New CDs

Nove Voce and Tapestry Nove Voce: Robin Norman, Director general@novevoce.ca http://www.novevoce.ca Tapestry: Carolyn Duerksen, Director carolynduerksen@hotmail.com This CD can be ordered by contacting me. I think of Prince George as Imant Raminsh country, so there is a sense of pilgrimage whenever I visit. During my first trips to Prince George I was delighted with how well the singers "got" my music, and it made me eager to work with them again. So simpatico did I find the singing that I quickly formed a wish-list of Hatfield pieces I'd love to have performed by the groups I'd met; but unlike most wish-lists, this one came true. I met Carolyn Duerksen on my first visit, Robin Norman on my second, and my third visit was to give concerts and record a CD with both conductors and their choirs, Tapestry and Nove Voce -- concerts that included "Change My Name", a piece written especially for Robin's ensemble. In our busy and hyper-scheduled world, one rarely experiences a project that is able to develop and unfold so organically, and with such a sense of completion. Our rehearsals together were intense, daring, funny and hugely productive: some of the best practice sessions of my life. I am delighted that our collaboration can be crowned with this CD, recorded, as nearly all of my CDs seem to be, in a powerfully overheated room where the temperature incites the singers to wring out every drop of everything they have. It should also be noted that everything -- including texts in Spanish, Latin, Gaelic, French and Korean -- was performed by memory.

Shallaway (see also "Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir") Kellie Walsh, Director info@shallaway.ca www.shallaway.ca This CD can be ordered by contacting me. Shallaway recorded my opera in their third year of performing it, and a sense of family animates the production. The CD is blessed by having the well-seasoned choir (and well done, soloists!) lovingly recorded by the same man, Don Ellis, who designed the opera's live sound. Andrew Dale, for whom the role of Séamus was written, reinvents himself in answer to Anna Sharpe's wonderful performance as her near-namesake, Ann. Calvin Powell as pater familias Captain Harvey, sung with basso panache, is luxurious casting. The original five-piece ceilidh band is reunited, many of whom toured with the choir throughout the production - and how fortunate to have both singers and band come to the recording with so many performances under their belt. The CD is gorgeously packaged, with photographs that give some idea of director Jillian Keiley's brilliant staging. The soundfile that accompanies the CD cover is Scene 2, the introduction to the Harvey family. Additional soundfiles (including Andrew Dale, who is not in Scene 2), photos and information on the opera can be found on the Ann & Séamus page on this website.