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Islands metaphorically refers to islands of place, event, and community. Many places drift in and out of consciousness over the sixty-three minutes of the CD.Barry Truax’s Digital Soundscapes is a collection of five pieces that integrate computer and electroacoustic music.The CD is based on the celebrated Song of Solomon text from the Old Testament whose lyrical and sensual imagery is portrayed in a cycle of four movements subtitled Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Night & Daybreak.Imprints represents a twenty-five year retrospective of the work of Canadian composer Colin Mack.This CD contains works by composers, Joseph Canteloube (1879-1957), Walter Rein (1893-1955) and Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)Laughton & Humphreys is one of Canada's most exciting ensembles, winning critical and public acclaim for their versatility in performing music of Bach and Handel alongside contemporary works. All of the music on this recording was written or arranged for Laughton & Humphreys, and celebrates Canada's cultural heritage and natural beauty.The Hannaford Street Silver Band is Toronto’s award-winning professional brass band and Resident Company of Toronto’s St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.Trio Lyra's repertoire ranges from the Baroque through the twentieth century. They have commissioned and premiered works from some of the most prominent Canadian composers.To experience fully the music of Rudolf Komorous, one has only to listen attentively. The emotional language of the music is readily apparent and on the surface. And yet, the unpredictable juxtapositions of events, the turns of phrase, the surprising chords, and the unusual sounds delineate a landscape which encompasses a wide range of feelings and sensitivities.Henry Kucharzyk is a composer too eclectic to be pigeon-holed. He is one of Canadian music's explorers. - William Littler, Toronto Star5th Species is a woodwind quintet dedicated to performing adventurous repertoire by 20th century composers. The group is made up of Canadian and American musicians, and this is their debut recording.Ensemble, Les Couscous Bénévoles - or the "Benevolent Cuckoos" - takes its name from a harpsichord piece by François Couperin. Comprised of some of Canada's most respected players in the field of early music, the Toronto-based ensemble is committed to performing both the great favourites and lesser known works of the Baroque and early Classical eras.Hemispheres celebrates the release of its second CD, Chaser, featuring compositions by Canadian's Wende Bartley and Henry Kucharzyk, as well as the American composer Christian Wolff.Music by Peter Hatch (Texts by Gertrude Stein) Performed by NUMUS.This CD features contemporary big band music for the adventurous by the Toronto new music ensemble Hemispheres.Five new works by Peter Hatch featuring the Canadian Chamber Ensemble conducted by Daniel Warren, the Penderecki String Quartet, and harpsichordist Cynthia Hiebert.Four innovative acoustic works played by the excellent Canadian ensemble Arraymusic.Evergreen Club is an ensemble of eight highly skilled Canadian musicians who perform and record using an assortment of bronze and wooden instruments from Indonesia. Collectively these instruments are known as a gamelan – a traditional instrument ensemble that plays an important role in the Indonesian culture.The pieces and instruments of this recording are an unexpected weave of cross-cultural and anachronistic interconnections.Butterfield: Music for Klein and Beuys - Pillar of Snails
Schwitters: UrsonateAnother excellent compilation of acoustic works by Arraymusic.Blue Quilt
40 Fingers Saxophone Quartet
Founded in September, 1993, 40 fingers is a group of experienced and active composers and performers in the Toronto scene.Susan Layard (vocals), Chris Devonshire (electronics), Adele Armin (violin), Marc Sabat (violin), Richard Sacks (percussion)Five major works by Rui Shi Zhuo, who has found his own path to express traditional Chinese music through contemporary western forms.JUNO AWARD: Best Classical Composition. (2003) Requiem Mass for a Charred Skull.Big Pictures is a theatrical work by composer Michael J. Baker, painter Dan Solomon and choreographer Bill James.Huskless!, captures Lori Freedman in some of her most recent sizzling live concert performances. The music runs an eclectic gamut of styles reflecting her dynamic stage presentations."Peter Hannan’s cosmic tune about the evolution of memory and the birth of stars emerges from squelchy electronic beats and a lachrymose harmonic loop of Baroque provenance. Singer Christine Duncan completes the illusion of intimate thoughts filling a vast space." -R. Everett Green Globe and MailThe music for this collection, Ten Planets, represents a personally chosen repertoire distilled from many years of commissioning and performance, to capture meticulously prepared premiere recordings of works that cover the broad range of dynamics, colour and sheer kick-ass' drumming that define the medium of solo percussion.Go to Top