Category: Album Release

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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.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

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

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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.
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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. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

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

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Sayeh-Roshan – An Interplay of Light and Shadow, Tradition and Modernity

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, double bassist Ali Kian Yazdanfar and pianist Brigitte Poulin announce the upcoming release of their new recording, Sayeh-Roshan in digital and physical formats (LM301). Sayeh-Roshan (Persian for “chiaroscuro”) features contemporary compositions reflecting on how a layered identity (in this case, Persian Canadian), can enrich one’s perspective. Chiaroscuro signifies the interaction of light and shadow and is interpreted here as the interplay between competing ideas and perspectives, and between tradition and modernity. The works commissioned specifically for this project were composed in 2022 by Amir Eslami, Reza Vali and Parisa Sabet with this concept in mind, and are interspersed with traditional Iranian works for kamancheh and tombak, featuring musicians Behnoosh Behnamnia and Bamdad Fotouhi.

The three new works paint a multifaceted and complex portrait of the possibilities of the double bass and piano.  The images range from the more traditionally inspired yet thoroughly modern Sallaneh (Amir Eslami) to the evocative yet playful His Gabbah is Turquoise (Parisa Sabet), an homage to the fathers of both the composer as well as Ali Kian Yazdanfar, and finishing with the kaleidoscopic theatricality of Laylâ, Folk Songs Set #18, (Reza Vali), where the performers’ singing, whistling, and speaking leads the listener on a grand tour with references to classical poetry, beloved stories, and popular song.  In addition to a short work Ballade for solo double bass by Behzad Ranjbaran, the kamancheh and tombak present three selections which tie together the works for double bass and provide the contrasts and juxtaposition central to the themes of Sayeh-Roshan.

Ali Kian Yazdanfar maintains an active career not only as principal double bass of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, but also as a soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. Although he started playing bass at age seven, his science and mathematics background led to a physics degree from The Johns Hopkins University. Directly upon graduating, he won his first audition, becoming a member of the Houston Symphony, and went on to win his next three auditions, for the National Symphony in Washington, D.C., for principal bass with the San Francisco Symphony, and for principal bass with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. 

His album of solo and duo works with violist Frederic Lambert, Iridescence, was released in 2023 on the Leaf Music label. Taking inspiration from his Iranian roots, he has also commissioned and performed many new works for solo double bass, including not only this project, but also the world premiere in 2018 of a new bass concerto by Behzad Ranjbaran. Ali is an associate professor at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University and presents masterclasses during the summer at Orford Music in Québec. Other regular and past collaborations include both the National Youth Orchestras of Canada and the United States, National Orchestral Institute, and Le Domaine Forget.

Montreal-based pianist Brigitte Poulin is an accomplished soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and teacher whose repertoire spans from the invention to the deconstruction of the piano. In addition to this recording, she is set to release her new solo recording of György Kurtág: Játékok. Her notable collaborations include Les Noces with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under Kent Nagano, Pierrot lunaire with Patricia Kopatchinskaja, and chamber performances with Annalee Patipatanakoon, Lynn Harrell, and Silvia Mandolini. She teaches at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, is a longtime faculty member at Orford Musique, and appears on recordings for Leaf Music, Naxos, ATMA Classique, and Dame. 

Behnoosh Behnamnia performs on both kamancheh and violin; her work includes traditional Iranian repertoire, electronic music and experimental projects. Tombak and daf player Bamdad Fotouhi is a member of An Trio Ensemble based in Toronto, where he continues to perform, teach and develop new educational resources for Iranian percussion.

The album was recorded in Montreal and Toronto in 2024 and 2025 with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts et Lettres du Québec (CALQ). Listen to Sayeh-Roshan on your favourite streaming platform (also available as a physical CD).

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.  

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt, peggy@leaf.music 

(902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).  

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Brigitte Poulin Interprets György Kurtág’s Játékok

“Thank you György, you made us listen to music differently.” (Simon Rattle to Kurtág, in 2017, on the occasion of the composer’s 90th birthday) 

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and pianist Brigitte Poulin announce the upcoming release of their new recording, György Kurtág – Játékok (Games) in digital format (LM 302).  

These miniature works, composed by one of Hungary’s greatest (and still living, age 99) composers, were written over decades, paying homage to composers, friends and influences who shaped him. These range from Bach, Schumann, Bartók and others, comprising gestures drawn from folklore, Gregorian chants, improvisation and spoken rhythms. In her album, pianist Brigitte Poulin has curated five “Acts” of Játékoks, which features several world premiere recordings together with pieces dedicated to Kurtag’s wife Márta Kinsker, his muse and partner for over 60 years. 

 “I received the 10th volume of the Játékok, which had just been published, during the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Poulin. “In it I discovered several pieces dedicated to Márta. Over the course of their 60 years together, Kurtág offered her a dozen such birthday presents, most of which, as far as I know, had not yet been recorded.” 

Born in Romania to Jewish parents, György Kurtág moved to Hungary and survived the communist regime, gaining international recognition following its dissolution. He taught piano at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music from 1967 and also chamber music until 1993. Kurtág placed his music (and himself) in the continuum of European art music. His work reflects an interaction between the desire to break new ground and the weight of past traditions. It engages in a dialogue with history, reconciling the urgent need to create something new with the legacy of the past.  

Montreal-based pianist Brigitte Poulin is an accomplished soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and teacher whose repertoire spans from the invention to the deconstruction of the piano. In addition to this recording of György Kurtág: Játékok, she is also set to release Sayeh-Roshan, an album of new Persian works with contrabassist Ali Yazdanfar, featuring Behnoosh Behnamnia and Bamdad Fotouhi. Her notable collaborations include Les Noces with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal under Kent Nagano, Pierrot lunaire with Patricia Kopatchinskaja, and chamber performances with Annalee Patipatanakoon, Lynn Harrell, and Silvia Mandolini. She often teaches at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music and is a longtime faculty member at Orford Musique. Brigitte appears on recordings for Leaf Music, Naxos, ATMA Classique, and Dame.  

The album was recorded at Domaine Forget in January 2025 with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts et Lettres du Québec. 

 Listen to György Kurtág: Játékok on your favourite streaming platform.  

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.  

György Kurtág: Játékok Documentary:

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt, peggy@leaf.music 

(902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).  

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Leaf Music, Francesca dePasquale and Peter Takács present Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas, Op. 30

(Nashville, TN) Leaf Music, violinist Francesca dePasquale and pianist Peter Takács announce the upcoming release of their new recording, Beethoven Violin Sonatas, Op. 30 (LM303), in digital format. 

The three sonatas mark the beginning of Beethoven’s “heroic” middle period. Completed in 1802 and dedicated to Tsar Alexander I of Russia, they were written during one of the most tumultuous years of Beethoven’s life. Around this time, he penned the now-famous Heiligenstadt Testament, a poignant letter to his brothers revealing his despair over his worsening hearing loss. Though it reads like a farewell, the letter ends with a vow to persevere in the service of art. That inner struggle—between hopelessness and determination—finds voice in the music as Beethoven begins to push the familiar classical forms to new expressive ends.

Photo credit: Alexandra DeFurio

Celebrated for her “sincerity, intensity, and individual voice” (Philadelphia Inquirer) and praised for her “immaculate and discreet phrasing” (Strad Magazine), violinist Francesca dePasquale was the First Prize winner of the 2010 Irving M. Klein International String Competition. She was also awarded the 2014–2016 Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund for the Performing and Visual Arts and received the 2015 Classical Recording Foundation Young Artist Award. Francesca is currently a violin faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and previously was a member of the violin faculty for the Juilliard School Pre-College Program. She studied with Itzhak Perlman, Catherine Cho, and Robert Lipsett. Her earlier teachers include Hirono Oka, Charles Parker, and William dePasquale, with additional mentorship from Norman Carol and Arnold Steinhardt. 

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, Chautauqua Institution, ARIA International, the Schlern Music Festival in the Italian Alps, Tel Hai International Master Classes in Israel, and Sweden’s Helsingborg Festival. His recording of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas was released on the Cambria label in 2011 to critical acclaim. ​ 

Listen to Beethoven Violin Sonatas, Op. 30 on your favourite streaming platforms. 

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

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt,   peggy@leaf.music 

(902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).

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Leaf Music, Frédéric Lambert and Chloé Dumoulin Present Nouveau lyrisme

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, violist Frédéric Lambert and pianist Chloé Dumoulin announce the upcoming release of their new recording Nouveau Lyrisme (New Lyricism) (LM300) in digital format. This celebration of the ever-evolving Quebec music contemporary scene is an ode to inner landscapes, murmurs, and brilliant dialogues between viola and piano, with works composed between 1990 and 2025. 

The album opens with Trois poèmes by Jeanne Landry, a work rooted in the Western tonal tradition, flowing with expressive contrasts that mirror the upheavals of the 21st century. Next is Alain Payette’s Romance pour alto et piano, inspired by his time at Les Choralies in Vaison-la-Romaine. Michel Edward’s Sonate pour alto et piano, Op. 37, is a work exploring a lighter, more playful side of his typically serious compositional style. Alto-Neptune by Denis Gougeon, part of his Six thèmes solaires, offers a contemplative and mournful chant, an invitation to gaze into the universe with infinite tenderness. Alejandra Odgers’ Discusión unfolds as a fierce musical argument between viola and piano, shifting between tension and resolution. The album closes with Julie Thériault’s Nocturne boréal, a meditation on the human experience within vast northern landscapes—solitary, awe-inspiring, and deeply introspective.  

Photo credit: Brenden Friesen

Frédéric Lambert received a doctorate in viola performance at McGill University under the direction of Professor André Roy. During his studies, he became a founding member of the award-winning Lloyd Carr-Harris String Quartet. In 2007, Frédéric joined the Molinari Quartet, an ensemble devoted entirely to twentieth- and twenty-first-century string quartet repertoire. The group’s 2016 recording of the complete György Kurtág quartets received the prestigious Echo Klassik award and a Diapason d’Or. First viola of the Orchestre symphonique de Laval and Orchestre Métropolitain violist, Frédéric is regularly invited to appear with ensembles such as Les Violins du Roy, the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec, and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. He teaches at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University as well as the Université du Québec à Montréal. He previously released Iridescence on the Leaf Music label in 2023. 

Named one of CBC’s 30 top musicians under 30, pianist Chloé Dumoulin is recognized for her sensitive touch, refined sense of colour, and artistic depth. She holds a double master’s degree in solo and collaborative piano from the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, where she also specialized in chamber music. In 2023, she was awarded the Leverhulme Arts Scholarship to pursue an Artist Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under Ronan O’Hora. Founder of the award-winning Quatuor Vatra, she has performed at the Montréal Chamber Music Festival, Maison symphonique, and Bourgie Hall. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the Orchestre Métropolitain. Her performances span Canada, the U.S., Europe, and China, supported by numerous foundations.  

The album was recorded at Domaine Forget from January 6-8, 2025, with assistance from le Conseil des arts et de lettres du Québec. Listen to Nouveau Lyrisme on your favourite streaming platform.  

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 Canada.  

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, N.-É.) Leaf Music, l’altiste Frédéric Lambert et la pianiste Chloé Dumoulin annoncent la sortie imminente de leur nouvel enregistrement intitulé Nouveau Lyrisme (LM300), qui paraîtra en format numérique. Cette célébration de la scène musicale contemporaine québécoise en constante évolution est une ode aux paysages intérieurs et un hommage à ces murmures et brillants dialogues entre alto et piano que nous livre le répertoire choisi, qui se situe entre 1990 et 2025. 

L’album débute avec Trois poèmes de Jeanne Landry, oeuvre ancrée dans la tradition tonale occidentale et débordante de contrastes expressifs qui reflètent les bouleversements du XXIe siècle. Elle est suivie de la Romance pour alto et piano d’Alain Payette, inspirée de son passage aux Choralies de Vaison-la-Romaine. La Sonate pour alto et piano, op. 37 de Michel Edward explore un côté plus léger et ludique du  style de ce compositeur habituellement grave. « Alto-Neptune » de Denis Gougeon, extrait de ses Six thèmes solaires, offre un chant méditatif et mélancolique, une invitation à contempler l’univers avec une infinie tendresse. Discusión d’Alejandra Odgers se déploie comme un débat musical acharné entre alto et piano, oscillant entre tension et résolution. L’album conclut avec Nocturne boréal de Julie Thériault, une méditation sur l’expérience humaine au cœur des vastes paysages nordiques – solitaire, grandiose et profondément introspective. 

Photo credit: Brenden Friesen

Frédéric Lambert a obtenu un doctorat en interprétation de l’alto à l’Université McGill sous la direction du professeur André Roy. Durant ses études, il est devenu membre fondateur du Quatuor à cordes Lloyd Carr-Harris, lauréat de nombreux prix. En 2007, Frédéric s’est joint au Quatuor Molinari, un ensemble entièrement consacré au répertoire du quatuor à cordes des XXe et XXIe siècles. L’enregistrement de l’intégrale des quatuors de György Kurtág, paru en 2016, a reçu le prestigieux prix Echo Klassik et un Diapason d’Or. Premier alto de l’Orchestre symphonique de Laval et altiste de l’Orchestre Métropolitain, Frédéric est régulièrement invité à se produire avec des ensembles tels que Les Violons du Roy, la Société de musique contemporaine du Québec et l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. Il enseigne à l’École de musique Schulich de l’Université McGill ainsi qu’à l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Il a précédemment publié Iridescence sur étiquette Leaf Music en 2023. 

Photo credit: Brenden Friesen

Nommée au palmarès de la CBC parmi les « 30 meilleurs musiciens de moins de 30 ans », la pianiste Chloé Dumoulin est reconnue pour sa sensibilité, son sens raffiné des couleurs et sa profondeur artistique. Elle est titulaire d’une double maîtrise en piano solo et en piano d’accompagnement du Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, où elle s’est également spécialisée en musique de chambre. En 2023, elle a reçu la bourse Leverhulme Arts pour poursuivre un diplôme d’artiste à la Guildhall School of Music and Drama de Londres sous la direction de Ronan O’Hora. Fondatrice du Quatuor Vatra, ensemble primé, elle s’est produite au Festival de musique de chambre de Montréal, à la Maison symphonique et à la salle Bourgie. Elle s’est également produite en soliste avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et l’Orchestre Métropolitain. Ses concerts se déroulent au Canada, aux États-Unis, en Europe et en Chine, avec le soutien de nombreuses fondations. 

L’album a été enregistré au Domaine Forget entre les 6 et 8 janvier 2025, avec le soutien du Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. Écoutez Nouveau Lyrisme sur votre plateforme de streaming préférée. 

Leaf Music est une étiquette indépendante, basée à Halifax, en Nouvelle-Écosse, ainsi qu’à Nashville, au Tennessee. Leaf Music produit et distribue des enregistrements de musique classique de haute qualité où figurent des artistes et compositeurs provenant de toute l’Amérique du Nord. Notre catalogue croissant de musiques solo et orchestrale et de musique de chambre est distribué par Naxos of America auprès des plus grands détaillants internationaux de musique et de fournisseurs de téléchargements et services de streaming. Leaf offre également des services professionnels de production audio et vidéo, de postproduction, ainsi que des services intégrés de marketing et de distribution musicale au Canada. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt,  peggy@leaf.music 

(902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).

Stream/Download
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Classical Discovery Playlist
Listen to Playlist
About Fredéric Lambert
About Chloé Dumoulin

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Leaf Music, Tim Brady, and Warhol Dervish String Quartet Present “The Possibility of a New Work for String Quartet.”

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, composer Tim Brady and the Warhol Dervish String Quartet announce the upcoming release of their new recording The Possibility of a New Work for String Quartet (LM293) in digital format. 

Composer Tim Brady and the enigmatic Montreal-based Warhol Dervish String Quartet present Tim Brady: String Quartet Nos. 3- 5 – The Possibility of a New Work for String Quartet. Stemming from Brady’s compositional challenge—”so many string quartets have been written, there’s literally nothing left to do with the medium”—these works push the boundaries of the genre, treating composition not as a written score but as an ever-evolving process of music making.   

The album opens with Quartet No. 3, an instruction-based score that invites performers to “compose” their own quartet. Quartet No. 4 unfolds as a slow, meditative work, marked by its sparseness, transparency, and expansive melodic line. Next, Quartet No. 5 is a five-movement piece that challenges the musicians’ rhythmic agility and ensemble acuity, bringing the album to a dynamic close.   

Founded in 2007, the Warhol Dervish (Facebook Page) brings together some of Canada’s most innovative musicians. Known for their adventurous programming, they have performed at major festivals, including the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Toronto Summer Music Festival, and Festival International de Lanaudière. Their projects span a wide musical spectrum, from Morton Feldman’s Piano Quintet to collaborations with Lukas Ligeti and Sarah Pagé. Recent highlights include a national tour with Basia Bulat, a five-concert Beethoven series exploring the last five Beethoven string quartets (The Late Quartets), and a Maisons de la culture tour exploring Yiddish music with Socalled. The members are Alexander Read (violin), Chloé Chabanole (violin), Pemi Paull (viola), and Jean-Christophe Lizotte (cello). 

Composer and guitarist Tim Brady has pushed musical boundaries, seamlessly blending classical, jazz, and rock influences. A virtuosic electric guitarist and prolific composer, he has toured internationally as a soloist and with his groups Bradyworks and Instruments of Happiness. His works span operas, symphonies, and concertos, with commissions from major orchestras, including the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Symphony Nova Scotia. A recipient of multiple Opus Prizes and a JUNO nominee, his recordings have earned critical acclaim, including praise from The New York Times. His music, defined by rhythmic intensity and bold textures, continues to captivate audiences worldwide.  

The album was recorded in St. Augustin Church in Montreal from February 4 – 7, 2023, with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts. Listen on your favourite streaming platforms. 

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 Canada. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt,  peggy@leaf.music 

(902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).

Stream/Download
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Warhol Dervish

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Leaf Music, Angel Wang and Phoenix Rising Present Phoenix Rising

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, violinist Angel Wang and the Phoenix Orchestra announce the March 14 release of their new recording Phoenix Rising (LM299) on both digital and physical CDs.

Phoenix Rising, featuring violinist Angel Wang with the Phoenix Orchestra conducted by Claudio Vena, presents a cornucopia of Chinese and Western classical music that transcends borders. The album includes the beloved Butterfly Lovers Concerto by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, a 2023-commissioned work by Alice Ping Yee Ho (Phoenix Rising), plus traditional Chinese songs like Jasmine Flower and Galloping Horses, arranged by Claudio Vena, offering a captivating blend of contemporary and traditional music.

Phoenix Orchestra was founded by Angel Wang to perform Western and Chinese classical music of all eras including contemporary works, and was invited to perform at the prestigious Meet in Beijing International Arts Festival. Its purpose is to foster a deeper appreciation of both cultures through live and digital performances.

The album’s closing piece, Phoenix Rising, by Canadian Alice Ping Yee Ho, is a single-movement tone poem for solo violin and orchestra, encapsulating the timeless idea of the phoenix rising from its ashes, symbolizing hope and rebirth.

Angel Wang

Angel Wang has established herself as a violinist of exceptional ability in both Canada and China, where she was a member of the Tianjin Orchestra and where she toured with her chamber group, Angel’s Trio. Her multimedia concerts have sold out in Toronto and Beijing, and she’s appeared in concert with celebrities such as international piano star Richard Clayderman. She is also a faculty member of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and guest professor at the Wulanchabu Conservatory in China.

Italian-born Canadian Claudio Vena is a Gemini Award-winning composer, conductor, producer and musician who writes for film, television and stage, as well as scores for the Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage and The Shaw Festival. He has been music Director and Conductor of the Academy Chamber Orchestra and of the original Toronto production of Miss Saigon. He co-founded the group Quartetto Gelato, which released three CDs, including two nominated for JUNO Awards.

The album was recorded by Pouya Hamidi in Toronto in November of 2024, with assistance from the Ontario Arts Council, the National Bank of Canada, and the Jackman Foundation.

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 across Canada and USA. 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 Canada.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt,  peggy@leaf.music 

(902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).

Listen Here
Angel Wang
About Angel Wang
Concerto Playlist
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Leaf Music, Adam Cicchillitti, Steve Cowan and collectif9

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and virtuoso guitar duo Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan announce the February 14 release of their new recording Re/String (LM298). Re/String features six new concertos commissioned for two guitars and strings, recorded with Montreal ensemble collectif9. The six composers include Canadians Amy Brandon, Kelly-Marie Murphy, Patrick Roux, Bekah Simms and Harry Stayflakis, alongside British composer Stephen Goss. These pieces were premiered in Ottawa in March of 2022 with Thirteen Strings under conductor Kevin Mallon.

The pieces are stylistically diverse, with some referencing the guitar’s roots in rock and metal, while others explore alternate tunings and innovative textures between the guitar and bowed strings. The music is virtuosic, mysterious, unsettling, and hauntingly beautiful.

Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan

Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan have set a benchmark in the guitar world with their award-winning recordings, orchestral commissions and competition performances. In addition to active international solo careers, the duo regularly tours North America, playing programs of original arrangements and new Canadian commissions. They won second (2023) and third (2021) prize at the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America’s International Ensemble Competition, arguably the world’s most important guitar competition. The ensemble’s discography includes three albums, including multiple prize nominations and the Classical Recording of the Year at the 2021 East Coast Music Awards.    

Known for its innovative programming and unique approach to chamber music, Montreal string nonet collectif9 has performed extensively across North America, Europe, and Asia. The ensemble is dedicated to the exploration of new repertoire and new artistic partnerships with composers, video artists, poets, lighting designers, and other inspired collaborators, creating multidisciplinary projects that come to life in acoustic or amplified settings. Collectif9 has released four albums and produced a series of film-concerts. The group has received two JUNO nominations for its recordings, among other awards and recognitions. 

Re/String was recorded in St. Augustin, Quebec, in September of 2024, and produced with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. Listen to Re/String on your favourite streaming platform. 

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 Canada. 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 Canada.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt,  peggy@leaf.music 

(902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).

Stream Here
Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan
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