• 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.

  • An Orchestral Journey

    Catalog #: NV6047

    Release Date: August 12, 2016

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    A composer equally accustomed to writing for orchestra, opera, film, theater, chorus, and chamber ensembles, Brian Wilbur Grundstrom’s voice includes a strong affinity for long melodic lines, distinctive tonal harmonic vocabulary, engaging rhythms, skillfully executed counterpoint, and dramatic imagery, all of which are reflected in the five orchestral works which span fourteen years on his debut release with Navona Records, AN ORCHESTRAL JOURNEY, to create a visionary and lyrical expedition that is quite accessible and easily travelled for the listener.

  • Sparks

    Catalog #: NV6050

    Release Date: July 8, 2016

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    SPARKS, a compilation of orchestral miniature works by several composers, offers a sampling of much of what post-modern, contemporary orchestral music has to offer, and is most interesting to consider in contrast to nineteenth century orchestral transitions. Miniatures, in their brevity, defy the conventional bias that orchestral music must conform to the characteristics of large symphonies. More generally, the works on this album suggest a wide range of influences unique to contemporary postmodernism. These include the aesthetics of midcentury composers, as well as film scores and non-classical genres.

  • Dashing

    Catalog #: NV6055

    Release Date: September 9, 2016

    21st Century
    Holiday
    Orchestra

    Navona Records is delighted to present DASHING, a festive album for the holiday season featuring brand new works and arrangements of holiday favorites by several outstanding composers, with performances by The Stanbery Singers, the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra.

  • 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.

  • Dark Clouds in Life

    Catalog #: NV6082

    Release Date: March 10, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Solo Instrumental
    Orchestra
    Piano

    A persistent goal of Mark John McEncroe is to create compositions that elicit an emotional response, as is echoed in the titles of his works. This is particularly true of the Australian composer’s Navona debut DARK CLOUDS OF LIFE, a conceptual release focused on overcoming addiction and depression, challenges McEncroe has personally struggled with. His sessions in Ostrava, Czech Republic with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist Helen Kennedy produced a cornerstone suite and three addendums that capture the essence of the record’s stated purpose.

  • 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.

  • Reawakening

    Catalog #: NV6087

    Release Date: April 14, 2017

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Orchestral
    Cello
    Orchestra
    Piano

    Composer and pianist Jeffrey Jacob returns to Navona Records with REAWAKENING, a collection of varied works for orchestra and chamber ensembles. Jacob’s lush, mystical style pervades the album, often blending his piano’s sound with orchestral arrangements to create rich musical imagery, as in The Loch Before Sunrise and A Mirror Upon the Waters.

  • Winter’s Warmth

    Catalog #: NV6091

    Release Date: April 14, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    One of the central tenets of Albert Camus’ philosophy is the indomitability of the human spirit, a subject on which he famously mused that “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” This quote encapsulates the theme of WINTER’S WARMTH, Navona’s latest orchestral compilation featuring works from John A. Carollo, J.A. Kawarsky, Andrew Schultz, and R. Barry Ulrich. These composers present conceptual pieces that all act as soundtracks to our resiliency during the toughest moments of the human experience.

  • Passage

    Catalog #: NV6094

    Release Date: May 12, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    Though “passage” is a word of numerous meanings, they all point back to a singular idea – the transition between two disparate entities. Whether it’s a passage of prose which moves along a narrative, a physical passageway connecting two points, or the continuous passing of time, all these snapshots help define our crucial moments within life’s movements. This theme threads the works on PASSAGE, the latest orchestral compilation from Navona featuring compositions from Sergio Cervetti, Daniel Crozier, Craig Morris, and Betty Wishart.

  • Spells

    Catalog #: NV6096

    Release Date: May 12, 2017

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Orchestral
    Choir
    Orchestra
    String Quartet

    SPELLS, a new retrospective collection highlighting the music of poet and composer Juli Nunlist, marks a touching journey through the earnest, romantic, and dramatic sounds of the late artist’s compositional language. The album’s works demonstrate Nunlist’s appreciation for tradition and grandeur, and are driven by her remarkable gift for melody and clear fascination with instrumental texture.

  • Triptych Revelation

    Catalog #: NV6099

    Release Date: June 9, 2017

    21st Century
    Concertos
    Orchestral
    Electronic
    Orchestra
    Trumpet

    TRIPTYCH REVELATION, composer Sergio Cervetti’s seventh album with Navona, presents works from across four decades of his extensive career. Though a fair bit of time separates these pieces, the album’s three works all feature unique explorations of apocalyptic themes, inspired by themes drawn from the New Testament, nineteenth century French literature, and Flemish art of the sixteenth century.

  • Warrior Monks

    Catalog #: NV6102

    Release Date: September 8, 2017

    21st Century
    Concertos
    Clarinet
    Orchestra

    WARRIOR MONKS is a collection of two clarinet concerti and a trumpet concerto by Carl Vollrath that span topics of war, solace, fascination, and reverence among many others. “And Bugles Sang” drew inspiration from the unique juxtapositions in Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” and explores the many ways the trumpet is used as a symbol throughout human history. At times the trumpet is brash and lyrical, expressing ecstasy; in other instances it is strident and rhythmic perhaps reflecting charges into battle; and yet in an instant it reappears low and mellow in what could be heard as a faux-lullaby. The virtuosity in this piece is not to be understated.

  • Tomorrow’s Air

    Catalog #: NV6108

    Release Date: September 8, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Large Ensemble
    Orchestra

    Navona Records is proud to present TOMORROW’S AIR, a collection of contemporary music for large ensemble, written by composers in a variety of styles and genres. Listeners will recognize several names as PARMA regulars, including Daniel Perttu, Hans Bakker, and Paul Osterfield.

  • The Transfiguration of Giovanni Baudino

    Catalog #: NV6109

    Release Date: August 1, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    John A. Carollo’s newest release, THE TRANSFIGURATION OF GIOVANNI BAUDINO is a fascinating mixture of music written for different orchestral instrumentations and with wildly varying intended emotional responses. The composer himself may best define the intangible aspect of his music’s emotive intentions, writing, “I have always preferred to let music speak for itself. We each derive our own unique personal meanings from our listening experiences and most of it is felt viscerally.”

  • Symphonic Suites 1 & 2

    Catalog #: NV6116

    Release Date: August 25, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    Australian composer Mark John McEncroe’s SYMPHONIC SUITES NUMBER 1 & 2 – A MEDIEVAL SAGA is a classic adventure in orchestral music. Powered by McEncroe’s thematic style, these two symphonic suites lead the listener through a harrowing and dramatic story of ancient conflict and grandeur. Like a film score from the Golden Age Of Hollywood, McEncroe’s musical ‘storytelling’ is made clear by his powerful melodic material, which conjures the sweeping shots of a classic epic film in the listener’s imagination.

  • Vallarta Suite

    Catalog #: NV6117

    Release Date: August 25, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    New Zealand born, Canada based composer John Robertson’s album VALLARTA SUITE showcases the continuation of classic orchestral traditions into the present day. The album’s three works testify to Robertson’s flexible compositional voice, which expresses playful, grand, and romantic materials within a welcoming style based on nineteenth century, and early twentieth century precedents. Performed expertly by the Jánaček Philharmonic Orchestra, VALLARTA SUITE is defined by beautiful melodies, confident orchestration, and classic musical forms.

  • Three Orchestral Works

    Catalog #: NV6122

    Release Date: October 13, 2017

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    THREE ORCHESTRAL WORKS BY DWIGHT BECKHAM, SR. marks a tremendous sample of American composer Dwight Beckham’s lyrical style and command of the orchestra. Based in Kansas, Beckham is part of an important generation of composers who, in the latter half of the twentieth century, persisted in their pursuit of a classically Romantic aesthetic. To this end, Beckham’s orchestral music is stalwartly thematic, crisply orchestrated, and centered on dramatic melodic and harmonic ideas.

  • The Mitten

    Catalog #: NV6132

    Release Date: December 1, 2017

    21st Century
    Holiday
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    Based on the Ukrainian folktale of the same name, THE MITTEN presents a world built using simple narration as its foundation and a complex composition creating the surrounding universe. Composer Mona Lyn Reese needs only to speak a few short sentences from a children’s tale in each track, and then lets the performers in the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra carry the details of the story deep into the imagination.

  • East of the Sun & West of the Moon

    Catalog #: NV6137

    Release Date: January 12, 2018

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Orchestra

    Navona Records is proud to announce the release of Daniel Crozier’s enchanting East of The Sun and West of The Moon, orchestral album. Using music, rather than words, to tell his story, Crozier’s music is full of startling detail and narrative. The two pieces comprising this album serve as windows into Crozier’s theory of musical story telling. Listeners are challenged to find a better narrative voice than the delicate oboe positioned against the profound strings.