• The Ties That Bind

    Catalog #: NV6453

    Release Date: August 26, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Viola
    Violin

    Navona Records and Australian composer Lee Bradshaw present THE TIES THAT BIND, a collection of chamber music for strings that reveal an explicit and emotionally-charged truth. Brought to life by Baiba Skide (violin), Ivan Vukčević (viola), and Harriet Krijgh (violoncello), the album features works that redefine the expressive possibilities of contemporary string playing; and in which the performers are compelled to delve deeply into their own artistry. Bradshaw’s sensuous and yet muscular compositional style displays a profound intimacy for his craft, which ultimately renders music of a rare and arresting beauty.

  • Andrew Lewinter: Chamber Works

    Catalog #: NV6471

    Release Date: November 11, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Cello
    Piano
    Violin

    Tonality is slowly but steadily making its way into the toolbox of contemporary music again. Accomplished orchestral horn player Andrew Lewinter, who returned to composing in 2016 after a long hiatus, thankfully discovered that very toolbox, and the result can be heard on CHAMBER WORKS. Two quintets and one trio in classical instrumentation, and the neo-Romantic tonal language to match: it’s a difficult feat to pull off. Lewinter, however, diversifies with minimalist elements and, drawing from his considerable experience as an orchestral performer, imbues his chamber works with symphonic richness. It’s the secret ingredient, and it works.

  • Andrew Anderson: Chamber Works

    Catalog #: NV6476

    Release Date: December 2, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Piano
    Viola
    Violin

    In a modern age crowded with distractions, one quickly learns to appreciate the little oases of peace. Andrew Anderson's 2022 Navona Records release, CHAMBER WORKS, might just be such an oasis – written with replenishing qualities, great clarity, and a sense of purpose. Throughout the album, Anderson skillfully demonstrates his ability to draw on the styles of the great compositional masters while creating a musical language that is truly unique and spoken through a variety of thoughtful orchestrations. Comprehensive in its content and imbued with tranquility, ANDREW ANDERSON: CHAMBER WORKS offers a variegated glimpse into Anderson’s distinct compositional style.

  • Sonic Apricity

    Catalog #: NV6485

    Release Date: December 9, 2022

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Piano
    Viola
    Violin

    What happens when you combine a love for uncovering new gems in classical music with two highly skilled performers? Violist Jacob Tews and Violinist Erik Rohde answer this very question with SONIC APRICITY: an album consisting of works they have either commissioned or championed, and the namesake of their musical coalescence. The duo presents a dynamic selection of new pieces from contemporary composers Augusta Read Thomas, Erzsébet Szőnyi, Elliott Miles McKinley, Christopher Walczak, and Michael-Thomas Foumai, an engaging program of works influenced by poetry, notable tales from pop culture, the passage of time, and more.

  • 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.

  • Shards

    Shards

    Catalog #: NV6549

    Release Date: August 11, 2023

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Flute
    Piano
    Violin

    Sarah Wallin Huff returns to Navona Records with SHARDS, a wide variety of compositions that explore life, love, death, and the philosophy and mysticism that make up the in-betweens. True to the unique identity of Wallin Huff’s admirable body of work, the compositions building SHARDS structure themselves around brilliantly original frameworks while also delivering a philosophical, thoughtful structure to the album. Wallin Huff sufficiently and spectacularly elaborates upon her identity as a self-described “stream-of-consciousness composer” in this contemplative and explorative journey, a comprehensive album sure to make waves with its mystical nature.

  • Mere Mortals

    Catalog #: NV6563

    Release Date: October 27, 2023

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Piano
    Violin

    Caitlin Edwards and Daniel Schlosberg work in collaboration to bring us MERE MORTALS, an exceptional performance and intuitive study on works for violin and piano by composers of marginalized identities with a brilliant legacy to share with the world. In a world that often grinds us to the bone, MERE MORTALS asks us to slow down, step back, and appreciate the fruits of our labor, reminding us that although our time on this earth is fleeting, it can also be a rich and exploratory experience that enables us to leave an immortal and vital legacy behind.

  • Mother Tales

    Catalog #: NV6581

    Release Date: December 8, 2023

    20th Century
    21st Century
    Chamber
    Piano
    Violin

    Against the backdrop of the pandemic, violinist Sunmi Chang and pianist Clara Yang embarked on this meaningful project. MOTHER TALES is an album that pays tribute to four remarkable women composers – Florence Price, Gabriela Lena Frank, Liliya Ugay, and Amy Beach. Notably, the album shares the same title as Liliya Ugay’s commissioned work, an exquisite and heartwarming piece that reflects on motherhood. However, in this project, the concept of a “mother” transcends biological boundaries, encompassing all those who have had a profound influence and nurturing presence in the lives of others.

  • Elevate

    Catalog #: NV6625

    Release Date: May 10, 2024

    21st Century
    Chamber
    Flute
    String Quartet
    Violin

    Navona Records is pleased to present ELEVATE, the second installment of All Classical Radio’s award-winning Recording Inclusivity Initiative. A response to the industry’s inequities in classical music recordings, the RII highlights music from underrepresented communities to build a more diverse and inclusive soundscape around the world. Bringing to life the sonatas of Yuko Uébayashi and Nobu Kōda and a string quartet by Damien Geter, ELEVATE pairs deserving compositional talent with several of today’s leading classical performers — a synergetic testament to the power of uplifting each other in the arts.

  • Songs for a New Century

    Catalog #: NV6623

    Release Date: May 3, 2024

    21st Century
    Romantic
    Chamber
    Solo Instrumental
    Cello
    Piano
    Violin

    The singing quality of string instruments ties together SONGS FOR A NEW CENTURY, a program featuring both world premiere recordings of new music commissioned for the artists and world premiere recordings of masterpieces by Mendelssohn. The program opens with a set of Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words, beginning with the Opus 109 written by the composer for cello and piano. It continues with a set of arrangements for cello and piano, some recorded for the first time, by the 19th century cellist Alfredo Piatti, a personal friend of Mendelssohn’s upon whose cello Jonathan Miller plays. Gabriela Lena Frank’s Operetta for violin and cello, the composer writes, expands upon Mendelssohn’s concept of the “song without words,” creating opera without words that evokes scenes and characters through singing music for the duo of violin (Lucia Lin) and cello. Scott Wheeler’s second cello sonata, Songs Without Words, was inspired by Miller’s singing cello tone. Finally, Judith Weir’s Three Chorales for cello and piano meditate on religious poetry, departing from hymn texts –– and in the third Chorale, a melody from Hildegard of Bingen –– in a triptych that evokes the human condition.