Tag Archives: classical

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Silphie Releases New Single ‘Mea Lux’

After separation and misunderstandings Sulpicia and her secret lover reunite. As she reflects on the reunion Sulpicia regrets that she was on her guard. “My love, my light” if she could go back in time she would stay the night. Mea lux is the penultimate poem in the Garland series written by Sulpicia and sets up the story of the final poem “Tandem venit amor” (At last love has come) where Sulpicia and her lover Cerinthius finally come together.

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Michaele Archer is an Australian classically trained singer and composer and has performed nationally and internationally in Opera, Oratorio and concert. Michaele loves collaboration and unusual projects and highlights have included performances of “Brackish Songs” by indigenous composer Christopher Sainsbury and the first live performances of Schubert’s “Erlking” with a sand animation by Californian creator Benny Zelkowicz. Her original recording project “Galatea” was released in 2019.

Silphie is a collaboration with Michaele Archer (composer/vocal and harmonium), Rachel Whealy (cello), Giuseppe Zangari (guitar) and Gab Stelle (viola).  The name Silphie comes from the ancient world’s herb Silphium which was used for everything from perfume and cooking to medicine. The latest recording project by Silphie, “Garland, the love poems of Sulpicia” is inspired by rich, raw sounds of analogue, alto instruments and ancient Latin poetry.

Sulpicia is a female voice that was lost for many years and her 6 love poems form the text for this project. Sulpicia lived around the time of Augustus in the first century BCE and her work is one of very few written by a Roman woman to survive. Her poems were published in a collection by the Roman male poet Tibullus and were originally attributed to him. Sulpicia’s Garland of poems tells the story of a secret love affair.

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Fiona Joy Hawkins & Rebecca Daniel Release Album ‘Enchantment’

The album release of their latest opus ‘Enchantment’  on July 26th
Classical Pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins and violinist Rebecca Daniel 

Enchantment, the latest project from pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins and violinist Rebecca Daniel, follows in the musical footsteps of their previous collaborations. This time the duo pays homage to the great impressionist painters and composers. Throughout the album. works and track titles reference great artists like Satie, Monet, and Van Gogh. The music is impressionistic, beautiful and relaxing as if Debussy’s ghost was in the room.

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Gareth Koch Releases Album ‘French Medieval Journey’

A new style of song, whose themes were love and myth, rose to prominence in 11th-century Europe. The songs of the French Trouveres in particular dominated medieval music in Europe. These songs were performed by roaming scholars and footloose clerics who thronged the roads of the Middle Ages.

In French Medieval Journey, Gareth’s aim has been to create a new body of music for guitar, based on music from the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the recurring themes in French Medieval music is the recounting of myths and legends.

In setting this music for guitar the French trouvere melodies are used as a point of departure. The compositions however are completely original, yet retain the flavour and ambience of French medieval music. Gareth: ‘I have sought to reanimate some of the myths and legends in musical terms, leaving the imagery and symbolism to the discretion of the listener. Through the medium of music the listener is invited into a medieval dreamscape or otherworld.’

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning  scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA  pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Gareth Koch Releases Album ‘Carmina Burana’

Remastered and Released to streaming for the first time in 2024 here is one of Gareth Koch’s Master Works.

My first encounter with the Carmina Burana was as a young chorister in a performance given in 1983 at the Sydney Opera House. The choir and orchestra were directed by one of my teachers, the late and great Richard Gill. The excitement of that musical experience made a lasting impression on my musical consciousness.

During the European summer of 1995 in Vienna I began a draft version of the Carmina Burana for Solo Guitar. Transcribing the medieval & folk-inspired movements came first, then the challenge of the mighty opening chorus O Fortuna. In an attempt to interest record companies in the project I recorded a ‘demo’ version of O Furtuna, in a single take, in a Viennese cellar!

My publishers and several record companies showed great interest in my interpretation of Orff’s work and very quickly plans started to come together to record in a venue in Vienna. Unfortunately, these plans fell apart due to some pre-existing contract obligations. An opportunity arose to record the work in Australia, and this prompted my return.

The recording of Carmina Burana for Solo Guitar was completed in 1997 over three consecutive nights in Newcastle’s Christ Church Cathedral. The natural resonance & ambience of the cathedral compliment the recording. There are no added effects to this recording which is completely natural & live sounding.

Recording the Carmina Burana was both a physical and mental achievement that has become one of the highlights of my career. The opportunity to re-master the recording and release it digitally brings back to mind the exhilaration of that performance in that venue, over those three nights – still deeply embedded in my memory. It is the synthesis of a lifelong interest in medieval music and the desire to create an exciting and unique live performance piece for guitar.

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning  scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA  pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘Rumba Flamenca Arabe’

With around a quarter of a million streams already this series of Flamenco Guitar from one of Australia’s best is ready for a new brilliant track to start 2024,

The rumba is an upbeat & rhythmically syncopated flamenco style, ideal for dancing & festivities. It is an incredibly flexible genre, able to assimilate a multitude of influences such as Latin, Arabic or pop-contemporary. The rumba is arguably the most recognisable & widely listened to of all flamenco music. It’s lively tempo & irresistible groove, make it hugely popular around the world.

Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Silphie Releases Single ‘Sulpicia’s Birthday’

Featuring Silphie’s sublime highly trained vocals, a Harmonium, cello, viola and nylon string classical guitar, the debut release for this neo classical/world music act from the NSW Central Coast is sure to have ears lighting up. The quality of the recording, the players, the juxtaposition of the vocals switching from Latin to English and the overall sound of this track will put you in a medieval soundscape that could be part of a beautiful old film shot on 70mm.

Sulpicia was a female poet who lived in Rome in 40BC. Sulpicia’s Birthday is the second in a series of six poems. The story describes her ecstasy, as Sulpicia writes to her lover to tell him she has arranged for the two of them to spend her birthday together, frolicking in Rome.

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Photo Credit-Lisa Haymes photography

Michaele Archer graduated (with distinction) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Opera School and has performed nationally and internationally. She also attained a Masters in Applied Science, researching breathing techniques for opera singers from the University of Sydney.

Her research in breathing techniques was presented in Paris at the International Congress of Voice Teachers. Recently Michaele has been performing and studying in Los Angeles and Switzerland with vocal expert Robin de Haas and has been certified as an Advanced Breathing Coordination practitioner.

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Lisa Haymes photography

Michaele’s love of ancient instruments and language led her to the work of Sulpicia, a female poet who lived in Rome in the time of Augustus. ‘Garland, the love poems of Sulpicia’ is her latest recording project.

Sulpicia’s poems were included in a publication of the famous roman writer Tibullus and originally attributed to him. The mystery around Sulpicia as a young woman breaking taboos, writing of a secret love affair and the rich sound of the Latin text drew Michaele deep into the project. The poems form the text for the album. Written for harmonium, guitar, cello, viola and vocals, Michaele’s recordings embrace a tone palate that is analogue, raw and dark.

Silphie is a collaboration with Michaele Archer (vocal and harmonium), Rachel Whealy (cello), Giuseppe Zangari (guitar), and Gab Stelle (viola). The name Silphie is inspired by the ancient world’s herb Silphium which was used for everything from perfume and cooking to medicine.

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Foghorn Christmas Releases

Get Into The Christmas Spirit With Gareth Koch’s Instrumental Album & Daxton’s Homegrown Blues/Jazz Album

‘Exquisite & ancient music reimagined with a shimmer of jangle. An audiophile recording.’

Imagine timeless European Christmas music played instrumentally, as if upon a choir of lutes. Ancient & exquisite songs, deep within the human psyche, are now newly arranged by ARIA Award winning guitarist Gareth Koch. The interpretations reveal his signature blend of contemporary flair laced with medieval sensibilities.

The arrangements are both elegant & appealing, sidestepping any notion of commercialised Christmas clichés. Re-imagined as troubadour-like ballads or tender Austrian folk songs, each carol receives a unique treatment. The listener is invited into an array of soundworlds, ranging from the early medieval to English folk-revival.

The music of this album leads us away from the bustle of many modern realities. Instead, we are drawn into a gentler universe, filled with subtlety & nuance. In any year, at any time, this album presents a Christmas message we all need to hear.

Song Descriptions
Little Drummer Boy
This timeless mid-tempo classic Christmas carol is dealt with not just using multiple classical guitar parts but with hand percussion and rice shakers.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
A very old piece, dated to the 16th century and referred to in Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’. Gareth recreates the vocal melody perfectly and becomes a terrific hum along piece. Bass guitar rounds out the arrangement featuring multiple guitars: acoustic, nylon string and electric creating a lush sonic tapestry.

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a diverse repertory across multiple albums spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects & song writing.
Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects. Over recent years he has released two collaborative albums with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church).

All DSP’s and CD’s from official store below

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Daxton ‘On The Eve Of Christmas’

There is a good chance in any Christmas album you will hear the well known traditional songs about mistletoe, stockings and large jolly gentlemen in red suits. Many artists have been there but not all write their own songs. Daxton Monaghan has just released his own unique jazz style Xmas album for 2023.

After deciding last Christmas that there wasn’t an album of Christmas songs that suited him, Daxton has spent the past year slowly crafting a tasty array of melodic songs for his own special Christmas album.  Entitled ‘On The Eve Of Christmas’, the nine tracks include some well-known and Daxton family favourites: White Christmas, Little Drummer Boy and of course, Jingle Bells. The rest of the album is made up of Daxton’s own songs. These compositions have been inspired by Daxton’s family Christmas gatherings. Bouncy rhythms, heart warming lyrics, sing along harmonies, strings, brass and Daxton’s familiar vocals all feature.

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Let The Carols Sing
A classic sing along Xmas tune from bluesman Daxton. Some fine holiday vibes from the sax, beach boys style ‘ooh aah’ backing vocals and keys.

Little Drummer Boy
This timeless tune gets fine reworking by Daxton. Programmed drums and keys give the song a modern edge with Luke Gallen’s sax the icing on the cake.

About Daxton
Daxton has appeared at major festivals including the Sydney Blues & Roots and Tamworth Country Music Festival where he supported artists such as Kasey Chambers and Beccy Cole. He also has had one of his tracks ‘Moody Liz’ featured in the popular American TV series Doll House.

Based on the Central Coast, Daxton is best described as a blues/rock artist with a twist of pop and rock.  He plays slide guitar rock/blues songs with a fresh and innovative sound. His last album, ‘Electric Satellite’ was released in 2022 and featured his signature heavy and rustic blues rock sound.

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Gareth Koch – Tangos del Gato

For the past 12 months Gareth has been recording and releasing tracks that explore the various forms of classical Spanish dance forms: Tango and Flamenco.  His output has built a solid base of keen listeners, now over 10,000 monthly listeners.

This latest release is a Tango.  Tangos is a dance form that developed primarily between Cadiz and Sevilla.  It is a 4/4 beat rhythm and has some reminiscence with certain Arabic rhythm and groove patterns.  The flamenco Tangos, has nothing to do with the Argentinian Tango.  The style of dancing is also sensual which includes much hip movement due to the Arabic belly dancing style.

Tangos, together with Bulerías are the two favourite forms of jamming and partying in all the Juergas (a flamenco party-jam) usually in celebration of a wedding, baptism or any joyous occasion.

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Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter.  He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Checkout the new single ‘Tangos del Gato’ (Foghorn/MGM) November 16

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Fiona Joy Hawkins and Rebecca Daniel Release Album ‘To The Wind’

Fiona Joy Hawkins and Rebecca Daniel Present New Album
To The Wind

When Fiona and Rebecca flew to the USA from Australia, it was to tour and to record with producer Cookie Marenco. Fiona and Rebecca played to full houses in a series of iconic venues that would add a lustre to any artist resume: Carnegie Hall, Dizzys Jazz Club, The Moss Performing Arts Centre, The Hollywood Piano and topped by a live concert at Echoes for NPR.

With the tour done they moved to the studio. Producer, Cookie Marenco, known for her trademarked pristine recordings to DSD256, was ecstatic with the results. The now critically acclaimed “Heavenly Voices” is a testament to their virtuosity. The time on stage meant their skills were honed to a knife edge and “Heavenly Voices” became a heavenly recording.

‘Rather than stop recording, this duo decided to try something new – compose music on the spot and reimagine songs they had recorded in the past. They brought freshness to older pieces with piano, violin and voices. All recorded in one take, live in the studio,’ says Cookie.

“Heavenly Voices” was released globally in March 2021 with great success. With the world still shut down, Fiona, Rebecca and Cookie agreed that those stunning ‘one take’ sessions should be released. They have become the follow up – “To The Wind”.

Rebecca:
‘Personally, ‘The Void’ and ‘Blue Dream’ are two of my favourites to play. ‘My Hands Were Busy’ was initially going to be on the Lightness of Dark album, but we ran out of time. The song then became an integral part of the concerts, due to its moving and emotional connection with the audience. This collection brings a true “live” experience, presenting a concert performance with a studio quality sound. No tricks, just two musicians in a studio, recreating highlights from their concerts.’

About

Fiona Joy Hawkins is a classically trained pianist and singer inspired by Mendelssohn, Chopin and her Celtic heritage. Her song ‘Grace’ was on a GRAMMY ® winning album in 2014. In 2016, she won two categories of the Independent Music Awards. In Australia, she was an ARIA Finalist & MusicOZ Winner.

Rebecca Daniel studied violin and chamber music with Emanuel Hurwitz and the Amadeus String Quartet at The Royal Academy of Music. She was invited to move to Australia to join The Australian Chamber Orchestra, and was Orchestra Leader for Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music & Beauty and the Beast. She has recorded and performed with John Denver, Bread, James Galway and the Chieftains, Will Ackerman, Shirley Bassey, Barbra Streisand, Men at Work and INXS.

Both virtuosos, together Hawkins and Daniel make for an incomparable team.

‘To The Wind’ is OUT NOW on Blue Coast Records
Available on SACD and Digital

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