RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 6, 2020In 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 these two works confront serious and challenging themes, they are nonetheless imbued with hope and optimism.“Remember to Forget” is both a chamber symphony and an opera without words, inspired by the biography of one of the great composers of our time, György Ligeti. "Children's War Diaries" is a symphony for chamber orchestra in five short movements, inspired by a visit to the Children’s Memorial at Yad Vashem and the overwhelming starkness of the Children’s Memorial in contrast to the blazing Jerusalem sunlight. 
“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
Album Booklet
Juno award-winning composer and flutist, Derek Charke was commissioned by the Halifax Camerata Singers to write “Sonnet to the Moon”, written for SATB chorus, a cappella and solo flute based on the poem of the same name by British poet Helen Maria Williams. (1759-1827) The Halifax Camerata Singers is Atlantic Canada’s premier chamber choir founded by Artistic Director Jeff Joudrey.
The glitt'ring colours of the day are fled; Come, melancholy orb! that dwell'st with night, Come! and o'er earth thy wand'ring lustre shed, Thy deepest shadow, and thy softest light; To me congenial is the gloomy grove, When with faint light the sloping uplands shine; That gloom, those pensive rays alike I love, Whose sadness seems in sympathy with mine! But most for this, pale orb! thy beams are dear, For this, benignant orb! I hail thee most: That while I pour the unavailing tear, And mourn that hope to me in youth is lost, Thy light can visionary thoughts impart, And lead the Muse to soothe a suff'ring heart.
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
Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that specializes in high quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across Canada. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retail, download and streaming providers.
We are also recognized as a leading provider of professional audio production, post-production services, and integrated music marketing/distribution in Canada.
Visit our services page for more details or contact us to learn more about our team and the services we provide.
Leaf Music est une étiquette d'enregistrement indépendant à Halifax, Nouvelle-Écosse, qui se spécialise dans les enregistrements de musique classique de haute qualité par des artistes et compositeurs du Canada. Notre catalogue d'enregistrements croissant de musique solo, orchestrale et de chambre est disponible dans le monde entier sur tous les grands services de téléchargement et de streaming.
Nous sommes également reconnus comme un important fournisseur de production audio-vidéo professionnel, post-production audio-video, et services intégrée de marketing et de distribution de musique classique dans la région. Visitez notre page de services pour plus de détails ou contactez-nous pour savoir plus au sujet de notre équipe et les services que nous fournissons.
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