A Native Hill
Catalog #: NV6347
Release Date: April 9, 2021
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirNavona Records presents A NATIVE HILL from Philadelphia’s professional chamber choir, The Crossing. This monumental unaccompanied work is the result of a collaboration with composer Gavin Bryars, whose previous work for The Crossing won them their first of two recent Grammy awards. With intimate knowledge of the individual voices and art of each singer, Bryars composed A NATIVE HILL to capitalize on the group’s unique sound, personality, and esprit de corps.
All Is Mere Breath
Catalog #: NV6587
Release Date: December 8, 2023
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirOrchestra"Havel havalim hakol hevel," — “Merest breath, all is mere breath.” In the throes of lockdown, Nicholas Weininger found himself reflecting on this Hebrew verse; what is the nature of our collective life sustained on if not breath and breath alone? It was a breath robbed and convoluted during the COVID-19 pandemic: the ravaged breath of the afflicted, the fear of coming too close to the breath of another. Our world seemed to pause and take a breath, busy city streets gone barren amid our collective anxieties. Debuted and recorded by the Empire City Men’s Chorus, ALL IS MERE BREATH asks us to question the nature of our changed society in the thought of mere breath alone, and offers us refuge in the breath of song, perhaps, now and then, the purest form of it.
Amass
Catalog #: NV6543
Release Date: July 28, 2023
21st CenturyLiturgicalVocal MusicChoirGRAMMY-nominated conductor Eugene Rogers brings to life Jocelyn Hagen’s setting of the Roman Catholic Mass in AMASS. This work stands apart from the Mass settings of other composers who have practiced this centuries-old genre, including Johann Sebastian Bach and Franz Joseph Haydn. While the music relies on the traditional Mass structure, it incorporates the spiritual writings of a diverse group of thinkers, ranging from a Muslim woman writing in the sixth century to a German theologian tried as a heretic 500 years later. In this way, the music is less about a particular religion but instead reaches toward the ineffable.
Awaiting Golden Light
Catalog #: NV6616
Release Date: April 19, 2024
20th Century21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirVoices of Concinnity finds connection through universal experiences on AWAITING GOLDEN LIGHT. Based in Connecticut, the inclusive professional vocal ensemble melded each singer's unique vocal qualities into the richness of choral sound for this project. Seeking connection through the isolation of a global pandemic, their members took inspiration from gazing at the glowing moon, experiencing the renewal of a new golden sunrise, anticipating wonder at the perseverance of a bulb blooming in spring, and finding solace in shining stars after the loss of a beloved. With this Navona Records release, the ensemble invites listeners to draw their eyes up toward the heavens and out beyond the horizon to find meaning.
Awakenings
Catalog #: NV5878
Release Date: July 1, 2012
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirLarge EnsembleNavona Records is proud to present the debut commercial release from the critically acclaimed Coro Allegro, Boston's chorus for members and friends of the LGBT community. This album, AWAKENINGS, features two extraordinary works by composers from the Pioneer Valley region of Western Massachusetts: Shofar by Robert Stern, an intensely dramatic and deeply moving oratorio inspired by the four arresting calls of the shofar; and Why I Wake Early by Ronald Perera, with text drawn from the poetry of Mary Oliver.
Birds of the Psalms
Catalog #: NV6176
Release Date: July 1, 2018
21st CenturyRomanticLiturgicalVocal MusicChoirGerman philosopher Immanuel Kant defined the Sublime as "beauty accompanied by awe" – a thought which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Cappella Clausura's second PARMA release, BIRDS OF THE PSALMS. Evocatively conducted by Amelia LeClair, the ensemble interprets a magnificent choral repertoire spanning six centuries.
Black is Beautiful
Catalog #: NV6599
Release Date: February 9, 2024
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirOrchestraBLACK IS BEAUTIFUL from Dr. Diane Retallack and The Eugene Concert Choir is an ode to hope in the face of injustice. This Navona Records release showcases music by Black composers that shed light on the Black experience including two choral masterworks: Seven Last Words of the Unarmed by Joel Thompson and the world premiere recording of Dr. Undine Smith Moore’s oratorio Scenes from the Life of a Martyr. Thompson’s composition is modeled after Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ; in this work, Joel Thompson quotes the last words of seven unarmed African American men killed by police or authority figures. Moore’s oratorio depicts the life of Martin Luther King, Jr, from birth to carefree childhood, young love, a calling to amplify the voice of his people, the hatred he experienced for his commitment, the grief of his untimely death, and the power of his message. These works are joined by the world premiere of The Hymn! by Stacey V. Gibbs and an arrangement of Glory from the film Selma by Dr. Eugene Rogers.
Born
Catalog #: NV6449
Release Date: August 12, 2022
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirContemporary music needn’t sacrifice order and aesthetic appeal, even when it deals with complex issues. A glowing example of this is BORN: THE MUSIC OF EDIE HILL AND MICHAEL GILBERTSON, with conductor Donald Nally leading GRAMMY-winning professional chamber choir The Crossing on a breathtakingly beautiful expedition into themes of extinctions, relationships and their complexities, loss, and love.
Carthage
Catalog #: NV6287
Release Date: May 22, 2020
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirGRAMMY-winning chamber choir The Crossing is back with their latest installment in a multi-album series with Navona Records. CARTHAGE comes on the heels of the 2020 GRAMMY-nominated album THE ARC IN THE SKY, released last summer. In this latest offering, artistic director Donald Nally leads the choir through six striking pieces by composer James Primosch that confront the most elemental questions of Western philosophy.
Changing
Catalog #: NV6686
Release Date: November 8, 2024
20th Century21st CenturyRenaissanceVocal MusicChoirChoral Chameleon, under the direction of Vince Peterson, explores the concept of change as a fundamental aspect of our existence on CHANGING from Navona Records. The texts and poems in this release delve into change as something that is inevitable and cyclical, to be actively embraced and critically examined in how it transforms our experiences, identities, and worldviews. CHANGING encourages listeners to move forward together with joyful anticipation of what is to come — not only with willingness, but with courage and evergreen determination.
Clay Jug
Catalog #: NV6073
Release Date: February 10, 2017
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirThe choral music of Minnesota-based composer Edie Hill shines on CLAY JUG, a compendium of large and small works for a cappella choir and choir accompanied by chamber ensemble. Though the works featured on CLAY JUG vary in scope, they all demonstrate Hill’s keen sensitivity to ensemble texture and harmonic density, as well as the incorporation of text across four languages.
Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac
Catalog #: NV6160
Release Date: May 11, 2018
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirPianoVoiceSo many of us wonder about the big picture questions in life. Why are we here? What is the best I can do in my lifetime? COSMIC WHEEL OF THE ZODIAC, with lyrics by astrologer Benita Rainer, presents a cosmic rumination for meditation upon these great questions. These songs guide you through the labyrinth of the Cosmos, which, as perfectly attested to in “As above, so below,” is also the labyrinth of your mind; as what is without has its genesis in what is within.
Dashing Vol. 3
Catalog #: NV6472
Release Date: November 4, 2022
21st CenturyFolk MusicHolidayOrchestralVocal MusicChoirOrchestraVoiceNavona Records presents DASHING VOL. 3, a festive assortment of new works inspired by the signature sounds and staples of the holiday season. Comprising stories, nods to classic holiday tunes, and an underlying current of wistful nostalgia, this installment of the DASHING series keeps the spirit of holiday music alive with new compositions and arrangements of well-known favorites. Brought to life by a number of orchestras, chamber ensembles, and choirs, the works of new and returning composers to the series are sure to ignite the charm and congeniality of the holiday season, highlighting the many facets that the bright break of winter can bring.
Dashing Vol. 4
Catalog #: NV6569
Release Date: November 10, 2023
21st CenturyFolk MusicHolidayOrchestralChoirOrchestraPianoLight the fireplace, don your coziest sweater, and let the festive sounds of DASHING VOL. 4 from Navona Records whisk you away on a joyful journey through holiday music both new and familiar. Featuring a fresh line-up of contemporary composers, this edition of the series fuses the magic and warmth of holiday tones with the modern flair of today’s classical music, making for a neatly-packaged gift that's sure to spark the spirit of the season. From new choral and orchestral expressions to cherished melodies and bluesy interpretations of classic tunes, DASHING VOL. 4 spares no expense in merriment and good cheer.
Dashing Vol. 5
Catalog #: NV6671
Release Date: November 15, 2024
21st CenturyHolidayChoirHarpOrchestraOn the hunt for a flurry of contemporary classical works to soundtrack your holiday season? Look no further than DASHING VOL. 5 from Navona Records. This installment of the series unwraps the spirited, uplifting, and grandiose qualities of classical holiday music, exploring new interpretations of mainstay melodies, sonic interpretations of snowfall, delicate carols, and more. Featuring an array of instrumental and vocal music from several lauded composers and performers, DASHING VOL. 5 serves as a cheerful reminder that music may be the greatest gift of all.
Ecumenical Spirit
Catalog #: NV6222
Release Date: April 26, 2019
21st CenturyLiturgicalVocal MusicChoirComposer Michael G. Cunningham introduces the beauty of sacred choral compositions with the unique energy of the live recording. “Ecumenical” is defined as the promotion of unity among different Christian churches across the world, and ECUMENICAL SPIRIT celebrates the unifying powers of music as it transcends the borders of all differences.
Emergence
Catalog #: NV6161
Release Date: May 11, 2018
21st CenturyChamberSolo InstrumentalChoirPianoVoiceComposer/arranger/lyricist Joanna Estelle presents EMERGENCE: a compilation of works produced under her personal philosophy that “quality music uplifts humankind.” The album includes a generous list of collaborators: John Gordon Armstrong (arranger), Laurence Ewashko (baritone), Morgan Strickland, Susan Elizabeth Brown and Laura Dziubaniuk (soprano), Brandon Wilkie and Roland Gjernes (cello), Frédéric Lacroix (piano), and two choral ensembles, Ewashko Singers and Capital Chamber Choir.
Evolutionary Spirits
Catalog #: NV6218
Release Date: June 28, 2019
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirEVOLUTIONARY SPIRITS brings together the artistry of Grammy Award-winning chamber choir The Crossing with innovative works of six contemporary composers. Ranging from songs of praise from the Biblical era to present day, and from contemporary poetry to the reimagining of a Shakespearean sonnet, EVOLUTIONARY SPIRITS explores humanity in all its facets.
Exultet Terra
Catalog #: NV6069
Release Date: January 13, 2017
21st CenturyLiturgicalVocal MusicChoirNavona Records welcomes Cappella Clausura, directed by Amelia LeClair, to the family with their new release of the choral works of Hilary Tann, entitled EXULTET TERRA. For the first half of the album, LeClair and Tann juxtapose Tann’s works for women’s voices, a cappella, with pieces by Hildegard von Bingen, in soaring arrangements by LeClair.
Fall And Decline
Catalog #: NV6359
Release Date: August 27, 2021
21st CenturyVocal MusicChoirWith Gregory Brown’s FALL AND DECLINE on Navona Records, the composer chronicles the heights to which humanity can soar—but also the depths to which it may come crashing down. Scored for the solo voices of virtuosic vocal sextet Variant 6 and electronics, the sounds range from typical choral textures (though peppered with microtones) to angular and aggressive electronic soundscapes.