voice. The album also features a set of piano etudes by British composer Alison Kay, whose minimalist and atmospheric pieces invite listeners to experience sound and silence in new ways. Alongside these contemporary works are carefully chosen pieces by Chopin, Schubert, Schubert-Liszt, and Michael Finnissy's challenging English country-tunes. Chopin's final nocturnes showcase his gift for blending long, flowing melodies with delicate harmonies, revealing the emotional depth he reached late in life. Schubert's impromptu and Liszt's piano transcription of Der Muller und der Bach bring vocal storytelling to the piano, highlighting the instrument's expressive power. Finnissy's English country-tunes is a powerful and intense piece that explores English folk traditions with virtuosic energy, moving between moments of lyricism and dramatic intensity. This mix of works demonstrates how composers and performers continue to build on musical traditions, layering new ideas over old, and keeping classical music vibrant and alive. This album offers a rich listening experience that invites reflection on how music evolves -shaped by both history and the creative present.

Chopin's 21 Nocturnes, often described as 'songs of the night', are among the most well-known and beautiful of Chopin's short solo piano works. Divine Art is thrilled to present pianist Tom Hicks' insightful new recording of these works which synthesizes his research into Chopin's performance and composition practices with modern listeners' expectations via a 'stunning technical agility' (American Record Guide). Dr Kim Sauberlich's excellent liner notes delve deeper into this often-forgotten performance, teaching, and historical recording practice and, together with the 21 pieces on this album, pose fascinating questions about authenticity and interpretation. Chopin's practice of sending manuscripts to publishers in multiple countries, while continuing to edit, led to multiple, authentic first editions which are not often heard in performance today, and even less in recordings.  In this recording, Tom has tastefully incorporated some of these variants, alongside historically informed choices about tempo rubato and pedaling, to create a version of the Nocturnes that feels fresh, individual, and truly authentic. He has even included minor and occasional improvisations, paying homage to the composer's multifaceted creative process, in which improvisation was central. Tom Hicks has said "All of this led me to see Chopin as a highly creative and spontaneous musician for whom the score is one representation of the work and for whom the score is only the starting point of an interpretation, not the end." The album was recorded at night and the engineers have captured an intimacy of sound. The recording process relied upon minimal editing and longer 'live' takes to recreate the intimate feel of the salon where these pieces were most often heard. Guernsey-born pianist Tom Hicks has an expansive repertoire and has been praised for his "brilliantly evocative"(International Piano) and "gorgeously creative playing" (Fanfare). He has won many awards and competitions and has appeared at the Wigmore Hall in London, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and many other venues throughout Europe and the United States. This new album follows his March 2022 albums centered around the Liszt and Ireland Piano Sonatas and Camden Reeves' 'Blue Sounds'.

This new recording from the Diversions label presents a focused showcase of the vocal music of Chicago-based composer Doug Lofstrom. Featuring baritone Ryan de Ryke, soprano Kim Jones, tenor Ryan Townsend Strand, pianist Daniel Schlosberg, and a fantastic session chamber orchestra, the album includes the world premiere recordings of three song cycles-Three Sandburg Songs, All Must End, and Myths and Accidents-as well as the first recorded excerpts from Lofstrom's opera Two Soldiers. The collaboration began in 2014 when Lofstrom met de Ryke and Schlosberg during a guest lecture. Their artistic rapport led to these deeply expressive song cycles, culminating in the revival of Two Soldiers-originally premiered in 1990 and reimagined in 2020 during the COVID pandemic with updated vocal and orchestral scoring. The opera, a sweeping tale of destiny and survival set in WWII, follows two soldiers-one Russian, one German-through a world in upheaval. Doug Lofstrom has been a creative force in American music since the 1970s. A former composer-in-residence for the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra and musical director of Free Street Theater, his works span symphonic, jazz, theater, and dance genres. He has written for the St. Louis, Atlanta, and Oregon Symphonies, Pittsburgh Ballet, and more. Vocal music has increasingly taken center stage in his work, often written for ensembles he helped form or inspire. Ryan de Ryke, praised for his versatility and rich musicality, has appeared at Aldeburgh, Aix-en-Provence, and Edinburgh festivals, with acclaimed roles in oratorio, opera, and art song. He's an alumnus of prestigious institutions including the Peabody Conservatory and Royal Academy of Music. Daniel Schlosberg, GRAMMY®-nominated pianist and composer, is a prominent voice in both classical and contemporary music. Known for championing new music and art song, he's collaborated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and led acclaimed projects across the U.S. and Europe. His release 40@40 with soprano Laura Strickling reached #1 on the Billboard classical chart. This compelling release is a bold presentation of new American vocal music, captured by some of today's most insightful interpreters.

Discovering Wilfred HeatonPremiere recordings of major instrumental works by a remarkable yet overlooked English composer Wilfred Heaton (1918-2000) is a name well-revered in brass band circles, but nearly unknown in the wider world of classical music. Discovering Wilfred Heaton seeks to change that with no less than seven premiere recordings from pianists Murray McLachlan and Rose McLachlan, tenor James Gilchrist, clarinetist Linda Merrick, and flutist Alex Jakeman. The album is anchored by the first recording of Heaton's monumental Piano Sonata, which was performed in 2024 to rapturous applause by Murray McLachlan at Manchester's Stoller Hall. The Sonata, composed in the 1950s, is a work of striking ambition and depth. Harmonically daring, emotionally raw, and technically formidable, it stands comparison with the great mid-century sonatas of Bartok and Prokofiev. From the muscular counterpoint of it's opening, through a grief-tinged slow movement and a dazzling finale, Heaton's sonata reveals a powerful, individual voice he was fearless in embracing big themes, bold melodies, and contemporary idioms. Also featured are first recordings of the Three Pieces for Piano (1954), and the poignant piano suite Pilgrim Reflections, adapted from Heaton's mystery play Pilgrim's Song. A selection of Heaton's rarely-heard songs written in his youth and again in later life are performed here by the acclaimed tenor James Gilchrist, accompanied by Rose McLachlan. Together, these works illuminate Heaton's stylistic evolution: his command of bitonality, rhythmic complexity, and melodic invention, rooted in a deep understanding of Bach and Brahms, and influenced by Walton, Hindemith, Bartok and Stravinsky. Heaton's career was shaped by a lifelong tension between personal conviction and professional ambition. A deeply private Yorkshireman, he turned away from a mainstream musical path after early promise studying with Matyas Seiber and submitting works to the Society for the Promotion of New Music choosing instead a life of teaching, reflection, and selective composition. The result is a body of work of exceptional quality, much of it unpublished or unheard until now. This album is not only a significant act of musical archaeology by Heaton's biographer and editor Paul Hindmarsh  - it is a compelling argument for Heaton's inclusion among Britain's most original post-war composers. Track highlights:-Piano Sonata (premiere recording) - Murray McLachlan, piano-Three Pieces for Piano (1954)-Pilgrim Reflections (suite for solo piano) For fans of: Bartok, Britten, Prokofiev, William Walton, Elisabeth Lutyens, early Tippett. An essential discovery for collectors, performers, and listeners drawn to British 20th-century repertoire beyond the usual names.

A new choral album of radiant melody and profound reflection Composer James Woodhall presents Full of Grace, a deeply expressive new choral album that moves between the intimate and the exultant. Drawing inspiration from sacred texts, ancient prayers, and moments of divine revelation, this collection weaves together contemporary choral writing with timeless spiritual themes. The album opens with the title track, Full of Grace, a lyrical meditation on the Angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary and the incarnation. With warm harmonies and a memorable, flowing melody, the piece captures both the stillness and the awe of that encounter, while it's vibrant central section echoes the heavenly proclamation to the shepherds. At the heart of the album lies The Damascus Sequence - an 11-movement cantata chronicling Saul's dramatic conversion from persecutor to preacher, drawn closely from Acts 9. This narrative arc, from darkness to vision, turmoil to peace, is vividly painted in choral textures, duets, and solos. Tracks such as Murderous Threats, I am Jesus, and Saul Sees and is Saved reflect Woodhall's gift for text-setting and storytelling through music, bringing ancient scripture to life with a keen sense of pacing and atmosphere. Later in the album, Woodhall returns to the Nativity in The Shepherds' Carol, a haunting and intimate new text that juxtaposes pastoral imagery with celestial wonder. His setting of Ave Verum Corpus and Ave Maria offers fresh interpretations of these enduring texts, while the final track, Light from Light, closes the album with a vision of hope and illumination - a reflection on divine presence in the world. Rooted in the choral tradition yet unmistakably contemporary, Full of Grace is a compelling addition to the sacred repertoire. It's accessible yet distinctive language will resonate with listeners who appreciate the choral music of James MacMillan, John Tavener, and Morten Lauridsen. For broadcasters, curators, and critics, Full of Grace offers music that is both spiritually resonant and musically rewarding - ideal for sacred seasons, reflective programming, and those seeking new choral music that speaks with clarity and depth.

Extraordinary works by British Women composers, brought to light by cellist Catherine Wilmers In A Cello Galaxy of British Women Composers, Catherine Wilmers brings to light an extraordinary collection of works by British women presenting us with twelve premiere recordings. Drawing on diligent research, Wilmers unearths strikingly original compositions presenting us with premiere recordings by Amy Elsie Horrocks, Ethel Barns, Elizabeth Poston, Joan Trimble, Dora Bright, Susan Spain Dunk, and Sarah Rodgers, whose Mountain Airs was written for the cellist. Some of these works lay forgotten in the archives of the Royal Academy of Music, their potential stifled by societal limitations rather than artistic merit. The album is more than a rediscovery-it is a testament to the resilience and artistry of these composers. The satisfyingly detailed liner notes reveal the challenges they faced, often in their own words or through the prejudices of their time. As late as the 1920s, the critic Cecil Gray echoed Dr Johnson's notorious remark: 'A woman's composing is like a dog walking on it's hind legs; it is not done well but you are surprised to see it done at all.' Such dismissals only fuel the need to champion these voices today. Wilmers' deep connection to this repertoire is evident in every performance, matched sensitively by accompanying pianist, Jill Morton. A former cellist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Catherine Wilmers has long questioned why so few works by women have entered the standard repertoire. This album is part of her answer-a luminous and long-overdue celebration of their music.

MALCOLM WILLIAMSON: The uncompromising and divisive Master of the Queen's Music Once one of the most widely performed composers of his generation, Malcolm Williamson's music has since fallen into obscurity. This new recording - featuring 16 world premieres - seeks to redress that balance, offering a fresh perspective on a composer whose work defied easy categorization. Williamson's output ranged from bold serial explorations to tuneful lyricism, often within the same piece. His music was lauded for it's ingenuity yet suffered from the composer's refusal to conform to prevailing academic tastes. As Master of the Queen's Music, he occupied a prestigious position but remained a divisive figure-uncompromising in his artistic voice and unpredictable in both temperament and style. Drawn from recently uncovered archives, this collection spans nearly five decades of Williamson's career, from early student works to some of his final compositions. The album includes the Clarinet Trio (1958), a strikingly assured work praised for it's "forthright tunefulness" and loose application of serial technique, and the Concerto for Wind Quintet and Two Pianos, Eight Hands (1966), an intricate, often densely chromatic score performed by an extraordinary ensemble of composer-pianists. Other highlights include the ballet-inspired Pas de Quatre (1967), the haunting Pieta (1973) for mezzo-soprano and ensemble-setting texts by Swedish poet Pär Lagerkvist-and the enigmatic Gallery (1966), a set of miniature pieces likely composed for an unknown television project. These performances, led by pianist and producer Antony Gray, bring Williamson's music vividly to life, illuminating it's rhythmic dynamism, harmonic inventiveness, and sheer expressive range. With the discovery of the Williamson archive in 2023, this recording marks an important step in reintroducing a composer whose legacy deserves reappraisal.

A Profound Tribute to Reflection and Resilience In the Mirror is an exquisite collection of works by contemporary women composers, masterfully interpreted by cellist Heather Tuach and pianist Yoko Misumi, both members of the celebrated Greenwich Trio. This album is not just a recording-it is an emotional journey born of reflection, healing, and hope. The title piece, composed by Liz Dilnot Johnson, was commissioned specifically for this project, setting the tone for an album steeped in introspection and serenity. The repertoire features original works and new arrangements by renowned composers including Dobrinka Tabakova and Jessie Montgomery, whose contributions enhance the album's contemplative spirit. Each piece carries it's own story, from Jocelyn Morlock's bird-inspired Halcyon to Jennifer Higdon's nocturnal reverie Nocturne. These works are tied together by a shared exploration of human resilience and the quiet strength found in moments of introspection. The project began during the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic and became deeply personal for pianist Yoko Misumi, who underwent successful cancer treatment during it's recording. Returning to the piano after her recovery, Misumi found solace and renewal in these compositions, describing the experience as "an emotional and musical healing." Highlights include: · Liz Dilnot Johnson's In the Mirror, a poignant four-movement work dedicated to personal loss and renewal. · Jessie Montgomery's Peace, composed during the pandemic and adapted for cello and piano with the composer's blessing. · Dobrinka Tabakova's Whispered Lullaby, an evocative piece inspired by Goethe's Faust. · Margaret Hubicki's lyrical Lonely Mere, a tribute to the serene landscapes of the Malvern Hills. The album is both a celebration of female creativity and a testament to music's power to comfort and inspire. Listening to In the Mirror is an opportunity to pause, reflect and take in moments of profound calm amidst life's turbulence. This is a must for admirers of contemporary chamber music, fans of women composers, and anyone seeking solace and beauty in music

For the first time, all fourteen piano sonatas by the enigmatic Soviet composer Anatoly Alexandrov (1888-1982) are brought together in a single recording. Known for his richly lyrical style, Alexandrov's music resonates with the spirit of his contemporaries Nikolai Medtner and Sergei Rachmaninov while charting a distinctive artistic path. A prolific composer of solo piano and vocal works, Alexandrov's œuvre has remained on the periphery of the repertoire, cherished by pianophiles but largely overlooked by broader audiences. His sonatas, written over the course of six decades, reflect a fascinating stylistic evolution shaped by the sweeping socio-political transformations of the 20th century. This landmark recording sheds new light on Alexandrov's place within Soviet music, offering a nuanced perspective that reaches beyond the familiar giants of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. It is both a celebration of Alexandrov's artistry and an invitation to explore the depth and complexity of a musical legacy ripe for rediscovery. Through this ambitious project, pianist Clarisse Teo offers an eloquent and compelling case for Alexandrov's sonatas as essential listening for lovers of 20th-century music, revealing a forgotten corner of the piano repertoire that brims with emotional depth and historical resonance. Singaporean pianist Clarisse Teo is renowned for her bold exploration of lesser-known and contemporary repertoire, earning praise for her "confidently eclectic tastes" (The Straits Times, 2022). Her international career spans solo and chamber performances, including a featured appearance on the acclaimed album Rarities of Piano Music at 'Schloss vor Husum' from the 2019 Festival (Danacord Records). Trained in piano, violin, and viola, she holds multiple distinctions, including the FRSM in piano, and completed her Master of Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on a partial scholarship. Clarisse's groundbreaking Doctor of Performing Arts degree from the University of St Andrews, supported by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Trust and Trailblazer Foundation Ltd (Singapore), focused on the fourteen piano sonatas of Soviet composer Anatoly Alexandrov. Passionate about reshaping the classical canon, she brings fresh insight and vibrant artistry to the stage, redefining what it means to champion overlooked music.

The critically acclaimed Invencia Piano Duo make their Divine Art debut with Dualities, a dazzling album that expands the possibilities of the piano duet and duo repertoire. Drawing on their virtuosity and innovative spirit, the duo explores works that transcend the boundaries of traditional solo piano, delivering arrangements that demand the synergy of four hands. Highlights of the album include Andrey Kasparov's stunning arrangements of Liszt's Totentanz, Ravel's La valse, Scriabin's Vers la flamme, and Albeniz's Triana. These beloved solo pieces are reimagined with breathtaking scope and texture, demonstrating the Invencia Piano Duo's interpretive depth. The album also features two original compositions by Kasparov: Fantasy on Lutheran Chorales and Cadenza for LvB. These works showcase the duo's mastery of both performance and composition, taking full advantage of the dynamic and expressive potential of four-hand piano playing. Founded by Andrey Kasparov and Oksana Lutsyshyn, the Invencia Piano Duo bring a wealth of experience and accolades to their performances. Educated at the Moscow State Conservatory and later at Indiana University's School of Music, the duo has won international recognition for their compelling interpretations and bold programming. Both artists are esteemed faculty members at Old Dominion University in Virginia and serve as artistic co-directors of the Norfolk Chamber Consort. Their individual achievements are equally impressive. Lutsyshyn, a prizewinner at the William Kapell International Piano Competition, made her Carnegie Hall debut following her success. Kasparov, winner of the Albert Roussel Prize, has premiered significant works such as Bartok's revised Piano Concerto No. 3 and earned recognition as a composer of published and recorded works. The Invencia Piano Duo's discography includes a celebrated four-volume series of Florent Schmitt's piano duet works on Grand Piano Records, as well as albums for Albany and Naxos. With Dualities, they continue to push artistic boundaries, presenting an arresting collection that redefines the piano duo repertoire. This album is an essential addition for lovers of virtuosic piano music, blending brilliance, originality, and deep musicality in a singular listening experience.

In this thoughtful collection of chamber music, Ian Stephens' work reveals a rare balance of melodic clarity and inventive disruption, qualities that have drawn artists like Cate Le Bon, Ian Broudie, and OMD to his arranging talents. Here, Stephens' signature rhythmic vigour, theatrical subtlety, and knack for weaving unexpected moments define each piece, creating a body of work that intrigues as much as it soothes. Celtic Elegy for clarinet and cello sets the tone with a gentle homage to Celtic traditions. Initially inspired by the Irish air She Moved Through the Fair, the piece unfolds it's own melody through understated layers, mirroring the drones and ornamentation of Scottish bagpipes. This composition showcases Stephens' sensitivity to the soul of folk music while remaining efficient in form. Springhead Echoes and the Clarinet Quintet, two works linked by memory and place, extend Stephens' nuanced approach to melody and rhythm. Commissioned in memory of Rosalind and Brian Richards, they explore themes rooted in friendship and place. Springhead Echoes for string quartet channels Brahms with themes that emerge in delicate counterpoint, invoking the charm of Rosalind's lifelong connection to her home in Dorset. Meanwhile, the Clarinet Quintet subtly references Beethoven's opera Fidelio, blending nostalgic elements with Stephens' penchant for inventive structure. In North Country for string quartet, Stephens deftly reinterprets the folk tune The Oak and the Ash, transforming it across three movements: Lilting, Heartfelt, and With Abandon. The tune surfaces and recedes, guiding listeners through a series of evolving textures. From the reflective openness of the first movement to the vibrant, Latin-inspired rhythms of the finale, Stephens showcases his ability to shift seamlessly between tradition and innovation. Finally, the Oboe Quintet offers a poignant tribute to two amateur musicians of the Liverpool music scene. Here, Stephens emphasizes the oboe's natural expressiveness through long phrases and joyful rhythmic interjections, balancing lyrical intimacy with structured dance-like sequences. The Passacaglia, inspired by Bach, builds through symmetrical chords and shifting time signatures, adding depth to the piece's intricate framework. These chamber works not only illustrate Ian Stephens' gift for melody and recontextualization but also his acute attention to instrumental character. Each piece encourages reflection, embodying both the intellect and spontaneity that mark Stephens as a contemporary voice with a profound respect for musical lineage. Ian Stephens, composer: Raised in Devon as a cellist and singer, Stephens studied at the University of Bristol and later worked with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. He now teaches at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester. His works, including Ella's Big Chance: A Jazz Age Cinderella and Pinocchio, demonstrate his skill in elevating melody with strong rhythmic profiles and theatrical clarity. His Celtic Elegy showcases his ability to blend soul and efficiency, earning him work as an arranger for artists like Cate Le Bon and Ian Broudie.

Robin Stevens' A Questing Soul, his fifth album with Divine Art, offers a compelling portrait of a composer whose work has evolved over nearly three decades. This collection spans a broad stylistic spectrum, charting Stevens' progression from the lush Late Romanticism of his early works to the more dissonant and experimental idioms of his later compositions. Throughout, Stevens balances technical innovation with an underlying sense of lyricism, humour, and tonal clarity, making this album a rich listening experience for those who appreciate the depth and variety of contemporary chamber music. The two most substantial works on the album-Fantasy Sonata and Sonata Tempesta-were composed during Stevens' late twenties and represent key milestones in his early output. The Fantasy Sonata, written for violinist Christine Townsend and pianist Stephen Robbings, presents an intensely focused sound world built around the octatonic scale. It's single-movement structure moves from a soulful, lamenting introduction to more turbulent, faster sections, culminating in a joyfully intense peroration. Sonata Tempesta, in contrast, is a large-scale, four-movement work whose expansive form allows Stevens to weave together moments of lyrical beauty and stormy intensity. Both pieces showcase Stevens' ability to combine complexity and accessibility, creating compositions that are intellectually stimulating yet emotionally resonant. The album also includes a number of shorter works, or "miniatures," which offer Stevens the opportunity to explore new compositional ideas on a smaller scale. Pieces like Stratospheric! For solo violin and Toccata for solo piano demonstrate his flair for virtuosity and dynamic contrasts, while others, such as Cri de Coeur, evoke more contemplative, intimate soundscapes. These miniatures are fascinating in their own right, offering a glimpse into the composer's more experimental tendencies. One of the album's more unusual works, Scherzo in Blue, brings jazz influences into Stevens' instrumental music-a rarity in his oeuvre. The piece is infused with "blue notes" and jazzy piano chords, creating a playful yet sophisticated contrast to the more classical structures found elsewhere on the album. The title track, A Questing Soul, reflects the essence of the album: a compact tone poem for solo piano that alternates between dreamy lyricism and muscular, assertive themes. The piece encapsulates Stevens' ability to juxtapose contrasting musical ideas, leaving listeners with as many questions as answers-an approach that defines much of his work. With it's blend of large-scale sonatas, experimental miniatures, and the intriguing title track, A Questing Soul offers a comprehensive view of Robin Stevens' compositional range. This album will appeal to those with an interest in the intersections of modernism, Romanticism, and contemporary chamber music.

In her new album acclaimed pianist Tomono Kawamura invites listeners on a satisfying journey through classical piano music. Blending personal favourites with timeless masterpieces, Tomono's profound connection to the piano is evident in every piece. Her distinct poetic sensitivity and technical brilliance bring each composition to life, creating a deeply personal and immersive musical experience. The album opens with Tchaikovsky's Autumn Song, Op. 37a No. 10, from The Seasons. Tomono captures the reflective and nostalgic mood of October, emphasising the delicate interplay of light and shadow in this evocative work. The journey continues with Sibelius's "Edit," Op. 76 No. 2, where Tomono masterfully balances subdued elegance with quiet intensity, reflecting the stark beauty of the Finnish landscapes that inspired it. Brahms' Hungarian Dance adds a lively burst of energy, with Tomono navigating it's spirited rhythms and fiery folk influences with joyful intensity. Her deep affinity for Chopin shines through in her performances of six of his works, each chosen to highlight different facets of his genius. From the lyrical intimacy of his nocturnes to the virtuosic brilliance of his etudes, Tomono's interpretations resonate with the emotional depth central to Chopin's music. The album also explores diverse stylistic periods with selections from Scarlatti, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Grieg. Tomono's performances reflect a profound understanding of these great piano works, whether it's the crystalline precision of Scarlatti's sonatas, the sweeping passion of Rachmaninoff's preludes, the dreamlike textures of Debussy, or the rugged beauty of Grieg. A highlight of Reminiscence is Tomono's original composition, Variations, which bridges classical form with contemporary expression. This piece showcases her creativity and deep understanding of the classical tradition, offering a fresh voice while paying homage to the composers who have shaped her musical journey. Reminiscence is more than just a collection of piano works; it reflects Tomono Kawamura's lifelong devotion to music. Through her thoughtful interpretations and masterful technique, she offers listeners an experience that lingers long after the final notes fade. About Tomono Kawamura: Born in Japan, Tomono Kawamura began piano studies at three and made her orchestral debut at fifteen. After winning numerous competitions in Japan, she received a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she graduated with First Class Honours. Tomono has performed as a soloist across Asia, Europe, and the UK, including at Wigmore Hall. She is also a celebrated performer on luxury cruise ships worldwide. Tomono's rich career and dedication to her craft are evident in every note of Reminiscence, offering listeners a glimpse into the soul of a true artist.