Andy Akiho

"Eclectic Currents" explores the endless possibility of the string quartet at the beginning of the twenty-first century. During the past decades, the Calder Quartet has commissioned works by many of the most imaginative young composers writing today. From the acoustic sonorities, dramatic rhythms, and unique timbres of Norman, Akiho, and Hearne, to the creaking amplifications of Davis, the glitchy electronic dirges of Wohl, and the primitive electronics of Perich, this album offers a snapshot of this body of work. The time-honored combination of instruments sounds entirely new in the hands of the many composers involved in this project.

Anthony de Mare's choice of pioneering new music for piano typically pays off with critical appreciation for his performances and recordings. On this album he's pays tribute to Stephen Sondheim in a fascinating project. De Mare invited composers from a broad variety of genres from Sondheims own world of musical theater to jazz, classical, pop, film and beyond to re-imagine a Sondheim song of their choice as a solo piano piece.

Duo Scorpio, the world's finest harp duo, continues to set the standard for harp duo repertoire now and into the future with Two Bridges, their groundbreaking second release on the American Modern Recordings (AMR) label. This album follows their highly successful first album, Scorpion Tales, a "diverse mix of new and recent compositions that push the limits of what can be done with the instrument" (Lucid Culture), and an album described as "likely to leave music makers and fans inspired to seek out more" (NewMusicBox).

SHHH!! Ensemble is the piano/percussion duo of pianist Edana Higham and percussionist Zac Pulak, an Ottawa-based duo dedicated to the creation of new and innovative programs for that combination.