“Beginning with a low hum, choirs of cellos – 45 cellists in the Northwestern University Cello Ensemble, directed by Hans Jorgen Jensen- gradually make their entrances, slowly blooming like a bright golden sun bursting over a mountain range.” (Tom Huizenga, Deceptive Cadence, NPR) This new release from Sono Luminus is a representation of nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first century music written or arranged for cello ensemble. This varied collection explores the instrument’s power to sing and express, and in this way several of the pieces were written to mimic the human voice. The Northwestern University Cello Ensemble is made up of both current and alumni cello students at the Bienen School of Music. The ensemble has appeared on both The New York Times’ Top 25 Classical Recordings list, as well as The New Yorker’s Top 10 Classical Recordings list. “…the 45 cellists of the Northwestern University Cello Ensemble, one is reminded by the music not so much of floating in the air but rather of being wrapped in a warm blanket of pure sound.” (Gramophone Magazine)

Sono Luminus collaborates with the chamber orchestra Inscape to produce the aurally stunning Sprung Rhythm. Praised by The Washington Post for their “guts and musicality,” Inscape’s energetic concerts are well-established in the Washington DC region, continuing to garner praise from audiences and critics alike.

Sono Luminus has come together again with the amazing talent of the Ying Quartet and is excited to release American Anthem: The Music of Samuel Barber & Howard Hanson. Bringing together musical selections that are truly expressive of the American spirit, this album also includes a selection from American composer Randall Thompson, and features pianist Adam Neiman and baritone Randall Scarlata.

Skylark is a premiere vocal ensemble of leading American vocal soloists, chamber musicians, and music educators. Skylark’s music has been described as: “sublimely beautiful” (Opera Obsession) “engrossing...reaches in through the ribs and grips the vitals” (Q2/WQXR NY) “leave a hardened critic near tears” (Boston Music Intelligencer) With “some of Boston’s best singers” (Boston Globe) “Skylark can sway you softly into calm and then all but throw you across the room with sheer harmonic force” (Thought Catalog) The Project SEVEN: words from the cross, is a diverse and innovative program of music for Good Friday, pairing music from the United States with choral music from other parts of the world. This highly original album progresses through the scriptural seven last words of Christ on the Cross, pairing the music of William Billings and the Sacred Harp with the music of contemporary composers Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Jaakko Mäntyjärvi.

In this fascinating, political satire, lessons learned through animal personification is the creation of the world that is Le Bestiaire, ingeniously depicted by soprano Céline Ricci and her pianist and collaborator, Daniel Lockert. In this collection of songs by Henri Sauguet, Jacques Ibert, André Caplet, with the base concepts of humanity depicted by the words of René de Brimont, Paul Éluard, Charles Baudelaire, Jean de la Fontaine, and Prosper Estieu. This release compiles a succinct anthology of French songs combining well-known poetry with more obscure pieces in order to showcase a variety of human expressions through music.

Sono Luminus is excited to present Snapshots, a stunning collection of short yet brilliant piano works by composers Peter Knell and Sergei Prokofiev, all expertly executed by celebrated pianist Markus Pawlik. Pawlik has been characterized as a rare pianist who combines sensitivity and expressiveness together with a technique that evinces phenomenal virtuosity.

The 1960s brought about radical changes both in culture and in popular music. One of the trends that came about was the British Folk Rock Movement. The musicians of this movement were often proficient performers of “early music” as well. Ayreheart aims to blend together the “art” and “folk” traditions seamlessly. The first track, “John Barleycorn,” has been recorded by several in the folk-rock movement, most memorably the group Traffic. Brian Kay is heralded as a modern-day troubadour, and performs vocals, lute, and komuz on this release. He has traveled across the United States as a solo artists, and performs with several ensembles. Lutenist and composer Ronn McFarlane is also part of this recording. The Grammy nominated artist aims to take the most popular Renaissance instrument- the lute- and make it part of today’s musical mainstream.