Composer, pianist, and conductor Michael Shapiro joins us to talk about the music on his latest disc, including his John Milton-inspired piano concerto entitled Archangel. In this action-packed work, Shapiro lays out the epic Biblical battle between good and evil as a metaphor for the challenges we all face in our daily lives (which includes the current coronavirus pandemic – something Michael recently fell victim to himself). Also on the disc: orchestral excerpts from an opera based on Federico Garcia Lorca, and a full-throttle realization for orchestra of the famous organ Toccata by
Voice of Hope is Camille Thomas's second album for Deutsche Grammophon. The Franco-Belgian cellist's program pays tribute to people's ability to triumph over adversity, create harmony in place of chaos, and overcome hatred with love. The album presents the world-premiere recording of Fazil Say's concerto Never Give Up, a response to terrorist attacks in Paris and Istanbul written for and premiered by Thomas, and also includes an exquisite selection of songs, prayers, and laments, Bruch's Kol Nidrei and Ravel's Kaddisch among them. For June 30, Camille Thomas - Voice of Hope is the
Recently French composer and pianist Lucas Debargue breathed new life into the harpsichord sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti and presents works outside the standard piano repertoire. The Parisian pianist has already climbed the pinnacle of piano artistry with Beethoven, Liszt and Ravel and unleashed full-blown romantic thunderstorms with Schubert's A-minor Piano Sonata no. 14 and the madcap finale of Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit. On the album, Debargue devotes himself completely to Domenico Scarlatti. He already played four of this Italian master's sonatas on his highly acclaimed
Max Richter's trailblazing 2015 composition Sleep is now available to download with the launch of a new app. The app enables listeners to reimagine the 8-hour Deutsche Grammophon recording in custom-made musical sessions to help with focus, meditation and sleep which many people will need in the midst of the pandemic lockdown. It brings to a wider audience some of the experience shared by those lucky enough to attend Richter's extraordinary eight-hour overnight performances of Sleep – complete with beds – including LTW's own Tim Cooper who wrote about it here when it came to Lon
In episode 925 of "ANIMAJAZZ", conceived and conducted by BRUNO POLLACCI , broadcast TUESDAY June 30 at 20.30, on PUNTORADIO, also streaming on www.puntoradio.fm and in an immediate podcast on http: // animajazz. eu will be the protagonists CARLA BLEY - ANDY SHEPPARD - STEVE SWALLOW - CD "Life Goes On" - "Life Goes On_ III. And On "(ECM). The third volume of a sequence of albums begun with Trios in 2013 and continued with Andando El Tiempo (2016), Life Goes On – once more recorded in Lugano and produced by Manfred Eicher - features striking new music
The 2020 Juno Awards have wrapped, announcing a list of winners that has been on hold since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the in-person Saskatoon weekend of events in March. But tonight, June 29, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CBC combined the usual two-night series of events into an hour-and-a-half-long pre-recorded special, delivering a night that Canadian music fans have been waiting for. Winner for 'Classical album of the year: large ensemble' is Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Kent Nagano, The John Adams Album. R
How can it be possible that we're only halfway through the year? On its relentless whiplash toward the middle, the first six months of 2020 have reframed, redefined, shocked, torn down, confounded and crumbled our expectations, our priorities, our concepts of distance and closeness, of responsibility, of tragedy, of joy. They changed how we listened to music, too: so often alone, through wires and screens and glitches and delays. But in six full months packed with moments where we needed music to cope with challenges new and old, there was so much to see us through. These artists had th
Is there a classical performer more keenly attuned to the moment than the cellist and musical ambassador Yo-Yo Ma? When the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March, Ma launched a participatory social media project (#SongsOf Comfort) that's tapped a deep need for music as a unifying force in these isolating times. The performer's ongoing performances of Bach's Cello Suites around the world have seemed similarly soulful, global, and essential. Never content to stay in any narrow lane, Ma has been crossing borders for decades. As a driving force in The Silk Road Project (now Silkroad), he
Host John Pitman chats with the great Swedish mezzo-soprano, Anne Sofie Von Otter about her performance of a new work by American composer, Caroline Shaw. Title "Is a Rose", the three-movement song cycle is sung by Von Otter with San Francisco's Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, as Shaw has written the work with Baroque ensembles – and Ms. Von Otter – in mind. Next, John talks with the composer herself, touching on the song cycle and her first oratorio, The Listeners, which was inspired by the gold record created for the Voyager spacecraft. Music from Shaw's new
Interview with All Classical Portland's John Pitman
When the coronavirus sequestered Americans at home and forced businesses to close, Hale Ryan braced himself for a financial winter. As the director of sales and marketing at Metroplex Piano in Dallas and a 30-year veteran of the piano business, he had seen other crises - like 9/11 and the 2008 recession - damage sales. When the lockdown began in March, Mr. Ryan said in a recent phone interview, "I thought this was going to be the final nail." Instead, he began to field a flood of requests for instruments. Even with his showroom closed, the economy nose-diving and the professional music
British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor presents a new recording of two concerto favorites: Chopin's Piano Concertos Nos.1 and 2, released on Decca Classics. Recorded with Elim Chan and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), the record marks Benjamin's fifth album on Decca Classics, following the hugely successful Homages in 2016, and is his first orchestral album since 2012. These works have been an active part of Grosvenor's repertoire since his early teens: "Chopin was the first composer to whom I felt a strong connection as
Canadian-born violinist Lara St. John and collaborator, pianist Matt Herskowitz have released a new album; 'Key of A' which pairs Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9, "Kreutzer" in A Major with Cesar Franck's Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano, and also includes Fritz Kreisler's Schön Rosmarin. Lara says about the program: "I'm a bit of a strange violinist, and when I was a kid, supposed to be learning all these normal works that folks do, instead I was learning Bartok solo sonata and Debussy, and Beethoven Concerto and 10th Sonata, and I just sort of
Violins of Hope is an artistic and educational project composed of instruments that were owned by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. Violins in the collection were played in the concentration camps and ghettos, providing a source of comfort for some and a means of survival for others. The project was founded by Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom, Israeli luthiers who collect these instruments, refurbish them to concert quality, and bring them to communities all over the world, so that their voices can be heard again. The Violins of Hope have traveled to Jerusalem, Sion, Mad
Philharmonia Baroque Productions has released a pioneering recording of commissions by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw. The collection features song cycle with Anne Sofie von Otter and a major work for chorus and orchestra with Avery Amereau & Dashon Burton."PBO& Caroline Shaw", the 12th release on the Philharmonia Baroque Productions label, coincides with the launch of the "PBO&" imprimatur, created to record and showcase vital contemporary composers who are committed to composing for the unique sounds of period instruments. WKCR: NYC host Simon Cohen sat down wit
Guitarist John Scofield celebrates the music of his friend and mentor Steve Swallow in an outgoing and spirited recording, made in an afternoon in New York City in March 2019 - "old school" style as Scofield says, acknowledging that more than forty years of preparation led up to it. John was a 20-year-old student at Berklee when he first met and played with bassist Swallow, and they have continued ever since, in many different contexts. "I love these songs", says Scofield of the selection of Swallow compositions explored here – a broad range including tunes that have become standards,
In her latest project, City Lights, violinist Lisa Batiashvili brings together memories of important places in her life with some of the world's most beautiful music. This musical journey from her native Georgia to Paris, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Hollywood features collaborations with artists such as Miloš, Katie Melua, and Till Brönner. City Lights brings together Hollywood legend Charlie Chaplin's own compositions with classics from Piazzolla, J.S. Bach, and the late Michel Legrand – all in new arrangements by Nikoloz Rachveli – as well as a new piece by Katie Mel
Deutsche Grammophon has launched DG Stage: The Classical Concert Hall, a new online platform featuring exclusively produced classical concert streams by the world's leading artists. The pioneering online venture, developed within the DG Premium platform, expands Deutsche Grammophon's commitment to great music, inspirational artists and new technology. International audiences will be able to watch a broad range of classical concerts, including piano recitals, chamber music sessions and orchestra and opera performances, exclusively produced live on tape for DG Stage. "Thanks to the amazin
During this global pandemic, Guitarist Sharon Isbin is enjoying her time alone, which is giving her time to complete some projects she's procrastinated about. I was a bit surprised to hear her say she's a procrastinator given that she's recently created three albums in nine months! One of her most recents is titled Affinity. "The centerpiece of that is a work that is a world premiere concerto by Chris Brubeck that I premiered in 2015 with the Maryland Symphony, who joins me with their magnificent conductor, Elizabeth Schulze on this album and the actual title of that concerto is
As part of Summerfest, this week CPR Classical will be showcasing the work of British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who didn't just rise to fame, he catapulted. By 18 he already had a major record label contract and his first CD under his belt, but it was the call from Meghan Markle, soon to be Duchess of Sussex, that would change his career trajectory. Kanneh-Mason performed three pieces at the royal wedding of Markle and Prince Harry, which had an estimated worldwide audience of 2 billion people. Overnight, a new superstar was born. The third of seven children, Kanneh-Mason firs
Composer Mark Abel has been known for his distinctive vocal music idiom, late Romantic in its aesthetic but often shading off into dissonance. Soprano Hila Plitmann knows his style well, and she is present here in Abel's Four Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva, with difficult but evocative texts translated into English here for the first time. Tsvetaeva was set by Shostakovich at the end of his life, and by Sofia Gubaidulina at the beginning of her international career. That will be enough for many art song devotees, but most of the album is devoted to new instrumental music, more tonal and inte
"Borrowing its title from Marina Tsvetaeva's The Sybil, the CD is a wonderment of powerful words and musical footprints that has a ubiquitous outreach. Merely reading the poetic text by the Russian is emotionally crushing. … Abel's lines require an extremely high tessitura, music that's well-suited for Israeli soprano Hila Plitmann. It speaks directly to the writer's sorrowful life. In a propulsion of unsettledness and like a mighty javelin, her voice pierces the heart: remarkable candor and starkness. Sybil, the proverbial soothsayer, has the power to retract and regain. Hila Plitma
By Michael Shapiro My Second Symphony is a work of absolute music. It has no subtext; it tells no "story"; it just is. I had always wished to write a four-movement symphony, containing a serious first movement, a scherzo, a lyrical slow movement, and a set of variations concluding in transcendence.' Working in 2010 with Marin Alsop and the virtuosic Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music (for the California premiere of my Roller Coaster) provided inspiration to open my symphonic veins further, write a large work for large orchestra, and out came this purely instrumental symphony (my fi
Among of the millions of voices silenced during World War II were those of countless musicians. While imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps, they lifted spirits by playing music on beautifully decorated violins. Many of those instruments were also silenced during the Holocaust. But violinist Niv Ashkenazi has now given a priceless violin its voice back, playing the restored instrument in a new recording featuring works by Jewish composers. "It has a very deep and resonant voice. It is very emotional and warm," said Ashkenazi of the historic violin he plays on Violins of Hope (Albany Re
Norwegian composer and pianist Ola Gjeilo presents a stunning collection of brand-new original works for solo piano, composed and performed by Gjeilo himself. NIGHT is an intimate and meditative collection of peaceful piano music, inspired by the twilight hours in the place he now calls home – New York City. Gjeilo's musical style is often described as cinematic and evocative, characterised by warm harmonies, flowing melodies and gently rocking, repeated figures. He is an exclusive Decca Classics recording artist, and the new album follows the highly succe
The Philharmonia Baroque Productions pioneering recording of commissions by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw features a song cycle with Anne Sofie von Otter and a major work for chorus and orchestra with Avery Amereau & Dashon Burton. This 12th release on the Philharmonia Baroque Productions label, coincides with the launch of the "PBO&" imprimatur, created to record and showcase vital contemporary composers who are committed to composing for the unique sounds of period instruments. The recording will be released on April 3 and reflects the range and versatility of Philharmonia&#
Angele Dubeau's new album; 'Pulsations' brings together works that evoke strong images and possess a profound emotional intensity. "A pulsation marks time, it infuses its rhythm in it and also evokes the heart. Just like those composers whose music calls out to me and who, with their unique signatures, mark time, our time. This pulsation is the arrangement opf Ludovico Einaudi's 'Le Onde.' 'Pulsations' features the music of; Olafur Arnalds, Jean-Michel Blais, Ludovico Einaudi, Alex Baranowski, Craig Armstrong, Peter Gregson, Yann Tiersen, Abel Korzeniowsk
Popular Georgian singer Katie Melua will team up with the Georgian Red Cross Society to lead a charity concert featuring performances of songs requested by her social media followers on Saturday. Melua, who will host the show along with the GRCS on YouTube, told her fans she wanted to contribute to ongoing efforts by the organisation against the pandemic, and honour their work so far. To be broadcast live on Saturday, the YouTube show will raise awareness for the GRCS and let the many fans of the musical artist hear their favourite songs from her. Melua sais "Through these strange times
In episode 924 of "ANIMAJAZZ", conceived and conducted by BRUNO POLLACCI , broadcast on TUESDAY 23 June at 20.30, on PUNTORADIO, also streaming on www.puntoradio.fm and in an immediate podcast on http: // animajazz. eu will be ARTURO O'FARRILL & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra - CD "Four Questions'" - "Cacophonus" GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist/composer Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra released their latest recording, Four Questions (ZOHO Music), featuring special guest Dr. Cornel West on the title composition "Four Questions." Four Questions marks O&#
John Scofield has long admired Steve Swallow, as a friend, a mentor and for his composer skills. A Libra, Swallow was born October 4, 1940 and is celebrated for his collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton and Carla Bley. He is lauded for being someone who stepped away from the upright bass and switched entirely to electric bass long before that was a popular decision for a jazz bassist to make. He is legendary for his stylized use of the upper register on his electric bass and for embracing fusion music. His original musical choices were piano and trumpet. However,
It does, you know - Life Goes On. For most of us, life really does go on and thank goodness, in these crazy Covid-19 pandemic times, there are musicians like Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow producing music of such as beauty as Life Goes On. This album is exquisite. That's all you need to know, really. Take a listen and let me know if you disagree. There's a moment in the title track when Bley's piano drops out, leaving Swallow's bass and Sheppard's tenor sax to fill the air. She then contributes a few, well-placed chords as the trio ends together. This album is the epi
The little I know about Michael Whalen has convinced me that he puts a lot of effort into whatever music he creates–I mean, he does not make music just for the sake of it. Being such a masterful musician that he is, he wants every song to have an appeal for the listener–an intriguing invitation that lets the listener in and opens the fields for interpretation and imagination. Something that I personally believe is the main motive of any kind of music–to widen the horizon of our mind to explore untouched corners. And staying true to the level of expectation that one wou
In the fall of 1968, a sixteen-year old high school student named Danny Scher had a dream to invite legendary jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk and his all-star quartet to perform a concert at his local high school in Palo Alto, CA. In a series of twists and turns, against a backdrop of racial tension and political volatility, that concert happened and was recorded by the school's janitor. Palo Alto is set for release on July 31, 2020 on legendary jazz label Impulse! Records – marking Thelonious Monk's posthumous debut on John Coltrane's label home. "That perfo
Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening! Yo-Yo Ma, cello, Chris Thile, mandolin, Stuart Duncan, violin, Edgar Meyer, bass have released 'Not Our First Goat Rodeo.' This astonishing group of talented musicians records together again, in a follow-up to their GRAMMY-winning 2011 album The Goat Rodeo Sessions. Is it bluegrass? Classical? Jazz, rock, r
Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening! Taking its name from Charlie Chaplin's 1931 film, violinist Lisa Batiashvili's new album "City Lights" crosses genres and mixes memories, places, sounds and music to powerful and haunting effect. "City Lights" includes 11 pieces that represent the most important cities in Lisa's life. "It doesn't matter
Anna Clyne's impressive new work is a cello concerto inspired by Persian poetry and outshining the familiar Elgar work in Inbal Segev's performance. Dance is Anna Clyne's hugely impressive new cello concerto, written for the New York-based cellist Inbal Segev and first performed last year. Both the title and inspiration come from a poem by the 13th-century Persian writer and mystic Rumi; the word "Dance" begins each of its five lines, and Clyne takes the remainder of each of the lines as the titles for the concerto's five movements. That produces a musical scheme that is predominant
Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and pianist Daniel Barenboim, three of today's most renowned classical artists and Beethoven interpreters, celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth with a recording of the Triple Concerto coupled with the Seventh Symphony. The recordings were made at concerts held in Buenos Aires and Berlin – in July and October 2019 respectively – to mark the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra's 20th birthday. In a third anniversary, it is 40 years since the appearance of the legendary Triple Concerto recording made by Mutter and Ma under He
What does atmosphere sound like? Have you ever wondered what the atmosphere of a space sounds like? Well look no further! In this episode, Emmy Award winning film and TV composer Michael Whalen teaches all about the history of ambient music. He talks about its classical music roots, how circuits and tape collages and German composers had a part in its evolution, and how Brian Eno changed everything. He also talks about his own new album of music for sacred spaces. Music in this episode comes from Michael Whalen's latest album, Sacred Spaces. LISTEN TO THE Houston Public Medi
THE HYPERTRAGIC NOTCH AFTER A BRIEF STAY at Stanford University in the late 1960s, Mark Abel was active on the New York rock scene during the 1970s and early 1980s, leading his own groups, producing the bands The Feelies and The Bongos, and playing on albums of Tom Verlaine and former Left Banke mastermind Michael Brown. He returned to California in 1983 and worked in mainstream journalism for two decades, eventually becoming foreign editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. He moved away from rock during that period, immersed himself in classical and gradually began developing his hybridi
In recent decades, Grigory Sokolov has elected to perform solo recitals only, eschewing concertos and probably frustrating some of his many admirers. The great Russian pianist, who rose to fame after winning the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1966, aged only sixteen, also restricts his activities to central Europe because he dislikes long flights and jet lag. He stayed away from recording for a quarter century before being persuaded back, though with strict conditions. All these performances were recorded live in concert. Three years after his last recording, Sokolov ret
Violinist Lara St. John has released her latest album "Key of A" with pianist Matt Herskowitz. The album pairs Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9, "Kreutzer" in A Major with Cesar Franck's Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano, and also includes Fritz Kreisler's Schön Rosmarin."Key of A" featuring Lara St. John & Matt Herskowitz Lara says about the program: "I'm a bit of a strange violinist, and when I was a kid, supposed to be learning all these normal works that folks do, instead I was learning Bartok solo sonata and Debussy, and Beethoven Concerto a
An enchantress calling to all who would listen, is the first thought that came to mind when the beautiful sound of Castle of Dromore filled the air with divine vocals, introducing the much-awaited release from 2002, Celtic Fairy Dreams. Originally Randy and Pamela Copus enchanted their audiences with their enthralling compositions ranging from prog-rock, through to more ambient fields over their past twelve albums. With the addition of their talented daughter Sarah, an accomplished vocalist and musician in her own right, a further ethereal dimension has been entwined within the ca
Master guitar player, Todd Mosby, wins the ZMR (Zone Music Reporter) Award for his album, ‘Open Waters' in the category for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. Open Waters was the only album in the history of the ZMR's to override an Album Of The Year win (FLOW) listed in the same category (FLOW was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album as well). Mosby said; "This is a huge surprise that I was not expecting at all!" Released on August 1, 2019, and produced by Windham Hill Records founder, Will Ackerman, the twelve track concept album depicts a musical journey out of
This formidable release features Inbal Segev performing Elgar's emotive Cello Concerto coupled with DANCE, an inspiring new work by Grammy-nominated English composer Anna Clyne that was commissioned by Segev. Marin Alsop conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Alsop introduced the cellist to Clyne, sparking a special synergy between the three women. Segev expounds, "Anna's music has an old-soul sensibility but is fresh and modern at the same time. This juxtaposition of old and new has always appealed to me; it suits my playing, as well as the tone of my 1673 Ruggieri cello." For Jun
Decca Classics presents the second official joint recording from Seiji Ozawa and Martha Argerich, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.2, and Ozawa's first-ever recording of Grieg's Holberg Suite. Recorded live in concert in Japan in May 2019, it includes a bonus track from Mozart's Divertimento, K. 136. Argerich and Ozawa first performed together over 40 years ago, when Argerich made her sensational Boston Symphony Orchestra debut. Since then, the artists have developed a deep creative friendship, lighting up concert halls around the world and achieving critical acclaim. The recording
Thank goodness there are still musicians around who don't confuse Allegro with Presto, or Presto with Prestissimo. It's unbelievable the number of younger, up-and-coming pianists these days that feel they have to play everything as fast as possible. What are they trying to prove besides the fact that they don't have one musical bone in their body. The first time I heard Russian pianist Grigory Sokolov was in the early 1990s when he was recording for the Opus 111 label (now defunct or under the umbrella of the Naïve label) and I was highly impressed by his musicianship. Ther
Ola Gjeilo is a Norwegian composer who may be best known for his contemporary choral works. His latest recording, finds him back where he started, seated at the piano, where he improvised 18 pieces, that reflect his affection for his current home, NYC. Gjeilo says: "I started playing piano when I was four or five, I think. So I started improvising and then eventually sort of composing at some point. And, and that's so the piano has always been my personal way of expressing myself as a musician." READ THE New Classical Tracks Q&A
Sony Music Masterworks today releases Not Our First Goat Rodeo, the long-awaited follow-up album to the GRAMMY Award-winning The Goat Rodeo Sessions, with Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile. Making its debut alongside the new album is a live performance video for the song "The Trappings," featuring guest artist Aoife O'Donovan. Sharing the story behind the track, Yo-Yo Ma recalls: "‘The Trappings' came out of a question of aesthetics. I believe Edgar was talking about pop music, how he used to think, ‘Oh, if something's too poppy, I'm not going to like it.
Between the pandemic, the economic crisis and now protests, 2020 has already been a lot. Yo-Yo Ma has been coping, and trying to help the rest of us cope, with music. The cellist has been posting videos of himself playing what he calls "Songs of Comfort." "I do believe that everything that we do," he says, "people in every profession - medical workers, the delivery people, the politicians - we all are there to serve. We only exist because someone has a need. I know that music fulfills that kind of need." Ma is also releasing new music. Along with Americana musicians Chris Thile, Edgar M
Israeli born trumpeter Avishai Cohen is just one of many musicians, who have been influenced by this so called "young lion" period, but has distinctly, like fellow Israeli ECM labelmates Oded Tzur, Anat Fort and Shai Maestro brought forth influences from that country's music but also music across genres that were inspiring. This is the name of the game in jazz now, musicians bringing forth what inspired them, whether it be Nirvana, Radiohead, Boards of Canada, Wu Tang Clan or anything they grew up with. For the fourth album bearing his name for ECM, Cohen debuts an exciting new quintet
Trevor Morris is the featured guest on our Keeping Score podcast, produced and hosted by Crossover Media's Max Horowitz. The composer tells of his experience scoring The Vikings series while giving a closer look into the cultivating tracks from The Final Season. On air since 2013, Vikings was the US TV channel History's first original series, and was created and written by Michael Hirst. It tells the stories of the Norsemen of Scandinavia, beginning with the raid of Lindisfarne and progressing as Viking rule expanded around the world. Season 6 begins six months after the battle
John Williams has added to an already incredibly long list of achievements by making his conducting debut with the Vienna Philharmonic. Their two concerts at Vienna's Musikverein in January 2020 were the first performances he had ever conducted in continental Europe. Williams and the orchestra were joined on stage for much of the first half by Anne-Sophie Mutter, continuing an artistic partnership formed last year for the album Across the Stars, which featured many new adaptations of the composer's music for violin and orchestra. As she said after the first concert, Mutter also took great p
Undertaking a detailed review of Sharon Isbin's CV would undoubtedly require the publication of an encyclopedia. The one who is rightly considered to be the greatest classical guitarist today has, over her multiple recordings and awards, conquered as much by an incomparable virtuosity as by her perpetual desire for musical eclecticism. As proof, his latest project, "Strings for Peace", invites the listener to a delicious journey on the banks of the Ganges where the guitar notes respond to the sarod of master Amjad Ali Khan. If Sharon Isbin imagined in his early childhood working on laun
I fell in love with the work of Chris Haugen back in 2015 when he released the album Falling Water, Shimmering Strings, and still to this day I feature it heavily on my personal musical playlists of choice. Now Chris is back with a brand new offering entitled First Light. For a coastal dweller like me, First Light is a magical time, fishing boats hit the sea, birds flock to gather for an early morning snack, and a hazy sun might well catch a surfer or a swimmer on their personal embrace with the ocean, and the title track off this album sums those thoughts up perfectly. This is inde
On her latest release, multiple Grammy winner Sharon Isbin performs multi-faceted and virtuosic new works for guitar, written for her by four leading composers. From the Africa-influenced El Decameron Negro by iconic Cuban guitarist/composer Leo Brouwer, through the Chinese and Spanish-inspired Seven Desires by Tan Dun, to Richard Danielpour's sensual song cycle Of Love and Longing, and the jazz and world music-influenced Affinity by Chris Brubeck, Sharon Isbin gives her inimitable imprint to, and vastly enriches major new repertoire for guitar. For June 10 2020, Sharon Isbin - Affinity
The renowned cellist, who has soothed us during the pandemic with "Songs of Comfort," also puts Fred Rogers, Pablo Casals and his Benoît Rolland bow on his list of cultural essentials. Yo-Yo Ma has long been the person we turn to when music can express what words cannot. So in March, as the coronavirus plunged the nation into crisis, Mr. Ma asked himself how he could be helpful. Then he did what he does best: He picked up his cello, pushed record on his phone and played "#SongsOfComfort" for us, inviting the public to participate in his soothing social media project. The respo
Cal Poly Pomona Music Professor Nadia Shpachenko won her first Grammy Award for her album, "The Poetry of Places," in the category of Best Classical Compendium at the Staples Center on Jan. 26. "I feel like the Grammy is the icing on the cake," the Ukranian-born Shpachenko said. "I really did this project because I wanted to work with these composers … I wanted to connect the works with all the things I was passionate about, in this case architecture." In this podcast, Shpachenko talks to Rio Grande Guardian broadcaster Mario Muñoz about the new album. The interview took p
A collaboration that's about a decade in the making, classical guitar artist Sharon Isbin joined forces with sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, for 'Strings for Peace via ZOHO,' the meditative four-track album that features a blend between sarod and guitar, adapting four raagas album. While Isbin – three-time Grammy award winner including the Best Instrumental Soloist category – has collaborated with everyone from Joan Baez to Steve Vai, composer Howard Shore and more, she's been friends with Khan and his family
Throughout the week Classic FM's presenters bring you the best new recordings, including world exclusives and premiere broadcasts of latest releases. This week: ‘City Lights' by Lisa Batiashvili receives; 'Album of the Week.' Alexander Armstrong plays a track from this Deutsche Grammophon album at 10.15am every weekday. In this latest release, Georgian violinist Lisa Batiashvili brings together the places and memories that have held an important place in her life with the most beautiful music in the world. Batiashvili takes listeners on a musical journey from her home coun
Elgar's Violin Concerto is considered to be one of the most technically demanding violin concertos and is a marathon for the soloist at just under an hour in length. Nicola Benedetti performs this masterpiece with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. Pianist Petr Liminov joins Benedetti for three short works by Elgar for violin and piano: Sospiri, Salut d'Amour (Elgar's first published work in 1888), and Chanson de Nuit. Commenting on her new album, Benedetti says, "The depth of love and fascination I have for this man and his music has made this entire process
Sharon Isbin is a multiple Grammy-Winning guitarist. On this CD, she is celebrating the tradition of ragas and talas birthed in North Indian classical music. Amjad Ali Khan has composed all four songs for this project based on popular ragas and arranged expressly for Sharon Isbin. The four artists are joined by Amit Kavthekar on tabla. Amit is a disciple of Indian drummers like Alla Rakha and his son Zakir Hussain. Sharon Isbin titled the music of Khan (with emphasis on guitar and sarod) "sheer genius." Many people have heralded this quartet's ability to
I absolutely love a good jazz guitar album. Wolfgang Muthspiel offers us a rich, inspired trio album that features his formidable talents on both acoustic and electric guitars. His music is so lyrical and melodic, I become enchanted by the very first song titled, "Wondering." His drummer is Louisiana-born, Brian Blade and his bassist is Scott Colley, a Los Angeles native. Scott was mentored by Charlie Haden and has performed with jazz icons like Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, Michael Brecker, Carmen McRae and Bobby Hutcherson to name only a few. Percussionist, Blade ha
The Violins of Hope project was founded by Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom Weinstein, Israeli luthiers who collect the actual instruments that have survived from their time in the camps of the Holocaust, refurbish them to concert quality, and bring them to communities all over the world. James A. Grymes documented this in his 2014 book Violins of Hope: Violins of the Holocaust - Instruments of Hope & Liberation in Mankind's Darkest Hour. Niv Ashkenazi is the only violinist to have one of these instruments on a long-term loan. "In most Violins of Hope events, musicians have
Much attention will be given to the instrument violinist Niv Ashkenazi plays on his debut album-justifiably so-but as much should go to the calibre of the performances he and pianist Matthew Graybil, Juilliard graduates both, bring to this special recording. The album takes its name from a project founded by Israeli luthiers Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom whereby instruments owned by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust are collected and refurbished to concert quality so that their voices can be heard anew. The violins in the collection (the Weinsteins have restored nearly
Arturo O'Farrill is no stranger to complex artistic statements or critiquing systemic social problems. Given the vast-but nuanced-nature of the topics O'Farrill has explored throughout his career, the pianist, composer and bandleader frequently enlists a wealth of performers as collaborators. The approach continues with Four Questions (Zoho). While collaboration is a hallmark of jazz, O'Farrill and his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra continually work to offer an expanse of musical, conceptual and political ideas. For the title track, Dr. Cornel West, the author and activist, contributes multi
Laila Biali mixes sassy vocals and a rich vibrato to her clever lyrics as well as some well crafted covers on this recent album. She also plays piano and keyboards as she is supported by various strings, horns and a rhythm team of Rich Brown/eb, George Koller/ab, Larnel Lewis-Ben Wittman/dr, and Glen Patscha/key-org. She delivers a lovely aria of Gregory Porter's "Take Me To The Alley" and shows she can tell an alluring story on "Glass House" and "Wendy's Song" using her vibrato to extra enhancement. Some R&B-ish material has her feisty on " The Bakery's Daughter" and she's funky hon "S
The Romantic theme of the wanderer, a free spirit undertaking a journey into the self, runs through Seong-Jin Cho's latest solo album. The globetrotting Korean pianist's program includes two monuments of the 19th-century repertoire – Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy and Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor. The album also contains Alban Berg's Piano Sonata, Op. 1, a single-movement work of extraordinary intensity. All three compositions grow from a simple theme or melodic gesture which is then transformed in the course of a voyage of variation, development, and discovery. "This music looks forw
On a Friday evening a few months ago, when it was entirely normal to be in a packed concert hall, Sheku Kanneh-Mason finished playing Saint-Saëns's Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The British cellist had torn through the classic piece, which unfolds in a 20-minute whoosh. "It just kind of starts," he had said at lunch that afternoon. There are no gaps between the concerto's sections, so no breaks for awkward throat clearing. No big solo cadenza stops the momentum. Mr. Kanneh-Mason's playing is more poised than fiery:
Grammy Award-Winning guitarist Sharon Isbin pulled double duty with two new albums that feature her work. One is the classical release "Affinity" and the other centers around the Northern Indian music of "Strings For Peace." Isbin's guitar work is simply stunning on the beautifully done album "Affinity." It features nine tracks beginning with the gentle, graceful touch of Chris Brubeck's "Affinity: Concerto For Guitar & Orchestra," as a tribute to the Dave Brubeck Centennial. The three part "El Decameron Negro" really showcases Sharon's work on the guitar, as the composition
This week, we have a whole album of Beatles covers by jazz-rock fusion guitarist Al Di Meola, and it's called Across the Universe. New Jersey-native Al Di Meola has been prominent on the scene since the early 1970s, when he was recruited at the age of 19 to become a member of Chick Corea's fusion band Return to Forever. He is certainly a household name among guitar fans, and over the years, he has released dozens of albums, three of which achieved gold sales status. He has also collaborated with artists ranging from Paul Simon and Phil Collins to Herbie Hancock and Frank Zappa, and even
Each Monday through Thursday morning, host and meditation teacher Bob Roth shares bite-sized talks designed to bring you one step closer to finding peace in your life – from sharing personal stories about the power of meditation to teaching simple tips about living well. Whether you want to master meditation or just want to find a moment of peace during these turbulent times, tune in, get comfortable, and let Bob guide you to a calmer you. All you need is a few minutes and an open mind. When the Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist, Sharon Isbin, performed at Ground Zero
Music is often used as a vehicle to build community, and "Strings for Peace" illustrates how North Indian classical music can convey the world's hope for peace, unity and optimism. Multi Grammy award winning classical guitarist Sharon Isbin has a long-standing spiritual connection to India, its music, and transcendental meditation. The four world premiere ragas, composed by sarod virtuoso Amjad Ali Khan, provide soothing music for reflection and meditation. The album also features Amjad Ali Khan's sons (Amaan and Ayaan) on sarod, as well as tabla virtuoso Amit Kavthekar. The sarod (
On Saturday 6th June, Libera were due to perform a concert in Ely Cathedral in the UK. Due to the COVID - 19 pandemic, this event has been postponed - but......... there will still be a Concert - a Mini-Concert which will be shown online! Please join us at 7 30pm UK time, when we will be singing on-line with an orchestra like we've never done before! This will be shown as a YouTube Premier and the concert will be remain on-line after that first 'transmission'. This concert is free for all to watch. But if you are able to make a donation to help us with the cost of presenting
The English composer Thomas Adès is certainly one of the most performed of contemporary composers due to his early advocacy by Simon Rattle and EMI. He is also a ‘compleat' musician in that he is not only a fine composer, he is also an excellent pianist and conductor. This new disc featuring the recent Piano Concerto (2018) with its dedicatee, Kirill Gerstein, is recorded live with the Boston Symphony at its world premiere. Throughout the orchestra must be applauded for the commitment to the pieces here – veering from the mastery of Adès' modern idiom to regula
Niv Ashkenazi: Violins of Hope is the first solo album to be recorded on one of these instruments. Niv Ashkenazi is the only violinist in the world to hold an instrument from the Violins of Hope collection on a long-term loan, and this album was conceived as a way to create a lasting record of the voice of that violin. Ashkenazi is joined on the album by his fellow Juilliard graduate, pianist Matthew Graybil, and the duo first worked together on the project at various ‘Violins of Hope' events in Sarasota Florida in 2017. The Weinstein family commented; "Niv is the only violin
Vienna based Wolfgang Muthspiel, a strikingly inventive and original guitarist returns with Angular Blues following 2018's excellent quintet offering, Where The River Goes featuring Ambrose Akinmusire, Brad Mehldau, and Larry Grenadier. For the new trio disc Brian Blade, a long time collaborator of the guitarist returns to the drum chair (having been replaced by Eric Harland on the previous recording). The group is filled out by the first call, excellent Los Angeles bred but New York based double bass of Scott Colley. Over seven Muthspiel originals and two fresh look
Michael Whalen's "Sacred Spaces" is an epic recording nearly ten years in the making. Whalen said; "I have been pursuing a spiritual ‘awakening' for most of my adult life. Over the past decade, I realized that I am 100 percent responsible for whatever my relationship with a ‘higher being' might be." Filled with sonic landscapes built from hundreds of layers of sound, "Sacred Spaces" is Michael's tour-de-force electronic project, which seamlessly blends his natural gift for melody with fresh textures and percolating rhythms. Deeply inspired by Michael's film a
The pianist Igor Levit is always one-upping himself. His recordings have swollen from a collection of four Beethoven sonatas to the entire cycle; his performances, from a traditional recital to, as of Sunday, a livestream lasting over 15 hours. In an extraordinary act of musical self-flagellation, Mr. Levit played Erik Satie's "Vexations" - a mysterious and absurd work consisting only of four lines repeated 840 times - to evoke and draw attention to the difficulties facing artists during the coronavirus pandemic. (Each iteration was printed on a single sheet of paper; they will be aucti
JUNO Award winner Laila Biali's new album, Out of Dust features not only contributions from the singer/pianist's husband; Ben Wittman and son, but also multiple GRAMMY nominees and winners including Lisa Fisher, Alan Ferber, John Ellis, and Larnell Lewis. "There's a line from a song by the indie gospel group, Gungor, that has become like an anthem to me," Biali says. "‘He makes beautiful things out of dust.' That's where the title for the album comes from, and as a songwriter and musician, my ultimate intention and hope is to spread a little more love." Li
At the end of every month, the NPR Music team picks their favorite albums and songs. Everyone has their passions and they vary widely, from the Atlanta rapper Deante' Hitchcock to the Australian ambient artist Madeleine Cocolas. On this week's show, we hear the No. 1 albums and songs of May as picked by our staff. There's the Portland band MAITA, which features a singer who entered our Tiny Desk contest in 2018. We also have the 20-year-old Eve Owen (who released an album produced by The National's Aaron Dessner), a team-up between classical guitarist Sharon Isbin and In
Life Goes On is another insightful album with Sheppard and Swallow (their fourth). Represented in three "micro-suites",l the album is exquisite in its minimalist approach. The vibrant trio chemistry executes a connective, lyrical symmetry. Some A opens with the 4-part title opus. The first section ("Life Goes On") begins with a slow left-hand blues vamp by Bley that is quickly joined by bass and tenor saxophone. There is an intrinsic whimsy to this melancholy, as bassist Steve Swallow plays his solo like a guitar. When Sheppard enters, he plays in unison. Then the vibrato-infused run (mostl
In episode 921 of "ANIMAJAZZ", conceived and conducted by BRUNO POLLACCI , broadcast on TUESDAY 2 June at 20.30, on PUNTORADIO, also streaming on www.puntoradio.fm and in an immediate podcast on http: // animajazz. eu will be the protagonists of the evening, which include; "The Dream"; by ODED TZUR from "Here Be Dragons" Here Be Dragons is the ECM debut of New York based, Tel Aviv born tenor saxophonist Oded Tzur, one of the most strikingly original musicians to have emerged from Israeli's creative jazz scene in recent years, and the leader of an outstanding group.
It can be said that this is the time for unity and harmony. These qualities are also found in music, especially across genres, as is the case of the new album Strings for Peace, where east and west come together. This album is the result of a collaboration between sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, his sons Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan and multiple Grammy winning classical guitar artist Sharon Isbin. The music of Strings of Peace is a fusion of classical sarod and guitar music. Explaining the title, Amaan Ali Khan says, "Strings for peace is extremely relevant. Especially in the w
Sharon Isbin had had quite a prolific year, as Affinity is her 2nd album so far. On this installment, Isbin delivers new works for guitar written by 4 esteemed composers, and in her typical fashion, she puts her inimitable skills to the songs that resonate with beauty, grace and playfulness. "Affinity: Concerto For Guitar & Orchestra" starts the listen with sweeping strings as incredible guitar playing from Isbin unfolds with precision and timelessness that almost takes on a cinematic quality with jazz sensibilities, and "El Arpa del Guerrero" follows with acrobatic prowess that retreat
Vinyl is back! Each month on "Vinyl Watch," we list some of the most noteworthy new vinyl releases - including new albums, reissues, special-edition box sets and more. At JAZZIZ, we share the vinyl community's appreciation of the experience of collecting and playing vinyl records. As an increasing number of music fans discover the joy of vinyl, we hope these lists will serve as a starting point for new musical discoveries. This "Vinyl Watch" install includes; Robin McKelle, Alterations (Doxie Records). A celebration of the long tradition of female song interpreters. Vocalist Robin McKel
If Michael Fine is a well-known American producer of classical music, few people today know his talents as a composer. This recording of the five quintets, for wind instruments and string quartet, constitutes an excellent opportunity to fill this gap… All the works presented here are served by excellent soloists. Starting with the Bassoon Quintet (2017) with Fei Xie, in turn playful, a bit jazzy, lyrical and virtuoso. Elegy for… (2016) with Robert Walters on the English horn, suggests a lyrical lament more melancholy than genuinely painful. The Clarinet Quintet (2015) is b
The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit - stripped-down sets, an intimate setting - just a different space. Lara Downes thrives on collaboration. Her new album features Toshi Reagon, the vocal ensemble MUSICALITY and the string quartet called PUBLIQuartet. But in this intimate piano recital from her home in Sacramento, Calif., her only collaborators are her son Simon, who takes on cinematography duties, and her beloved po
"Violins of Hope is an artistic and educational project composed of instruments that were owned by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust." - James A. Grymes, author of Violins of Hope Violinist Niv Ashkenazi plays one such violin for this recording, and states in the booklet, "I have chosen Jewish repertoire from throughout its lifetime..." Mr. Ashkenazi is an alum of the Perlman Music Program, and I often hear hints of Perlman in his playing. With this particular violin, his tone is gorgeous - husky and full of texture, perfectly suited to this music. He plays with passi
From Money Heist creator, Álex Pina, and set to be one of this year's hottest new releases, The 10-part Netflix's new drama 'White Lines' explores the underbelly of Ibiza's nightclub scene, and the fictional murder of Manchester DJ, Axel Collins. Over 20 years after his disappearance, Axel's body is uncovered on a plot of land outside of Ibiza Town, before his little sister Zoe (now a grown woman) visits the party island to find out the truth and bring his killer to justice. But things aren't that simple; Zoe, who suffered a mental breakdown as a teenager,
When the story of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police began making news last week, Clarinetist Anthony McGill felt something roiling up inside him. The clarinetist, a veteran of the Cincinnati Symphony and Metropolitan Opera orchestras who now holds the principal clarinet chair at the New York Philharmonic - making him the first African American to hold a principal position in that 178-year-old ensemble - began to write down some thoughts. Then he grabbed his instrument. On May 27, McGill posted a solo performance of "America the Beautiful" to Facebook. Twea
California-based composer Mark Abel's life journey is a fascinating one. He started off as a rock musician, and it was during a stint as a newspaper editor in San Francisco that the classical side of his output developed. In 2012, Abel became affiliated with the Delos record label; since then there has been a steady stream of releases of which the most recent, The Cave of Wondrous Voice, forms the basis for the present interview. When did your involvement with classical music begin and which composers appealed the most-and why? The involvement began at a very early age, as my da
JUNO Award winner Laila Biali's new album, Out of Dust features not only contributions from the singer/pianist's husband; Ben Wittman and son, but also multiple GRAMMY nominees and winners including Lisa Fisher, Alan Ferber, John Ellis, and Larnell Lewis. "There's a line from a song by the indie gospel group, Gungor, that has become like an anthem to me," Biali says. "‘He makes beautiful things out of dust.' That's where the title for the album comes from, and as a songwriter and musician, my ultimate intention and hope is to spread a little more love." Listen
A reimagining of Peter Pan that transplants it to the American Deep South, Wendy is the second movie from director Benh Zeitlin; as on the first (Beasts of the Southern Wild) he has co-composed the score with Dan Romer. It's a playful score with more than a dash of magic – and if I say that it's got a reasonable sized orchestra, plenty of pizzicato strings, all sorts of percussion, a large number of colourful instruments adding distinctive flavours including dulcimer, glass harmonica, guitars and marimba then you'll probably think it sounds a bit like Thomas Newman. In fact it doesn't
The soundtrack for season 5 of Outlander, with music composed by Bear McCreary is available now. In Season 5 of Outlander, Jamie Fraser must fight to protect those he loves, as well as the home he has established alongside his wife, Claire Fraser, their family, and the settlers of Fraser's Ridge. This new mantle of responsibility sees him pitted against his godfather, Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser, a leader of North Carolina's Regulator Rebellion. Claire Fraser is determined to keep her family safe by any means necessary, whatever the consequences… while Brianna Fraser and R
The soundtrack for the HBO Original Series Betty is now available from Milan Records. Starring Dede Lovelace, Moonbear, Nina Moran, Ajani Russell, and Rachelle Vinberg, Betty follows a diverse group of young women navigating their lives through the predominantly male-oriented world of skateboarding, set against the backdrop of New York City. The soundtrack for Betty was composed by Aska Matsumiya, who is a LA based Japanese composer and producer who has excelled across Film, Television, Advertising and music production. Matsumiya says: "Writing the music for Betty allowed m
Composer Michael Whalen has a wide-ranging musical background that includes classical music. He's worked on more than 800 TV and film scores, thousands of commercials and numerous TV themes and video games. Michael is also a world-renowned recording artist and producer with 32 solo and soundtrack recordings to his credit. In talking with me about his new album "Sacred Spaces," Michael expressed a desire to break down the barriers of musical genres. While some might describe similar works as ambient music, he explains his style is a little different and contains a l
Recently, I got the chance to listen to the original motion picture soundtrack for Vivarium. Described as an existential trip to suburban Hell, Vivarium follows a young couple looking for the perfect place to live. In search of their dream home, the couple find themselves trapped in a bizarre labyrinthine neighborhood of identical houses. In time, the surreal situation spirals further and further out of control. The soundtrack for this film was written by Danish composer Kristian Eidnes Andersen. He received a degree from the National Film School of Denmark, and has been sound designer on m
I got the opportunity to check out the recently released soundtrack for the Netflix Original Series White Lines, with music composed by Tom Holkenborg (aka Junkie XL). The series follows Zoe Walker (Laura Haddock), a young woman who travels to Ibiza after the body of her brother turns up…20 years after he vanished. The 10-episode premiered on Netflix on May 15, 2020. Tom's film scoring credits have grossed over $2 billion at the box office and include Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Black Mass, Alita Battle Angel, Divergent, Brimstone, The Dark Tower, Tomb Raider, Terminator: Dark
Michael Whalen's "Sacred Spaces" is an epic recording nearly ten years in the making. "I have been pursuing a spiritual ‘awakening' for most of my adult life. Over the past decade, I realized that I am 100 percent responsible for whatever my relationship with a ‘higher being' might be," says Whalen. Filled with sonic landscapes built from hundreds of layers of sound, "Sacred Spaces" is Michael's tour-de-force electronic project, which seamlessly blends his natural gift for melody with fresh textures and percolating rhythms. Deeply inspired by Michael's film a
The Carr-Petrova Duo's Novel Voices Refugee Aid Project project is designed to give voice and visibility, through music and film, to the lives and struggles of both local and international refugee communities, and to encourage audiences and artists alike to become connected and involved. Since August 2018, it has brought free, interactive classical music concerts and workshops to displaced populations while increasing awareness of and raising support for both U.S.-based and international refugee-aid programs. On the concept of the album, the Duo remarks, "Within this album liv
New York-based composer, conductor and author Michael Shapiro recently recovered from COVID-19. While in hospital in New York he had help from the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland, thanks to a local nun. "She got on the phone with the priests and the nuns in Dublin… and they prayed Mass for me. Can you imagine, a Jewish boy from Brooklyn?" Shapiro said this is representative of a connection, spiritually, between all of us. "Blessings to those lovely people. I will never forget it."It confirms where I believe all of us in beloved United States and and international countries mu
