• Ester, Liberatrice del Popolo Ebreo

    Catalog #: NV6629

    Release Date: July 26, 2024

    Baroque
    Vocal Music
    Orchestra
    Voice

    The groundbreaking Roman composer Alessandro Stradella’s unjustly neglected oratorio ESTER, LIBERATRICE DEL POPOLO EBREO shines forth in a sparkling new release from Navona Records. Exploring themes of courage, self acceptance, ambition, justice, and power, this piece tells the story of Esther, a timid girl, secret Jew, and Persian Queen, who summons the bravery to save her people from annihilation. While the oratorio derives its narrative from the old testament’s The Book of Esther, this compelling story of a lone woman challenging an oppressive tyrant is sure to strike a chord, resonating powerfully for modern listeners as it recalls many ongoing conflicts in our world today.

  • Black is Beautiful

    Catalog #: NV6599

    Release Date: February 9, 2024

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    BLACK 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.

  • All Is Mere Breath

    Catalog #: NV6587

    Release Date: December 8, 2023

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    "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.

  • Transmutation

    Catalog #: NV6559

    Release Date: October 27, 2023

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Vocal Music
    Orchestra
    Piano Trio
    Voice

    Transmutation: “to change or alter in form, appearance, or nature, especially to a higher form.” Joanna Estelle embodies this definition in her deeply personal and profound compositions on TRANSMUTATION, a communal effort featuring various talented performers coming together to transmute their message to you. With music as vulnerable and exposed as the stories it tells, TRANSMUTATION is a reflection on the patterns of life through periods of both rain and shine, and the constants that keep us grounded through the changes that they bring. Estelle’s message is clear: to allow for change is to allow for healing.

  • Mediterranean Pop Mass

    Catalog #: NV6473

    Release Date: November 11, 2022

    21st Century
    Liturgical
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    The essence of Tonči Huljić’s music is eclecticism, his Western melodic style fused with the rich instrumentalism of the Mediterranean and the world resulting in a completely new spirit. This MEDITERRANEAN POP MASS, recorded in Split, Croatia, thoughtfully blends traditional orchestral and modern sounds in exciting ways, infusing iconic classical works with groove, reignited passion, and an appreciation of the conventions of today’s musical idioms. Featuring an orchestra, choir, modern rhythm section, and soloists Hana Huljic, Lorena Bucan, Karlo Vudric, Huljic conjures an atmosphere like no other in his compositions, a satisfying listening experience for anyone who appreciates where music has been, and where it is going.

  • NV6472 DASHING VOL. 3

    Dashing Vol. 3

    Catalog #: NV6472

    Release Date: November 4, 2022

    21st Century
    Folk Music
    Holiday
    Orchestral
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra
    Voice

    Navona 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.

  • The Gift of the Magi

    Catalog #: NV6455

    Release Date: October 14, 2022

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Orchestra
    Voice

    Composer Richard E Brown and Navona Records present THE GIFT OF THE MAGI, a chamber opera in one act that tells the beloved story — first published by O. Henry in 1905 — of a young married couple who, despite being very poor, sacrifice their most cherished possessions to demonstrate their love for one another. This chamber opera adds even greater breadth to the composer’s output, which has also included works for concert band and orchestra, instrumental solos and ensembles, church music, piano solos, and scores for ballet, opera, and musical theater. The virtuosic performances heard on THE GIFT OF THE MAGI lend a moving emotional dimension to this heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting story of love and sacrifice.

  • From Wilderness

    Catalog #: NV6421

    Release Date: April 22, 2022

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    Spanning landscapes from Mexico to Canada, the Pacific Crest Trail covers thousands of miles of natural beauty, creating a transformative journey captured in FROM WILDERNESS from Navona Records. Choral Arts Initiative, conducted by Brandon Elliott and joined by cellist Kevin Mills, paints these landscapes from composer Jeffrey Derus with vibrant color, with vocal soloists giving identities to the spirit animals one may encounter on the trail. A concert-length work and meditation, the listener will hear a wash of sounds that allow for introspective reflection on the sacredness of nature, the profound text, and themselves.

  • Vocal Works

    Catalog #: NV6360

    Release Date: August 13, 2021

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    Throughout his ever-evolving career, Brian Field has penned music for everything from orchestra and chamber settings to ballet and television, sprinkling in influences of post-romanticism, minimalism, and jazz. On his album VOCAL WORKS on Navona Records, the human voice takes center stage, and Field doesn’t shy away from his brand of compositional diversity. Field brings six pieces springing from the page, including a traditional Sephardic lullaby, musical interpretations of Pablo Neruda's and E. E. Cummings’ poetry, and works with texts written by the composer himself. Throughout the album, the Budapest Chorus conducted by Martón Tóth brings dynamism and emotion to every note.

  • Soundtrack of the American Soldier

    Catalog #: NV6297

    Release Date: August 28, 2020

    20th Century
    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    Navona Records presents SOUNDTRACK OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER, an album of contemporary works for wind band performed by The United States Army Field Band. Led by Colonel Jim R Keene, the Army Field Band is the U.S. Army’s premier touring musical organization. In SOUNDTRACK OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER, the Army Field Band presents music of classic American films and video games, and in doing so celebrates the stories they portray and the men and women who inspired them. Monitored and mixed in IMMERSIVE DOLBY ATMOS® (5.1.4), SURROUND (5.1), and STEREO, the album immerses the listener in a multi-dimensional soundscape that creates a deeply meaningful connection to the music and the stories it portrays.

  • Spirit of Humanity

    Catalog #: NV6292

    Release Date: June 26, 2020

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra
    Voice

    A historical feast awaits listeners on Ganesh Kumar's first NAVONA release SPIRIT OF HUMANITY. Half intended as an homage to Beethoven, half a musical portrayal of a little-known refugee crisis in World War II, it aims to be an epically emotional orchestral experience.

  • Ignacio Jerusalem

    Catalog #: NV6274

    Release Date: May 22, 2020

    Baroque
    Liturgical
    Orchestral
    Vocal Music
    Orchestra
    Voice

    Lovers of Early Music are in for a huge treat with IGNACIO JERUSALEM: MASS IN G, a tribute commemorating the 250th anniversary of the composer's death. The little-known, Italian-born, galant creator, who spent much of his colorful life in Mexico, receives long-deserved attention from the Chicago Arts Orchestra under the baton of Mexican-American conductor Javier José Mendoza.

  • Maternity / Ulysses, Home

    Catalog #: NV6258

    Release Date: November 15, 2019

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Orchestra
    String Quartet
    Voice

    Multi-award-winning composer Anthony Brandt makes his Navona Records debut with MATERNITY / ULYSSES, HOME. The album includes two very distinct compositions with equally distinct inspirations.

  • Capstone Re-release: Music for Voices

    Catalog #: NV6103

    Release Date: June 9, 2017

    20th Century
    Liturgical
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    In 2008, PARMA Recordings acquired Capstone Records, the highly respected New York-based classical label founded by composer Richard Brooks in 1986, with the intent of shepherding the company and its music into the digital era. This album was originally released on Capstone and is being re-released by PARMA Recording's Navona Records.

  • There Are Many Other Legends

    Catalog #: NV6086

    Release Date: March 10, 2017

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    Both the New Hampshire Master Chorale and the Manchester Choral Society elevate the works of composer-in-residence Jonathan Santore on THERE ARE MANY OTHER LEGENDS, an expansive collection of works from Santore’s choral catalog. Each piece highlights the composer’s impressive command of choral writing and the ensemble’s traditions.

  • The Spectra Series

    Catalog #: NV6077

    Release Date: January 13, 2017

    21st Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra
    Piano

    In 2008, PARMA Recordings acquired Capstone Records, the highly respected New York-based classical label founded by composer Richard Brooks in 1986, with the intent of shepherding the company and its music into the digital era. This album was originally released on Capstone and is being re-released by PARMA Recording's Navona Records.

  • Separation

    Catalog #: NV6044

    Release Date: June 10, 2016

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    The clichéd trope of the isolated artist toiling over their work in a virtual vacuum, alone and against the trends of the day, is not a new one. But in the case of Paula Diehl, it is as true as it comes. It isn’t an easy task to be a composer, a job which (to paraphrase Aaron Copland) holds few material rewards, and often even fewer good notices in the paper the next morning – it requires an inner strength and conviction in order to persevere through the challenges, be they artistic, financial, or social.

  • Stars & Distances

    Catalog #: NV6011

    Release Date: November 13, 2015

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Clarinet
    Orchestra

    The most recent recording of music by internationally renowned and critically acclaimed composer, Fredrick Kaufman, is a mystical journey through Kaufman's compositional explorations of the unknown, the natural order, and universal human experience. The two feature works are world premieres of his atmospheric choral & instrumental pieces that depict the cosmos in Stars & Distances and Seven Sisters.

  • Requiem: For the Living

    Catalog #: NV6009

    Release Date: September 11, 2015

    21st Century
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    From Verdi and Mozart to Stravinsky and Britten, the requiem has been a musical tradition used by many composers to remind us of life's indeterminacy. American composer Arthur Gottschalk's momentous masterwork, REQUIEM: FOR THE LIVING, an 8-movement, 45 minute work for full orchestra, chorus, and four soloists, including tenor Alberto Mizrahi and Grammy-nominated soprano Lauren Snouffer, resigns the fear of uncertainty by celebrating the rich narrative of Western art and culture.

  • Foundations

    Catalog #: NV5939

    Release Date: February 1, 2014

    21st Century
    Liturgical
    Orchestral
    Vocal Music
    Choir
    Orchestra

    Excerpts from the Bible, text from the Middle Ages, and traditional instrumentation (organ, orchestral, and choral) form the basis of six composers' inspired works on FOUNDATIONS to create stirring, new contemporary classical music. By connecting to the roots of historical texts and musical conventions - in some cases the foundations of our collective cultures - these pieces present a modern spin on traditional materials, sounds, and forms.