Home » Stories » VOCES8 artistic director; Barnaby Smith talks with classical radio about 'Enchanted Isle'

Stories for August 06, 2020

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    'Love Avalanche' from Sharon Isbin/Amjad Ali Khan - Strings for Peace makes CapRadio - Ear To Ear
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 2:08 PM

    No doubt, you've heard some new music in rotation lately on KXPR - music that seemingly stands a bit outside of what you are used to hearing on the classical station.  There's no question that the standard European repertory that we've come to associate with classical music is important. The music is beautiful, powerful, and well, classic. But there's a whole world of amazing and unique classical music either rarely presented or being created right now across the globe. On KXPR, we want to bring you examples of the diverse face of classical music today. Among our few examples of the broad classical music reach we're spinning, from Manhattan (New York OR Kansas) to Mumbai is....Amjad Ali Khan - "Love Avalanche" - Performed by Sharon Isbin. Guitarist Sharon Isbin has been incredibly busy of late. One of her three albums released within the last year is called "String for Peace."  The record is Isbin's first foray into the intriguing sounds of Indian classical music. It's not always easy to separate classical music from its traditional European roots. But when I listen to the music of Amjad Ali Khan, I am reminded that there is so much more out there.  Isbin and Ali Khan have been working on making this collaboration happen for nearly a decade. Isbin's guitar is paired with traditional Indian instruments including the sarod, played by Amjad and sons, and the tabla. Ali Khan says of the collaboration, "The idea is to achieve a cross-fertilization at both the cellular and cosmic levels of two classical music traditions, which are often held to be radically different."  You can hear more about the recording on a recent episode of New Classical Tracks from Minnesota Public Radio. SEE THE FULL CapRadio - Ear To Ear PAGE

  • Jean Michel Blais 'Nostos' from 'Angele Dubeau - Pulsations' makes CapRadio - Ear To Ear
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 2:00 PM

    No doubt, you've heard some new music in rotation lately on KXPR - music that seemingly stands a bit outside of what you are used to hearing on the classical station.  There's no question that the standard European repertory that we've come to associate with classical music is important. The music is beautiful, powerful, and well, classic. But there's a whole world of amazing and unique classical music either rarely presented or being created right now across the globe. On KXPR, we want to bring you examples of the diverse face of classical music today. Among our few examples of the broad classical music reach we're spinning, from Manhattan (New York OR Kansas) to Mumbai is....Jean Michel Blais - "Nostos" - Performed by La Pieta Jean Michel Blais draws inspiration from a lot of composers, but is probably most akin to minimalists like Philip Glass and Steve Reich. "Nostos" was improvised initially on the piano in the composer's bedroom in Montreal and recorded on a Zoom microphone, a style of collaboration all too familiar to many of us these days.  On the album "Pulsations," the work is arranged for string orchestra and the cinematic qualities of the piece are very apparent. "Nostos" is chock-full of emotional, sweeping melodies and lush textures. The title in Greek refers to an epic journey by sea like the one found in Homer's "Odyssey," and the piece sounds as though it could easily be the accompaniment to a hero's return to his loved ones from battle. SEE THE FULL CapRadio - Ear To Ear PAGE

  • Caroline Shaw's 'And So,' performed by PBO with ASVO makes CapRadio - Ear To Ear
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 1:48 PM

    No doubt, you've heard some new music in rotation lately on KXPR - music that seemingly stands a bit outside of what you are used to hearing on the classical station.  There's no question that the standard European repertory that we've come to associate with classical music is important. The music is beautiful, powerful, and well, classic. But there's a whole world of amazing and unique classical music either rarely presented or being created right now across the globe. On KXPR, we want to bring you examples of the diverse face of classical music today. Among our few examples of the broad classical music reach we're spinning, from Manhattan (New York OR Kansas) to Mumbai is.... Caroline Shaw - "And So" - Performed by the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Anne Sophie von Otter. I just love how this song begins: A harpsichord and a voice, that's all. The way that something so simple can command your attention is a testament to how great a composer Caroline Shaw is.  She utilizes the rest of the orchestra very carefully as they pluck their way through the second verse, all the while momentum builds in the stunning mezzo-soprano voice of opera star Anne Sophie von Otter. Caroline Shaw is an expert at writing gorgeous melodies that weave through unique textures in the ensemble. "And So" is part of a larger song cycle called "Is A Rose" that juxtaposes 18th and 21st-century poetry and music. SEE THE FULL CapRadio - Ear To Ear PAGE

  • Ray Chen's lockdown produces 'Solace' / udiscovermusic.
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 12:00 AM

    Award-winning violinist Ray Chen, described as "the ray of sunshine in the violin world" by The Times, has announced his new studio album Solace, professionally recorded and released from his home during the global lockdown, will be digitally released on 7 August 2020.  Solace features six movements from J. S. Bach's Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin representing the personal and powerful feelings Ray Chen has experienced this year. Violinist Ray Chen will digitally release his new Bach album ‘Solace', recorded from his home during lockdown, on 7 August 2020.
    READ THE Q&A

  • Colin Stetson - Sarah Neufeld: 'Never were the way she was [Constellation]' makes 'popMatters - 10 Best Experimental Albums of 2015'
     
    Posted At : August 4, 2020 12:00 AM

    Music of all kinds are tending toward a consciously experimental direction. Maybe we're finally getting through to them. In spite of the great lull in today's rock music climate, 2015 proved an astonishing year for experimental music, signifying the simultaneously shrinking and expanding gap between avant-garde and pop traditions. Several of this year's releases, like Clarence Clarity's ineffable No Now or new albums by Oneohtrix Point Never and Holly Herndon, tackle heady concepts of global capitalism and hyper-connectivity of the Internet Age. While some albums venture into brutal and immersive territory-Blanck Mass' Dumb Flesh, Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld's Never were the way she was, and Prurient's Frozen Niagara Falls-others are glossy and luminous-for instance, the bubblegum bass of PC Music's new compilation or the plinking and clinking of Battles' La Di Da Di. Overall, music of all kinds seems to be tending toward a consciously experimental direction. Just look at recent music from hip-hop greats Kendrick Lamar and Kanye, or even the work of pop stars Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus. Maybe we're finally getting through to them. In April, a couple of Constellation instrumentalists-Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld-got together to produce the craggy shambler Never were the way she was. The two have occupied close quarters in the past (in Arcade Fire, Stetson was a collaborator and Neufeld a core member). Here, the two position themselves outside the formal constraints of classical and jazz, though the traditions inform their work as much as any others. Never were the way she was tells the story of a girl "who ages slow as mountains; excited, exalted, and ultimately exiled in her search for a world that resembles her experience". "The sun roars into view" roars into view from a ghostly wisp into a Lovecraftian beast, and "In the vespers" is a jubilant breaking free from a wildwood enclosure. And few song titles more adequately describe their own effect than "With the dark hug of time". Between Stetson's torrential blasts and clacks of bass clarinet and contrabass sax-waves smashing ceaselessly on the shore-and Neufeld's relentless flourishes of string-an epic weaving of linen tapestry-Never were the way she was implores us to contemplate our journey rather than plow through it. To adequately hum these tunes, your entire lymphatic and digestive systems must hum as well. SEE THE FULL popmatters PAGE

  • Niv Ashkenazi discusses 'Violins of Hope' with 89.7WCPE
     
    Posted At : August 4, 2020 12:00 AM

    Violins of Hope is an artistic and educational project composed of instruments that were owned by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. Violins in the collection were played in the concentration camps and ghettos, providing a source of comfort for some and a means of survival for others. The project was founded by Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom, Israeli luthiers who collect these instruments, refurbish them to concert quality, and bring them to communities all over the world, so that their voices can be heard again. The Violins of Hope have traveled to Jerusalem, Sion, Madrid, Maastricht, Monaco, Rome, Berlin, London, Bucharest, Dachau, Dresden, and Auschwitz. In the United States, the project has been presented in Charlotte, Cleveland, Houston, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Washington, D.C, Cincinnati, Nashville, Birmingham, Knoxville, Phoenix, Louisville, Fort Wayne, and San Francisco. 89.7WCPE: Wake Forest NC classical host, Rob Kennedy spoke with Niv about the recording. Listen to the attached interview.

  • Al Di Meola explains his problem with shredders / ULTIMATEGUITAR.com
     
    Posted At : August 4, 2020 12:00 AM

    During a conversation with Guitar Player, Al Di Meola, he explains his problem with shredders. Names Surprising Connection With Iconic Rock Song. He says; "They're just going off on the guitar. I come from a compositional background." During a conversation Di Meola talked about his staple track "Dance With the Devil on Spanish Highway," released on his classic album, 1977's "Elegant Gypsy." "It's a very funny song, in a way," Al said, adding: "By that, I mean the way it's been perceived and written about is a little strange. "It's that word 'shred' that I'm not crazy about. It just feels so limiting and certainly not a good way to describe what I do - because a lot of shredders aren't known as good songwriters. "They're just going off on the guitar. I come from a compositional background. "Even when I played with Return to Forever, we emphasized writing, although we were certainly known for technique. So this song is interesting to me, but not always in the ways that people like to talk about it. READ THE FULL ULTIMATEGUITAR.com ARTICLE

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VOCES8 artistic director; Barnaby Smith talks with classical radio about 'Enchanted Isle'

Posted: March 11, 2019 12:00 AM | By: Admin
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The British vocal ensemble VOCES8 is proud to inspire people through music and share the joy of singing. Touring globally, the group performs an extensive repertory both in its a cappella concerts and in collaborations with leading orchestras, conductors and soloists. Versatility and a celebration of diverse musical expression are central to the ensemble's performance and education ethos. Thier latest Decca Records release; Enchanted Isle is an album reminiscent of rolling hills, green valleys, rugged mountainsides, and sleepy villages. Enchanted Isle features reimagined pieces originally written for film or television (such as Lord of the Ringsand Game of Thrones), new arrangements of Scottish and Irish melodies, and compositions set to texts by great English poets.

In conjunction with the album release; VOCES8 conductor, Barnaby Smith has agreed to discuss with classical networks and stations throughout the US. Watch for our tweets!

Crossover Media Projects with VOCES8

  • VOCES8

    Enchanted Isle

    The British vocal ensemble VOCES8 is proud to inspire people through music and share the joy of singing. Touring globally, the group performs an extensive repertory both in its a cappella concerts and in collaborations with leading orchestras, conductors and soloists. Versatility and a celebration of diverse musical expression are central to the ensemble's performance and education ethos.

    Voces8 releases Enchanted Isle, a new album of music reminiscent of rolling hills, green valleys, rugged mountainsides, and sleepy villages. Enchanted Isle features reimagined pieces originally written for film or television (such as Lord of the Ringsand Game of Thrones), new arrangements of Scottish and Irish melodies, and compositions set to texts by great English poets.

  • VOCES8

    Winter

    Breaking typical expectations of a seasonal album, Voces8's new release Winter paints a portrait of the season through a sparse and powerful aural landscape, invoking a meditative, inspiring feeling of solitude and unity‎. The album includes four world premiere recordings, notably "Winter," written exclusively for the album by award-winning composer Rebecca Dale.

    17 NEW  52 TOTAL
    SYND:     Classical 24, CBC
    Direct: MOOD, AccuRadio 
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Wash DC, Atlanta, Seattle, Cleveland, Houston, Minneapolis, Portland, Kansas City, Baltimore, Austin, Albuquerque, Berkeley CA, El Paso, Rochester NY, KS(Network), ME(Network), MN(Network), Honolulu
    INTER: Canada, Spain, Romania
    Online: Journeyscapes, Musicas Imaginadas

     

  • VOCES8

    Lux

    British a cappella octet VOCES8 releases their second album for Decca/Universal Music Classics, Lux, available January 27, 2015. The recording features a selection of pieces spanning over 400 years: from Thomas Tallis and Gregorio Allegri to Massive Attack (Teardrop) and Ben Folds (The Luckiest - which appeared on the soundtrack for Richard Curtis's film About Time). The album title ‘Lux' refers to the Latin word ‘light,' which has inspired composers throughout history with the meaning of hope, banishing darkness, and nurturing both the body and the spirit. Voces8's celestial performances on the album prove how few can better evoke the power of light in all its physical, spiritual and mystical guises than the timeless sound of a choir.  In addition to the soothing sound of unaccompanied voices blended in harmony, several tracks feature additions of saxophone, cello, harp and water glasses.

    35 Total
    SYND:     Classical 24, CBC
    Direct: Music Choice, MOOD
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Wash DC, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Denver, St. Louis, Baltimore, Austin, New Orleans, Buffalo, Canada
    Online: ClassicallyHip

  • VOCES8

    Eventide

    One of Britain's most exciting and versatile vocal ensembles, VOCES8, makes their debut on Decca/Universal Music Classics with the release of Eventide. VOCES8 features eight young singers who form one perfect sound while adding a contemporary edge on their new album with original arrangements from plainchant to Paul Mealor and from Saving Private Ryan to Emeli Sandé. Eventide showcases the ensemble's perfectly-blended voices interwoven with haunting melodies for solo cello, harp and saxophone and provides an immersive sonic experience which will soothe, beguile and inspire. Evoking the spirit of Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble, VOCES8 and saxophonist Christian Forshaw create their own captivating sound world with arrangements of the ancient Latin hymn Te lucis ante terminum and Tallis's setting of the same text.

    28 New 'ON'  52 TOTAL
    SYND:     PRI/Classical 24
    Direct: Music Choice
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Wash DC, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Cleveland, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Denver, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Detroit, Austin, Memphis, Buffalo, Honolulu
    Online: Taintradio