Tag: Piano

Posted on by

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

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

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

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

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

PETER TAKÁCS 

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

SIBBI BERNHARDSSON 

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

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

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

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

STREAM / DOWNLOAD
About Peter
About Sibbi
Posted on by

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

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

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

Cathedral After Dark: Continuum (Live)

About Artist

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

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

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

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

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

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

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

Stream / Download
About Toby
Playlist

Posted on by

Nostos: Duo Aster’s Debut Album

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– 30 –

MEDIA CONTACT: 

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

Listen / Download
About Duo Aster
Playlist

Posted on by

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.  

-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
About Ali
Playlist
Posted on by

Keiran Campbell and Sezi Seskir Recreate the Sound of Beethoven’s Time

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music, together with cellist Keiran Campbell and Sezi Seskir (fortepiano) announce the distribution of a new digital recording, Beethoven Cello Sonatas, Op. 5 (SSKC2025) on period instruments. Performing on a fortepiano with its leather hammers, and on a gut-strung cello with a supple classical bow allows the players to recapture these beloved sonatas’ intended original sound. The two cello sonatas (No. 1 and 2) were composed in 1796, and saw Beethoven attempting to make the two instruments more equal while celebrating the capabilities of the five-octave piano.

Keiran Campbell is co-principal cello of Tafelmusik, and on faculty at the Chamber Music Collective, which focuses on post-1750 performance practice. He studied extensively with Leonid Zilper (former solo cellist of the Bolshoi Ballet) and then received his Bachelors and Masters at the Juilliard School, where he worked with Darrett Adkins, Timothy Eddy and Phoebe Carrai. Keiran has performed with ensembles including The English Concert, Le Concert Des Nations, NYBI, Philharmonia Baroque, The Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, Four Nations Ensemble, Utopia Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, and Les Violons du Roy. During the summers, Keiran has performed with Teatro Nuovo, Lakes Area Music Festival, Staunton Music Festival, and The Carmel Bach Festival. 

Sezi Seskir received her first degree in piano in Ankara, Turkey. She completed her studies in Lübeck Musikhochschule, completing her academic journey with a D.M.A. degree with Malcolm Bilson in Cornell University. She concertized widely in Europe and in the US. Sezi edited the piano works of Robert Schumann for the Schott and Bärenreiter publishing houses in Germany, and is also the co-editor of an essay collection Topics in Musical Interpretation, published by Routledge. Her CD of three Beethoven violin sonatas with Lucy Russell recorded on period instruments appeared in 2020 on the Acis label, which was received enthusiastically by reviewers. She is a co-founder of the Chamber Music Collective, an intensive chamber music program on period instruments. She is currently an Associate Professor of Music at Bucknell University.  

Listen to Beethoven Cello Sonatas, Op. 5 on your favourite streaming platforms beginning October 31. The new album was recorded at the Rooke Recital Hall, Bucknell University in January of 2024. 

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 Keiran

Posted on by

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. 

-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
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

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:

-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 Brigitte

Posted on by

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. 

-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 Jean-Guy

Posted on by

CBC Music’s 30 under 30, Olivier Bergeron releases his debut album, “Nuits blanches”

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) – Leaf Music announces the release of Nuits blanches, a new digital recording featuring French-Canadian artists Olivier Bergeron (baritone) and Olivier Godin (piano).  

Named one of CBC’s 30 Under 30, baritone Olivier Bergeron makes his recording debut with Nuits blanches. Featuring five song cycles by Ravel, Debussy, Fauré, and Jolivet. The album explores the many shades of love through the intimate lens of mélodie française.

At its heart is Debussy’s elusive Nuits blanches—a haunting, long-lost song cycle with texts by the composer himself. Une nuit blanche can be translated as “a sleepless night;” (the full expression is “passer une nuit blanche.)” In the case of the new recording, it is love causing the sleepless nights, best exemplified in the text of Claude Debussy’s sensual, intense Endless night: “Nuits sans fin. Tristesse morne des heures où l’on attend!” From the shimmering innocence of young love to the fragile vulnerabilities of jealousy and regret, the eclectic repertoire unveils a different emotional hue in popular melodies like Gabriel Fauré’s Mélodies « de Venise » (a setting of poems by Paul Verlaine), paired with rarities such as André Jolivet’s cycle, Poèmes intimes, dedicated to his wife, Hilda. Like Fauré’s, Jolivet’s cycle comprises five poems; the work was premiered in 1944 in Paris. Curiously, the first three cycles were premiered at the same venue in Paris, as part of the Société Nationale de Musique concerts, where “serious” French music was presented from 1871 (during the Franco-Prussian War) until 1939. 

All but Debussy’s Nuits blanches were published during the authors’ lifetimes. The manuscripts of his unfinished Nuits blanches project were found in composer Arthur Honegger’s library in 1991 by his daughter and just published in Paris in the year 2000. 

The two acclaimed musicians bring a refined lyricism to this repertoire, drawing listeners in to the hushed elegance of the fin-de-siècle salon, where poetry and music once breathed side by side. 

A graduate of the Verbier Festival Academy, French-Canadian baritone Olivier Bergeron studied at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal and the École normale de musique de Paris. He has appeared with Les Talens Lyriques under Christophe Rousset, with Fabio Biondi, and at major venues including the Philharmonie de Paris, Wigmore Hall, Opéra Grand Avignon, and the Festival de Lanaudière. In 2025–2026, he joins Les Arts Florissants and William Christie on tour as part of Le Jardin des Voix and Hervé Niquet with Le Concert Spirituel at the Chapelle Royale de Versailles.   

Pianist Olivier Godin has been Artistic Director of Montreal’s Bourgie Hall since 2022 and was appointed professor at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal at age 25. He has recorded over 30 critically acclaimed albums and performed at Wigmore Hall, La Monnaie, and the Palazzetto Bru Zane. A specialist in mélodie française, his discography includes complete songs by Poulenc, Fauré, Duparc, and Massenet’s 333 mélodies..  

The new album was recorded in 2023 in Passavant, France. 

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.

(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, Nouvelle-Écosse) – Leaf Music annonce la parution de Nuits blanches, un nouvel album numérique réunissant deux artistes québécois : Olivier Bergeron (baryton) et Olivier Godin (piano).  

Nommé parmi la prestigieuse liste des « 30 under 30 » de la CBC, le baryton Olivier Bergeron signe avec Nuits blanches ses débuts discographiques. L’album propose cinq cycles de mélodies de Ravel, Debussy, Fauré et Jolivet, et explore les multiples nuances de l’amour à travers l’intimité de la mélodie française. 

Au cœur de ce programme se trouve les énigmatiques Nuits blanches de Debussy, écrites sur des poèmes du compositeur lui-même. Ce cycle, dont seulement deux des cinq mélodies ont été retrouvées à ce jour, expose les tourments amoureux qui gardent le narrateur éveillé, comme en témoigne le texte sensuel et ténébreux. De l’innocence éclatante des premiers émois aux fragiles vulnérabilités de la jalousie et du regret, ce programme éclectique dévoile toute une palette émotionnelle : des mélodies célèbres comme les Mélodies « de Venise » de Gabriel Fauré (sur des poèmes de Paul Verlaine) côtoient des raretés telles que le cycle Poèmes intimes d’André Jolivet, dédié à son épouse Hilda. Comme celui de Fauré, le cycle de Jolivet comprend cinq poèmes ; il fut créé à Paris en 1944. Fait étonnant : les trois premiers cycles de ce programme furent créés dans la même salle parisienne, dans le cadre des concerts de la Société Nationale de Musique, qui présentait la « musique sérieuse » française de 1871 (durant la guerre franco-prussienne) jusqu’en 1939.  

Hormis les Nuits blanches de Debussy, toutes les œuvres furent publiées du vivant de leurs auteurs. Les manuscrits inachevés du cycle Nuits blanches ont été retrouvés en 1991 dans la bibliothèque du compositeur Arthur Honegger par sa fille, puis publiés à Paris en 2000.  

Les deux musiciens québécois offrent un lyrisme raffiné à ce répertoire, plongeant l’auditeur dans l’élégance feutrée du salon fin-de-siècle, où poésie et musique se répondaient dans un même souffle.  

Diplômé de la Verbier Festival Academy, le baryton Olivier Bergeron a étudié au Conservatoire de musique de Montréal et à l’École normale de musique de Paris, où il a complété un Certificat Spécialisé en Mélodie Française sous la tutelle de François Le Roux. Il s’est produit avec Les Talens Lyriques sous la direction de Christophe Rousset, avec Fabio Biondi, ainsi que dans de prestigieuses salles telles que la Philharmonie de Paris, le Wigmore Hall, l’Opéra Grand Avignon, la Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier avec l’Opéra de Montréal, et l’Amphithéâtre Fernand-Lindsay du Festival de Lanaudière. En 2025–2026, il rejoindra Les Arts Florissants et William Christie pour une tournée dans le cadre du Jardin des Voix, Hervé Niquet et Le Concert Spirituel pour un concert à la Chapelle Royale de Versailles et fera ses débuts à la Maison Symphonique de Montréal.

Le pianiste Olivier Godin est directeur artistique de la salle Bourgie à Montréal depuis 2022 et a été nommé professeur au Conservatoire de musique de Montréal à l’âge de 25 ans. Il a enregistré plus de 30 albums salués par la critique et s’est produit au Wigmore Hall, à La Monnaie de Bruxelles et au Palazzetto Bru Zane. Spécialiste de la mélodie française, sa discographie comprend l’intégrale des mélodies de Poulenc, Fauré, Duparc, ainsi que les 333 mélodies de Massenet.

Cet album a été enregistré en 2023 à Passavant, en France.  

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. 

-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 Artist