From Oblivion to Hope – new album March 31

I am very happy to announce that my album collaboration with the wonderful Odin Quartet will be released March 31!

Come celebrate with us on March 29 at the Canadian Music Centre in Toronto!

Here’s the official unveiling of the album cover designed by Matthew Maaskant…

From Oblivion to Hope will have a serious and pessimistic tone to start. But, as we go from piece to piece, the tone will evolve to something more optimistic, ending with the heartfelt work, Hope. The idea of going from the negative to the positive is a mindset and a mental health issue I’m very fascinated by these days especially in the context of the pandemic and its outcomes.

Releasing this album is just one part of a multi-phase collaboration with Odin. It was a pleasure to attend their Music Mondays concert last September where they presented the world premiere performance of Hope, a work Odin commissioned dedicated to the idea that our collective humanity still has much to feel optimism about, despite our many current challenges. I’m grateful to the Ontario Arts Council for funding Odin’s commission of this work.

We required 3 days to record this album, the first of which took place last July…

…then 2 days last September…

…all at the fabulous, Canterbury Music Company, where we also edited and mixed it. Dennis Patterson masterfully mastered the album to complete the production process.

My composition, ‘The Four Seasons…in High Park‘ will be the centrepiece of the album. So we’ve devised a plan to make music videos for each of the 4 movements, filming right in picturesque High Park, in each of the 4 seasons, to celebrate the beauty of the varied nature that Toronto is blessed to have access to.

The first of those video shoots took place this past week, under the expert production of Adam Crosby and his Tiny Pictures Inc. crew. Brr, it was cold but we still managed to have fun…

I have been fortunate to have composed a lot for string quartet music over the years. I love the possibilities sonority-wise and rhythmically. I love Odin’s no-musical-barriers/limitations spirit. They’re quality musicians and fine human beings so it’s no surprise that we have produced some amazing music together. Releasing the album and sharing the music videos are going to be a wonderful culmination to our collaboration. All this would not be possible without the support of FACTOR and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Oh did I mention we’ll be having an album release concert/party later this month? Stay tuned to my social media channels and my e-newsletter for the details.