Eleanor McCain Releases “I Can See Hope From Here” Album and Music Video
As the world slowly emerges from an unimaginable and often surreal time that profoundly affected humanity as a whole and dealt a seismic blow to the performing arts community, acclaimed Canadian singer Eleanor McCain releases I Can See Hope From Here as an offering of solace, comfort, and hope for the future. Distributed by eOne, the album provides a fresh take on 14 favourite tracks from McCain’s most ambitious project to date – True North: The Canadian Songbook. Her silky vocals fuse seamlessly with orchestras from across Canada to create a powerful message of inspiration. Pre-orders are available now here, with the full album releasing on September 24.
Canadian music offers hope in the wake of a global pandemic
As the world slowly emerges from an unimaginable and often surreal time that profoundly affected humanity as a whole and dealt a seismic blow to the performing arts community, acclaimed Canadian singer Eleanor McCain releases I Can See Hope From Here as an offering of solace, comfort, and hope for the future. Distributed by eOne, the album provides a fresh take on 14 favourite tracks from McCain’s most ambitious project to date – True North: The Canadian Songbook. Her silky vocals fuse seamlessly with orchestras from across Canada to create a powerful message of inspiration. Pre-orders are available now here, with the full album releasing on September 24.
I Can See Hope From Here not only offers a cross-section of the many musical flavours of Canada’s vast songbook, but also serves as an apt reflection of the country’s spirit and strength. “The honest emotion and powerful spirit of Canadian music has always inspired me,” says McCain, “especially now as we begin to emerge from a very dark and uncertain time. Though I’m not a songwriter, as a long-time interpreter I have the deepest admiration and respect for those who can capture and convey deep feeling through music and words.”
On September 10, McCain is set to release a video for the title track, I Can See Hope from Here, the album’s sole original track, penned by award-winning producer and songwriter Don Breithaupt and his brother Jeff. Ironically, the song’s genesis was quite literal – a partial view of Hope Island on Canada’s iconic Georgian Bay – but its words take on a much deeper and more universal meaning during this time of restoration and healing. Filmed in Nova Scotia on Canada’s stunning east coast, the video – a visual poem that dreamily captures the song’s strong emotional message – is directed by celebrated Canadian filmmaker and producer Joel Stewart.
In an effort to offer support and to shine a light on the devastation caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, proceeds from I Can See Hope From Here, to a total of $25,000, will benefit The Unison Fund—Canada’s music industry charity, which provides counselling and emergency services to the Canadian music community.
TRACKLIST
Hallelujah featuring the National Arts Centre Orchestra
I’ll Always Be There featuring Roch Voisine and the National Arts Centre Orchestra
A Case Of You featuring the National Arts Centre Orchestra
Run To You featuring the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
Angel featuring the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Constant Craving featuring Jens Lindemann and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Undun featuring the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Get Me Through December featuring the National Arts Centre Orchestra
Aujourd’hui, je dis bonjour à la vie featuring l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec
I Can See Hope From Here featuring the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
Heart Like A Wheel featuring the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
Still Believe In Love featuring Symphony Nova Scotia
Up Where We Belong featuring the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
O Siem featuring l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec
ABOUT ELEANOR MCCAIN
Eleanor McCain has dazzled audiences for more than a decade with a voice that has been described as “lovely...full and expressive” (Halifax Chronicle Herald). Hailing from New Brunswick, Canada, this multiple East Coast Music Award-nominated classical crossover artist has recorded six albums, toured with noted JUNO-nominated jazz singer Matt Dusk, and appeared with orchestras across Canada. She’s also had the honour of collaborating with artists such as Roch Voisine, Jens Lindemann, Natalie MacMaster, Liona Boyd, John McDermott, Chantal Kreviazuk, the Elmer Iseler Singers, and Carlos Nunez.
In 2017, Eleanor McCain released True North: The Canadian Songbook—featuring 32 iconic songs as reimagined by 14 Canadian arrangers and recorded by 10 Canadian orchestras, with guest appearances by 28 celebrated Canadian artists. An award-winning bilingual coffee-table book, which includes a stunning series of portraits by noted photographer V. Tony Hauser and showcases the dramatic and majestic Canadian landscape through a curated collection of images by 22 photographers, accompanies the CDs.
Based in Toronto, Eleanor McCain is also an active philanthropist. The launch of True North: The Canadian Songbook supported five $20,000 commemorative BandAid Grants honoring the 20th Anniversary of MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity.
Website: EleanorMcCain.ca
Twitter: @Eleanor_McCain
Facebook: @EleanorMcCainMusic
Instagram: @EleanorMcCainMusic
YouTube: @EleanorMcCainMusic
Gramophone: Marc-André Hamelin's Latest Album Selected as Editor's Choice for April
Marc-André Hamelin’s Feinberg Piano Sonatas Nos 1-6 album chosen as one of the best new classical albums, Editor's Choice for April 2020.
Gramophone
David Fanning
The best new classical albums: Editor's Choice, April 2020
Feinberg Piano Sonatas Nos 1-6
Marc-André Hamelin pf (Hyperion)
Samuil Feinberg was a great Russian pianist perhaps best known for his Bach, but his compositions are less familiar. Marc-André Hamelin’s overwhelming advocacy of these sonatas comes highly recommended.
Read the Gramophone review here… “Hamelin does far more than tame these pianistic leviathans. He gives them momentum, character and individuality.”
Blogcritics Exclusive Interview: Violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft on New Album Incantation
With his sophomore album Incantation just out, French violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft was set to bring his “beautiful, front-loaded, and siren-like tone” and “impressive virtuosity” to Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on April 28. The concert will be rescheduled because of the COVID-19 crisis, but in the meantime, here is our enlightening interview with this exciting musician.
Blogcritics
Jon Sobel
With his sophomore album Incantation just out, French violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft was set to bring his “beautiful, front-loaded, and siren-like tone” and “impressive virtuosity” to Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on April 28. The concert will be rescheduled because of the COVID-19 crisis, but in the meantime, here is our enlightening interview with this exciting musician.
Boutellis-Taft recorded the album with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The program for the concerts includes The Soloists of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and includes most of the music from the album: Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei”; Vitali’s Chaconne in G Minor; Saint-Saëns’ “Danse Macabre” (in a new arrangement by Paul Bateman); Tchaikovsky’s “Sérénade Mélancolique”; Bloch’s “Nigun” (from Baal Shem); Chausson’s Poème for Violin and Piano; and Piazzola’s “Oblivion.”
We had a chance to speak with Boutellis-Taft as he was gearing up for a season that was planned to feature concerts at the Berlin Philharmonie, the Salle Gaveau, the Musée d’Orsay, and Cadogan Hall in London as well as Carnegie in New York.
Read the interview here.
The Violin Channel: Violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft’s New CD, "Incantation"
The Violin Channel
Aparté Records has announced the release of French violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft’s new album: Incantation.
Recorded with conductor Jac van Steen and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the disc features Bruch’s ‘Kol Nidrei’ , Vitali’s Chaconne, Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, Tchaikovsky’s Sérénade Mélancolique, Bloch’s Nigun, Chausson’s Poème, and Umebayashi’s Yumeji’s Theme.
“These works have long inspired me and what’s interesting is to bring them together and make them speak to each other…” Virgil told The Violin Channel.
To read more about Incantation, click here.
Violinist.com: For the Record, Virgil Boutellis-Taft's 'Incantation'
Violinist.com
Laurie Niles
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!
Here's a young violinist worth a good listen, and he will also be performing in Carnegie Hall April 28. French violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft presents a wide-ranging album that includes Bruch's Kol Nidrei; Vitali's Chaconne; Saint-Saëns, Danse macabre (a world premiere arrangement by Paul Bateman); Tchaikovsky's Sérénade mélancolique; Bloch's Nigun (from Baal Shem); Chausson's Poème; and Shigeru Umebayashi's "Yumeji’s Theme" from Wong Kar-Wai's film "In the Mood for Love."
To read the full review, click here.
International Piano Magazine: Marc-André Hamelin's Feinberg Album Named Album of the Month
International Piano Magazine
Bryce Morrison
Marc-André Hamelin’s latest solo album, Samuil Feinberg’s Piano Sonatas, is featured in the March issue of International Piano Magazine as Album of the Month.
"It is difficult to imagine any living pianist other than Hamelin who could confront this music - music that is stranger than strange - with such compelling mastery, eloquence and lucidity."
International Piano Magazine
Bryce Morrison
Marc-André Hamelin’s latest solo album, Samuil Feinberg’s Piano Sonatas, is featured in the March issue of International Piano Magazine as Album of the Month.
"It is difficult to imagine any living pianist other than Hamelin who could confront this music - music that is stranger than strange - with such compelling mastery, eloquence and lucidity."
To read the complete review, click here.
Minnesota Public Radio: Pianist Haochen Zhang offers a fresh take on Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev
Chinese American pianist Haochen Zhang became a gold medalist and a first prize winner of the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. At age 19, he was one of the youngest winners in the competition. Ten years later, Haochen has just released his second recording. It features Tchaikovsky's powerful Piano Concerto No. 1 and the work he performed in the final round of the Cliburn Competition: Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2.
Minnesota Public Radio
Julie Amacher
Haochen Zhang — Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 / Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 (BIS)
Chinese American pianist Haochen Zhang became a gold medalist and a first prize winner of the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. At age 19, he was one of the youngest winners in the competition. Ten years later, Haochen has just released his second recording. It features Tchaikovsky's powerful Piano Concerto No. 1 and the work he performed in the final round of the Cliburn Competition: Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2.
"This is exactly 10 years after 2009, when I won the Cliburn. There's a personal feeling to this piece that I've been performing ever since.
"It's known for being the most technically challenging piano concerto, with the crazy cadenza in the first movement and nerve-racking second movement, and so forth.
Listen to Haochen’s interview with Julie Amacher here.
Gramophone: The Listening Room – Haochen Zhang
A terrific new recording of Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto comes from 2009 Van Cliburn Competition winner Haochen Zhang - quite a feather in BIS’s cap as they’ve also this year's Tchaikovsky Competition winner Alexandre Kantorow on their books.
Gramophone
James Jolly
A terrific new recording of Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto comes from 2009 Van Cliburn Competition winner Haochen Zhang - quite a feather in BIS’s cap as they’ve also this year's Tchaikovsky Competition winner Alexandre Kantorow on their books.
Read more here.
Miroirs CA: Mirror in Mirror by Anne Akiko Meyers
Mirror, mirror on the wall, guess who released one of the most intriguing recordings of them all? Anne Akiko Meyers, of course. This boutique style CD features arrangements of works by composers of our time that contain a satisfying amount of spirituality and pathos. While Ravel is a composer for all time, the disc includes Tzigane, one of her go to pieces, and for good reason.
Miroirs CA
Mirror, mirror on the wall, guess who released one of the most intriguing recordings of them all? Anne Akiko Meyers, of course. This boutique style CD features arrangements of works by composers of our time that contain a satisfying amount of spirituality and pathos. While Ravel is a composer for all time, the disc includes Tzigane, one of her go to pieces, and for good reason.
Read more here.
Anne Akiko Meyers Releases 37th Album, Mirror in Mirror, for Pre-Order
Anne Akiko Meyers will release Mirror in Mirror on Avie on September 7th. Now available for pre-order through Amazon and iTunes, this album features compositions written or arranged for Ms. Meyers by Jakub Ciupiński, John Corigliano, Philip Glass, Morten Lauridsen, and Arvo Pärt, and also includes Ravel’s Tzigane, in the original luthéal version.
Anne Akiko Meyers will release Mirror in Mirror on Avie on September 7th. Now available for pre-order through Amazon and iTunes, this album features compositions written or arranged for Ms. Meyers by Jakub Ciupiński, John Corigliano, Philip Glass, Morten Lauridsen, and Arvo Pärt, and also includes Ravel’s Tzigane, in the original luthéal version.
“Almost a decade in the making, Mirror in Mirror is in many ways my most personal recording,” Ms. Meyers stated. “With the exception of Ravel, I collaborated with all of the composers or arrangers on this album and have created several new masterpieces to add to the violin repertoire. The music on this release is reflective and spiritual and captures the exquisitely beautiful array of colors of the violin.”
The release includes Arvo Pärt’s iconic Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in Mirror), Philip Glass’s hauntingly beautiful Metamorphosis II in a new arrangement for violin and piano, John Corigliano’s Lullaby for Natalie (written for the birth of Anne’s first daughter), the Japanese traditional song, Edo Lullaby, arranged for violin and electronics by Jakub Ciupiński, and Morten Lauridsen’s spellbinding O Magnum Mysterium for violin and orchestra. Other works include the original luthéal version of Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane, Pärt’s mesmerizing Fratres, and Ciupiński’s Wreck of the Umbria for violin and electronics written in 2009 for Ms. Meyers.
Anne Akiko Meyers is one of today’s most popular performing and recording artists. Her recent recording of Rautavaara’s Fantasia was the only classical instrumental work to be selected on NPR’s 100 best songs of 2017. Meyers’ Vivaldi and American Masters albums topped the Billboard charts, making her the top-selling traditional classical instrumental soloist of 2014.
Highlights of Anne’s upcoming season include four performances celebrating the opening of the new Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia this October and a Great Performances television broadcast of “Schindler’s List” in a special tribute which honors John Williams. These appearances are by exclusive special invitation of Maestros Pärt and Williams. In December, she plays the European premiere of Rautavaara’s Fantasia and Mason Bates’ Violin Concerto with the Helsinki Philharmonic in a worldwide live-streamed performance, and in 2019, Anne returns to Japan to premiere Rautavaara’s Fantasia and tours with guitarist, Jason Vieaux throughout the United States.
Please visit www.anneakikomeyers.com for more info.
