Album Booklet In honour of Remembrance Day and the 75th Anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands, Canadian composer Jaap Nico Hamburger presents two symphonies recorded in November 2019. While confronting serious and challenging themes, these works are imbued with hope and optimism.Chamber Symphony No. 1 “Remember to Forget” Ensemble Caprice under the direction of Matthias Maute Produced by: Martha de Francisco Recorded in studio: Église St-Augustin, Mirabel, QC (17/11/2019 - 18/11/2019) “Remember to Forget” is a phrase from Tenach, The Old Testament. The sentence alludes to the notion that doubt (“I should have…I could have…”), rather than being critical (“Where can I improve?”), is inherently self-destructive. We are not necessarily in control of the outcome of events, but that should not deter us from working hard and striving for the best, all toward the positives in life. “Remember to Forget” is a tone poem, using the colours and structures of sound to advance that story, inspired by the biography of György Ligeti (1923-2006). This symphony in two movements is an apostrophe to one of the great musical minds of the age. Ligeti’s own influences stretched back to the 15th century and the richness of polyphony, from folk inspirations and a drenched chromaticism through to jazz and polyrhythm of every description. His work is best known through the soundtrack for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 – A Space Odyssey. This work is a metaphor of a train journey, moving from youth to catastrophe, and through survival to rebuilding, forgiveness, and ultimately to the lessons of the biblical Joseph: to live, work, build, create, and love to the best of your abilities, under all circumstances, every day.Chamber Symphony No. 2 “Children’s War Diaries” l’Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal under the direction of Vincent de Kort Produced by: Misha Aster Recorded live at the Violins of Hope concert: Maison symphonique de Montréal (02/11/2019)“Children’s War Diaries” Five diaries of teenagers who were murdered during the Second World War inspired this piece. These children did not survive, but their diaries did. Twenty years after reading these diaries, composer Jaap Hamburger’s 89-year-old mother, Jannie Moffie-Bolle, published her autobiography “Een hemel zonder vogels” (“A sky without birds”). She too was a teenager at the outbreak of the Nazi war in Europe. The book, among other things, describes her experiences in multiple Nazi death camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau. In 2010, Jaap travelled with her to Israel on the occasion of the presentation of her book at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Memorial Center in Jerusalem. The architecture of the Children’s Memorial at Yad Vashem is uniquely sobering. It memorializes 1.5 million murdered children, approximately 95% of all Jewish children ages 0-18 years old in occupied Europe. This staggering number is what led Raphael Lemkin to introduce the term “genocide” in his 1944 landmark publication, Axis Rule in Occupied Europe. When Jaap – overwhelmed by the starkness of the Children’s Memorial – had left the building and stepped into the blazing Jerusalem sunlight, the contours of a new symphonic work came to mind, virtually complete. The composer went home and wrote it down. “Children’s War Diaries” is a symphony for chamber orchestra in five short movements. 

“Breathing in the Shadows” is the debut album from Iranian-Canadian composer, Saman Shahi. The album includes three song cycles, two of which are based on poetry by women from across the globe. “Breathing in the Shadows” core themes deal with prejudice, oppression, and inner dissatisfaction, resonating with many different communities that historically have lived through the experiences of these struggles. The music carries an important message of unity and hope.Saman Shahi is an award-winning and published composer, pianist, conductor and educator based in Toronto. He's active in classical music, new music, Iranian traditional music, rock and electronic music, and because of his constant activities in Canada and abroad he has become a sought after performer and composer.Album Booklet

Venom of Love is a tale of serpent-demons and mortals entwined in forbidden romance. Love, jealousy and betrayal are the active ingredients in a story of amazing transformations and ultimate redemption. Written as full length dramatic music for dance in 4 acts, Venom of Love is based on "Legend of the White and Green Snakes" a Chinese tale seeped in oral tradition and finally written down during the Ming dynasty more than 600 years ago.Alice Ping Yee Ho is one of Canada’s most acclaimed composers, having received numerous national and international awards, including; the 2019 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize and is a two-time Juno nominee.Album Booklet

Canadian composer Jaap Nico Hamburger presents his first recording with Leaf Music. Recorded at the Maison symphonique de Montréal under the direction of Vincent de Kort with pianist Assaff Weisman and Orchestra Métropolitain de Montréal.Jaap Nico Hamburger is a Canadian Music Centre Associate Composer; President and CEO, Orange Music Inc., a Vancouver music production company; Member of the Board of Directors of City Opera Vancouver (2010-2020); and in 2019 was named Mécénat Musica’s Composer in Residence. Album Booklet

Luminous Voices, based in Calgary, Alberta, releases Sea Dreams - their third full-length album under the artistic direction of Timothy Shantz. Recorded at the Bell Concert Hall at Mount Royal University, Sea Dreams was composed by Peter-Anthony Togni and features guest artists: Jeff Reilly, bass clarinet/ Katie Partridge, soprano / Oliver Munar, tenor / Sarah Hahn-Scinocco & Sarah MacDonald, flute.Sea Dreams reflects the relationship between the ocean and the sea as a life metaphor, with its implicit suggestion of journeying, inward emotions and ever uncertainties. A continuation of Togni’s recent works, in which choral writing is blended seamlessly with unusual accompanying instrumental support. The framing movements of the work draw on texts from T.S. Elliot’s Four Quartets, with the middle movement employing the words of the Marian hymn “Alma Redemptoris Mater”.Album Booklet

Canadian composers claim the lion’s share of the playing time on the Halifax Camerata Singers’ 2009 recording, Solace: Songs of Remembrance. The project, which is dedicated to the memory of loved ones, features 12 choral compositions by nine of Canada’s best modern composers.The Halifax Camerata Singers is Atlantic Canada’s leading chamber choir. Since its founding in 1986 by Artistic Director Jeff Joudrey, the Nova Scotia ensemble has distinguished itself in performing choral repertoire covering all periods and styles. Known nationally for its high performance standards, Camerata was the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Galaxie Rising Star Award in the national choral competition co-sponsored by CBC/Radio-Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts. In addition to promoting choral singing throughout Nova Scotia, the Halifax Camerata Singers is proud to commission, perform, record and broadcast Canadian choral compositions. Recent commissions include works by Peter-Anthony Togni, Paul Halley, Eleanor Daley, and Stephen Smith.

Cellist Juan Sebastian Delgado brings a balance of masterful technique and passion to the work of Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983). One of the most important composers of the 20th century, Alberto Ginastera embraced both old and new in the creation of an original style rooted in Argentine folk and popular music while incorporating increasingly modernist techniques. With this recording of Ginastera’s Puneña No. 2 “Hommage a Paul Sacher”, Delgado transports this solo cello work effortlessly through an exploration of the instrument as well as a wide range of extended techniques.Alcides Lanza, the renowned Argentinian/Canadian composer and a former student of Ginastera wrote, "An energetic and vigorous version of this important work by Ginastera. In the hands of cellist Delgado, a rendition of a very high technical and musical quality. Brilliant."

In his song cycle "Songs of a Wandering Soul," Toronto-based composer and pianist Saman Shahi explores his musical identity rooted in his Western Classical training, minimalism, Contemporary Art music, Progressive Rock and Iranian traditional music.  The music leaps back and forth between these worlds much like an immigrant trying to figure out a new place to belong.  The poetry used in this cycle is drawn from Shahi's teenage years where he was trying to navigate his new life in Canada with words in the early days of blogging.The third movement, "The Mirrors Never Lie" draws from both minimalism, and the idea of shifting meters in Jazz. The work displaces the pulse constantly to create an inner sense of groove that changes from measure to measure.  This project was made possible through support from the Canada Council for the Arts.

The “Seeker” is an archetype—a person who pursues dramatic experiences in search of meaning, pushing the limits of his/her abilities (and skirting the edge of danger in the process) in order to do find transcendence. The music is a sonic and physical exploration of the ‘daredevil’ spirit, found particularly in high-level athletes and performers. The playful, quick-footed tune that opens the piece unfolds largely without a harmonic ‘safety net’, careening through a variety of increasingly daring episodes, before returning to the opening few bars: a tranquil homecoming after a fulfilling journey. I am grateful to Victor Cheng, pianist and athlete extraordinaire, for so perfectly embodying the spirit of the “Seeker."-Kevin Lau, composer