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Erin James Weaves 400 Years of Violin Fantasies

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and violinist Erin James announce the distribution of a new digital recording, Fantasy Vignettes (EJ2025), a project tracing the evolution of the violin fantasy form through a period spanning over 400 years in a series of four vignettes. Each vignette is paired with a vibrant costume of the multidisciplinary artist’s own design, embodying the music’s character and symbolism. Rooted in the improvisatory spirit of the “fantasia”—where whimsy and free-flowing form take precedence over structure—she uses “patchwork” as a guiding metaphor, reflecting both the shifting nature of the fantasy and her composite identity as a textile artist, composer, and baroque and modern violinist. Joining her on the album is pianist Todd Yaniw, and the album includes a newly commissioned work by Alberta-based composer Mari Alice Conrad

About the new album Erin James says: “The journey in Fantasy Vignettes begins with the earliest notated violin fantasia by Étienne Nau, a rare transcription of a performance that would have been freely improvised by the violinist-composer. I also play fantasias in the same vein by Nicola Matteis Jr. and Georg Philipp Telemann on the baroque violin, wearing a reconfiguration of baroque garments to create a current look and mirror the patching together of preconfigured schema in improvisation. Next, I frame Robert Schumann’s Fantasy in the context of his literary characters Florestan and Eusebius (representing the feminine and masculine aspects of identity). I portray this split personality in an outfit that’s half tailcoat and trousers and half gown, recalling something worn by Robert’s wife and accomplished pianist and composer, Clara Schumann. It also reflects my identity as both a modern and baroque violinist. Fantasies by Florence Price and Arnold Schoenberg comprise the next scene, where I explore freedom both in a compositional and social sense, combining twelve colour tones of sheer fabric into 144 different patchwork hexagon colours representing the twelve-tone hexachordal structure of the Schoenberg. Mari Alice Conrad’s commission, Fabricating Fantasies incorporates sewing machines and accessories as instruments reflecting my process and identity as both musician and textile designer. Finally, the title track, Fantasy Vignettes is my own attempt at a violinist-composer improvisation that mines and amalgamates material from the rest of the album to create something original. For these new works, I created a simple needle costume to represent the thread that stitches the programme together and my dual identity as violinist and textile designer.” 

Erin James seeks to dance the intersection between music, visual art and text through her work, which combines textiles and the violin; she has qualifications in both fashion design and violin performance. Her musical interests range from baroque to contemporary styles, and she thoroughly enjoys any piece that’s singable or danceable. Erin is equally at home as a chamber musician, soloist, theatre artist and orchestral player, and her career has taken her across Asia, Europe and North America. She is as passionate about transforming garbage into art as she is about transfiguring works from the classical music repertoire to make them more vibrant and accessible.  Erin recently completed her doctorate, has performed on CBC Radio, at the Music by the Sea festival, with the Vancouver and Edmonton Symphonies, and with the Vancouver Opera, Hamilton Philharmonic and Allegra Chamber Orchestras.  

Since his debut with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at age 13, Todd Yaniw has performed across Canada as a soloist and chamber players, appearing with ensembles such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Rolston String Quartet, Trio Arkel, and ARC Ensemble. Todd was featured in the CBC’s “30 under 30” top young musicians list. Internationally, he has performed in Bulgaria, China, Italy, Jamaica, Monaco, the United Kingdom and the United States.  

Mari Alice Conrad is an award-winning composer based in Alberta, Canada, completing her doctorate in composition at the University of Alberta. Her work investigates the intersections of sound, memory, and materiality through the blending of acoustic instruments with found objects, staging, and spatial design. Her music has been performed by contemporary ensembles and soloists across Canada and abroad, including the BBC Singers, Standing Wave, SHHH!! Ensemble, and UltraViolet.  

Listen to Fantasy Vignettes on your favourite streaming platforms beginning October 17.  

The new album was recorded in Edmonton and Montreal in 2024 and 2025 with support from the University of Alberta’s Wirth Institute for Austrian and Central European Studies and a Bombardier Social Sciences Humanities Research Council fellowship.  

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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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. 

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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

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and pianist Brigitte Poulin announce the upcoming release of their new recording, György KurtágJátékok (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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Inspiring the Next Generation – Album pour la jeunesse XXI

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music announces the distribution of a new digital recording, Album pour la jeunesse XXI, featuring clarinetist Jean-Guy Boisvert and pianist Philippe Prud’homme. This new album presents three sets of miniatures for clarinet and piano by Canadian composers Mathieu Lussier, Bruce Pennycook and Samy Moussa. The music provides much-needed repertoire for young performers and a meaningful introduction to 21-century Canadian music for emerging players. These new works will inspire the next generation of performers, with the rhythmic energy of Mathieu Lussier, the lyrical depth of Bruce Pennycock and the bold intensity of Samy Moussa. The pieces are the third volume of La belle aventure, a collection of 135 short pieces for young clarinetists written by twenty Canadian composers.  

Jean-Guy Boisvert is dedicated to 20th- and 21st-century repertoire, having premiered over 300 Canadian works and commissioned a wide range of solo and ensemble pieces. He has also performed extensively in traditional repertoire, including collaborations with the Arthur-Leblanc Quartet and pianist Marc Durand. A graduate of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec and the Guildhall School of Music, he holds a doctorate in contemporary music performance from the Université de Montréal. Boisvert teaches clarinet, saxophone, chamber music, and music analysis at the Université de Moncton. He has recorded six previous albums to critical review. 

Pianist and composer Philippe Prud’homme is a versatile artist from Saint-Jérôme, Québec. A graduate of the Université de Montréal and the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, he studied with Gilles Manny, Dang Thai Son, and Louise Bessette, earning a doctorate in performance (his talent was recognized by acceptance to university at age 16 after only four years of piano studies). He is a seven-time First Prize winner at the Concours de musique du Canada, including the Grand Prize in 2016, and was named one of CBC Music’s “30 Hot Classical Musicians Under 30” that same year. He frequently performs contemporary repertoire and has presented the complete solo piano works of Québec composer François Morel. Since 2021, he has been a collaborative pianist on faculty at the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau.  

The new album was recorded in 2023 at the Conservatoire de musique in Montreal, with support from the Canadian Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec and the Université de Moncton.  

Listen to Album pour la jeunesse XXI on your favourite streaming platform, beginning October 3, 2025. 

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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Vernon Regehr and Jane Leibel Premiere Andrew Staniland’s Calamus, Based on Poems by Walt Whitman

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music announces the distribution of a bold world premiere digital recording of new Walt Whitman songs for soprano and cello by acclaimed Newfoundland composer Andrew Staniland.  

Calamus Cycle’s virtuoso performances by cellist Vernon Regehr and soprano Jane Leibel bring poems from Whitman’s Leaves of Grass alive, with each poem also read by actor and playwright Robert Chafe

The cycle consists of five pieces based on Calamus 6, Lacrimosa, Aliment Roots, No Labour Saving Machine and Calamus Variations from the famous Leaves of Grass manuscript, which Whitman began publishing in 1855. The cycle grew organically when Staniland was first commissioned to write a piece for American Opera Projects in 2010 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the 1860 edition (the first edition in which the Calamus poems appeared). Other pieces were commissioned from 2012-2019. 

Robert Chafe is a writer, educator, actor and arts administrator based in St. John’s who has been shortlisted three times for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, winning the award for Afterimage in 2010. He is the playwright and Artistic Director of Newfoundland’s Artistic Fraud, and his stage plays have been produced in Canada, the UK, Australia and the US. 

Andrew Staniland has been described as a “new music visionary” (National Arts Centre) and is a composer and faculty member at Memorial University in St. John’s, where he founded MEARL (Memorial AlectroAcoustic Research Lab). His music is performed and broadcast internationally, receiving three JUNO nominations, an ECMA Award and the Karen Keiser Prize in Canadian Music. Andrew has been an Affiliate Composer with the Toronto Symphony and National Arts Centre Orchestra, and has had commissions from the Brooklyn Art Song Society, Les Percussions de Strasbourg, cellist Frances-Marie Uitti and the National Arts Centre Orchestra, among others. andrewstaniland.com 

Soprano Jane Leibel has earned praise for her “crystalline, strong soprano” (Opera Canada) and is Professor of Voice at Memorial University’s School of Music. She has performed operatic, concert roles and recital programs in Canada, the US and Europe, and has released two previous recordings. She won the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Competition for the performance of twentieth century music and received an Alumni of Distinction Award from the University of Regina in 2017. 

An avid performer and teacher, cellist Vernon Regehr serves on the faculty at the Memorial University School of Music and the Tuckamore Chamber Music Festival. His first solo album featuring Canadian works for unaccompanied cello won an ECMA for Composition of the Year. He is also the conductor of the Kittiwake Dance Theatre Orchestra and the Memorial University Chamber Orchestra. 

The new album was produced by Andrew Staniland, with support from Memorial University and Arts NL, and was recorded at the Memorial School of Music between 2017 and 2024.  

Listen to Calamus Cycle on your favourite streaming platform, beginning September 26, 2025. 

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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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.

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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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World Premiere: His Gabbah is Turquoise by Parisa Sabet

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, along with double bassist Ali Kian Yazdanfar and pianist Brigitte Poulin, announces the release of His Gabbah is Turquoise (LM2051), a new work by composer Parisa Sabet. The single will be available on all digital platforms on July 11, 2025, marking the first release from their upcoming album, Sayeh-Roshan (Persian for “chiaroscuro”), set for release on November 21, 2025. 

Commissioned especially for Yazdanfar and Poulin, His Gabbah is Turquoise draws inspiration from the bold textures and asymmetrical designs of gabbah—traditional Persian rugs known for their raw beauty. The title reflects the spiritual and cultural significance of the colour turquoise, long associated with wisdom, healing, and hope. The piece is also deeply personal, serving as a tribute to the artists’ fathers and a reflection on their shared Iranian heritage. “It’s an homage to the fathers,” says Sabet, “woven with memory and tradition.” 

Known for her distinctive blend of Iranian influences and Western contemporary styles, Parisa Sabet has created works addressing themes of identity, justice, and diaspora. Her past projects include Silent, an interdisciplinary response to the Black Lives Matter movement, and a collaboration based on Forugh Farrokhzad’s seminal poem The Wind-Up Doll. Sabet holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Toronto, where her research focuses on Persian musical idioms and intercultural synthesis. 

Ali Kian Yazdanfar, principal double bass of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, has built a vibrant international career as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. He continues to champion contemporary works, including the 2018 premiere of a bass concerto by Behzad Ranjbaran and his acclaimed 2023 album Iridescence (Leaf Music). 

Brigitte Poulin, a Montreal-based pianist, is celebrated for her eclectic artistry and wide-ranging collaborations. A founding member of Ensemble Transmission and Trio Phoenix, she is a devoted teacher and regular performer at Orford Musique, McGill University, and the Université de Montréal. 

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).

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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).

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Leaf Music Distributes Drew Jurecka & Maurice Ravel: String Quartet

“Captivating…breathtaking tour de force… The Venuti String Quartet plays with joie de vivre!” – The Whole Note

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music and the Venuti String Quartet announce the distribution of their new recording Drew Jurecka & Maurice Ravel: String Quartets (VSQ202401).

Drew Jurecka & Maurice Ravel: String Quartets celebrates Ravel’s 150th birthday but begins with member and co-founder Drew Jurecka’s string quartet, a composition that explores and blends classical and jazz influences. This is followed by Ravel’s only string quartet in F Major, composed during this student years at the Paris Conservatory. The album concludes with The Spider, a collaborative piece at breakneck speed by Jurecka and Jay Danley, paying tribute to Carl Stalling, who wrote music for Looney Toons and Merry Melodies cartoons.

The Venuti String Quartet brings together four of the most in-demand musicians in Toronto’s vibrant music scene (Rebekah Wolkstein and Drew Jurecka, violins; Shannon Knights, viola and Amahl Arulanandam, cello), hailing from esteemed Toronto ensembles including the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Payadora Ensemble, Schmaltz & Pepper and VC2. Founded with genre-flexibility in mind, the group is equally at home in recording studios or onstage playing alongside a range of artists in almost any genre (e.g. Alessia Cara, Laila Biali, Jill Barber and her recent release, Encore, Donovan Woods) as they are performing the great classics and original compositions and arrangements. In concert, the Quartet enjoys pairing nonclassical music with works of the great composers, as they have done with their debut album, combining the original composition of Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and composer Drew Jurecka with one of his great inspirations, the beautiful and dynamic Quartet by Maurice Ravel.

Drew Jurecka’s string quartet was completed over a ten-year period from 2010-2020. An accomplished jazz and classical violinist, Jurecka’s composition explores his diverse musical experiences through the rich vocabulary of the string quartet. Each movement takes its inspiration from a different style of music, seen through the lens of classic string quartet form and composition, including impressionism, jazz improvision and tango techniques. In 1903, Maurice Ravel composed his only string quartet at the age of 28; the work is considered one of the greatest masterworks of the string quartet repertoire.

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).