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Neoclassical Suite is a column that will present 7 recent, distinctive tracks of the neoclassical-modern classical-contemporary -and beyond!- music field. 

The Players

Mattia Vlad Morleo

(neoclassical)

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Mattia Vlad Morleo was born in Fasano, a little town in the south of Italy, October 10, 2000.

Morleo had an early introduction to music, learning the piano from his 8 years old, with his father Luigi Morleo.

Since the age of 14 he has been present in the contemporary music scene, having also been called one of the major young talented composers of the century.

Morleo works with NPR, WWF, FanPage.it, Save the Children, TED, RAI, Mediaset, AMMA, and more.

Now he’s working on the new album.

Hugar

(neoclassical, contemporary)

Comprised of multitalented instrumentalists and musicians Bergur Þórisson and Pétur Jónsson – have forged a musical lane all their own with a genre-defying sound. Combining a shared passion for music and an impressive resume working alongside fellow Icelandic luminaries Björk, Sigur Rós, Ólafur Arnalds and Jóhann Jóhannsson, the longtime friends and natives of Seltjarnarnes began writing music together in 2013. Through a series of impromptu sessions, Bergur and Pétur recorded and released their independent self-titled debut, a sweepingly multi-layered and ethereally ambient album, in 2014.

Since then the duo have quickly amassed an organic following of listeners across the globe, racking up over 41 million streams worldwide on Spotify alone. With worldwide acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, Earmilk and Kexp, Hugar now gears up for the next step in their musical journey, signing to Sony Music Masterworks for their major label debut.

Melany Thompson

(neoclassical, solo piano)

This is a solo piano piece on the dark and deep side emotionally. It was inspired by young people who I mentor as a volunteer youth mentor, whose lives are so much more complicated than they should be, through no fault of their own.

Edward Cross

(neoclassical, contemporary)

Composer/multi-instrumentalist based in south east london.

Hideyuki Hashimoto

(neoclassical)

Hideyuki Hashimoto (b. 1986) is a pianist/composer born in Osaka Japan, currently based in Kagawa Prefecture. He utilizes space in his improvisational performances and composition. In 2012, Hashimoto released two works Earth and Air, throughout Japan. His music has a delicate spacial beauty with a feel of vivid imagery and has been appreciated as a work of superiority in an array of reviews published both in Japan and abroad. In addition to first being appointed to compose the music for film in Hungary, he has also appeared in Japanese audio magazines and had his music featured in such commissions as JAL flight broadcasts. In 2013, following the Setouchi Triennale 2013, Hideyuki Hashimoto partook in the Sea’s Terrace event with his spacial music in Takamijima, and with an upright piano from the island, represented the region’s atmosphere with music, leaving the audience with a deep impression of beauty.

Ed Carlsen

(neoclassical, contemporary)

Ed Carlsen is a composer and producer from Sardinia, Italy. Professionally trained as a guitarist, Ed ultimately began to translate these skills onto piano, using his own compositions as the foundation in which to discover the instrument. His approach to the piano was unconventional, while retaining the versatility developed through studying the guitar. He blends elements from modern classical music, such as intimate piano and strings, with electronic rhythms and ambient soundscapes. But it’s important to understand that the shapeshifting sounds on the new album are rooted in real life experiences — the sense of place in distant locales, the confronting of anxieties, the loss of life, and ultimately, the redemptive choice in leaving the darkness behind for a new light.

William Ogmundson

(neoclassical)

William Ogmundson is a award-winning pianist, EMMY-nominated composer and lyricist. He writes prolifically for the theater, and was recently nominated for Best Music for the musical “Kindness and Cruelty” at the New York Theatre Festival. He has performed all over the world, including at the Vatican and Notre Dame Cathedrale and has recorded numerous CD’s, including his most recent effort, “Simple Gifts”. For more information, go to william ogmundson.com.

The Music

Christos Doukakis