#centrediscs

ACL 2021 ~ Pandemic Playlist

A year ago, we hoped we would not have a pandemic playlist in 2021.  But COVID stuck around.  The music we listened to was informed by isolation, illness and a bout of premature hope, chased by a secondary, more muted optimism as the curtains began to draw back once more. So much music was inspired by the pandemic that it soon became a sub-category of its own.  We reviewed dozens of albums that…

Frank Horvat ~ Music for Self-Isolation

Over the past year, most of us have been in and out of national lockdowns, or other forms of isolation. Some have jumped in at the deep end, learning new skills or confronting old challenges. Many have struggled just to keep their heads above water. Most of us have been forced to find new ways of operating, personally, professionally, or creatively. Canadian composer, Frank Horvat, has brought…

ACL 2020 ~ The Year’s Best Winter Music

Winter music is more than a seasonal score; it also represents a state of mind. We’ve all been wintering this year: hunkering down, staying in, waiting for the storm to pass.  Will we simply survive, or will we be able to locate peace, tranquility and even joy in the harshest of conditions?  To do so, we may need to regard winter with new eyes, eager for landscapes of blue and white, offering…

John Burge on Centrediscs

Chamber Music of John Burge Ensemble Made in Canada Centrediscs CD   On his latest recording for Centrediscs, Canadian composer John Burge presents three pieces that showcase different members of Ensemble Made in Canada. Pas De Deux features violinist Elissa Lee and cellist Rachel Mercer, both playing soaring lines that serve to propel the proceedings. They then work themselves back in short…