Characterized by a unique style of instrumentation and experimentation with formality, Virtuosity is the colorful expression of composer John Robertson's symphonic creativity. Virtuosity combines a clarinet and a trumpet concerto, a symphony, and an orchestral fantasy based on a Maori love story - all on one album. Robertson's background interestingly includes not only an impressive, influential around-the-world emigration from his native New Zealand to Canada, but also early beginnings as an insurance expert while simultaneously embarking on his musical journey. This life experience - a balance of the adventurous yet down-to-earth - all seem to be clearly reflected in his compositions. First and foremost, they are strikingly tonal, pleasantly governed by time and key signatures. The larger works are formally grouped into movements, which renders them accessible to any listening ear - no doubt a major strong point. But then there is something different in the manner in which Robertson employs both the soloists and the instruments of the orchestra: a layered, atmospheric kind of instrumentation which is apparent from the first second. It is difficult to qualify; this music isn't cinematic, isn't stereotypical - and to call it thus wouldn't do it justice. Yet it remains incredibly evocative. Perhaps this is what French writer Victor Hugo meant when he penned the phrase "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." Indeed, despite Robertson's Oceanian/North American background, his music exhibits roots in a classical tradition that is decidedly European. It is no wonder, then, that his compositions have been performed globally - and have met with approval from varied audiences worldwide. Virtuosity is yet another testament to this astounding versatility.

Mexican composer Felipe Pérez Santiago introduces the follow up to his 2013 album, Mantis with his first Navona release, Formika, an album of chamber music. Pérez Santiago continues his series with a vast notational layering and timing propelled by traditional instrumentation. Masterful playing by choice ensembles like Tamayo and Onix, create a particularly kaleidoscopic nostalgia in this pitching album. With Formika, the arrangements become not only the thruways to higher and lower planes of intimacy, but they shift in tonality and range with ecstatic energy and texture. This is intensely felt in the panoramic and awakening Hospital Suite — written with the help of a grant by the National Fund for Culture and Arts, Mexico during the hours while the composer watched over two loved ones convalescent in a hospital. Just as the staircases in a home can lead up into the nestled warmth of a room or down into the dark basement at twilight, Formika leads us, in steps and gravity, to those tender and rough realms of memory.

This latest record from Navona Records is a treasure trove of piano music by the late composer and pianist Sarah Feigin. Led by Carmela O'Flaherty, the composer's daughter, the project consists nearly entirely of previously unperformed and unrecorded works for piano. Pianist Benjamin Goodman masterfully interprets her vibrant, virtuosic music. Feigin's music is full of formidable technical challenges for the pianist, most readily apparent in her breathless and frenetic Toccata, based on a folk theme from her native Latvia. Her interest in folk elements is inseparable from her concern with human suffering. Her Sonata is the best example of this. It contains some of her most visceral and emotional writing, building to the third movement, titled The Last Way. This movement was dedicated to the victims of Latvia's Babi Yar concentration camp, and draws from Joseph Kuzkovsky's painting depicting the carnage, "Led to the Slaughter - Babi Yar." Goodman writes: "For the pianist, it is such an exciting and emotionally challenging experience to play such music - it demands every ounce of concentration and energy in order to play these sections successfully." It is Feigin's humanitarian approach to these topics that make the music resonate with the listener. Her lighter pieces are also a treat. This record broadens Feigin's legacy to include her passionate and profound piano music.

Sergio Cervetti, born in Uruguay, immigrated to the United States in 1962 to study contemporary composition, and his work contains a certain cosmopolitan quality reflective of his past and present. Although essentially a minimalist since 1970, he has branched out to embrace and incorporate diverse elements from a variety of aesthetics. Ever-present is the nexus of nature and science, of the mundane and the miraculous. Et in Arcadia ego is, most of all, the invocation of a childhood memory. Inspired by an adventurous journey to the island reserve Mart�n Garc�a off the coast of Uruguay, which Cervetti undertook as a young boy of only 7, it illustrates the traveler's awe at reaching a paradisiacal shore. The composer found himself struck with the same sensation years later on the other side of the world, in France, while viewing Nicolas Poussin's Baroque painting of the same name at the Louvre. Both the painting and the musical work present the paradox of not only death within paradise, but death's vital role in the renewal of life. This meditation on mortality is almost religious in nature and thus sets the stage for Consolamentum, an homage to the Cathar and Albigensian martyrs who suffered persecution by the Catholic Church in 12th-century Southern France. The title alludes to the unique, somewhat mystified sacrament of the former, which was considered an immersion in the Holy Spirit and supposed to bring about absolution from all sin. Plexus, on the other hand, takes the listener back to the realm of science. The minimalist, aleatoric composition mimics a branching network of nerves, being, in it's own right, an intricate microcosm of structure and sound. Cervetti truly shines in this finale, with the impressively complex, fractal structures eventually thinning out to a mere whisper.

Composer David Carpenter's PARMA debut, From the Valley of the Baca, features three works that illustrate the expansive scope of his compositional style. From the lyrical Trio, to the powerfully poetic title work for baritone and piano, to the romantically-inclined Sonata, From the Valley of the Baca demonstrates the composer's ability to express his artistic vision in a wide variety of musical genres. The harmonic language and brooding character of the Trio, which recalls the introspective character of Shostakovich's String Quartet in C minor, op. 110, is balanced by Carpenter's penchant for long, lyrical lines, particularly in the Trio's second movement. Carpenter cites two sources of inspiration for his song cycle From the Valley of Baca, one musical and one poetic: His work Job for baritone and piano, based on the book from the Hebrew Bible, sparked the idea of writing a song cycle based on the poetry of the Jewish-American author Emma Lazarus. One of Lazarus's, poems, "The Valley of Baca," which references the 84th psalm, also inspired Carpenter to intersperse the verses of this psalm, set in it's original Hebrew, throughout the song cycle, serving as a counterbalance to the English texts of Lazarus's poems. In 2015, Carpenter composed a work entitled Rhapsody for pianist Katelyn Bouska as a companion piece to Chopin's Piano Sonata in B minor, op. 58, both of which Bouska performed at a recital in Paris that year. At Bouska's behest, Carpenter added two movements to this composition to form a sonata, employing a sighing, chromatic motive from the Rhapsody to bind the three movements together. Emphasizing again that the past informs the work of many artists, something of Chopin's musical style, as well as that of other Romantic-era composers, finds voice in this new work. While he has drawn musical inspiration from past masters, Carpenter's music is intended neither as a pastiche of earlier musical styles nor an anachronism.

Simon Andrews has earned a reputation as a creator of eloquent concert music that blends harmonic complexity and lyricism, introversion and broad gestures, and delicate timbres and bold statements. Here, on his recording debut, he offers up 10 compositions, all of which emphasize his proficiency in both vocal and instrumental music. The opening track, Violin Dialogues I and II, presents violin and piano in conversation. The first Dialogue contrasts two sets of ideas, each instrument's individual voice rising and falling until the two come together in a hard-won consensus. If Dialogue I is oppositional, Dialogue II is conversational, it's narrative more about two characters who agree on the destination and differ only on the best way to reach it. The album's title track, borrowed from the poem "Song" by Seamus Heaney is by turns lyrical and passionate, intimate and robust, as the five performers' instruments weave their way through various combinations. The four movements of For the earth is hollow and I have touched the sky, is a musical response to a concert which the composer attended at the American Composers Orchestra of music by Frank Zappa. An even more pop-cultural reference is the composition's title track and fourth movement, which is a musical representation of a quote from an episode of Star Trek, originally "... for the world is hollow and I have touched the sky." The album's first track to feature solo voice is My dove, my covey, an early lyrical poem by W.H. Auden, performed by a trio of oboe, violoncello and piano. In similar fashion, The heart has narrow banks, a beautiful poem written by Emily Dickenson, was chosen by the composer because it allowed him to create a more flexible harmonic language that could express lyrics such as "blue monotony" and "a wall of unattempted gauze" while keeping a consistent musical thread throughout. Inspired by a visit to New Mexico, Abiquiu Trio displays the impact of the desert landscape and the work of Georgia O'Keeffe on Andrews. The language of all three movements is a response to different facets of those two influences. The music of the piece's final movement, begun during a short stay at Christ in the Desert, a living monastery where church services are intoned to Gregorian chants, is a strong reminder that in addition to his more secular work, Andrews is also noted for his compositions of church music.

When The Soul Speaks paradoxically presents music of ancient texts through some of the present day's youngest voices. Performed by the Bonifantes Boys' Choir and the Czech Soloist Consort, these sacred texts rise to life through the performances of one of the Czech Republic's most acclaimed ensembles. The Bonifantes Boys' Choir was founded in 1999 and has since won a place among the cream of the crop of choir ensembles in the Czech Republic. Talented boys from age 4 to age 20 work in the singing school known as the Bonifantes School of Arts. The group has gone on a number of concert tours across the world, and performs with many Czech orchestras on a regular basis.

Composer Monica Houghton has a musical and academic resume that is made even more exceptional by her experiences as a true citizen of the world. Her travels around the globe have led her to incorporate non-Western instruments and musical practices into several of her compositions as well as to find inspiration trekking through Peru, or by exploring the remote and desolate areas of the American West. On Chamber Works, her debut on Navona Records, Houghton incorporates these influences along with many others to deliver eight stunning performances showcased in a variety of musical configurations. Chamber Works opens with "Andean Suite," a four-movement piece, that gleans it's inspiration from Houghton's journey on foot through the mountains of Peru. The sense of freedom exhibited by the opening movement, "With the Condors," is buoyed by the closing movement, "Dance," which employs folk music idioms of the Andes to express pure joy. "The Twelve Causes from the Circle of Becoming" reflects the essence of Tibetan Buddhist Wheel of Life paintings. In the spirit of those paintings pianist James Winn delivers an intricate and powerful performance. The Argenta Trio brings the three movements of "Wilderness Portraits: Three Places in Nevada," capturing Houghton's quiet sense of awe at the beauty of the natural world. Three of the album's pieces, "Three Songs without Words," and "Stay Shadow," and "Corpo Sonoro," gather inspiration from poets as disparate in place and time as New Spain's Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz, who worked in the mid-17th century and the Tang Dynasty poet Tu Fu. The four poetic pieces in "Corpo Sonoro" are here performed by pianist Halida Danova, for whom it was composed, and are based on poems by the Brazilian poet Maria Davico. Turning her creative gaze on Beethoven, Houghton composed "Epigram," performed by the Cleveland Chamber Collective, in response to his last quartet. The album concludes with the floating, mysterious "Sky Signs" which is, the composer says, a fantasy inspired by the fluctuating changes so common in the natural world.

Soprano Shudong Braamse blends vocal artistry with technical skill in her recording of Sue�os de Espa�a. This treasury of Spanish art song relates stories of passionate love, broken promises, and heartfelt prayers. Braamse's performance demonstrates both an understanding of the rich Spanish culture and it's 19th-century romantic poetry. Accompanied by piano or Spanish guitar, each canci�n is simply focused on vocal quality - the star of the show. Braamse's voice offers a lovely, distinctive sound that warmly colors each poem and melodic line. The first song on the album, "Un Adios", describes a troubadour leaving his lover and the ancient city of Granada forever. Braamse performs the role of the troubadour, displaying the pain of abandoning one's love and ancestral home. Her wide vocal range encompasses every note in the song comfortably and naturally, from the low, brooding tones to the sweeping higher ones. This spirit is revealed throughout the album, from "A Tus Ojos", an homage to the eyes of one's sweetheart, to "Ave Mar�a", a prayer to the Virgin Mary for strength and protection. In Sue�os de Espa�a, Braamse communicates expressively each nuance and tone with impeccable Spanish pronunciation and a delivery that is true to her own musical strengths and the power of the stories she tells.

We welcome Tucker Biddlecombe to the PARMA Recordings family with the debut of Music In The Listening Place, a collection of choral works performed by the Vanderbilt University Chorale and conducted by Biddlecombe. Biddlecombe demonstrates masterful programming in his ability to curate a modern listening experience based on mostly classical texts. Of particular note is Three Songs of Faith, an elegant collection of settings of e.e. cummings texts by Eric Whitacre. In a similar vein are the delicate Trois Chansons of Maurice Ravel. A particular gem is Three Settings of Ezra Pound, composed by PARMA artist Michael Slayton. Eliza Gilkyson’s “Requiem” is unlike any other. Sweet and nostalgic, this hymn for the departed draws innocence from the youthful voices of the Chorale. Another highlight is David Dickau’s exquisite setting of If Music Be the Food of Love, through which the Chorale expresses remarkable balance and dynamic facility. Also included on the album are several text settings by composer Jonathan Dove; an arrangement of the traditional Indodana, as well as settings by Alf Houkum, Daniel Read, and James Mulholland.Truly, Biddlecombe captures the joy and sophistication of all things choral with this enchanting recording.

Thomas Bowes' Sei Solo shines the spotlight on the sonatas and partitas for solo violin composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1720. Bowes believes that these six stand-alone compositions, while each individually offering insight into Bach's genius reveal more when taken as one epic work - and especially when set against the tragedy in Bach’s life in the year of composition. The three albums in Bowes’ release contain a total of six tracks. Each album starts with a sonata and concludes with a partita, moving through different keys. The sonatas showcase a larger, more abstract expression, while movements in the partitas are more focused on elements of the dance. Bowes views these six compositions as a vehicle for exploration into the existential, taking his cue from Bach’s cryptic title ‘sei solo’, which reads ‘you are alone’, punning on the Italian for ‘6’ and ‘you are’. Though the performer flies solo on all of the tracks, he reaches well beyond the limitations of just one instrument. The focus and attention the violinist brings to all six tracks draws the listener into a meditative state of mind. It’s almost as if Bowes is performing solely for each individual listener, providing an intimate experience that demands attention yet allows room for contemplation.

Navona Records is proud to present PRISMA, a compilation featuring four contemporary composers from the United States and England including Lionel Sainsbury, Clive Muncaster, Patricia Julien, and J. A. Kawarsky. PRISMA spans the spectrum of unique styles of composition, from the grandiose and triumphant to the fragile and tender. This compilation captures a journey through colorful orchestral elements in a singular listening experience that builds into a thrilling sound. PRISMA opens with triumph in Sainsbury’s “Time of the Comet.” Written in 1997, the piece was inspired by the visual presence of the Hale-Bopp comet. Sainsbury translated his vision into a grand composition featuring a proud and virtuous introduction that transitions between allegro and slow sections concluding with prevailing optimism and possibility. Muncaster’s “Reflective Thought Patterns” builds in arch form to its central section and then literally reflects itself in reverse order. The composition starts with brass and timpani, transitioning its melody patterns on woodwinds, marimba, vibraphone, and French horn until the piece comes together at the end echoing the opening this time with a full orchestra. “Among the Hidden” by Patricia Julien, introduces an eerie, darker shade to the PRISMA collection. Building off a circular, three-note piano melody, the moodiness of the composition creates a stark, yet refreshing contrast to the bright, brave orchestral performance of the other composers. Lastly, Kawarsky’s “Fastidious Notes” draws in the ear of the listener with its unusual 5/4 metrical setting. The composition, based on a reworking of the American folk-song “Goodbye Old Paint,” features a sound borrowed right from the school of 20th century American classical music. As the compilation end, the four songs touch every emotion resulting in a conclusive listener experience.

Composer Garth Baxter calls his commitment to form and aesthetic "modern traditionalism." And indeed, his new album Resistance may just offer the best of both worlds in one captivating experience. Each piece has certain features in common: they are immediately, intuitively accessible to the listening ear, and all of them draw upon Baxter's ability to evoke sincere emotions with every note. The compositions that make up Resistance each come with a story to tell. Starting off the album is The Silver Run, a soaring depiction of The Silver Run area in Maryland as told by the voices of flute and piano. This stunning soundscape is followed by the passionate Could You Dream What I Dream for violin and piano, matched only in romantic quality by Romance Without Words and Il y a Longtemps ("Long Ago"). This expression of love is followed by Des Larmes Encadr�es ("Framed Tears"), a sentimental reflection inspired by his familial ties with a fellow artist who plays the saxophone. Resistance, the title track, is a triumphant stance in favor of tonal, lyrical music in an age of atonality and the breakdown of harmony. It's power is balanced by the dark yet deeply moving story of MacPherson's Lament, inspired by Scottish fiddler James MacPherson and his last composition, written just before his hanging. On the other hand, Ballade For A Princess, inspired by Chopin's Fantasie-Impromptu, reflects the beauty and romance portrayed in so many of that Romantic composer's compositions. These powerful, moving sentiments are tastefully balanced by the guitar duo Edgefield, in which Baxter melds traditional rhythms with a highly innovative yet understandable way of modulating through different keys. From the Headwaters aptly brings Resistance to a close, tying in the harmonies of it's predecessor with the lyricism of the rest of the album. One could almost imagine that, were Brahms alive and composing today, this is what his music would sound like.

It is not often that one encounters a choir - professional or otherwise - whose unity, technical perfection, and musical expressiveness would be a match for the Chamber Singers at the University of South Dakota. The much-recorded, much-acclaimed ensemble presents yet another triumph in the form of I Carry Your Heart, a breathtaking, exhilarating cruise through a cappella choral music from around the world. The Chamber Singers is the premier vocal ensemble at USD. Performers in the choir are selected through audition from the entire university student body. The choir's repertoire, which is primarily a cappella, includes music from the Renaissance to the present in a wide variety of styles. The ensemble presents formal concerts on campus each semester and it's annual concert tour has taken the group throughout the United States and Europe. They have been selected for performance at state and regional conventions, have appeared on the public radio programs, and received numerous national honors and distinctions.

It is tempting to compare Matej Me�trovic's compositional style to his great predecessors in the late-Romantic tradition. After all, much of the Croatian composer's style and techniques would be right at home in Rachmaninoff's concertos, Tchaikovsky's works, or Prokofiev's neoclassicism; and the name of the album's first work, Danube Rhapsody, naturally evokes associations with Smetana's similarly river-themed Vltava. Add to all of this that Me�trovic, like most of his great musical ancestors, is a talented virtuoso pianist, and it's easy to see why 3 Rhapsodies is bound to meet with enthusiasm. Of course, a skillful composer like Me�trovic doesn't confine himself to mere epigonism. And indeed, there is an original voice which constantly rises out from tradition. This is partially achieved through Me�trovic's clever instrumentation: the Danube Rhapsody's scoring includes, among others, a cimbalom and a tamburitza (the Croatian long-necked lute), which immediately tells the listener that he or she is hearing the Balkans, not Russia or Czechia. Similarly, the Chinese Rhapsody employs traditional Chinese instruments such as the pipa, erhu, and zheng, gorgeously contrasting them against the tremolo strings of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. American East Coast natives will find themselves swept back home in Me�trovic's New England Rhapsody, a composition initially as comforting and sentimentally heart-warming as the Transatlantic accent in a 1940's film. It's a deceptive respite, however: the final movement, interspersed with jazzy rhythmic elements and Me�trovic's resurfacing Croatian voice, takes the listener right back to the exalting ardor of the album's beginning. Instead of fizzling out like lesser compositions might, it finishes with a bang. There is no way around it: 3 Rhapsodies is a triumph. It is not at all unlikely that future generations, when asked to name the first famous Croatian composer that comes to mind, will exclaim with conviction: "Me�trovic, of course!"