Jamie Syer is a piano soloist, chamber music performer, conductor, clinician and teacher who lives near Sundre, Alberta. Jamie has taught at the University of Calgary and the Mount Royal College Conservatory, and has served as organist and choirmaster at several Calgary-area churches. For five years, he was director of the New Roks Calgary Ensemble, a group dedicated to performing new and recent music by contemporary composers.

« I chose the seven pieces on this recording for their beauty, their stories, their challenges, and in some cases, their personal significance. Each is a fine example of the style of its composer, together encapsulating about 250 years of writing for the keyboard. The visual design [CD booklet] includes pictures of places that have special ‘extra-musical’ meaning for me. »

– Jamie Syer

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

1. Aria in G Major, BWV 988

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

2-5. Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 81a

QUENTEN DOOLITTLE

6. Fantasy with Interludes

FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN

7. Barcarolle, Op. 60

FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN

8. Berceuse, Op. 57

FRANZ LISZT

9. Mephisto Waltz

WILLIAM BOLCOM

10. Graceful Ghost Rag