Choose artist...
Home   >   About us

Crossover Media


Founded in 1994, Crossover Media's client list includes: Sony Masterworks, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, BMG, and Concord, along with many Independent Labels and Artists. Projects include collaborations with the following artists: 2CELLOS, Alexandre Desplat, Andras Schiff, Andrea Bocelli, Andris Nelsons, Anna Netrebko, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Angele Dubeau, Angelique Kidjo, Anoushka Shankar, Antonio Sanchez, Arcade Fire, Arturo Sandoval, Bebel Gilberto, Becca Stevens, Bela Fleck, Bettye LaVette, Bill Frisell, Bill Charlap, Bill Murray, Billy Childs, Billy Joel, Bob James, Bobby McFerrin, Brandee Younger, Branford Marsalis, Brian Eno, Burkard Schliessmann, Cassandra Wilson, Cecilia Bartoli, Charlie Haden, Chick Corea, Chilly Gonzales, Daniel Barenboim, Daniel Hope, Daniil Trifonov, David Crosby, David Foster, David Sanborn, Devonte Hynes, Diana Krall, Don Sebesky, Ella Fitzgerald, Emanuel Ax, Ennio Morricone, Evgeny Kissin, Frank Sinatra, Gabriel Kahane, George Benson, George Winston, Gustavo Dudamel, Gustavo Santaolalla, Hans Zimmer, Helene Grimaud, Hilary Hahn, Hildur Guonadottir, Hubert Laws, Hubert Sumlin, Huey Lewis & The News, Igor Levit, Itzhak Perlman, Jake Shimabukuro, Jan Garbarek, Jarvis Cocker, Jeff Goldblum, Jessye Norman, Jethro Tull, Jimmy Webb, Joan Baez, Joe Lovano, Joey Alexander, Johann Johannsson, John Coltrane, John Scofield, John Williams, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, Jonny Greeenwood, Joshua Bell, Joy Harjo, Joyce DiDonato, Keith Jarrett, Kenny Barron, Krzysztof Penderecki, Kurt Masur, Lee Konitz, Leif Ove Andsnes, Lena Horne, London Symphony Orchestra, Luciano Pavarotti, Madison Cunningham, Mark O'Connor, Martha Argerich, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Max Richter, Medeski Martin & Wood, Melody Gardot, Michel Camilo, Paul McCartney, Paul Winter, Pete Townshend, Phil Woods, Rachel Portman, Randall Goosby, Ray Charles, Regina Carter, Renee Fleming, Richard Reed Parry, Rick Wakeman, Rodney Dangerfield, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Rufus Wainwright, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Samara Joy, Seiji Ozawa, Sergio Mendes, Seth MacFarlane, Shabaka Hutchings, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Sinead O'Connor, Snarky Puppy, Sonny Rollins, Sons of Kemet, Soweto Gospel Choir, Stanley Turrentine, SYML, Terence Blanchard, Terry Riley, The Bad Plus, The Choir Of King's College Cambridge, The Comet Is Coming, The Cranberries, The Derek Trucks Band, The Hilliard Ensemble, The Hot Sardines, The Piano Guys, The Stan Getz Quartet, The Manhattan Transfer, The New York Philharmonic, Thelonious Monk, Theo Bleckmann, Theo Croker, Third Coast Percussion, Time for Three, Tony Bennett, Tuck and Patti, Vangelis, Vienna Philharmonic, Vijay Iyer, Vikingur Olafsson, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Vladimir Horowitz, VOCES8, Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis, Yannick Nezet-Sequin, Yo-Yo Ma, Yuja Wang, and many others. 
 

"Music is a science. Music is mathematical. Music is a foreign language. Music is History. Music is physical education. Music develops Insight and demands research. Music is all these things, but most of all, MUSIC IS ART. That is why we teach music. Not because we expect you to play or sing all your life...But so you will be human...So you will recognize beauty...So you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world...So you will have something to cling to...So you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good- in short, more LIFE."   - Ludwig van Beethoven

For more information contact Max Horowitz    maxcrossover@gmail.com

Top 10 Albums For March 15, 2025

  • Triada

    De Versiones y Alma

    As is the case with their voices and energy emitted, it’s safe to say this Argentinian trio’s name was heaven-sent. The word “tríada” came to Julia Percowicz’s (vocalist) mind whilst writing a poem about their friendship last year. The word is now used  to define their sound, and ultimately their band name which represents the intimate bond she shares with Aylen Reynoso (guitarist) and Diamela Spina (vocalist and percussionist).

    “There were no other options,” Julia says of TRÍADA, which means“a three note chord and a way to define sisterhood.”
    At the ripe age of 19, Diamela, Aylen and Julia intonate classics with a perceived lived experience and ease that far surpasses their years. Their rendition of João Gilberto’s “O Pato,” for example, was received with much praise and delight on Instagram, where it garnered 2 million viewsand became their first proper release. As is the case with most of their covers,the three ladies add their youthful flair to the track.

    Each member has their own personal love story with music, Diamela recallsplaying the drums from age 5, Julia has early memories of singing from age 4 by way of her mother who is a choir director, and Aylen’s interest sparked in 2019 leading her to formally embark in music studies the following year. The three have been friends for a few years now and the bliss of sisterhood is what brought them together. They met in a high school called Escuela Juan Pedro Esnaola where they forged a bond outside of the school’s walls that pushed them each to take new risks (Diamela didn’t begin singing until harmonizing with Julia, for example), and listen to new genres (they each gravitate toward different flavors that ultimately make them a varied, fun blend).

    After a short time of performing in local festivals, plazas and bars, and a couple of months into releasing their music covers on social media, the trio signed to Verve Records and Mercury Records and are on the brink of stardom. Formed in 2023, TRÍADA quickly captured the attention of the underground music scene with their bold fusion of genres, intricate compositions, and emotive soundscapes. With a growing following both in Latin America and beyond, Triada's music speaks to a generation?searching for authenticity and emotional depth. Their recorded live performances are compelling, marked by a tender and passionate energy that perfectly complements the complexity of their recordings. All in all, it’s safe to say TRÍADA is quickly emerging as one of Argentina’s most exciting new acts, poised to leave an indelible mark on the global music scene.

  • Muireann Bradley

    'Don't Think Twice' single-I Kept These Old Blues

    Muireann Bradley is a once-in-a-generation talent. Aged just 17, this prodigious musician is rapidly garnering a devout fanbase – as well as the admiration of veteran artists – thanks to her unique style, which blends traditional guitar playing with personal and mature interpretations of classic blues songs. From playing music alone in her childhood bedroom, she has since become a choice favourite on international TV spots including Jools Holland and The Late Late Show, not to mention signing with Decca Records, itself a mark of industry recognition for her rare and authentic gift.

    Raised just outside the small town of Ballybofey in County Donegal, Ireland, Bradley inherited a passion for music from her father, a keen guitar player and blues fan himself. Growing up in a home filled with guitars, she began to learn to play when she was just nine years old, only taking a brief break to win a series of national titles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and regional titles in amateur boxing reaching two national finals.

     By this point, she’d badgered her parents into getting her a guitar of her own for her birthday; she developed her own playing style that lends the instrument a personality – a depth of character all of its own.

    Bradley’s debut album, I Kept These Old Blues, is an astonishing first glimpse at the breadth of her talent – both as a guitar virtuoso and a singer. The first pressing has sold out everywhere and is already regarded as a collectible among in-the-know music fans – truly remarkable given Bradley was just 15 years old when she recorded it. Now remixed and mastered, I Kept These Old Blues demonstrates the kind of assuredness and skill to be expected of a musician five times her age, on blues standards such as Blind Blake’s “Police Dog Blues” and Rev Gary Davis’s “Candyman”. 

  • Kevin Olusola

    'Dark Winter' single from 'Dawn Of A Misfit'

    Kevin Olusola, the dynamic singer, cellist, and beatboxer best known for his work with the 3x-GRAMMY® Award-winning a cappella group Pentatonix, will release his debut solo album, DAWN OF A MISFIT, on May 9 via Sony Music Masterworks.

    The multi-faceted artist previewed his new LP with the electrifying lead single “DARK WINTER," which blends samples from Vivaldi's Four Seasons and symphonic strings with Olusola's potent beatbox percussion, 808s & elastic R&B hooks."

    The song introduces a bit of edge for a musician often recognized for exuberant joy—and the music video for “DARK WINTER,” directed by Ron Jaramillo, follows in that spirit, following Olusola and his “Misfit Mafia” as they destroy objects from the classical tradition, including cellos, paintings, and statues. “My misfits and I are completely demolishing them,” Olusola says. “We don’t have to destroy the past, but we have to break the things that have been traditional or stereotyped in us to become exactly who we’re called to be. I want to shatter boundaries, only to bring all the pieces back together with a newfound harmony.” Watch the official music video for “DARK WINTER” HERE.

    DAWN OF A MISFIT follows two EPs: The Renegade, which explored classical music and celloboxing, and Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, which delved more into pop influences. This new LP seamlessly blends elements from both projects while continuing to expand his already-vast musical canvas.  DAWN OF A MISFIT draws on his classical virtuosity and the graceful soulfulness of his vocals, partly fueled by his Nigerian and Grenadian heritage. While recording the new album, he was influenced by a diverse range of artists, including Sting, multi-hyphenate artist Jon Batiste, Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, American singer and actor Harry Belafonte, country-rap artist Shaboozey, cellist Jacqueline du Pré, pianist Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr., and Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.

    The wide-ranging album touches on spirituality, fatherhood, and being a first-generation person in a Western country, all while fusing classical, pop, R&B, and hip-hop. It even includes a nod to Pentatonix with “Kevin’s Fifth,” a fan-favorite expansion on Beethoven’s 5th that he often performs during their live shows.  The beloved quintet—who broke out after winning NBC’s The Sing-Off in 2011—have released 12 albums in total, including 2022’s Grammy-nominated Holidays Around the World. More recently, they starred in the #1 Netflix rom-com Meet Me Next Christmas.

  • Esther Abrami

    Wiegala

    Violinist Esther Abrami releases a poignant new interpretation of “Wiegala”, a lullaby by Jewish poet and composer Ilse Weber. Arranged for violin and string quintet by Abrami herself, the single will be released on January 24th, 2025, in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27th).

    Ilse Weber (1903–1944) was a Czech-born Jewish poet, writer, and composer, known for her children’s books and heartfelt songs, many of which she wrote during her imprisonment in the Theresienstadt concentration camp. “Wiegala”, a lullaby which she composed during this time, stands as a testament to Weber’s courage and compassion. While working as a nurse for children in the camp, Weber offered music as a source of comfort and hope when medicine was unavailable. She composed songs, led performances, and even formed a choir, bringing light into one of history’s darkest chapters. When the children were deported to Auschwitz in 1944, she chose to accompany them, singing “Wiegala” with them for the last time before she was murdered, alongside the children she had cared for.

    Esther Abrami’s delicate arrangement captures the profound emotional depth of the piece, honoring Weber’s legacy and highlighting the enduring power of music in the face of unimaginable adversity. “Wiegala” is the first single to Abrami’s upcoming album exclusively featuring works by female composers. The album will be released on April 25th, 2025, by Sony Classical. “Wiegala” will be available in both Stereo and Dolby Atmos.

  • Anna Lapwood

    'Limina Luminis' from 'Firedove'

    One of the most gifted and visionary artists of her generation, Anna Lapwood, releases her brand-new album, ‘Firedove’, May 30th on Sony Classical. It is the follow-up to her acclaimed album ‘Luna’. The lead track is the captivating ‘Limina Luminis’, commissioned for and first performed at the 2023 BBC Proms, composed for Anna by Italian composer Olivia Belli. “This piece was part of my first solo recital at the BBC Proms, and I’ve played it in nearly every concert since, because I love it so much.” Anna says.

    Already renowned for introducing the organ to new generations of music fans through her extraordinary interpretations of both classical and contemporary works, Anna Lapwood has become known to millions through viral TikTok videos, high-profile collaborations and sold-out live concerts.

    Anna recorded her new album ‘Firedove’ through the night at Nidaros Cathedral, a spectacular Gothic masterpiece founded in the 11th century in Trondheim, Norway.

    “I wanted to create an album where the listener doesn’t quite know where it’s going to go next,” Lapwood says. “There are lots of little easter eggs in there that you wouldn’t expect – even the first appearance of the choir – and a through-line of flight and spreading wings, because this does feel as though I’ve found what I want to say as an artist. I’m very proud of it.”

    ‘Firedove’ effortlessly demonstrates Anna’s open-minded approach to music, one where a Vierne scherzo can sit alongside a rendition of Robbie Williams ‘Angels’, and Maurice Duruflé’s ‘Prelude and Fugue’ with Bob Dylan’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’.

    The repertoire choices on her album clearly indicate that it is Anna’s most personal record to date. She is no stranger to blending classical music with pop having performed with RAYE, Florence & The Machine & Aurora, even finding time to give Tom Cruise an impromptu organ lesson during a late- night rehearsal at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

    Anna was appointed Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridgeshire when she was 21, the youngest person ever to hold that position at either an Oxford or Cambridge University College. Now, nine years later, she is stepping down to pursue her live and recording career full time.

    On ‘Firedove’ Anna Lapwood brings a breath of fresh air into classical musical making. “Since I started focusing on the music I loved and stopped worrying about what others felt I ‘should’ be doing, I have fallen in love with the organ again in a completely new way” she says.

    The results are staggering, and Anna’s intense musical passion is evident throughout ‘Firedove’. An intoxicating listen.

  • Jordan Rakei

    'Talk Talk Talk' single from 'The Loop'

    Highly regarded multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer Jordan Rakei has announced a deluxe version of his latest studio album The Loop, which features three new tracks: “Celebrate” featuring STUTS (which has already reached 2 million global streams), “The Seize” and today’s lead single, “Talk Talk Talk,” which was recorded at the iconic Abbey Road studios during Jordan’s year-long residency. Speaking on the track, Jordan Rakei explains: “This song is simply about talking about your problems with people you trust. It was a really healthy exercise to let stuff go. Now I'm able to process stuff a lot better.”

    The Loop, Rakei’s fifth album saw Jordan achieve his first Top 40 album, be named Abbey Road’s first ever Artist In Residence, play a coveted slot on Glastonbury’s West Holts stage, sell out his biggest-ever shows globally, curate his very own BBC Prom, and finish the year of 2024 with 2 stellar sold-out nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall. As well as the previously unheard singles, The Loop (Deluxe) version also features live versions of “Trust,” “Hopes and Dreams” & “Friend Or Foe” from the Royal Albert Hall shows.

    Released last year via Decca (and Verve Forecast in the US), The Loop marked a new chapter in Jordan’s career that coincided with a number of profound changes in his personal life. It’s an extraordinary record, not least for its sheer, breathtaking ambition whilst retaining the experimental, off-kilter vibe he’s synonymous with. Containing singles "Flowers,""Freedom," "Learning," "Friend or Foe," and "Trust," the album showcased his typically bold production style alongside spectacular orchestral arrangements and haunting choirs, hypnotic beats and an Odyssean-style narrative that charts a course through times of darkness and positivity.

    Recorded at RAK Studios, self-produced and mixed by Ben Baptie, fans and critics will note how on The Loop, Rakei has stepped away from the DIY sound he was once known for (and still loves). He grew up listening to artists such as Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield and D’Angelo and having returned to immersing himself with their music recently, he knew he didn’t want this new album to sound like it was made in a bedroom. Inspired by a Bill Withers documentary, in which his hero ignored the contempt of his peers for daring to reach higher, Rakei set about assembling a crack team of musicians to fulfill his own crystal clear ambitions for this album. 

  • Jeneba Kanneh-Mason

    Fantasie

    Jeneba Kanneh-Mason has a passion for curating programmes that cross diverse musical landscapes, and on her debut solo album Fantasie, she takes listeners on a journey that explores connections across different composers’ sound worlds – whether they met, influenced each other, or simply existed in resonance.  

    From Claude Debussy, Frédéric Chopin and Alexander Scriabin to Florence Price, Margaret Bonds and William Grant Still, Jeneba presents a programme which is also very personal to her as an artist. “I’ve always loved coming up with quite complex programmes which flow really nicely from one piece to the other and all these works mean a lot to me” she says. “By gathering them here for my debut album, I am not only revealing more of myself as a musician but also sharing the very different styles of music I grew up listening to.”

    Frédéric Chopin is central to Jeneba’s repertoire, and she opens with his Second Piano Sonata in B flat minor, Op 35, one of his most powerful works, celebrated for its emotional depth and technical brilliance.  This is followed by The Nocturnes, Op 27, two contrasting pieces that illustrate Chopin’s mastery in evoking complex emotions in music.  “These pieces need to feel as if they’re being improvised” she reveals. “I’ve had to know the notes inside out, so that then when I come to performing it, I can see what happens. With Chopin, I don’t feel like I do the same thing every time.”

  • Tony Ann

    360

    Reaching yet another creative high watermark, piano virtuoso, multiplatinum songwriter, and social media sensation Tony Ann just released his anxiously awaited full-length sophomore album, 360°, on out now via Decca Records/Universal Music France. Over the past year and until now, he has released a new single corresponding to the astrological sign of the month. Listen to the 12 tracks, including the last one PISCES (nicknamed “The Artist”).

    Once again, Tony Ann advances creatively on 360°. Each song functions as a meditation on a different horoscope, encompassing 12 keys at different meters and tempos. It plunges listeners into a living and breathing musical ecosystem punctuated by bliss and catharsis. He employs the full range of the piano to evoke the singularity of these respective astrological signs. The entire suite revolves around his virtuosic chops, melodic empathy, and electrifying energy. Once again, he redefines the neoclassical space.

    Regarding the concept for the full project, Aries is the first sign of the astrological year. It begins with the Spring Equinox. Next, the astrological signs follow the seasons, which are correlated with the earth's rotation around the sun (a 360-degree cycle). This offers four highlights: the Summer Solstice (90 degrees), the Autumn Equinox (180 degrees), the Winter Solstice (270 degrees) and the Spring Equinox (360 degrees).

  • Kun-Woo Paik

    Mozart Piano Works 3

    “Bringing Mozart’s Voice Back to Life”    The Grand Finale of the trilogy!

    “Through his Mozart recordings, Paik has painted an intimate portrait of Mozart—a very human figure whom we have been so familiar with yet never really understood. In short, he has brought Mozart’s “language of love” to life.” - Music Critic Dongjun Kim

    Tours (Mozart tour unless indicated):
    17 Mar Taichung, Taiwan
    20 Mar Taipei, Taiwan
    23 Mar Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    27 Jul Macao (Chopin)
    21 Sep Yokohama, Japan
    31 Oct Singapore (Ravel)
    4 Nov Singapore
     

  • Hikaru Utada

    Electricity (Arca Remix)

    Japanese icon HIKARU UTADA has teamed up with legendary producer, artist and polymath ARCA for a new remix of their track “Electricity” – listen here. Featured on the global superstar’s 2024 best-of album SCIENCE FICTION, the original track was produced in collaboration with Sam Shepherd (Floating Points), its infectious chorus and jazzy instrumentation making it an immediate standout on the collection. Now, two generational sparks of talent combine: ARCA, known for her innovative soundscapes and genre-pushing electronic experimentation, manages to bring out a new side to the already expansive original.

    Speaking on the collaboration, HIKARU UTADA comments: “It was an honor, and it was really exciting because I didn’t know what to expect. There’s an unmistakable Arca sound, yet she draws from such a beautiful range of music and experiences that you never really know what you’re going to get. What we got was incredible and beautiful. I’m very happy and excited to have had this opportunity to collaborate with her.”

    ARCA adds, “It’s a song that’s so full of life and so vibrant and so much about a warmth, a connection that can’t be broken. I wanted to do my best to recontextualize it sonically from the original, which is already so amazing, and try to do something different. In this instance, I wanted to go for something celebrational and to make it as electric as the song title implied – euphoric even.”

    Today’s remix follows the release of “Electricity (Karen Nyame KG Remix),” an Afrobeat-infused take that flips the synthy earworm into a soulful dance floor anthem.

Stories For March 15, 2025

  • Jordan Rakei to release deluxe edition of 'The Loop' with new tracks and live recordings / grains
    Posted At : March 3, 2025 12:00 AM
    Highly regarded multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer Jordan Rakei has announced a deluxe version of his latest studio album The Loop, which features three new tracks: “Celebrate” featuring STUTS (which has already reached 2 million global streams), “The Seize” and today’s lead single, “Talk Talk Talk,” which was recorded at the iconic Abbey Road studios during Jordan’s year-long residency. Speaking on the track, Jordan Rakei explains: “This song is simply about talking about your problems with people you trust. It was a really healthy exercise to let stuff go. Now I'm able to process stuff a lot better.”

    The Loop, Rakei’s fifth album saw Jordan achieve his first Top 40 album, be named Abbey Road’s first ever Artist In Residence, play a coveted slot on Glastonbury’s West Holts stage, sell out his biggest-ever shows globally, curate his very own BBC Prom, and finish the year of 2024 with 2 stellar sold-out nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall. As well as the previously unheard singles, The Loop (Deluxe) version also features live versions of “Trust,” “Hopes and Dreams” & “Friend Or Foe” from the Royal Albert Hall shows.

    Released last year via Decca (and Verve Forecast in the US), The Loop marked a new chapter in Jordan’s career that coincided with a number of profound changes in his personal life. It’s an extraordinary record, not least for its sheer, breathtaking ambition whilst retaining the experimental, off-kilter vibe he’s synonymous with. Containing singles "Flowers,""Freedom," "Learning," "Friend or Foe," and "Trust," the album showcased his typically bold production style alongside spectacular orchestral arrangements and haunting choirs, hypnotic beats and an Odyssean-style narrative that charts a course through times of darkness and positivity.

    Recorded at RAK Studios, self-produced and mixed by Ben Baptie, fans and critics will note how on The Loop, Rakei has stepped away from the DIY sound he was once known for (and still loves). He grew up listening to artists such as Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield and D’Angelo and having returned to immersing himself with their music recently, he knew he didn’t want this new album to sound like it was made in a bedroom. Inspired by a Bill Withers documentary, in which his hero ignored the contempt of his peers for daring to reach higher, Rakei set about assembling a crack team of musicians to fulfill his own crystal clear ambitions for this album. 

    Speaking on the deluxe version, Jordan explains:
    “This deluxe album is special for me, because it features two new songs that hold a special place in my heart. So happy for them to be coming out in the world. It also features three live performances from my shows at The Royal Albert Hall last year which were some of my favourite live performances throughout the year of touring this record!”
     grains writes…..Master producer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and DIY innovator Jordan Rakei has announced a Deluxe edition of his fifth album The Loop, featuring three brand new tracks, with the first Talk Talk Talk now available to download and stream.This deluxe release also bestows live versions of Trust, Hopes and Dreams, and Friend or Foe recorded during Rakei's headline performance at the Royal Albert Hall.Upon its initial release, The Loop saw Rakei achieve his first top 40 album, be named Abbey Road’s first ever Artist In Residence, play a coveted slot at West Holts stage at Glastonbury 2024, sell out his biggest ever shows globally and finish the year with 2 stellar nights at London's Royal Albert Hall.Speaking on the latest single, Rakei says, "This song is simply about talking about your problems with people you trust. It was a really healthy exercise to let stuff go. Now I'm able to process stuff a lot better."The Deluxe edition of The Loop will be available to download and stream in full on April 4th 2025. 

    SEE THE grains PAGE
    Bookmark and Share

  • Fotina Naumenko chats about 'Bespoke Songs' with Florida's WFSU Public Media
    Posted At : March 14, 2025 12:00 AM
    Acclaimed soprano, Fotina Naumenko, hailed for her “radiant voice” by the Boston Globe has received her first individual Grammy® nomination, in the category of Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, for her newest release, Bespoke Songs. The world premiere recording features 4 works for soprano and mixed instrumental ensembles commissioned by Naumenko from four composers, each based on lyrics by female authors. Bespoke Songs is available on New Focus Recordings (FCR410) and to stream on Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify and other leading streaming services.The album takes its title from the opening cycle of twelve pieces, Bespoke Songs by Jonathan Newman. The lyrics for this cycle – sung in English, French, Hebrew, Korean, Swedish and Russian – are poems by female authors taken from different time periods across two millennia, strung together into a cohesive narrative about love with newly-commissioned texts by Michigan-based poet Kristina Faust. On this work Fotina is joined by Garrick Zoeter, clarinet, Timothy Roberts, alto & soprano saxophone, Akemi Takayama, violin, Julian Schwarz, cello, Mark Edwards, guitar, Karlyn Viña, percussion, and Marika Bournaki, piano, led by conductor Nadège Foofat. This is followed by “Hope” Is The Thing with Feathers by Jennifer Jolley based on the Civil War era poetry of Emily Dickinson with flutist Julietta Curenton, and guitarist Colin Davin, and Carrie Magin’s How to See An Angel set to Dorothy Walter’s poem with bassoonist Ryan Romine, and pianist Marika Bournaki. The album concludes with Benedict Sheehan’s four-part cycle, Let Evening Come with texts by Jane Kenyon and collaborators cellist Julian Schwarz and harpist Nadia Pessoa.In addition to the Grammy nomination, Bespoke Songs has received early high praise, with The Whole Note saying “Sensual doesn’t so much ooze as burst in ecstatic luminosity from Fotina Naumenko’s soaring, swooping soprano” and Fanfare calling the album “First-rate music in beautiful readings.”Hailed for her “beautiful performance” by the New York Times, Fotina is a versatile artist who is equally transcendent singing in a variety of genres, from art song, oratorio, opera, choral, chamber, to new music. Recent highlights include performances as featured soloist at the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music, the world premiere of Arvo Pärt’s O Holy Saint Nicholas with the Artefact Ensemble, and performances with the Boston Pops in the symphonic premiere of Sondheim on Sondheim, curated by James Lapine.She is a frequent performer with the Grammy nominated Skylark Ensemble, including their multi-Grammy nominated 2024 recording Clear Voices in The Dark  in the category of Best Choral Performance and Best Engineered-Classical recording. Fotina has recorded and performed extensively with many of the country's leading vocal ensembles on the Reference Recordings, Chandos, Delos, Pentatone and Naxos labels. This work resulted in a Grammy win for Ethel Smyth’s The Prison with the Experiential Chorus, and seven additional Grammy nominations for The Hope of Loving with Conspirare, Kastalky’s Requiem and Benedict Sheehan’s Liturgy with The Saint Tikhon Choir, It’s a Long Way with Skylark, and Rachmaninoff’s All Night Vigil with the Clarion Choir.Fotina is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music (BM), the Cincinnati College-Conservatory (MM, DMA), and is a Fulbright scholar, having completed a post-graduate diploma specializing in Russian vocal music at the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia. The culmination of this work was the creation of RussianAriaResource.com, a lyric diction resource for Russian operatic arias. She is passionate about training and mentoring the next generation of singers and serves as Associate Professor of Voice at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, VA.

    Naumenko was interviewed by Florida's WFSU Public Media classical music host: Stephanie. Pieczynski. Listen to the attached conversation.
    Bookmark and Share

  • Jenaba Kanneh-Mason Q&A's with MEET THE ARTIST
    Posted At : March 7, 2025 12:00 AM
    Pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason is already captivating audiences with her “maturity in performance and interpretation […], the former an uncanny phenomenon” (Fraser). The third of the Kanneh-Mason clan to establish herself as a soloist, Jeneba recently made her BBC Proms debut with the Chineke! Orchestra, performing the Florence Price Concerto and was heralded by the press as “demonstrating musical insight, technical acuity, and an engaging performing persona” (Music OMH).Jeneba was a Keyboard Category Finalist in BBC Young Musician 2018, winner of the Murs du Son Prize at the Lagny-Sur-Marne International Piano Competition in France, 2014, and The Nottingham Young Musician 2013. She was also winner of the Iris Dyer Piano Prize at The Royal Academy of Music, Junior Academy, where she studied with Patsy Toh.Recent and forthcoming highlights include debuts with the Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, and the Sinfonia Viva for the New Year Gala. She also undertakes an extensive tour with Chineke! across Europe in November 2022 for the Price Concerto, and recorded with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. An avid recital performer, Jeneba will also be making solo debuts at the Zurich Tonhalle, London Wigmore Hall, Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields, amongst others, as well as the Lenzburgiade, Rheingau, Cheltenham, Bradfield and Lamberhurst festivals. In 2022, Jeneba also embarked on tours of Australia, USA, Antigua and Barbuda with the Kanneh-Masons.Jeneba was named one of Classic FM’s ‘Rising Stars’ and appeared on Julian Lloyd Webber’s radio series in 2021. She has also been featured on several television and radio programmes, including Radio 3, In Tune, The BAFTAs, The Royal Variety Performance, the documentary for BBC4, Young, Gifted and Classical, and the Imagine documentary for BBC1, This House is Full of Music. She has recorded for the album, Carnival, with Decca Classics.Jeneba holds the Victoria Robey Scholarship to The Royal College of Music, studying piano with Vanessa Latarche. She is grateful to Lady Robey, The Nottingham Soroptimist Trust and to The Nottingham Education Trust.

    Kanneh-Mason has a passion for curating programmes that cross diverse musical landscapes, and on her debut solo album Fantasie, she takes listeners on a journey that explores connections across different composers’ sound worlds – whether they met, influenced each other, or simply existed in resonance.  From Claude Debussy, Frédéric Chopin and Alexander Scriabin to Florence Price, Margaret Bonds and William Grant Still, Jeneba presents a programme which is also very personal to her as an artist. “I’ve always loved coming up with quite complex programmes which flow really nicely from one piece to the other and all these works mean a lot to me” she says. “By gathering them here for my debut album, I am not only revealing more of myself as a musician but also sharing the very different styles of music I grew up listening to.”Frédéric Chopin is central to Jeneba’s repertoire, and she opens with his Second Piano Sonata in B flat minor, Op 35, one of his most powerful works, celebrated for its emotional depth and technical brilliance.  This is followed by The Nocturnes, Op 27, two contrasting pieces that illustrate Chopin’s mastery in evoking complex emotions in music.  “These pieces need to feel as if they’re being improvised” she reveals. “I’ve had to know the notes inside out, so that then when I come to performing it, I can see what happens. With Chopin, I don’t feel like I do the same thing every time.”From Chopin she takes us into the sound world of Claude Debussy and his Préludes - ‘La fille aux cheveux de lin’ (‘The girl with flaxen hair’ from Book 1) and ‘Bruyères’ (‘Mists’ from Book 2), both of which evoke delicate, atmospheric worlds, where simplicity belies harmonic depth.  Then in a nod to the Russian tradition, Jeneba plays three works by Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915), who, like Chopin, expanded the piano’s expressive capacity.  Two of his Op 11 Preludes, youthful works, and his Sonata No 2 offer her a canvas of harmonic daring and rhythmic freedom. “They both have a beautiful way of making the piano sing” she comments on Chopin & Scriabin. “You can hear Chopin’s influence in Scriabin’s music as he sometimes has these Chopin-esque decorations over the melodies. What I also really love about Scriabin’s music is that it’s very colourful.  When he goes to a specific key, it’s important for him that it’s that key, and not any other key.”

    Kanneh-Mason Q&A's with MEET THE ARTISTREAD THE Q&A
    Bookmark and Share

  • Sedona Symphony presents Lara Downes in concert, with works by Joplin, Price, and Poulenc / Sedona.biz
    Posted At : March 12, 2025 12:00 AM
    Sedona.biz writes….On April 6, 2025, Sedona Symphony will present its fourth classical symphonic concert of the 2024-2025 season under the artistic direction of conductor Janna Hymes. The concert features pianist Lara Downes, honored as Classical Woman of the Year by NPR’s Performance Today, praised as “a musical ray of hope” by NBC News, and touted as “an explorer whose imagination is fired by bringing notice to the underrepresented and forgotten” in The Log Journal. The concert will begin at 2:30 PM at the Sedona Performing Arts Center, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road in Sedona. The program will feature works by Florence Beatrice Smith Price (Piano Concerto in One Movement), Scott Joplin (The Entertainer, Maple Leaf Rag, and Elite Syncopations), and Francis Poulenc (Sinfonietta).Lara Downes is renowned for her dynamic work as a soloist, NPR personality, producer, curator, and arts activist. Her creative collaborations span a diverse range of artists, including the Miró Quartet, Rhiannon Giddens, Rita Dove, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and violinist Daniel Hope. She has premiered and commissioned works from composers such as Jennifer Higdon, Billy Childs, Valerie Coleman, and Arturo O’Farrill. Lara’s approach to concept and curation has produced an extensive catalog of Billboard chart-topping recordings on the Pentatone, Sony Masterworks, and Sono Luminus labels, including her newest release: This Land. As creator/host of NPR’s AMPLIFY with Lara Downes, she features conversations with visionary Black artists and cultural leaders. Lara is the creator/curator of Rising Sun Music, which highlights the music and stories of Black composers over the past 200 years. Her work has been supported by the Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Sphinx Venture Fund, and the Center for Cultural Innovation.Florence Price (1887-1953) was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and admitted to the New England Conservatory at the age of 14, where she studied with composers George Chadwick and Frederick Converse. After witnessing the devastation of the 1919 race riots in Arkansas, she and her family relocated to Chicago, where Price’s compositions began to attract favorable attention. In 1933, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra premiered her first symphony, marking the first time a symphony by an African-American woman was performed by a major American orchestra. Commissioned by the Works Progress Administration in 1933, Price’s Concerto in One Movement premiered in Chicago, with the composer as the soloist. The concerto reflects her deep knowledge of both Western European classical traditions and African-American musical idioms, which are evident in the syncopated rhythms, blues-inflected harmonies, and occasional references to spirituals.Scott Joplin (1868-1917) is now considered one of America’s most famous and beloved composers and musicians. Born to a former slave and a freeborn African-American mother, the “King of Ragtime” grew up in poverty in Texas and Arkansas. Both of his parents were musical; his father played the violin and his mother sang and played the banjo. His teacher, Julius Weiss, was a Jewish immigrant from Germany, who recognized Joplin’s talent and taught him without charge. The rags on this program were originally composed for solo piano. American composers Gunther Schuller and Stephen Buck have expanded Joplin’s exposure and popularity by their orchestral arrangements of these works. Schuller’s New England Ragtime Ensemble’s album of Joplin rags, The Red Back Book, spent a year on the Billboard Hot 100 album charts, won a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance, and Schuller’s arrangement of Joplin’s “The Entertainer” was used in the Academy Award-winning film, The Sting.Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) was the son of a prosperous French businessman and expected to take over the family business, dashing his early dreams of attending a music college. After fortuitously connecting with pianist Ricardo Viñes and composer Erik Satie following his parents’ death, Poulenc emerged as one of “Les Six,” a group of young- composers based in Montparnasse, France, and orbiting around the gravitational attractions of Satie and avant-gardiste Jean Cocteau. Audiences loved the unsophisticated fresh charm of Poulenc’s compositions, including his Sinfonietta, composed in 1947 on commission by the BBC. Sinfonietta displays Poulenc’s characteristic wit and whimsy along with his neo-classical leanings. The commission stipulated that the mood should be light, and Poulenc fulfilled the directive. Although musicologists have criticized some structural weaknesses, Poulenc’s cheeky response was, “Don’t analyze my music. Love it!”Now in its 20th season, Sedona Symphony remains committed to our mission of “enriching the quality of life ?of our Northern Arizona community through the power of live orchestral music that educates, entertains, and inspires.” Led by Artistic Director Janna Hymes, Sedona Symphony offers a diverse range of programs, featuring both classical masterpieces and pops performances. Our 2024-2025 Season is sponsored by Neil and Mary Pope. The April 6 concert is co-sponsored by Mike and Christine Schroeder, and John Martinez and Carol Palmer. Ticket prices range from $20 to $70, with half-price discounts for attendees aged 18 or under. Tickets are available for purchase on Sedona Symphony’s website (sedonasymphony.org) and at the door on the day of the concert, subject to availability.

    SEE THE Sedona.biz PAGE
    Bookmark and Share

  • Burkard Schliessmann's 'Robert Schumann - Fantasies' is not only highly recommended, but a MUST! / SCHUMANN Journal
    Posted At : March 13, 2025 12:00 AM
    BURKARD SCHLIESSMANN is regarded as one of the most influential pianists of the modern era. He has received numerous prizes and awards of merits for his piano interpretations, having studied under musical masters Herbert Seidel, Shura Cherkassky, Bruno Leonardo Gelber and Poldi Mildner. SCHLIESSMANN has regularly performed throughout Europe, in the United States, Czechoslovakia, Japan, China, Indonesia and Malaysia. He has participated in many European festivals, such as the Munich Piano Summer Festival, the festival "Frankfurt Feste", the Valldemossa Chopin Festival, and the Maurice Ravel Festival in Paris, among others. As orchestral soloist, Mr. Schliessmann's performance highlights include his orchestral solo appearances with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt, WDR Radio Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Symphony Orchestra Wuppertal and the New Philharmonic Westfalia, in addition to other orchestras. He enjoys great popularity in media and has been showcased at major German TV-studios, including the Philharmonie of Gasteig in Munich, the City Hall Wuppertal, and the WDR West German Radio studio in Cologne. Mr. Schliessmann has been featured by the WDR radio in its program ZDF-aspekte in a joint production of the ARD/ZDF TV- channels. He has also been featured by BR Bavarian radio, HR Hessian radio and was broadcasted nationwide and throughout Europe in the cultural programs of ARTE, 3sat, Fidelio-ORF, UNITEL Classica and the US channel Classic Arts ShowcaseSchliessmann has collaborated with highly renowned regisseurs, such as Jose Montes-Baquer, Enrique Sanchez Lansch, Claus Viller, Lothar Mattner, Peter Gelb, Dieter Hens, Korbinian Meyer, Siegfried Aust and others. Famous critics have had no hesitation in placing him alongside the finest pianists: "This is the most imaginative playing one has heard yet on the level of Richter Michelangeli, Serkin, Wild, Could - the highest order of artistry" wrote the "High Performance Review" in the USA.

    Schliessmann's distinctive interpretation of Robert Schumann's inner world through the groundbreaking recording project, "Fantasies" was released via Divine Art Music. At Berlin's Teldex Studios, Schliessmann, having immersed himself in Schumann's oeuvre, sought to reveal the inner qualities of the music, pushing expressive and explosive boundaries. Collaborating with producer Julian Schwenkner and engineer Jupp Wegner, he employed 14 microphones for a Dolby Atmos experience, capturing the intricacies of Schumann's compositions on 3 SACDs, including an alternative interpretation of Fantasiestu¨cke Op. 12.Revisiting the Fantasie in C Op. 17, Schliessmann accentuates structural complexities, drawing parallels to Wagner's Tristan, and presents rhythmic and technical extremes in the second movement. The 'Fantasies' recording unfolds a slower tempo in the third movement, providing a genuine listening experience with heightened poetry and explosive electricity. As Burkard
    Schliessmann navigates Schumann's intricate musical world in "Fantasies," this release stands as a landmark in classical piano recordings, complementing his previous album, "Live & Encores." A must-have for true collectors of excellent piano recordings, "Fantasies" continues Schliessmann's legacy of delivering extraordinary interpretations that resonate with the discerning classical music enthusiast.


    SCHUMANN Journal writes…..On three CDs, the pianist Burkard Schliessmann bundles piano pieces by Robert Schumann that can be categorised as ‘fantasy pieces’. As a renowned expert in the music of the German Romantics, Schliessmann’s interpretations open up completely new, surprising and unexpected horizons and lead into fascinating spheres of poetry, tone colours, expression and agogics.An essay by the pianist in the trilingual booklet provides information about the special interpretation approach under the label ‘Phantasmagorias’. Since the release of the album, the reviews have been overflowing with enthusiasm, and one can only agree with this in every respect.Schliessmann’s playing is richly coloured and multi-faceted, reflecting every required mood, captivating and with stupendous technique; no detail of Schumann’s scores goes undetected. The pianist plays on an unusual Steinway grand piano (D-612236), which is equipped with two keyboards including action and hammers (one lighter, one darker).The recording technology in the Teldex Studio in Berlin with 14 microphones is also exceptional. All in all, this album is not only highly recommended, but really a MUST!  (Dr. Irmgard Knechtges-Obrecht)
     
    Bookmark and Share

  • CPR Classical presents: Quartetto di Cremona with Basil Vendryes, at the Newman Center
    Posted At : March 12, 2025 12:00 AM
    Since its formation in 2000, the Quartetto di Cremona has established a reputation as one of the most exciting chamber ensembles on the international stage. Regularly invited to perform in major music festivals and halls in Europe, North and South America, and Far East, receiving unanimous acclaim from the public and critics…Among the most important engagements of the past seasons: performances at the Wigmore Hall (London), at the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), at the Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg), at the Konzerthaus in Berlin, at the Brucknerhaus (Linz), in Geneva, Stockholm, Mumbai, Beijing, at the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg, at the String Quartet Festival in Salzburg, in Prague and for the main Italian festivals and concerts societies.In the 23/24 season, the acclaimed debut at Carnegie Hall (October 2023) was followed by Chamber Music Society’s re-invitation to Lincoln Center, in March 2024. The first performance at CMS took successfully place in February 2022.The Cremona is also collaborating with numerous artists such as Eckart Runge, Till Fellner, Pablo Barragan, Kit Armstrong, Miguel da Silva, David Orlowsky, Kyril Zlotnikov, the Emerson String Quartet and the Pavel Haas Quartet.During the 2024/2025 season, the ensemble will begin the celebrations for its 25th Career Anniversary, which will. include concerts in prestigious Italian and international festivals and concert societiesOn the discographic side, a new CD will soon be released with the ensemble own version of The Art of Fugue, performed with seven instruments so as not to alter the original writing of Bach’s score, which will be published for the 25th anniversary of their career.
    Previous recordings include: “Italian Postcards” (2020, Avie Records); a double CD dedicated to Schubert (2019, Audite); the complete Beethoven String Quartets (20128, Audite). All of them were received with great interest by international critics, as well as winning discographic prizes.Frequently invited to present masterclasses in Europe, Asia, North and South America, the members of the quartet have been Professors at the Walter Stauffer Academy in Cremona since 2011.
    Prized in 2019 with the “Franco Buitoni Award” by the Borletti Buitoni Trust for their constant contribution to the promotion of chamber music in Italy and around the world, they are ambassadors for the international project “Friends of Stradivari” and honorary citizen of Cremona, a title awarded to the Quartet in 2015. They also endorse “Le Dimore del Quartetto” and Thomastik Infield Strings.

    CPR's Karla Walker writes….Violin maker Antonio Stradivari lived his whole life in Cremona, Italy, producing what are considered some of the finest string instruments ever made. Out of that rich musical tradition comes the Quartetto di Cremona, which is celebrating its 25th year of making music together.The quartet will make its Friends of Chamber Music debut on April 9th when it teams up with Colorado Symphony violist Basil Vendryes.The program includes Debussy's forward-looking string quartet from 1893 and Osvaldo Golijov’s painfully beautiful “Tenebrae” from 2002. Vendryes will join the quartet for a late string quartet by Brahms.CPR Classical listeners get 25% off by using the code FCM25CPR.Join CPR Classical host Karla Walker for an evening of sublime chamber music!WHEN: Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m.WHERE: Gates Hall at the Newman Center | 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Denver, CO 80208SEE THE Colorado Public Radio PAGE
    Bookmark and Share

  • Brandee Younger grooves at SFJAZZ with the New Century Chamber Orchestra / SFCV
    Posted At : March 10, 2025 12:00 AM
    SFCV's Andrew Gilbert writes……Over the past few years, harpist Brandee Younger has introduced herself to Bay Area audiences as an eloquent and charismatic champion of the music of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby, the two most significant artists responsible for turning the harp into a credible vehicle for jazz. But in her second season as an SFJAZZ resident artistic director, Younger isn’t focusing on her sheroes. The New York native is taking the harp deep into her own sonic realm.
     On Friday, March 7, the second concert in a four-night run in SFJAZZ’s Miner Auditorium, Younger performed a concise set of original pieces written for her jazz quartet or quintet and arranged here for chamber orchestra. The ensemble was the well-deployed 19-piece New Century Chamber Orchestra, conducted by bassist and producer Derrick Hodge (who, like Younger, has also worked widely with artists in R&B, hip-hop, and pop). The music was beatifically enveloping, an experience enhanced by New York designer Marrisa Wilson’s often arresting visuals projected behind the stage.


    While Younger is a compelling soloist, she was at her most interesting locked in with her trio. Exquisite musicianship and textural acuity flowed from the supple rhythm section tandem of drummer Allan Mednard, a brush-work poet, and Rashaan Carter on electric and double bass. For much of the concert, they were joined by Anne Drummond, a brilliant improviser and leading creative force on the flute since the late 1990s, and gospel-steeped New Orleans pianist and keyboardist Courtney Bryan, who’s best known as a composer (and 2023 MacArthur “genius” grant recipient).
     On Younger’s two-movement suite Unrest, a pandemic-era Jazz Coalition commission, the harpist effectively evoked a brooding mood of stasis and uncertainty without relying on repetition. New Century wasn’t called upon to play anything particularly challenging rhythmically, and Younger’s writing for the orchestra, while often luscious, lapsed into mere prettiness on one piece (the slow jam “Unswept Corners”).
     It seemed the more friction New Century provided, the more the quintet had to work with. The expanded setting for “Respected Destroyer,” a piece from Younger’s 2019 album Soul Awakening that was recorded with trumpeter Sean Jones, took on a whole different vibe with the melody moving through each section of the orchestra. And on the set closer, “Gadabout,” a tune Younger introduced as the title track to her upcoming album, she said she encouraged everyone to get “quirky,” a strategy the bore captivating fruit. From the opening bass drum pulse, the piece took a series of melodic left turns as the quintet and New Century pivoted away from expected directions. It was a performance that revealed promising new terrain for both Younger and a chamber orchestra eager for adventure.
     Younger herself is exploring a very different direction on April 3, when Stanford Live presents her and Gambian griot and kora master Sona Jobarteh at Bing Concert Hall in “Strings of Hope: A Song for Tomorrow.” The harpist is back in California at the end of the month with her trio for performances March 26 at The Sun Rose in Los Angeles, March 27 at San Jose Jazz’s Break Room, and March 28 at Santa Cruz’s Kuumbwa Jazz Center.


    Photo: Credit: Ronald DavisSEE THE SFCV PAGE
    Bookmark and Share

Max Horowitz

maxcrossover@gmail.com

A graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music, Max Horowitz is principle of Crossover Media Music Promotion. Founded in 1994, Crossover Media's client list includes: Sony Masterworks, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group along with Independent Labels and Artists. Prior to establishing Crossover Media, Mr. Horowitz served as ‘Producer for SiriusXM,’ ‘Music Choice,’ ‘Classical-104WNCN - New York,’ and the ‘DayNET Talk Network.' A recipient of The George Foster Peabody Award, the ‘International Radio Festival of New York Award, and the ’New York State Broadcaster Awards, as a producer, Max has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, Jonny Greeenwood, Richard Reed Parry, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Leonard Slatkin, Yannick Nezet-Sequin, Vladimir Horowitz, Emanuel Ax, JoAnn Falletta, Daniel Hope, Nico Muhly, John Scofield, Steve Swallow, The Bad Plus, Marcus Roberts, Rachel Portman, Alexandre Desplat, Ilan Eshkeri, Jeff Beal, Jung Jaeil, and many others. Mr. Horowitz is also a contributor to ‘Understanding The Music Business’ published by Simon & Schuster.

Amanda Bloom

amandacrossover@gmail.com

Amanda Bloom is the publicity and communications manager at Crossover Media. A Brooklyn resident, Amanda is also an active NYC jazz vocalist who draws musical inspiration from a wide range of influences. Crossover Media's projects which encompass multiple genres has been a great fit for her both personally and professionally. Amanda earned a BM in jazz vocal performance from the Peabody Institute of Music at Johns Hopkins University under the guidance of Jay Clayton & Gary Thomas.

Zachary Swanson

zacharycrossover@gmail.com

Zachary Swanson began studying the double bass at the age of 6 in his home state of Massachusetts. Using gut strings and a personalized technique, Zachary has developed a conception of the double bass that heightens the integrity of various musical environments. He can be found playing around New York City and beyond in a variety of styles, ranging from adventurous improvised music to backing singer-songwriters. Zachary is a graduate of the Peabody Institute of Music at Johns Hopkins University and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY where he has made his home since 2012.