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

Stories for March 25, 2019

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    Vangelis - Nocturne featured on Hearts of Space
     
    Posted At : March 25, 2019 4:40 PM

    Pioneering composer Vangelis' released a new album on Decca Records called Nocturne. A soothing collection of solo piano pieces, recorded in his inimitable style, the 11 tracks include; new versions of his iconic hits, including his score for Chariots of Fire and the "Love Theme" from Blade Runner. On this album, Vangelis records on a grand piano for the first time. The album is being featured this week on Syndicated: Hearts of Space in a program called: "THE INFINITE PIANO" PGM 1209 :  the evolving sound of the ambient piano  FEED DATE : 3-22-19. Here's a listing of the full show    VANGELIS   "Through the Night Mist" < 0:00->5:12 >   "Unfulfilled Desire" < 5:12->9:35 >    : NOCTURNE; Decca B0029594-02; 2018/2019    : Info: www.udiscovermusic.com/artists/vangelis;      www.vangelisnocturne.com    CHAD LAWSON   "Beautiful the Night" < 9:35->13:57 >   "Amongst the Trees I Wait" < 13:57->17:56 >    : RE:PIANO; Hillset [no catalog #]; 2018    : Info: www.chadlawson.com    TOM EATON   "Gravity" < 17:56->24:30 >    : INDESTERREN; Riverwide RWR1216; 2016    : Info: www.introspectiveobscurities.com    BILL DOUGLAS   "Procession" < 24:30->28:38 >   "Dawn" < 28:38->32:11 >    : QUIET MOON; Hearts of Space 2-HOS-11435; 2019    : Info: www.valley-entertainment.com; www.billdouglas.cc    TOM EATON   "Saturday / Long Lonely Light" < 32:11->39:52 >    : ABENDROMEN; Riverwide RWR1214; 2016    : Info: www.introspectiveobscurities.com    BEN LUKAS BOYSEN   "Keep Watch" < 39:52->46:02 >    : SPELLS; Erased Tapes ERATP085CD; England 2016    : Info: www.erasedtapes.com; www.benlukasboysen.com    BEN LUKAS BOYSEN   "Only in the Dark" < 46:02->49:34 >    : GRAVITY; Erased Tapes ERATP084CD; England 2016      originally released by Ad Noiseam (ADN168CD); Germany 2013    : Info: www.erasedtapes.com; www.benlukasboysen.com    NILS FRAHM   "Some" < 49:34->53:48 >    : SOLO; Erased Tapes ERATP065CD; England 2015    : Info: www.erasedtapes.com; www.nilsfrahm.com    VANGELIS   "Lonesome" < 53:48->58:59 >    : NOCTURNE; Decca B0029594-02; 2018/2019    : Info: www.udiscovermusic.com/artists/vangelis;      www.vangelisnocturne.com   Hearts of Space is heard on nearly 200 National Public Radio stations. With an estimated audience of 200,000 listeners / week, it is the #2 contemporary Music program on public radio in station carriage. HOS is in the Top 20 list of all syndicated programs, including All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Prairie Home Companion. 

  • The human voice is front and center with VOCES8 - Enchanted Isle / KUSC: Album of the Week
     
    Posted At : March 25, 2019 4:13 PM

    The human voice is front and center this week on KUSC: Los Angeles as we feature the latest from Voces8 as our Album of the Week. The U.K.'s star a cappella octet has a new album entitled Enchanted Isle. It contains re-imagined pieces originally written for film or television (such as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones), new arrangements of Scottish and Irish melodies, and compositions set to texts by great English poets.              p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px}

  • VOCES8 - Enchanted Isle is the KDFC: Album of the Week
     
    Posted At : March 25, 2019 4:08 PM

    The human voice is front and center this week on KDFC: San Francisco as we feature the latest from Voces8 as our Album of the Week. The U.K.'s star a cappella octet has a new album entitled Enchanted Isle. It contains re-imagined pieces originally written for film or television (such as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones), new arrangements of Scottish and Irish melodies, and compositions set to texts by great English poets.       Photo by Andy Staples   p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px}

  • The glorious sound of Libera is impeccable on 'Beyond' / STAGEANDCINEMA
     
    Posted At : March 24, 2019 12:00 AM

    The all-boy English vocal group Libera has morphed ever since they began in 1995. The approximately 40 members - 35 on this latest album - are between the ages of seven and sixteen, which means between the changes in voices and age, the singers come and go (most have unchanged boy soprano, a.k.a. treble, voices). Yet, thanks to mastermind Robert Prizeman, Libera - as with the San Francisco-based Chanticleer, which has also seen alterations over the years - the glorious sound remarkably remains the same, if not better; indeed, the seven soloists here are impeccable. READ THE FULL STAGEANDCINEMA REVIEW p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d}

  • Craig Swanson discusses 'The French Suite Kit' with KPFK: Los Angeles
     
    Posted At : March 24, 2019 12:00 AM

    Craig Swanson has dreamed about The French Suite Kit ever since he first heard Glenn Gould talk about the possibility of a "New Listener" who would take some measure of control over their participation in the listening process. As Geoffrey Payzant in his book, Glenn Gould: Music and Mind, stated 40 years ago (1978): The technological developments predicted by Gould in the mid-1960s have for the most part materialized as he said they would, but the advertisements in the audio press do not suggest that there is a consumer market for them. Nobody is advertising "kits." Swanson realized that nobody was and his immediate thought was: why not? KPFK: Los Angeles - Global Village host John Schneider interviewed Swanson about the disc. Listen to the attached file

  • New York Philharmonic, van Zweden - Music of Stravinsky & Debussy is the WFMT: Featured New Release
     
    Posted At : March 24, 2019 12:00 AM

    The New York Philharmonic's third album on Decca Gold features performances of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps and Debussy's La Mer from concerts in Jaap van Zweden's opening weeks as Music Director in 2018. The New York Times wrote that in the opening performance of Le Sacre du printemps, "Mr. van Zweden drew incisive, blazingly powerful and vehement playing from the Philharmonic." Two weeks later, The Times described the performance of La Mer as "bold, almost cinematic." For March 24, 2019, New York Philharmonic, van Zweden - Music of Stravinsky & Debussy is the WFMT: Chicago 'Featured New Release' p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px}

  • The new trend in concert halls is original music by movie composers, no film required / Variety
     
    Posted At : March 24, 2019 12:00 AM

    For decades, concert commissions for film composers were few and far between. The increasing popularity of John Williams' film music, and his visibility as conductor of the Boston Pops in the 1980s and '90s, led to his writing a number of concert works, but Williams was, for the most part, the exception to the rule. That is changing, some composers say, because orchestra managers are reaching the belated conclusion that film music communicates immediately to audiences, and the current trend of live-to-picture concerts of movie hits (everything from "Star Wars" to "Lord of the Rings") is bringing in big bucks. As a result, adventurous programmers are seeking new works by established film composers in hopes that audiences have developed a thirst for similarly melodic, even exciting, music by names they recognize even if there are no images to accompany them.  Several concert works by film composers will debut in the next few weeks including; - "Eleven Eleven," a violin concerto by Danny Elfman  - "All American," an overture by Laura Karpman ("Underground"), Aug. 22 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. - A symphony for orchestra and two pianos by Cliff Eidelman ("Star Trek VI").
    READ THE FULL Variety 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