Author: ailynn@leaf.music

Posted on by

¡Convivencia!: Spanish Renaissance Music Meets Arabic and Sephardic Traditions

Leaf Music and Ensemble La Cigale are pleased to announce ¡Convivencia!, a filmed performance project led by artistic director Madeleine Owen, available on Prime Video and Naxos Video Library. The project is also released as an album through Leaf Music, available on more than 40 major music streaming and digital download services. The project brings together Ensemble La Cigale with Canadian guest artists from diverse musical and cultural backgrounds, including Lebanese-born singer and oud player Lamia Yared, Algerian-born musicians Mourad Taleb, and Sid-Ali Hamouche. ¡Convivencia! brings together Spanish Renaissance music with Arabic and Sephardic traditions, as well as works by Canadian composers Emily Doolittle and Mourad Taleb. 

The inspiration for ¡Convivencia! began with Owen’s first visit to Cairo, Egypt, where she travelled with her lute to explore the ancient musical traditions that remain unbroken there, and that helped shape both the music and the physical form of the European lute. Her encounters with musicians, teachers, and the people she met revealed a shared curiosity across cultures: while she was drawn to their music, they were equally intrigued by her instrument. Even when language was limited, music became the point of connection, shaping the spirit of exchange at the heart of the project. 

¡Convivencia! draws on elements of the North African Nouba, a suite of instrumental music and song traditionally organized in five movements and unified by a shared mode. This structure becomes a point of departure for five musical tableaux, where Arabic song, Spanish romance, Andalusian colour, and the sound world of period instruments meet. ¡Convivencia! imagines “a friendly encounter between musicians on a balmy summer evening,” evoking the spirit of coexistence associated with the Hispanic, Arab, and Jewish cultures of medieval Al-Andalus. 

The fruit of several years of research and exchange, ¡Convivencia! marks Ensemble La Cigale’s first large-scale film project. Created with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts through its Digital Now program, which encouraged new ways of sharing artistic work in digital environments, the project was developed in close collaboration with director Emmanuel Crombez, who undertook to create a distinct visual world for ¡Convivencia!. Working with an artistic and technical team, Crombez shaped the décor, sound design, and lighting arc of the film, moving from golden hour to dusk and into night, giving each tableau its own atmosphere. The program is framed by a specially commissioned work from Emily Doolittle, a composer known for drawing on natural sounds, who created a soundscape of night creatures specific to the Iberian Peninsula. Following its creation as a film project, the performance has been adapted for audio release, allowing ¡Convivencia! to reach audiences beyond the screen. 

About Ensemble La Cigale 

Formed in Montreal in 2006, Ensemble La Cigale is dedicated to the rediscovery of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire on period instruments, with a focus on the dialogue between scholarly and traditional music. Known for their warm and engaging performances, the ensemble brings together music, text, and historical context to illuminate lesser-known works. La Cigale’s recordings include Tiorba Obbligata, nominated for a Prix Opus, Up in the Morning Early, featuring Celtic repertoire of the Baroque, and La grazia delle donne, a portrait of female musical activity in Baroque Italy.

Leaf Music et l’Ensemble La Cigale ont le plaisir d’annoncer la sortie de ¡Convivencia!, un projet de performance filmé, dirigé par Madeleine Owen et disponible sur Prime Video et dans la vidéothèque Naxos. Le projet paraît également sous forme d’album chez Leaf Music et est offert sur plus de 40 grandes plateformes de diffusion en continu et de téléchargement numérique. Il réunit l’Ensemble La Cigale et des artistes canadiens invités issus d’horizons musicaux et culturels variés, dont la chanteuse et oudiste d’origine libanaise Lamia Yared, ainsi que les musiciens d’origine algérienne Mourad Taleb et Sid-Ali Hamouche. ¡Convivencia! mêle musique de la Renaissance espagnole, traditions arabes et séfarades, et œuvres des compositeurs canadiens Emily Doolittle et Mourad Taleb. 

L’inspiration pour ¡Convivencia! est née lors de la première visite d’Owen au Caire, en Égypte, alors qu’elle s’y était rendue avec son luth pour explorer les anciennes traditions musicales qui s’y perpétuent encore aujourd’hui et qui ont contribué à façonner tant la musique que la forme physique du luth européen. Ses rencontres avec des musiciens, des professeurs et les personnes qu’elle a croisées ont révélé une curiosité partagée au-delà des cultures : alors qu’elle était attirée par leur musique, ils étaient tout aussi intrigués par son instrument. Lorsque la langue constituait un obstacle, la musique devenait le lien qui unissait les participants, façonnant ainsi l’esprit d’échange au cœur du projet. 

¡Convivencia! s’inspire de la nouba nord-africaine, une suite de pièces instrumentales et de chants, traditionnellement organisée en cinq mouvements et unifiée par un mode commun. Cette structure sert de point de départ à cinq tableaux musicaux où se rencontrent le chant arabe, la romance espagnole, les couleurs andalouses et l’univers sonore des instruments d’époque. ¡Convivencia! crée l’image d’« une rencontre amicale entre musiciens lors d’une douce soirée d’été », évoquant l’esprit de coexistence associé aux cultures hispanique, arabe et juive de l’Al-Andalus médiéval.  

Fruit de plusieurs années de recherche et d’échanges, ¡Convivencia! représente le tout premier projet cinématographique d’envergure de l’Ensemble La Cigale. Créé avec le soutien du Conseil des arts du Canada dans le cadre de son programme intitulé « Numérique maintenant », qui promeut de nouvelles façons de partager la création artistique dans des environnements numériques, le projet a été développé en étroite collaboration avec le réalisateur Emmanuel Crombez, qui s’est attaché à créer un univers visuel distinct. En travaillant avec une équipe artistique et technique, Crombez a façonné les décors, la conception sonore et l’arc lumineux qui parcourt le film, de l’heure dorée du crépuscule jusqu’à la nuit, accordant à chaque tableau une atmosphère qui lui est propre. Le programme s’articule autour d’une œuvre spécialement commandée à Emily Doolittle, compositrice reconnue pour son inspiration tirée des sons de la nature, qui a imaginé un paysage sonore peuplé de créatures nocturnes propres à la péninsule Ibérique. Après sa création sous forme de projet cinématographique, la prestation a été adaptée pour une diffusion audio, permettant ainsi à ¡Convivencia! de rejoindre un public au-delà l’image en mouvement.

À propos de l’Ensemble La Cigale 

Fondé à Montréal en 2006, l’Ensemble La Cigale se voue à la redécouverte du répertoire de la Renaissance et de l’époque baroque sur des instruments d’époque, en mettant l’accent sur le dialogue entre la musique savante et la musique traditionnelle. Réputé pour ses interprétations chaleureuses et captivantes, l’ensemble mêle musique, texte et contexte historique pour mettre en lumière des œuvres méconnues. Parmi les enregistrements de La Cigale, on retrouve Tiorba Obbligata, sélectionné pour un Prix Opus, Up in the Morning Early, consacré au répertoire celtique de l’époque baroque, et La grazia delle donne, un portrait de l’activité musicale féminine dans l’Italie baroque. 

Watch / Stream / Download
About Ensemble La Cigale
Playlist

Posted on by

The Second Volume in Beethoven’s Sonatas for Piano and Violin

(Nashville, TN) Pianist Peter Takács continues his exploration of Beethoven’s Sonatas for Piano and Violin with a second volume featuring Op. 23 & Op. 24 “Spring,” recorded with violinist Sibbi Bernhardsson, released on Leaf Music.

Few composers have attracted as much myth as Ludwig van Beethoven. Long cast as the archetypal “tortured genius,” his image has been shaped by a volatile temperament, fierce independence, and the perception that personal struggle lay at the heart of his artistic voice. In early nineteenth-century Vienna, these qualities enhanced rather than diminished his reputation. As a frequent guest in the salons of Count Moritz von Fries, Beethoven became known not only for his extraordinary musical gifts but also for a presence that could erupt as suddenly as it inspired admiration. In a well-known instance, he squared off against pianist Daniel Steibelt in an improvisatory duel, answering his rival with a theatrical display that, according to one account, drove Steibelt from the room. Whether the story unfolded exactly this way is impossible to know, but that is precisely the point. Such anecdotes circulated widely and helped establish Beethoven as a leading musical figure in Vienna.

At the same time, reception of his music began to shift. A review in the Allegemeine musikalische Zeitung (1820) reflect this change, recognizing in Beethoven’s work the “original, fiery, and bold spirit” that earlier critics had misunderstood. Beethoven’s near-mythic status had already begun to take shape.

The sonatas themselves reveal different sides of Beethoven’s emerging voice. The compact Sonata in A minor, Op. 23, is taut and restless in character, while the more expansive Sonata in F major, Op. 24 (“Spring”), unfolds with an ease and lyricism that would soon make it one of his most beloved chamber works. Originally issued together, the pair was later divided, likely reflecting the growing popularity of Op. 24.

PETER TAKÁCS 

Hailed by The New York Times as “a marvelous pianist,” Peter Takács has performed widely to critical and audience acclaim and is noted for his penetrating and communicative musical interpretations. He enrolled at the Conservatoire de Paris at age fourteen, later earning full scholarships to Northwestern University and the University of Illinois, followed by a three-year fellowship at the Peabody Conservatory, where he completed his artistic training under the guidance of the renowned pianist Leon Fleisher. Takács has appeared as a guest soloist with major orchestras across the U.S. and internationally and has performed at prominent festivals, including Tanglewood, Music Mountain, and the Chautauqua Institution. His recording of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas, released on the Cambria label in 2011, received critical acclaim and reflects a longstanding engagement with Beethoven’s music. 

SIBBI BERNHARDSSON 

Icelandic Grammy Award-winning violinist Sibbi Bernhardsson joined the Oberlin Conservatory faculty in 2017 after seventeen years as a member of the Pacifica Quartet, with which he received Musical America’s Ensemble of the Year honours and an Avery Fisher Career Grant. He has appeared at major venues worldwide, including Wigmore Hall, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw, and Carnegie Hall, and has performed at leading festivals such as Tanglewood, Ravinia, and the Reykjavík Arts Festival. His television appearances include The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, and the MTV Europe Music Awards with Icelandic artist Björk. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Menahem Pressler, and Leon Fleisher. In addition to his performance career, he serves as director of the Cooper International Violin Competition and artistic director of Iceland’s Harpa International Music Academy. 

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf Music is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America.

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Ai Lynn Ang, ailynn@leaf.music

STREAM / DOWNLOAD
About Peter
About Sibbi
Posted on by

Cathedral After Dark, A Live Introspective Recording of Atmospheric Neoclassical Soundscapes

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Composer Toby Johnston-Stewart presents Cathedral After Dark, a live recording captured on September 12, 2025, at Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, BC, a space known for its vast, resonant acoustic. Performed by Jillian Forster Fair (piano), the Emily Carr String Quartet (Müge Büyükçelen-Badel, violin 1; Cory Balzer, violin 2; Mieka Michaux, viola; Alasdair Money, cello) and Bruce Meikle (double bass), the album is released through Leaf Music Distribution. Conceived as a continuous musical narrative, the recording unfolds as an immersive journey, extending beyond the format of a standard concert presentation. 

Johnston-Stewart avoids traditional structural divisions, shaping Cathedral After Dark as a continuous sequence of interconnected atmospheres moving from restrained, intimate passages to expansive climaxes that fully engage the acoustic space. The piano shapes the harmonic and expressive direction, moving between intimacy and breadth, while the string quartet brings precision and subtlety to the work’s evolving textures. The double bass provides a grounded, resonant foundation, reinforcing the music’s darker and more expansive sonorities. Recorded during a late-night performance, the album captures the interaction between musicians and environment, where reverberation and spatial depth become integral to the listening experience.

Cathedral After Dark: Continuum (Live)

About Artist

Based in Victoria, BC, Toby Johnston-Stewart was born in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 1989. He developed an early interest in classical music and composition, focusing on introspective, atmospheric works in neoclassical and classical minimalism. He studied for many years with Tim Janz at the Mount Royal University Conservatory of Music and frequently collaborates and records with instrumentalists in the Pacific Northwest.  

Jillian Forster Fair holds a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of Victoria, where she studied with Bruce Vogt. An active collaborative pianist, she performs regularly with instrumentalists, vocalists, and ensembles in Victoria. She has appeared as a soloist in the Scriabin Piano Concerto under conductor János Sándor and has participated in the Banff Centre Summer Arts Festival. She frequently collaborates with composer Toby Johnston-Stewart in both studio and live performances. 

Formed in 2006 by members of the Victoria Symphony and the Aventa Ensemble, the Emily Carr String Quartet has performed across Canada, the United States, and Europe. The ensemble has appeared at events and series including ISCM World Music Days, Music in the Morning, Music on Main, and the Victoria Summer Music Festival, and has been featured on CBC Radio. Their recording Hidden Treasure was nominated for Classical Recording of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards.

Bruce Meikle studied with Kenneth Friedman in Vancouver and later with David Currie at the University of Ottawa. After three summers with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, he returned to the West Coast to freelance with the Vancouver Symphony before joining the Victoria Symphony. He is also active as a chamber musician and jazz performer. 

Leaf Music is an independent classical recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Nashville, Tennessee. The label produces and distributes recordings by artists and composers from across North America, with worldwide distribution through Naxos of America. In addition to its recording activities, Leaf Music provides professional audio and video production, post-production, and integrated marketing and distribution services. 

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Ai Lynn Ang, ailynn@leaf.music

Stream / Download
About Toby
Playlist

Posted on by

Essential Opera Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary with Debut Album

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and Atlantic Canada’s Essential Opera announce the release of Some of My Stories: The Operas of Monica Pearce (LM279), available April 17. A collection of five one-act chamber operas by Canadian composer and librettist Monica Pearce, the album brings together works developed over more than a decade and reflects Essential Opera’s ongoing commitment to creating and championing new opera. 

Some of My Stories brings individual lives and voices to the operatic stage. Each opera captures a moment of reflection or change: the life’s work of Maritime folklorist Helen Creighton in Aunt Helen; a bride caught between expectation and choice in Cake; the quiet turning point of a life in April; the social tensions and wit of Etiquette; and the warmth and uncertainty of a young queer couple’s journey in December. 

Performed by Essential Opera’s co-artistic directors Maureen Batt (soprano) and Erin Bardua (soprano), the recording features guest artists Danielle Buonaiuto (soprano), Lucy Hayes Davis (mezzo-soprano), Krisztina Szabó (mezzo-soprano), Patrick Simms (tenor), and Jon-Paul Décosse (bass-baritone). Founded in 2010 and based in Atlantic Canada, Essential Opera commissions, performs, and champions works by living composers, with a focus on new creation and projects that address equity and belonging in opera. 

Monica Pearce is a Canadian composer specializing in opera and chamber music. Her work has been commissioned and performed by organizations including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the International Contemporary Ensemble, and New Music Detroit, among others. Her operas have been presented across Canada and the United States, and releases from this project have received nominations from Music Nova Scotia and the East Coast Music Awards. 

Leaf Music is an independent classical recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Nashville, Tennessee. The label produces and distributes recordings by artists and composers from across North America, with worldwide distribution through Naxos of America. In addition to its recording activities, Leaf Music provides professional audio and video production, post-production, and integrated marketing and distribution services. 

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Ai Lynn Ang, ailynn@leaf.music

Stream / Download
About Essential Opera
Playlist
Posted on by

Ménestrel mixes ancient repertoire with Canadian oral folk traditions

Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, and Ménestrel (soprano-violinist Janelle Lucyk and tenor-lutenist Kerry Bursey), announce the upcoming release of their new recording, Ménestrel (LM305), in digital and physical formats. For their debut album, Ménestrel reaches backward, not to escape the modern world, but to examine its roots. They gather songs drawn from several centuries and traditions, from the luminous melancholy of John Dowland to the ardent intimacy of Barbara Strozzi, from the refined contours of French Renaissance chanson to the rugged sincerity of Celtic and English folk ballads.  

Ménestrel is a Canadian early music ensemble, mixing ancient repertoire with oral folk traditions. Formed in 2019, the ensemble is committed to bringing the transformative magic of music to unexpected places, collaborating with singers and choirs in all of Canada’s thirteen provinces and territories in 2024. They were also in residence in France and Spain last summer for concerts, workshops and recordings. Their concerts aim to demystify early music, juxtaposing it next to folk songs, which are often considered songs of the people. 

Album Trailer

Janelle Lucyk is a leader among an emerging generation of Canadian artists specializing in old music and historically informed performance, taking ideas from conception to the stage. She is Mécénat Musica’s 2025 Vocal Discovery of the Year. Performing well over a hundred concerts last year, Janelle across all of Canada. 

Janelle is the artistic director of Ménestrel. She is also director of the new series ArtChoral at La Grande Salle du 9e, the recently reopened, iconic Art Deco concert hall in Montreal.  Following mentor and arts champion Barbara Butler, Janelle is Artistic and Administrative Director of Musique Royale (est. 1985), a music presenter based in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia which enriches historic spaces through the sharing of world class early music, and much more.  Programming includes over seventy concerts throughout the year in venues across the spectacular maritime province. 

Janelle was invited by legendary organist Xaver Varnus to perform two sold out performances in Hungary, including at the spectacular Bartók National Concert Hall in Budapest. She has had the good fortune of working as a soloist under five-time Grammy winner Paul Halley on many unforgettable concerts including Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 and Selva Morale e Spirituale and multiple Bach Passions.  

Janelle graduated in 2014 with distinction from the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles in Belgium and completed her master’s in management at Durham University in the UK, where she was awarded the Best Soloist by Music Durham, and Best Female Soloist by her peers. While in Europe, she formed Voces Desuper, an ensemble performing regularly in the magnificent Cathédrale de Saints-Michel-et-Gudule, and especially at the Te Deum ceremony for the King and Queen of Belgium. 

Kerry Bursey is a Canadian tenor and plucked string instrumentalist from Montréal. An early music specialist and a versatile singer, he is acclaimed for his “clear voice, made of dreamy troubadouresque sweetness” (Ôlyrix) and “beneficent tenderness” (Le Temps). He is a sought-after lutenist and guitarist, notably invested in self-accompaniment, from lute songs to folk music.  Recently, he made his European debut run as a soloist at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Ruhrtriennale, Manchester International Festival, Bregenzerfestspieler and the Holland Festival. 

He regularly works as a tenor soloist or instrumentalist with Canadian early music ensembles such as l’Harmonie des Saisons, Ensemble Caprice, Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, the Toronto Consort, Theatre of Early Music, Les Barocudas, les Idées Heureuses, la Nef, Pallade Musica, Infusion Baroque and Clavecin en Concert. He tours internationally with his ensemble, Ménestrel, co-founded with soprano Janelle Lucyk. 

​Kerry is frequently hired as a session musician and creative collaborator because of his broad musical output, from pop to video games. He composed and performed the soundtrack of award-winning thriller, 444, which premiered at Fantasia Festival, and worked on the sci-fi movie Mistral Spatial. He frequently works with Ubisoft and notably sang Gregorian chants as a monk in the game Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.  

Kerry holds a master’s degree in classical guitar from the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and has studied voice performance at McGill University. He was a winner at the 2011 Grand Prix de Guitare de Montréal. 

The album was recorded in May of 2025 in St. John’s Anglican Church, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, with support from the Canada Council of the Arts. Listen to Ménestrel on your favourite streaming platforms or get your CD copy

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf Music is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America.

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Ai Lynn Ang, ailynn@leaf.music

Buy / Stream
Playlist
About Ménestrel
Posted on by

Nostos: Duo Aster’s Debut Album

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and theAster Duo comprising saxophonist Clio Theodoridisand pianist Jonathan Nemtanu announce the upcoming release of their new recording, Nostos (LM306), in digital and physical formats. Nostos is an ancient Greek word translating as “homecoming” or “return.” The album for piano and saxophone features a major work by Spanish composer Pedro Iturralde (Suite hellénique), and Ocres Rouges by French composer and clarinetist Alexis Ciesla (who draws his inspiration from klezmer). Also featured is Turkish composer Fazil Say’sSuite for alto saxophone and piano, Op. 55. The album is rounded out by Canadian composer Mathieu Lussier’s Récit et Lied, Op. 31.

Born in Athens, Clio Theodoridis performs regularly as a saxophonist in Quebec and internationally. Her career has taken her to renowned stages across Europe, Asia, and North America, including the Jiangsung Grand Theater (China), Denkibunka Hall (Japan), Théâtre du Châtelet (France), Aegean Arts Festival (Greece), as well as major Canadian events such as the Domaine Forget International Festival, La Virée Classique de Montréal, and Jeunesses Musicales Canada.

She has taken part in several prestigious international events, including the World Saxophone Congress SaxOpenin Strasbourg and the NASA Conference (North American Saxophone Alliance), and her musical work has been recognized in various competitions, notably third prize at the Stockholm International Music Competition and being named a laureate of the National Young Talents Competition X.O.N in Athens. 

Clio holds a doctorate’s degree in music the highest distinction (“exceptional”) from the University of Montreal, a performance degree and State Teaching Diploma from the Strasbourg Superior Academy of Music and is also a prizewinner of the Lyon Conservatory. Since 2020, she has been teaching saxophone at the Saguenay Conservatory of Music, is a guest professor at the Domaine Forget International Academy and serves as an ambassador for Henri Selmer Paris. 

Trained as a pianist, Jonathan Nemtanu leads a committed career combining artistic excellence with cultural leadership, performing regularly as a chamber musician in Canada, China, Greece, the United States, and France, where he is praised for the finesse of his playing and his gift for musical dialogue.  He studied under Hervé N’Kaoua at the Conservatoire de Bordeaux, Avedis Kouyoumdjian at the University of Vienna, and Jean Saulnier at the University of Montreal, where he earned a doctorate in piano performance with the rarely awarded distinction of “exceptional.” Complementing his path as a performer, he also holds a master’s degree in international arts management from HEC Montréal, allowing him to extend his engagement beyond the stage and actively contribute to cultural development. 

He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Nicolas Ellis, Julie Boulianne, the Isidore Quartet, Hélène Collerette, and Marie-Ève Munger, and performed at prestigious festivals and venues including Radio France, the Jiangsu Grand Theatre in China, and Orford Musique in Canada. He has also appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as Pro Arte, Das Klassik Orchester aus Prag, and the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Symphony Orchestra. Deeply committed to nurturing the next generation, Jonathan Nemtanu has taught at the Conservatoire de musique de Saguenay and frequently serves on juries, including for the Canadian Music Competition. 

Jonathan founded and directs the Le Baptême concert series in Quebec and currently serves as Executive Director of the Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal.

The album was recorded in September of 2025 at Domaine-Forget.

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf Music is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America.

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Ai Lynn Ang, ailynn@leaf.music

Listen / Download
About Duo Aster
Playlist

Posted on by

Sankofa: Reaching Back to Move Forward

“As conductor, Burashko keeps a steady hand, and allows the score to unfold as it should, telling its own story. Stravinsky is truly speaking through him…a Canadian treasure.” – Ludwig van Toronto


(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) In recognition of Black History Month, Leaf Music, Andrew Burashko and the Art of Time Ensemble announce the upcoming digital release of Stravinsky: Sankofa, The Soldier’s Tale Retold & Histoire du soldat Suite (LM304), recorded in March and April of 2025 in Toronto.

Sankofa, The Soldier’s Tale Retold is a reimagining of L’Histoire du soldat, the 1918 theatrical work for three actors and septet, with music composed by Igor Stravinsky. While the original libretto was written by Swiss poet Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, this new version was created by Nigerian-born, Edmonton-based poet Titilope Sonuga. The narrative centres on a fictional Black soldier who the Devil tricks into trading away his identity and dignity in exchange for service in the Canadian army. The release also includes Stravinsky’s Histoire du soldat Suite, an instrumental work drawn from the musical highlights of the original score.
As in the original, Sonuga’s libretto retains the same characters (Soldier, Devil and Narrator) and maintains the expressive use of rhyming verse. This reflects Andrew Burashko’s intention to create a new version of A Soldier’s Tale that pays homage to Stravinsky’s structure, including the Devil’s appearance in different guises and a libretto that aligns seamlessly with the music. A renewed interest in the work emerged in 2020 when Burashko heard Canadian hip-hop artist Shad’s album A Short Story About War, which inspired him to centre the tale on a Black soldier in a white army. Sonuga then set the story around a fictional Black soldier whose experiences draw from the real-life No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only segregated all-Black battalion during the First World War. The Battalion, formed in Pictou, Nova Scotia, in 1916, performed construction and labour work, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an official apology in 2022 for the racism experienced by its members.

The Soldier’s Tale Retold is available only in Canada and Japan, with worldwide release restricted until 2042. This limitation reflects decisions made by the parties overseeing Stravinsky’s estate, which restrict the distribution of this derivative work because it reimagines the original narrative while remaining faithful to the original musical structure and scoring.

This decision raises timely questions about who is permitted to reimagine canonical works, how artistic legacies are stewarded, and whether classical music can fully engage with urgent social histories while remaining bound by traditional gatekeeping structures.

The recording features the following musicians: Andrew Burashko (musical director); Ordena Stephens-Thompson (Narrator), Olaoluwa Fayokun (Soldier), Diego Matamoros (Devil), Benjamin Bowman, violin (concertmaster, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra); Eric Abramovitz, clarinet (principal, Toronto Symphony); Amy Horvey, trumpet (associate principal, National Arts Centre Orchestra); Robert Conquer, trombone (principal, Canadian Opera Company Orchestra); Kris Maddigan, percussion (principal, National Ballet of Canada Orchestra); Joseph Phillips, double bass; Thomas Roy Rochette, bassoon.

For the last 25 years, Art of Time Ensemble has been on the cutting edge of the performing arts in Canada, fusing music with theatre, dance, film and literature in unique and unprecedented ways. Founded in 1998 by pianist and artistic director Andrew Burashko, the Toronto-based ensemble has produced over 80 unique productions and recordings, commissioned over 300 works of music, dance, text and film, and performed over 400 concerts throughout North America and Europe. Art of Time brings together some of Canada’s leading classical and jazz musicians – including concertmasters and principal players from major orchestras – and has collaborated with over 350 artists. The list of illustrious artists who have collaborated with Art of Time includes Margaret Atwood, Peggy Baker, Brent Carver, Barbara Hannigan, Branford Marsalis, Michael Ondaatje, Madeleine Péyroux, Jackie Richardson and many others.

Before founding Art of Time Ensemble,  Andrew Burashko had established himself as one of Canada’s foremost concert pianists. Known for his passionate performances and eclectic repertoire, Burashko performed as a soloist under the batons of some of the world’s leading conductors such as Marin Alsop, Sir Andrew Davis, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Pinchas Zukerman, among many others. As a chamber musician, he has performed with many of Canada’s top string and wind soloists. He was also involved in a 20-year-long collaboration with renowned contemporary dancer Peggy Baker; together they toured internationally to great acclaim.

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf Music is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America.
Stream / Download
About Andrew Burashko
Playlist
Posted on by

Reviving Music and Drama at the Mannheim Court

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester, led by artistic director Anders Muskens, releases Cannabich: Médor et Angélique as the fourth instalment of its ongoing recording project dedicated to the musical legacy of the eighteenth-century Mannheim Court. The release forms part of the ensemble’s 300-year jubilee series honouring Carl Theodor, whose court fostered one of the most influential orchestral cultures of the Enlightenment.

During Carl Theodor’s residence in Mannheim (1742–1778), the court became a major centre for artistic and intellectual exchange, attracting musicians, philosophers, scientists, and artists from across Europe. Within this environment, the Mannheim Court Orchestra developed a distinctive style noted for its expressive orchestral writing, dramatic gesture, and narrative clarity—qualities that would later influence composers such as Mozart. Despite its historical significance, much of this repertoire has remained underrepresented in modern performance.
This fourth instalment presents Christian Cannabich’s Médor et Angélique, ou Roland furieux, composed in Mannheim around 1768 and performed at the Mannheim Opera Theatre during the March Fair of 1770. Based on an episode from Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso, the ballet follows the story of the wounded youth Médor and Angelica, Queen of Cathay, whose unexpected union unfolds amid conflict. The work reflects the Mannheim School’s engagement with the ballet en action and melodrama, genres that sought to merge music with narrative, gesture, and dramatic effect.

For this recording, Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester collaborates with concertmaster Rachael Beesley and historical-acting specialist João Luís Veloso Paixão, whose French narration restores elements of declamation and dramatic context integral to the work’s original conception. The recording is performed on period instruments. Through the integration of text, music, and historical gesture, this release offers a considered approach to Cannabich’s musical storytelling, situating it within the broader theatrical and aesthetic culture of eighteenth-century Mannheim.

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf Music is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America.

CARL THEODOR JUBILEE COLLECTION

Buy / Stream
Buy / Stream
Buy / Stream
Buy / Stream

Posted on by

Tacamis Records Bach’s Goldberg Variations for Double Reed Trio

“Each…a fine soloist in their own right, performing now as a tightly knit, cohesive ensemble…listeners…discern individual contrapuntal lines woven throughout the Baroque tapestry of sound.” – Winnipeg Free Press 

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and the Tacamis Trio announce the release of their new recording, J.S. Bach Goldberg Variations (LM307), in digital and physical formats. The beloved work is arranged for double reed trio by Caitlin Broms-Jacobs.  

One of the most profound musical creations, Bach’s Goldberg Variations was composed for harpsichord around 1741, inspiring numerous interpretations because of its unparalleled counterpoint, harmony and expressivity. With its steady, 32-bar bass line (ground bass) and expansive emotional range from tranquillity to complex and fast-paced variations, Bach’s monumental work is highly adaptable to re-instrumentation. Now reimagined for oboe, English horn and bassoon, this timeless masterpiece receives a new warmth and transparency with Tacamis Trio. 

Formed within the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Tacamis Trio comprises Caitlin Broms-Jacobs (oboe/arranger), Tracy Wright (English horn) and Allen Harrington (bassoon). The artists conceived the project during the pandemic, and out of isolation came a celebration of resilience and collaboration with the framework of Bach’s 30 variations. Featured several times on the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra’s main concert series, their performances of the Goldberg Variations have been critically acclaimed by the Winnipeg Free Press. 

Caitlin Broms-Jacobs is principal oboist of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, praised for her “gorgeous singing tone” and “sensitive musicality” (Winnipeg Free Press). She performs widely across Canada as a soloist and chamber musician and is one half of the oboe-piano duo Fierbois; their debut album on Leaf Music, Sing to Me Again was released in January 2025 to critical acclaim. 

Tracy Wright is the English hornist of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and performs with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Known for her expressive sound and collaborative artistry, she appears regularly in chamber, orchestral, and new-music performances across the Prairies.  

Allen Harrington is professor of woodwinds at the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music, where he teaches bassoon and saxophone. A versatile performer, he appears frequently as a soloist and chamber musician and serves as principal bassoonist with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.  

The album was recorded in June of 2025 in St. John’s Anglican Church, Winnipeg, with support from the Manitoba Arts Council and the Winnipeg Arts Council. Listen to J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations (Arr. For Double Reed Trio by Caitlin Broms-Jacobs) on your favourite streaming platforms or get your CD copy.  

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services, and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America. 

-30-

MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Ai Lynn Ang, ailynn@leaf.music

Buy / Stream
About Tacamis Trio
Playlist

Posted on by

Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, together with Calgary’s StoryMusic (storymusic.ca), announces the distribution of a new digital recording, Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven (SM2026). This adaptation of the classic children’s fairytale pairs Beethoven’s fiery String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95 with singer-narrator Julie Freedman Smith in a recording of an acclaimed theatrical show created for listeners of all ages. 

It’s all the brainchild of violist Liza Scriggins, who’s taken inspiration from Disney’s Fantasia, adapting stories to accompany chamber music. Other Calgary-based musicians on the album are Genevieve Micheletti (Violin I), Diane Lane (Violin II), and Andrea Case (Cello). The recording follows a sold-out show in Calgary, a video with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and popular performances in Calgary schools. 

Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 11 was written in 1810, around the same time he was composing the Egmont Overture (also in F minor). Appropriate for this story about a menacing wolf, it’s the only quartet for which Beethoven gave a subtitle: Serioso. 1810 was also the year Napoleon invaded Vienna for the second time in four years, and Beethoven had just experienced a failed love affair, and continued to suffer from financial insecurity and worsening deafness. Nevertheless, his music shines through, persevering just as Grandma and Red do in this fresh retelling. StoryMusic’s version invites families to experience this classic tale through the expressive voice of classical music – perfect for car rides or cozy afternoons. 

Listen to Little Red Riding Hood with Beethoven on your favourite streaming platforms beginning January 9, 2026. The new album was recorded in June-July 2024 at OCL Studios, Chestermere, Alberta by Sound Engineer Zana Warner with support from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and mastering by Jeremy VanSlyke. 

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Nashville, Tennessee, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across North America. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services, and integrated music marketing and distribution in North America. 

Stream / Download
About StoryMusic
Classical Discovery Playlist
Playlist