New York Voices

The widely acclaimed vocal ensemble New York Polyphony has on its previous recordings for BIS focused on Franco-Flemish polyphony (endBeginning, BIS1949), the English Renaissance (Times go by Turns, BIS2037) and Christmas (Sing thee Nowell, BIS2099). Each of these discs which have been highly praised by the critics, receiving no less than two Grammy Award nominations has also included contemporary works, resulting in striking resonances between music from across more than half a millennium.

Nowell, Nowel, Noel - on their new release, Sing thee Nowell, New York Polyphony sings of, and to, the birth of Christ in a typically sophisticated programme which fuses the ancient with the modern into a seamless whole. Seven centuries of Christmas passes before the listener with new works composed for these performers by Michael McGlynn, Andrew Smith and John Scott alongside traditional medieval and Renaissance carols and motets by Clemens 'non Papa', Philippe Verdelot and Tomás Luis de Victoria.

Clermont Music announces the release of Live In New York 2010 from Khaira Arby. Recorded in August 2010 at Bard College in New York, Khaira electrified the audience giving one of her greatest performances. Her energy and spirit captured in this recently discovered album illustrate Khaira at the height of her powers. Sadly, she passed away in the summer of 2018 leaving this album as one of her only full concert recordings.