• A City of Silver & A City of Fire

    Catalog #: NV6429

    Release Date: May 13, 2022

    20th Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    A CITY OF SILVER & A CITY OF FIRE from pianist Roberta Rust marked a monumental moment for classical music as Carnegie Hall’s first presentation of music by an American Indian composer performed by an American Indian artist. Written in celebration of two cities close to the composer’s heart, these works by Louis W. Ballard come with a generous helping of intricate musical narratives and sentimental tones that speak clearly and thoughtfully through Rust’s performance. Originally recorded in 1984, these pieces honor the late composer and spirit of those to whom they’re dedicated in this live recording.

  • Last Notes

    Catalog #: NV6431

    Release Date: May 27, 2022

    20th Century
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Clarinet
    Oboe
    Piano

    Navona Records presents LAST NOTES, an album tracing the musical footprint of composer Eric Biddington’s compositional history through revived works of the past. Some written nearly 30 years ago, the unearthed gems featured on this album speak in a fresh tone, effusing elegance and thoughtfulness across varied orchestrations and moods. From the tender sentiments teeming in Peace for Julie to the playful nature of A Little Dance and his deeply moving passages for bassoon and piano, Biddington covers a wide gamut of expression in these chamber works.

  • Toccata Miami

    Catalog #: NV6433

    Release Date: June 10, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Guitar
    Piano
    Violin

    Composer Ferdinando DeSena is no stranger to variation; from his previous electro-acoustic concoctions to this dynamic blend of chamber orchestrations in TOCCATA MIAMI, a world of enticing conversation between tonal opposites begs to be uncovered in these expressive compositions. Oboe and piano dance in an ominous sonata soundscape, harps and flutes seek to sooth in Three Attitudes, and solo piano works shine with a latin flair in the album’s titular track.

  • Uncommon Voices

    Catalog #: NV6440

    Release Date: July 22, 2022

    21st Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    UNCOMMON VOICES from Natasha Stojanovska explores the music of female composers from Eastern Europe. This collections of piano works includes the music of Croatia, North Macedonia, the former Soviet Union, and other Eastern European countries, combined with elements of the western musical tradition. The album includes two of Stojanovska’s compositions, Phantasy No. 1 and Phantasy No. 2. The former borrows metrical patterns found in Macedonian folk music; along with elements of tonality and atonality, the piece examines the uncertain boundary between the Macedonian and American cultures. The album also features the works of contemporary composers like Bojana Petrovic Aleksova, as well as historical composers like Maria Szymanowska. Stojanovska is especially proud to bring the music of Szymanowska to the attention of modern listeners; while Szymanowska’s music is not performed as often today, her compositions—including the enchanting Nocturne in B-flat major—likely inspired Frederic Chopin. UNCOMMON VOICES offers a long overdue celebration of female composers from Eastern Europe, as interpreted by the capable hands of Natasha Stojanovska.

  • Moments Musicaux

    Catalog #: NV6442

    Release Date: July 8, 2022

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Navona Records presents MOMENTS MUSICAUX, a unique program of solo piano repertoire performed by pianist Antoinette Perry. Captured live from USC Thornton’s Alfred Newman Auditorium, these pieces celebrate the works of German, Austrian, Russian, and American composers, intermingling cultures through various compositional styles. When it comes to Perry's artistic ability, Germaine Vadi of Les Affiches de Grenoble et du Dauphiné put it best: “One felt oneself to be in the presence of a great pianist — an absolute art of nuance, her subtle touch, and finally her perfect musical understanding, which permits her to assimilate the music of all cultures."

  • Currents in Time

    Catalog #: NV6443

    Release Date: July 8, 2022

    21st Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Vocal Music
    Piano
    Viola
    Voice

    There are great singers, and then there are great singers who break the mold, pushing both the musical and organizational boundaries of their craft. American mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen impressively demonstrates her affiliation with the latter group on CURRENTS IN TIME, once more employing her formidable talents as both a 21st-century vocalist and impresaria to shine a light on a varied array of contemporary composers.

  • Textures In Classics

    Catalog #: NV6448

    Release Date: August 12, 2022

    Classical
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Oboe
    Piano

    TEXTURES IN CLASSICS from renowned pianist and music scholar Sang-Hie Lee explores the rich musical possibilities offered by the piano. To do so, Lee performs works from some of the seminal composers in Western music including Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms. The album captures Lee’s unique pianism at the height of her maturity as an artist. While contemporary performers often place an outsized emphasis on virtuosic technical skill, Lee’s performances examine the notion of texture in piano music; this ranges from the clean, crisp soundscape of Mozart’s early pianoforte to Beethoven’s exacting technique and lush harmonies. There is little doubt that TEXTURES IN CLASSICS will cement Lee’s legacy as a scholarly-artistic pianist.

  • Source Ground

    Catalog #: NV6452

    Release Date: September 23, 2022

    21st Century
    Orchestral
    Solo Instrumental
    Orchestra
    Organ
    Piano

    On SOURCE GROUND, Hans Bakker’s second full-length release on Navona Records, the composer once again probes music’s ability to, as Leonard Bernstein said, “name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.” Rhythmically rigorous pieces for solo piano, organ works that fill every nook and cranny of the aural spectrum, powerful orchestral works, and pieces for the rare and haunting lame-sonore draw listeners towards a sense of infinite oneness connected by music.

  • Amplify

    Catalog #: NV6456

    Release Date: October 28, 2022

    21st Century
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Flute
    Piano
    String Quartet

    Globally recognized for its unique radio programming, innovative collaborations, and community outreach, All Classical Portland presents AMPLIFY, a response to the industry’s inequities in classical music recordings. The works of five contemporary composers are brought to light in this album, each infused with recollections of stories, cities, and movements that have made an impact along the artists’ journey. As the 1,000th album brought to life by parent organization PARMA Recordings, this important Navona Records release marks a monumental achievement in highlighting voices in classical music, and is a step in helping to change America’s playlist.

  • Eclectic Sounds

    Catalog #: NV6460

    Release Date: October 28, 2022

    Classical
    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    What do Beethoven, Bartók and Bulgaria's national composer Vladigerov have in common? This is the question posed by Bulgarian pianist Alexander Tchobanov on his new album ECLECTIC SOUNDS - and what appears to be a harmless question soon turns into a mighty quest.

  • Sandman’s Castle

    Catalog #: NV6462

    Release Date: October 14, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Cello
    Percussion
    Piano

    From natural scenes of beauty to mystical dreamscapes and vivid characters of villainy, a dynamic assortment of music awaits in SANDMAN’S CASTLE from composer Vincent Ho. A compendium of uniquely-orchestrated and masterfully executed solo and duo works are brought to life from a roster of renowned performers: Vicky Chow, Susanne Ruberg-Gordon, Ben Reimer, Beth Root Sandvoss, and Evelyn Glennie, who serves as a listener’s guide on a mystical journey into the world of dreams in the albums titular track. Between explorations of uncharted territories with tam-tam and music boxes and thoughtful juxtapositions of the drumset with mainstays in classical music, Ho pulls out all of the stops with the renowned featured performers, and his dexterous compositional tool-kit throughout.

  • Sustain Vol. 3

    Catalog #: NV6466

    Release Date: September 23, 2022

    21st Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Organ
    Piano

    Navona Records presents SUSTAIN VOL. 3, an exploration of the capabilities of piano and organ highlighting the varied compositional approaches of today's composers. Influenced by the classical canon and moving in new directions, the latest edition in the SUSTAIN series pays homage to the classical composers of yesterday, while thoughtfully expressing modern personalities and ideals in a dynamic presentation of new piano repertoire. From the suspenseful passages of Sydney Hodkinson’s Organmusic, to the turbulent times reflected in Bruce Babcock’s Alternative Facts, and Hayg Boyadjian’s delicate variations on Bach, SUSTAIN once again gives it all, and everything in between.

  • Best of Friends

    Catalog #: NV6470

    Release Date: September 23, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano
    Trombone

    Navona Records and trombonist Andy Malloy present BEST OF FRIENDS, a collection of personalized pieces for trombone and piano. Featuring works that Malloy commissioned from his colleagues over the years, the album is truly an ode to the relationships formed through musical collaboration. Each piece on the album pushes the musical boundaries to which the trombone is often held through creative uses of tonality and soaring melodies. Rhythmically energetic passages, jazz harmonies, and more speak throughout the album, highlighting the musicianship of Malloy and the compositional dexterity of his colleagues, a musical testament to the power of collaboration.

  • Bowed Colors

    Catalog #: NV6478

    Release Date: December 2, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano
    Viola

    British-American violist Peter Sulski superbly demonstrates his instrument’s true expressive potential on BOWED COLORS from Navona Records. Sulski, who was a member of the London Symphony Orchestra for seven years, has published seminal solo viola recordings of works by Telemann, J. S. Bach, and Hindemith. Combining Sulski’s signature sound with the works of five composers, BOWED COLORS delivers an exquisite selection of contemporary solo viola pieces that range from the neoclassical to the just barely tonal, all tightly knit together by Sulski’s sublime bow control and finesse as a performer.

  • Marta, The Tempest

    Catalog #: NV6479

    Release Date: February 3, 2023

    20th Century
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Guitar
    Piano

    Every pianist makes a piece their own, adding flourishes and signature accents, but Marta Brankovich takes artistic interpretation to a new level. Leveraging her passion and irreplicable touch on the piano, the black swan of piano conjures an unforgettable storm on MARTA, THE TEMPEST. This long-awaited exploratory deep-dive into the classical canon delivers fresh interpretations of works by Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Kaufman, Jirásek, and Webber, complete with a solo piano composition by Brankovich herself that offers an inside look into her artistic emergence. Weaving themes of adversity, opposing forces, and oneness with a profoundly emotive approach, Brankovich delivers a powerful program in this Navona Records release.

  • Virtuoso Piano Works

    Catalog #: NV6486

    Release Date: December 2, 2022

    21st Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Composer Simon Proctor and pianist Tyler Hay join forces to bring a dynamic collection of Proctor’s original compositions to life on VIRTUOSO PIANO WORKS from Navona Records. With works spanning decades of his musical career, Proctor delivers a variety of celebrated classical styles with his own personal twists on this album. From rhapsodies to nocturnes, and everything in between, the composer-pianist duo’s mutual love for virtuosic piano music shines throughout, a perfect pairing that makes for a vicariously exciting listening experience.

  • The Composers

    Catalog #: NV6489

    Release Date: January 13, 2023

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano
    Violin

    Navona Records and pianist Gerry Bryant are proud to present THE COMPOSERS, an album consisting solely of music by exceptionally talented and prolific Black classical music composers who have been overlooked throughout history. Featured within are the works of Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, a slave who was perhaps the first Black American classical music composer, and Florence Price, whose music has so moved Bryant that he has included her in his list of favorite composers. Violinist Mark Cargill joins Bryant on select works throughout the album, a perfect addition to Bryant’s passionate approach to the keys.

  • Folk Themes

    Catalog #: NV6495

    Release Date: February 3, 2023

    Romantic
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Armenian pianist Kariné Poghosyan dazzles with a riveting selection of vibrantly passionate piano music based on folk motifs of five different cultures on FOLK THEMES. Never before has there been a juxtaposition of the works of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (half British, half Sierra-Leonese), Edvard Grieg (Norwegian), Komitas (Armenian) and Franz Liszt (largely Hungarian), and upon listening to FOLK MUSIC, one can't help but wonder why. Despite the composers' respective idiosyncrasies, all pieces share the same inherent tenderness, fire, and zest for life: and Poghosyan isn't shy to show it, both in the profundity of fragile sentiment and in fireworks of exuberant virtuosity.

  • Variations on a Theme by Stefan Wolpe

    Catalog #: NV6496

    Release Date: February 10, 2023

    20th Century
    21st Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Very few genres are as difficult to interpret pianistically as that of contemporary serious music: it often requires a superhuman degree of both virtuosity and patience, and the potential pitfalls of expression are ever-present. Enter Korean pianist Koeun Grace Lee, who zestily breezes through the most varied contemporary repertoire imaginable, with a level of self-assurance and musical competence that borders on being a revelation. While also featuring folkloristically-inspired works by David Burge and Jean Ahn, the heart of VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY STEFAN WOLPE is the similarly-titled work by Robert Gross, spanning no less than twenty variations on a theme by Stefan Wolpe, the German-American interdisciplinary modernist. Sprawling yet precise, decisive yet eclectic, it's the perfect canvas for Lee, and the resulting symbiosis is mesmerizing.

  • Artifacts

    Catalog #: NV6499

    Release Date: February 3, 2023

    21st Century
    Solo Instrumental
    Piano

    Jeffrey John Hall resists conventionality, both in his compositions as well as in their titles. Hence the album consisting of his Seven Piano Pieces isn't called a suite or a cycle, but simply ARTIFACTS. Immaculately performed by pianist Steven Beck, these profoundly cerebral works, written between 1976 and late 2019, mesmerize with a sober exploration of contemporary compositional techniques and the expressive potential of the piano. Often minimal, always highly subjective, Hall's works embrace a flawless balance of communicative functionality and aesthetics, perfectly encapsulating their respective pocket of time, in quite the same manner as an archeological artifact, indeed.