Tag: Classical Crossover

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

Posted on by

Joel Miller’s What If? – Where Genres Connect

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and composer/saxophonist Joel Miller announce the distribution of a new digital recording, What If?, a classical crossover album showcasing original compositions and reimagined works by Debussy, Chopin and Pachelbel, featuring Cuban Canadian pianist Silvio Pupo and the Resonance New Music Ensemble.  

Inspired by his partner Mel’s idea of “the & space” – What If? imagines a musical world where jazz and classical traditions coexist rather than compete. The album traces Miller’s personal journey through jazz, Afro-Latin influences and classical; for example, he reimagines the famous Pachelbel Canon in D, sharing the familiar ostinato amongst the entire ensemble. Jazz sax, vibraphone, piano and violin mingle in a unique accompaniment to Joel’s life story and explorations about family and musical traditions. 

Joel Miller is an award-winning saxophonist and composer based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Raised in a musical family, he studied Jazz Performance at McGill University and has performed with notable artists including Geoffrey Keezer, Brian Blade, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Miller’s career highlights include winning a JUNO Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album with Swim (2012), ECMA awards for Swim, Dream Cassette (2016), and UNSTOPPABLE (2019). He has received multiple grants for composition, recording, and residencies, and leads workshops internationally, continually exploring the intersection of jazz and contemporary music.  

Led by bassist Andrew Reed Miller (Joel’s brother), Resonance New Music Ensemble is a New Brunswick–based group dedicated to performing experimental, improvised, and contemporary classical music. Supported by the not-for-profit Motion Ensemble, Inc., (founded by Andrew in 1998), the ensemble has premiered nearly 100 works by Canadian and international composers including Joel Miller, André Cormier, and Kaija Saariaho.  

Cuban-born pianist Silvio Pupo studied classical piano in Holguín before relocating to Atlantic Canada in 2009. Known for his dynamic blend of classical and Latin jazz styles, Pupo has become a sought-after collaborator, recording and touring with artists like Ben Caplan and Alfie Zappacosta. Based in Moncton, he is celebrated for his versatile musicianship, charismatic stage presence, and regular performances at Halifax’s iconic venue The Local.  

Listen to What If? on your favourite streaming platforms beginning October 17. Additionally, the ensemble will celebrate the new recording with live performances in the Maritimes in November:  

November 14 BMO Theatre Saint John, NB 

November 15 Steel Recital Hall UPI, Charlottetown, PEI 
November 16 Brunton Auditorium, Sackville, NB 
November 26th Le Laundromat, Moncton, NB  
November 28th Charlotte Street Arts Centre, Fredericton 

The new album was recorded in New Brunswick in 2025 at the Centre des Arts et de la Culture de Dieppe Inc. with support from the Fredericton Playhouse Intermission Artist Residency, Arts NB, MusiqueMusicNB, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Dieppe Cultural Centre, Catapult and ArtsLinkNB.  

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 Peggy Walt,   peggy@leaf.music 

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

Stream/Download
Playlist
About Joel

Posted on by

Andrew Staniland Transforms EEG Brainwaves into Music in “The Laws of Nature”

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music announces the distribution of a new recording, The Laws of Nature from Canadian composer Andrew Staniland, being released in digital format on August 1.  

Award-winning Canadian composer Andrew Staniland presents an innovative and evocative classical crossover album, The Laws of Nature. Created in part using a novel electronic instrument (JADE), the recording transforms EEG brain waves of six dancers from St. John’s Kittiwake Dance Theatre into music, creating two multi-movement works:  Dancer Portraits and The Laws of Nature. The album blends electronic, classical, and cinematic genres, captured in stunning Dolby Atmos by John DS Adams of Stonehouse Sound. The project is the culmination of years of musical and technological exploration on the JADE digital musical instrument, housed at MEARL (Memorial Electroacoustic Research Lab) at Memorial University in Newfoundland.   

Described as a “new music visionary” (National Arts Centre), composer Andrew Staniland (andrewstaniland.com) has established himself as one of Canada’s most important and innovative musical voices. His music is performed and broadcast internationally and has been described by Alex Ross in the New Yorker Magazine as “alternately beautiful and terrifying.” Important accolades include three JUNO nominations, ECMA awards, the 2016 Terra Nova Young Innovators Award, the 2009 National Grand Prize winner of CBC/Radio-Canada’s Evolution National Composition Prize and the 2004 Karen Keiser Prize in Canadian Music. As a leading composer of his generation, Andrew was recognized by election to the Inaugural Cohort of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists Royal Society of Canada. Andrew is currently Professor at Memorial University in St John’s Newfoundland, where he founded MEARL (Memorial Electroacoustic Research Lab). At MEARL, Andrew leads a cross-disciplinary research team that has produced the innovative JADE and Mune digital instruments. Andrew also performs as a guitarist and with new media (computers and electronics).  

Listen to The Laws of Nature 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 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 Peggy Walt,   peggy@leaf.music 

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

Stream/Download
Dolby Atmos Playlist
About Andrew
Posted on by

Kristan Toczko (HarpistKT) Presents Beauty and the Beast

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Kristan Toczko (HarpistKT) presents her second single of the year, a rendition of the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast’s Prologue. Her harp performance offers a fresh take on this beloved piece. Interestingly, it is rumored that the film director used Saint-Saëns’s Aquarium as temporary music during the film’s editing phase to guide the mood while Alan Menken was still composing the score, resulting in notable similarities between the two pieces. 

Listen to Beauty and the Beast’s Prologue wherever you stream your music: https://leaf-music.lnk.to/lm2044

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 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.

-30-

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).

Posted on by

Leaf Music Distributes Nerve with Ian Foster

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music announces the distribution of a new digital recording, Nerve (IF10) with genre-defying composer/performer Ian Foster.  

Nerve takes us into the evocative world of contemporary classical crossover, featuring an intricate blend of piano, strings, and electronic textures. Ian Foster is a seasoned songwriter, film composer and music producer, and the album combines prepared pianos and strings with synthesizers, drum loops and a range of electronic instruments evocative of contemporary film scores and even contemporary ambient music. Intimate piano pieces and lush electronic atmospherics are presented in Nerve by this Music NL and ECMA winner, who continues to evolve and defy genres (visit ianfoster.ca to learn more). Thank you to the Canada Council for the Arts and Music NL for their support of this project, which was recorded in various venues in St. John’s.  

Listen to Nerve wherever you stream your music: https://leaf-music.lnk.to/if10

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 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.

-30-

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).

Posted on by

Kristan Toczko (HarpistKT) Present The Legend of Zelda’s Great Fairy Fountain

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Kristan Toczko (HarpistKT) presents her latest single, Great Fairy Fountain, from The Legend of Zelda. This is a frequent request and fan favourite on HarpistKT’s social media channels: TikTok (where she has 2.5 million followers), Facebook (299K), YouTube (380K), and Instagram (508K). Join her at @harpistkt. 

Great Fairy Fountain opens with the iconic and deeply nostalgic arpeggios of the Zelda series, where Koji Kondo referred to it as a “hook,” the hallmark of his compositional style. 

Listen to Great Fairy Fountain wherever you stream your music: https://leaf-music.lnk.to/lm2045

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 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.

-30-

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).

Posted on by

Leaf Music and Kristan Toczko Present: Rock Echoes

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and virtuoso Canadian harpist Kristan Toczko announce the launch of Rock Echoes (LM283, available February 16). Far from typical harp music – this album fuses the worlds of classical and rock music. Kristan has transcribed some of the most popular songs from her social media channels, bringing the unbridled energy of rock and roll to the harp. Whether it’s a classic Guns N’ Roses riff or the intricate rhythms of Tool, each track showcases Kristan’s brilliant solo transcription and artistry. 

Featured songs include these rock classics:  Sweet Child O’Mine (Guns N’ Roses); Paint It, Black (The Rolling Stones); Love of My Life (Queen); Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd); Nothing Else Matters (Metallica); Californication (Red Hot Chili Peppers); Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin); Lateralus (Tool); Hotel California (Eagles); Starlight (Muse); Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana); Good Riddance/Time of Your Life (Greenday).

Kristan Toczko’s innovative videos have been enjoyed by hundreds of millions since she joined TikTok in 2020. Born in Moncton, she received her BMus from McGill University and her master’s at Yale, winning major competitions at both universities. Kristan also won the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal Competition and the CBC’s Young Artist award. Kristan discovered the virtual world of performance from her home studio in St. John’s during Covid, when her busy freelance career – playing concerts, travelling, and appearing with major Canadian orchestras and ensembles – came crashing down. She now records a harp-related video a day, including teaching videos and song covers; her arrangement of Nothing Else Matters caught the attention of Metallica, who included her performance in the band’s 40th-anniversary concert in San Francisco.

Kristan says playing the harp is like having an entire orchestra in one instrument. She loves taking her fans’ requests and is up for any challenge of “harpizing” a pop or classical song. She is also a talented graphic designer and was the recording engineer and art director on her new album, which was produced and mastered by Leaf Music’s Jeremy VanSlyke.  

Join Kristan’s fans on TikTok (where she has 2.5 million subscribers), Facebook (281K), YouTube (344K) and Instagram (340K) – @harpistkt. 

Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 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. 

-30- 

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).