Garth Baxter is a composer that is making a reputation with his original music that incorporates the beautiful melodies of the classical romantic period with the adventous harmony and melodic colors of the modern classical language. Baxter earned his music degrees from Pepperdine University and California State University at Northridge. Furthermore, he studied composition with Robert Hall Lewis, Joseph Wagner, and William Thornton. His compositions for chorus, orchestra, symphonic band, piano, organ, flute, voice, and guitar, as well as other instrumental combinations, have been performed throughout the world. Baxter’s compositions are published by Columbia Music Company, ALRY [...]
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine has teamed up with pianist Matthew Hagle to bring us Blues Dialogues: Music by Black Composers. Featuring twenty-four tracks of all black composers and several world-premiere recordings: Noel Da Costa’s A Set of Dance Tunes for Solo Violin, Dolores White’s expanded, four-movement version of her Blues Dialogues for solo violin, and Billy Childs’s Incident on Larpenteur Avenue, a single-movement violin sonata exploring the events and impact of the 2016 killing of Philando Castile by a Minnesota police officer. Blues Dialogues is produced by Grammy-nominated producer James [...]
Violinist Andrew Wan and pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin have teamed up to cover the complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas. The two perform the works over the course of three albums, the first of which is Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 6, 7 & 8. In this first volume, the duet presents three sonatas, first is the sixth sonata, dedicated to Tsar Alexander I, which exhibits a serene Beethoven. The seventh, almost of symphonic proportions, shows a more tormented side. Finally, the energetic Sonata No. 8, which has a balance of relaxed sections, moving activity and subtle humor.
Wan and [...]
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has been performing and studying Bach’s cello suites for almost six decades. The first piece he learned on the cello was from the suite and through his constant dedication and perseverance, Ma has developed a repertoire and connection with this music that is deeply personal. His tone is warm, beautiful and always projecting confidence in its intent.
