Russian composer Alexander Scriabin is known to enthusiasts for his theory of musical colors, innovative piano works that pushed the boundaries of tonal writing, and for his untimely demise brought on by an unsanitary razor blade. American pianist and music professor Russell Hirshfield has now recorded an ambitiously-broad selection of the composer's early works which may well provide a novel talking point. There are relatively few recordings of Scriabin's music these days, possibly because it's a daunting task: The compositions demand a high level of virtuosity, but also a natural musical expressiveness that few performers are able to capture. Often, as in the case of the 24 Preludes, the performer is required to condense the emotional depth of an entire sonata movement into one minute or less. It's a well-crafted but fragile kind of music: if any one component, say, the phrasing, is off-color, the whole piece can fall apart. Luckily, Hirshfield is more than up to the challenge. His pianistic sentiment, technical command and interpretive clarity is not only impressive, it's the perfect fit for Scriabin. The level-headed yet profoundly empathetic playing truly brings out the shine in Scriabin's idiosyncratic compositional voice. This rendition isn't drenched in pseudo-Slavic drama which often mars contemporary recordings of Russian composers: instead, it rightfully portrays the pieces as the works of the individual. And it's a success. ALEXANDER SCRIABIN: EARLY WORKS couldn't be more aptly titled: Even though they constitute a selection, one would be hard-pressed not to imagine them as the sole recordings of the true, unadulterated Scriabin. Russell Hirshfield adds another exceptional merit to his great pianistic mastery: that to be a good musician is not only to be a performer, but to be an ambassador.

Navona Records proudly presents PRISMA VOL. 4, the fourth installment in the acclaimed PRISMA series showcasing the best of American contemporary composition. Brian Belet's three-movement string orchestra work Stellar Nebulae starts off the album. The multi-layered I. Emergence is aptly contrasted with the calm II. Contemplation, before culminating in the animated finale of III. Expansion. The structure is classical, the tonal language modern, but with influences reminiscent of Baroque concertos. Mara Gibson strives to paint an impression of a small island's ecology in Secret Sky. Completely novel and original in it's concept, this work is based on the migratory patterns of birds on Beaver Island MI. A similarly nature-themed inspiration is the background of Rain Worthington's Shadows of the Wind. It graphically evokes the changing silhouettes of leaves and branches cast on walls during a storm, mirroring the workings of the human subconscious. Next up is Angel Sanchez' symphonic poem � Laura, a three-movement dedication to a beloved woman. I. La petite Princesse is a feisty characterisation of the heroine, II. La mer et les �toiles aptly portrays the beauty of the dedicatee's beloved sea and stars, while III. Feu is an uninhibited declaration of passion. There is an air of martiality to Adrienne Albert's Courage for Winds, it's beginning centered around a recurring snare drum beat. Commissioned by the Inland Empire Youth Wind Symphony Commissioning Consortium, it reflects the battle against adversity in a tonal language that is decidedly American. John Franek's Mithridates epically closes the album with a punch of Dvor�kian opulence: it's unbridled energy remains profoundly reminiscent of the highly dramatic Slavic musical tradition of the late 19th Century.

The Renaissance Men are back with their latest release on Navona Records: A VERY RENMEN CHRISTMAS: LIVE! The album, which features lush choral arrangements of traditional hymns and holiday classics, captures the festive spirit of the RenMen’s annual Christmas galas for listeners everywhere. Following on the heels of their 2019 release, RENMEN LAMENTS, this newest collection offers timeless seasonal chamber music arranged for tenor, baritone, and bass voices.

The album opens with soloist Corey Dalton Hart intoning the verse of Some Children See Him; the sparkling clarity of each rounded note is soon multiplied by the rest of the choir, elevating the performance to spiritual heights. This is followed by Cantate Domino, an invigorating setting of Psalm 96. With its aggressive rhythmic action and sensitive dynamics, the Latin text is presented as an arresting and captivating musical piece. Riu Chiu is a traditional Spanish song, and the RenMen bring it to life with passionate energy against the chattering rhythm of a tambourine. The RenMen treat listeners to favorite classics, as well, but always with that signature sound and attention to detail they are known for. Their rendition of I’ll Be Home for Christmas is a treatment of the song made popular by Rascal Flatts. Blending the choral group’s influences, this number incorporates jazz, country, and popular stylings seamlessly with traditional choral techniques. Later, songs like Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman offer a lighthearted counterpoint to O Magnum Mysterium and Angels We Have Heard on High, making this a joyful and inviting holiday album for the whole family.

Steeped in time-honored western choral music and flavored with yuletide fun, A VERY RENMEN CHRISTMAS: LIVE! brings the merriment of the RenMen’s live performances to your living room. Pour some eggnog, don that favorite Christmas sweater, and enjoy this collection of ancient and modern classics.

Composer Jan Järvlepp’s FLIGHTS OF FANCY is available now through Navona Records. Fusing European and American musical traditions, the album pairs the excitement of rock and jazz rhythms with classical orchestral and chamber music forms. Turning his back on the avant-garde 20th century modernism he was trained in at the University of California, San Diego, Järvlepp’s focus has shifted to a postmodern, popular-music influenced style borrowing from a variety of cultures’ traditional music. Pierrot Solaire opens the album with an unusual combination of flute, violin, bass, percussion, and piano. Harnessing the early 20th century angst of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, Järvlepp set out to compose a piece that was the mirror opposite of Schoenberg’s; teasingly subtitled “an antidote for anxiety-filled old German music,” the piece recombines popular and folk music to create a lively, energetic, and highly rhythmic piece. Trio. No. 2 captures the unique and often-neglected timbre of the piccolo playing in its lower register. Combined with rapidly bowed string harmonics, the piece is developed into three “flights of fancy”— Järvlepp’s term for flamboyant piccolo solos. The three movements place the piccolo in different musical contexts; the second movement features plucked cello and lyrical viola melodies, while the third takes on an aggressive rock music attitude. Tarantella marries contemporary popular music styles with a baroque tarantella. In keeping with postmodernism’s approach of reimagining historical tradition rather than discarding it, this piece features previously unheard combinations of the old and the new. Overture was composed in 1999 as a Laidlaw Foundation commission for the Ayorama Wind Quintet. Taking cues from the grandeur of Beethoven, Järvlepp employs loud, dramatic chords and memorable melodic phrases to create something wholly his own.

Internationally-renowned Serbian-Austrian classical accordionist Jovica Ivanovic has released his newest album — PIAZZOLLA & GALLIANO — with Navona Records. The program features concertos from Astor Piazzolla and Richard Galliano, both legends in their own rights. Recorded with the Ukrainian Chamber Orchestra, Ivanovic’s performances bring these masterworks to life with persuasive passion. PIAZZOLLA & GALLIANO is the result of Ivanovic's partnership with violinist Valeriy Sokolov. With Ivanovic's capable hands on the accordion, Sokolov as concertmaster and Protasov as conductor of the chamber orchestra, the three set out to recreate the music of these two much revered composers. The album opens with Piazzolla's Aconcagua, a concerto for bandoneon, string orchestra, and percussion. The music bursts forth from the outset, full of the tantalizing excitement of Argentinian tango. Ivanovic’s sensitive-yet-fiery style immediately sets him apart; the soloist glides effortlessly above the orchestra, lending a rich voice to the melody. It is not lost on Ivanovic that Piazzolla himself especially loved this piece, playing the bandoneon himself at performances in the 1980s. Ivanovic treats Aconcagua with the same loving care as its composer did. And, now, thanks to state-of-the-art recording technology, we hear each note with sublime clarity. Galliano’s Opale Concerto is a mix of Balkan, nostalgic Parisian, and American influences. From the outset, Opale is a pulse-quickening adventure; Ivanovic reveals the depths of his classical training by making every fiery note sound rounded and deliberate. As with Aconcagua, Ivanovic’s performance of this piece makes clear that it is particularly dear to his own heart. The music of PIAZZOLLA & GALLIANO is perennially contemporary and exciting. Bridging cultures and generations, it speaks deeply to the human heart. Ivanovic’s virtuosic performances are supple and thoughtful.

PREACH SISTER, PREACH showcases award-winning Katherine Jolly's "agile, bright lyric soprano" voice (The New York Times) on a series of pieces that are distinctively individual in their inspiration while cohesively united by the passions of their composers. Collaborating with pianist Emily Yap Chua, Jolly evokes the passion and curiosity of Emily Dickinson's poetry in Evan Williams' Emily's House, a collection of ten poems in which she communicates the lyrics such that one could imagine the voice being that of the poet's herself. A keen observer, Dickinson used images from nature, religion, and science to probe universal themes: the wonders of the natural world, the identity of the self, death and immortality, and love. Together Jolly and Chua breathe incredible new life into these ideas, delivering a personal and profound performance while transporting modern audiences to another place and time. Jolly turns to inspiration of a more contemporary and crucial nature on Absent an Adjustment in which her voice, ominous and purposeful, floats above and around the strings, frequently in a dissonant duet with the clarinet, heightening the intense spirit of the piece. The acrobatic coloratura vocal line, use of repeated motives and text, combined with the highly rhythmic ensemble in Katherine Bodor's Absent an Adjustment, support it's message of urgency in the face of ecological disaster. Acclaimed composer Evan Mack was inspired by the energy of the first women's march to craft Preach Sister, Preach, a song cycle which explores and celebrates the voices of ten powerful women such as Lucille Ball, Mae West, Simone de Beauvoir, Tina Fey, and Ellen DeGeneres. The intricate collaboration of Jolly and Chua succinctly portrays the power of the quotes from these women and, in doing so, offers both musical and lyrical insights into the women themselves.

It all began in 2011, when DuWors and Niekawa, then students at Eastman School of Music, were assigned to perform Mozart's last Sonata for Violin and Piano K. 526 together. The magnificence of the piece not only unlocked a profound musical rapport between the two young musicians, but also inspired their name as a collective. Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that there should be something timeless in the manner in which duo526 interpret their chosen works - and be they from the 20th century, like the compositions on DUO FANTASY. The selection itself is already superb, exploring the fantasia aspects of each piece through improvisatory style and free form. Villa-Lobos, Bax, and Bolcom each have a unique compositional voice, but heard together, they share the common thread of fantasy. Not only does this greatly contribute to the immense listenability of DUO FANTASY; more artistically, it also mirrors the relationship of the two musicians performing it. Violinist DuWors' audacious martel�, bold dynamics, and immense spectrum of tone are perfectly complemented by Niekawa's ever-sensitive musical command and uncompromising precision on the piano. Together, they achieve what most duos strive for in vain: a perfect homogeneity in interpretation. There is a great joy in risk-taking to be found here, but most importantly, the two musicians are impeccably in agreement at all times. DUO FANTASY is a wonderful example of how the sum of music is greater than it's individual parts. No doubt that DuWors and Niekawa are formidable virtuoso musicians in their own right. But together, they are simply stunning.

Navona Records proudly presents MUSIC FOR WOODWINDS from composer Scott Pender, his fourth appearance on the label. On this album, Pender showcases his chamber works for woodwinds from the last thirty years in ensemble combinations both common and unfamiliar. On this release lyricism abounds throughout. In the lighthearted Kimchi Dreams for two clarinets and bassoon, Pender conjures gentle, dreamy imagery, balancing two lyrical pieces with two quirky, rhythmically charged ones. The cinematic Variations for Oboe & Piano uses the classic theme-and-variations form to paint a broad canvas, which dissolves into a veiled memory at the end. The dramatic Suite for Woodwind Quintet features bubbling, energetic outer movements surrounding a contemplative Adagio. The lower registers are used to great effect in rich, open chordal writing. The most candid and emotional work on the album, Lyric Set for bassoon and piano, fully exploits the wide range of the bassoon. The movements carry descriptive titles: from the flowing opening of “In the Tide of Times,” followed by the reflective simplicity of “Every Day Is Saturday” – then the stubborn humor of “Lord Berners’ Giraffe,” and ending with the sad grandeur of “Hopeful about the Past.” The remaining pieces—Toccatina for flute quartet and Five Dances for bassoon quartet—add an extra element of rhythmic excitement.

Three Orchestral Works by Dwight Beckham, Sr. marks a tremendous sample of American composer Dwight Beckham’s lyrical style and command of the orchestra. Based in Kansas, Beckham is part of an important generation of composers who, in the latter half of the twentieth century, persisted in their pursuit of a classically Romantic aesthetic. To this end, Beckham’s orchestral music is stalwartly thematic, crisply orchestrated, and centered on dramatic melodic and harmonic ideas. The music on this album demonstrates Beckham is also a facile, expert orchestrator, who can draw any mood with the instruments at hand. In this regard, the album’s longest work, Feather Sound, is the most dynamic. At first plaintive, the piece is enlivened by triumphant percussion and brass, and includes a variety of wonderful textures, particularly in its heavily contrapuntal sections. Feather Sound features an impressive and intricate section dominated by a web of canons, which Beckham deftly illustrates with crystal clear and clever orchestration. Feather Sound also speaks to Beckham’s attraction to lyrical and thematic melodic material, a characteristic that dominates the other works in this collection. Fanfare 40, though brief, features a handful of memorable themes, some stately and others more delicate and charming. Like in Feather Sound, Beckham is cleverly economical here, and uses sections of counterpoint to re-purpose and disguise his ideas, giving the listener the sense that we are hearing something new, when in fact, the opposite is the case. Fanfare 40 also features structurally significant orchestration, as to the two themes at the heart of work are scored very contrastingly. Memorial Ode, the remaining work on the album, again demonstrates Beckham’s skill at painting mood through orchestration. Its contemplative opening, scored simply for solo flute and chimes, is extraordinarily compelling, so much so Beckham meaningfully recalls aspects of this texture later in the piece. The remainder of Memorial Ode is dominated by elegant and glorious re-settings of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Sine nomine” hymn tune, which was a favorite of the work’s dedicatee, Harold Romoser. HIGHLIGHTS Dwight Beckham’s orchestral music is defined by Romantic lyricism and crisp, clear orchestration, which particularly shines in contrapuntal sections Feather Sound, being the longest work, is the most texturally dynamic work on the album, while Fanfare 40 and Memorial Ode are the most classically thematic

Navona Records presents Michael Kurek’s SYMPHONY NO. 2: TALES FROM THE REALM OF FAERIE, a rich musical tapestry intertwining the colors and characteristics of many fantastical worlds the composer has entered and loved. Performed by the European Recording Orchestra, a certain spirit of unspoiled beauty, innocence, nobility, hope, and heroic goodness stretches across four movements, each giving the listener creative control of the worlds they conjure. With a well-balanced lineage of traditional compositional techniques running throughout his symphony and other works for choir to follow, Kurek presents a dynamic assortment of work that keeps the spirit and heritage of classical music alive.

On IMPRESSIONS OF SPAIN from Navona Records, the critically acclaimed guitar trio enchants and excites with their performance of Spanish-influenced works from master composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Arranged and adapted for guitar trio by Gregg Nestor, the unexplored repertoire of five composers cascades across guitar frets in this recording, communicating themes of love, poetry and literature, Spanish dance, and the spirit of Spain itself through music. Experience the works of Isaac Albéniz, Maurice Ravel, Enrique Granados, Joaquín Turina, and Manuel de Falla through a new and virtuosic voice.

On FADING SOUNDS, composer Georges Raillard turns a creative eye towards the simple wonders of the world with a deep appreciation for the fleetingness of each moment. The aptly titled album presents 10 works for solo guitar, each of which take full advantage of the instrument’s tone and timbre. As the pieces conjure images and memories of landscapes, experiences, and thoughts, every cheerful chord, harmonic passage, and lyrical progression inevitably ends with a haunting resonance that leaves the ear wanting more. The compositions are dexterously played by guitarist David William Ross, whose gentle confidence on the instrument lets Raillard’s musical ideas ring out with clarity and precision.

Spanning landscapes from Mexico to Canada, the Pacific Crest Trail covers thousands of miles of natural beauty, creating a transformative journey captured in FROM WILDERNESS from Navona Records. Choral Arts Initiative, conducted by Brandon Elliott and joined by cellist Kevin Mills, paints these landscapes from composer Jeffery Derus with vibrant color, with vocal soloists giving identities to the spirit animals one may encounter on the trail. A concert-length work and meditation, the listener will hear a wash of sounds that allow for introspective reflection on the sacredness of nature, the profound text, and themselves.

REVIEWS:

A Textura Top 20 Album of 2022!

Jeffrey Derus is both a founding board member of Choral Arts Initiative and one of the esteemed ensemble's tenors. He's also, however, the composer of From Wilderness, a glorious choral work brought to magnificent realization by twenty-five CAI singers, eight crystal bowl players, and cellist Kevin Mills. The company earlier distinguished itself with the release How to Go On: The Choral Works of Dale Trumbore and now equals that achievement with a stellar realization of Derus's work. From Wilderness is a multi-hued meditation that lives up to its transformative billing: it's almost impossible to imagine someone hearing it and not being profoundly moved.

-- Textura

When four musicians of high caliber join forces, one can generally expect favorable results; but only the truly splendid manage to create a musical experience greater than the sum of its parts. Such is the nature of The Opus Project, founded in 2020 and already rated as one of Canada’s most eminent Early Music quartets. On MICHEL DE LA BARRE, the four musicians masterfully perform rarely-heard, unsung suites by the eponymous French flute virtuoso and composer, who broke new ground in Baroque music by merit of being the first to publish solo pieces for his instrument. Zesty yet courtly, refined yet effervescent, these works please at once, not least owing to the lucid and charming interpretation by The Opus Project. A match made in heaven.

On LORD, HOW COME ME HERE?, composer Shawn Okpebholo turns the mirror of history on today’s society with a reimagined collection of spirituals by enslaved Africans and American folk hymns that draws upon music from the past to critique contemporary racial injustices in the United States and around the globe. An ensemble of mezzo-soprano, baritone, piano, cello, and flute poignantly bring Okpebholo’s music to life, from hopeful anthems celebrating community to laments between a mother and her Creator and hymns celebrating faith and hope over hate and fear.

REVIEWS:

As a collection of Negro spirituals and American folk hymns recast as contemporary art songs, Lord, How Come Me Here? is a natural sequel to Shawn E. Okpebholo's 2014 set of reimagined spirituals, Steal Away...Many of the spirituals and hymns are familiar yet are strikingly reborn in these arrangements.

Shifting gears, Bridges pairs with Altino for the heartbreaking lament “Lord, How Come Me Here?,” the cellist less supporting presence and more duet partner; as captivating as the singer's performance is, she's equaled by the passion of his playing. Countering the despair permeating the lament, the album's spiritual and folk hymn sides come together in the medley essayed with conviction by Liverman and Sánchez, “I've Never Felt Such Love / What Wondrous Love is This.” Meanwhile, Bridges captures the yearning of “Oh, Glory” with a transporting, gospel-tinged vocal, her impact all the greater for the restraint Sánchez shows in his accompaniment. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” stands out from the others for adding Thomason-Redus's flute to the Liverman-Sánchez pairing and for the jazzy swing treatment given the spiritual.

Throughout the recording, the material wears its art song garb comfortably, but emotional expression is no less pronounced in the updates as it is in the songs as originally presented. Okpebholo benefits immeasurably in having vocalists of the calibre of Bridges and Liverman with him, and the performances by the instrumentalists are as strong. None of that should overshadow, however, the fact that Lord, How Come Me Here? came into being through Okpebholo's efforts and crystallizes his thematic vision into song.

-- Textura

Soprano Maria Clark and pianist Maria Thompson Corley navigate the intense emotion, scars of suffering, and religious passion in the hymns and gospels on SOUL SANCTUARY from Navona Records. Featuring empowering spirituals from the past two centuries, the duo brings to life religious songs that have stood the test of time and find deep relevance today. Arranged by Thompson Corley and recorded in Atlanta GA’s Peachtree Presbyterian Church, these spirituals, including "His Eye is on the Sparrow," "Wade in the Water," and "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah," offer uplifting outlooks in the face of adversity.

With narration by award-winning actor Rob Dean, Jan Järvlepp brings classic tales to life on THREE STORIES BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Little Match Girl, and The Emperor’s New Clothes, along with other works by Järvlepp, open a new world of imagination for the youth of today and conjoin the countless capabilities of oral and musical storytelling. Join the Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra and Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra on this thrilling ride through these childhood classics. Composer Jan Järvlepp began playing pop guitar at the age of 12 and took up cello in high school at the age of 14. He also learned to play bass guitar and harmonica at this time. In university he majored in composition while developing his cello playing skills. As his studies progressed, he realized that he was not on the same wavelength as his modernist composition teachers. Järvlepp has been delving deeper and deeper into the world of pop-influenced contemporary "classical" composition. He has completely turned his back on the avant-garde modernism that he was rigorously trained in to concentrate on the emerging neo-tonal style. He has also taken an interest in Hispanic, flamenco, Arab and Nordic folk styles. The result has been a variety of accessible pieces of music that appeal to a surprisingly wide cross section of the public.

SYMPHONY NO. 3 from composer Michael Kurek is a tribute to the history and natural beauty of England. The work is fundamentally Romantic, but is also influenced by Edwardian music and English folk melodies. The composer draws inspiration from personal memories, nature, poetry, and art; "Upon a Walk in the English Countryside," recalls the lush, pastoral beauty of the English countryside, while "The Lady of Shalott" nods to Waterhouse's colorful, pre-Raphaelite depiction of Tennyson's famous poem. The symphony's conclusion, "The Major Oak of Sherwood Forest," celebrates the roughly 1000-year-old tree in Nottinghamshire and is perhaps the most climactic of Kurek's works.

Kristina Marinova, a classically trained European pianist, captures the sonic tapestry of the Grateful Dead's music spanning from their inception in 1966 to their award winning and critically acclaimed three album Live European Tour in 1972 with THE BUS CAME BY AND I GOT ON from Navona Records. The Grateful Dead, known for their eclectic style which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, and psychedelia presents a unique challenge for an artist raised on Bach, Rachmaninoff, Mozart, and Scriabin. The intricate interweaving of Jerry Garcia's expressive lead guitar work along with Phil Lesh's unique and innovative bass lines melded with Bob Weir's unconventional rhythms (not to mention the Band's vocal harmonies) made for an attempt at capturing the "true sound" of the Grateful Dead on a sole piano, demanding and impossibly complicated. Nevertheless, the bus came by and, undaunted, Marinova got on.

Christopher O'Riley's THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER BOOK II continues the pianist's exploration of Bach's masterpiece. A true expedition into the second set's finest of details, O'Riley delves beyond the notes themselves and into the spaces between them, sifting through the silence for every last possibility of rhythmic flexibility and potential for expression. With preludes and fugues more intricate and complex than those of the first, the second book provides an even richer opportunity for the discovery of texture, articulation, and hidden meaning within the music.

CORO ALLEGRO: WE ARE HERE is a stirring choral album that amplifies voices of resistance, resilience, and remembrance. Featuring Kareem Roustom's Rage Against the tyrant(s) and Eric Banks' Aluta Continua: The Passion of David Kato Kisule, this collection weaves together protest chants, poetry, and sacred texts to confront oppression and honor those who fight for justice. With performances by Coro Allegro under the direction of David Hodgkins and a constellation of guest artists, CORO ALLEGRO: WE ARE HERE is a call to action, an evocative tribute to the power of music to bear witness and inspire change.

To acclaimed pianist Christopher O'Riley, experimentation and eclecticism are second nature. Known for his sensitive piano arrangements of alternative music, he returns with LOTUSLAND: a riveting collection of popular hits, imbued with classical profundity and romantic pianism. The selection is highly diverse. To name but a few, O'Riley rubs shoulders with John Coltrane, Erik Satie, Joni Mitchell, Duke Ellington, and even Radiohead - the latter being a particular favorite of the pianist, who made a name for himself with classical arrangements of the band's hits some 20 years ago. It's important to note that O'Riley's music transcends mere homage; rather, he effortlessly infuses the material with late Romantic grandeur and brilliance. O'Riley has taste, and the listener benefits: this is enrichment of the material, in the truest sense.

The Amazon rainforest is almost mythical in it's richness and diversity, and music inspired by it is often the same. On AMAZ�NIA, composer Miguel Kertsman captures the awe-inspiring beauty and fragility of one of the world's natural wonders and pays homage to his homeland of Brazil. Featuring four of his earlier symphonic works, the album peers into the budding composer's early career, already rich with genre experimentation and musical storytelling. Kertsman's juxtaposition of Brazilian folk tradition with orchestral composition bends the rules of classical, creating a worldly sound with universal resonance.

PEDACITO DE TIERRA is a deeply personal work led by GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist Jose Antonio Zayas Caban, rooted in his vision to honor the stories of the Puerto Rican diaspora in the Twin Cities. While grounded in local voices, the piece resonates far beyond Minnesota - speaking to the experiences of Puerto Ricans across the United States and echoing themes shared by immigrant communities everywhere: displacement and belonging, memory and identity, longing and resilience. Composed by Angelica Negron and performed by Zayas Caban alongside saxophonist Ryan Smith and pianist Casey Rafn, the work layers oral histories, electronics, and chamber instrumentation to explore the complexity of cultural identity. Shaped by the voices of Puerto Rican storytellers, PEDACITO DE TIERRA reflects Jose's commitment to lifting up community narratives through music that is as nuanced and resilient as the people it represents.

SO SMOOTH, SO SWEET is a collection of vocal works from Harvard University composer Allen Sapp spanning from his early compositions in 1952 to later pieces written in the 1980s. The album features song cycles including The Lady and the Lute, Nursery Rhymes, Affliction, and Two Songs, each showcasing Sapp's thoughtful approach to text setting and harmonic color. Influenced by English Renaissance and Romantic-era poetry as well as Sapp's personal experiences, these works range from delicate and lyrical to harmonically rich and expressive. SO SMOOTH, SO SWEET exhibits the finely structured lyricism of Sapp's early works along with the stylistic contrasts of his later compositions.