(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).
