ŗ«¹śĀćĪč

Schulich Release Radar: November / December 2019

Cinematic piano music, an album focused on the climate crisis, duos who continue to make music together long past their years at Schulichā€”these are just a few exciting details from this editionā€™s new releases.
Image by Helen Tansey.

Take a break from holiday music and explore a few of the Schulich communityā€™s fantastic releases from the past few months in our end-of-year roundup. As always, be sure to publicity.music [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Schulich%20Release%20Radar) (let us know by email) if you're a Schulich community member and releasing an album soon!Ā 

The F LineĀ ā€“Ā Francis Lehoux (self-release)Ā 
Released November 12, 2019Ā 

First up in our November releases is pianist-composer Francis LehouxĀ (BMusĀ '16,Ā BArtsĀ '19,Ā MArtsĀ '12)ā€™s debut album The F Line. Lehoux is not the only Schulich alumnusĀ featured on this album: it wasĀ recorded and co-produced by Sarah Shin-Wong (MMus ā€˜17)Ā in Redpath HallĀ and features arrangements by Geof Holbrook (MMus ā€˜06).Ā 

The music is exactly how itā€™sĀ described: filled to the brim with minimalist, romantic, haunting, and cinematic themesĀ folded into rolling melodies and sensitive performances. A particularĀ favouriteĀ of ours is the enchanting track ā€œIn the Meantimeā€ featuring the distinguished Warhol Dervish string quartet. Listen belowĀ with an exceptional video by StĆ©phaneĀ Moukarzel. Prepare to be transported!Ā 

Nostalgia and Other FantasiesĀ ā€“Ā Aaron Dolman (self-release)Ā 
Released November 22, 2019Ā 

Thereā€™s a unique chemistry between the five musicians on drummer, composer, and bandleader Aaron Dolmanā€™s debut album. Dolman (BMus '19) has combined his love of jazz and his love of folk music into thirteen original tracks for drums, viola, upright bass, and two guitarsā€”plus some other surprising sounds. Zacharie BachandĀ (BMus ā€˜19), on bass, is also a recent ŗ«¹śĀćĪč grad.Ā Dedicated to the nostalgia ā€œstirred up when sifting through old family photos, driving though the Canadian Prairies, or sitting by a quiet lake at midnight,ā€ this album is full of warm soundscapes, lilting tunes, and slow but irresistible grooves. Dolmanā€™s compositions make this unusual ensemble feel like a seamless whole, from short mood-setting tracks like "Stars in a Midnight Lake" to extended forms like "Memory is an Anchor."

Hear Aaron talk more about the albumā€™s theme and his collaborators:Ģż

Dinosaurs and the Solution ā€“ Rising Rain (self-release)Ā 
Released November 25, 2019Ā 

From a jazz rock band composed entirely of Schulich students and recent alums comesĀ Dinosaurs and the solution, a new EP geared towards revolution in a world ā€œowned by dinosaurs.ā€ Rising Rain is led by guitarist Ben Gilbert, who composed these four extended tracks for brass, saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums. The album embraces everything from exquisite stillness to rising chaos withĀ evocative mixing and mastering by current ŗ«¹śĀćĪč students Nigel Ali-Digweed, and Ben Barton Creelman. ā€œRevolution: Alone,ā€ with its backdrop of ocean sounds, speaks especially well to the albumā€™s cause:Ģż30% of its revenue will go to theĀ Unist'ot'enĀ camp of theĀ Wet'suwet'enĀ nation, who are currently re-occupying theirĀ uncededĀ lands, and in doing so halting the construction of three pipelines. Learn more about their cause at .

ā€œA major theme of the EP is the climate crisis and the oil industry.Ā In an attempt toĀ throw a positive spin on an otherwise dark subject, watchĀ Alberta'sĀ tar sands fly by until they are replaced by forests and nature.ā€

The Wild Swans ā€“ Isabelle David and Yolanda Bruno (self-release)Ā Ā 
Released December 13, 2019Ā 

Standout ŗ«¹śĀćĪč alumnaeĀ Isabelle DavidĀ (BMus ā€˜11)Ā and Yolanda Bruno (BMus '11) focus on fantasy, folklore, and storytelling in their debut album.Ā Similar toĀ meagan&amyĀ (see below), they are a piano and violin duet formed at ŗ«¹śĀćĪč that lasted far beyond graduation. The repertoire for the album is all by women from a variety of traditions, sometimes with a twistā€”Hildegard vonĀ Bingen'sĀ O VirtusĀ SapientieĀ has been arranged to include enchanting improvisations by guest artists on oud and kanun. The album shows the duoā€™s commitment to contemporary music and Canadian music specifically; it features a premiere recording of ā€œBeyond Timeā€ byĀ AlexinaĀ Louie and newly commissioned work ā€œThe Swan Parapraxisā€ by Kelly-Marie Murphy, both leading lights in Canadian music. David and Brunoā€™s polished, heartfelt, skillful performances are an essential addition to the recorded literature.Ā Ā 

Learn more aboutĀ AlexinaĀ Louie and other composers featured onĀ The Wild Swans:Ģż

In case you missed these September releases:ĢżĀ 

øé“Ē“Ē³Ł²õĢżā€“Ā m±š²¹²µ²¹²Ō&²¹³¾±č;²¹³¾²āĢż(²õ±š±ō“Ś-°ł±š±ō±š²¹²õ±š)Ģż
Released on September 1Ā 

The new album from MeaganĀ MilatzĀ (BMusĀ '15, MMusĀ '17) and Amy Hillis (BMusĀ '12, DMusĀ ā€˜19) album presents highlights from the program of their ongoingĀ 50-concert tour across all thirteen Canadian provinces and territories. Appropriately, the album focuses on what it means to be Canadian, and how Canadian classical music,Ā ā€œwhile inspired by composers of centuries past, continues to develop its own Canadian character.ā€ The duoā€™s commitment to innovative programming shows clearly in an excellent selection of pieces by Mozart, Debussy, Messiaen, and Canadian composers David L. McIntyre and AndrĆ© Mathieu.Ā MilatzĀ and Hillis are both musical powerhouses, and their ensemble radiates flawless coordination and contagious enthusiasm, especially in the contemporary pieces. The music was expertly recorded by Schulich alumnus Ephraim Hahn and Professor MarthaĀ de Francisco.Ā 

Watch the album teaserĀ featuringĀ Pollack Hall and one of Montrealā€™s public pianos:Ģż

ReinventionsĀ ā€“ Karl Schwonik (Chronograph)Ā 
Released September 27

Ten years after KarlĀ SchwonikĀ (BMus ā€˜09)ā€™s debut album , the band and producer have reunited for Reinventions. The album, inspired by the band and memberā€™s relationships and journey over the past 10 years, features re-imagined throwbacks to ā€œVisionsĀ FromĀ The Farmā€ (such as ā€œFurnace Manā€ and ā€œGreen Lineā€) as well as original tracks.Ā Ā 

Upon listening, thereā€™s no denying the group's chemistry. Each musician is given ample opportunity to showcase their creativity withinĀ Schwonikā€™sĀ compositions and their ensemble work is strong. We look forward to what their 20-year reunion album will bring us!Ā 

Listen to the album on YouTube:Ģż


Are you a Schulich community member and releasing an album soon? publicity.music [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Schulich%20Release%20Radar%20Submission) (Email us to let us know). We loved hearing from you in 2019, so keep the albums coming in 2020!

Back to top