Neoclassical Suite is a column that will present 7 recent, distinctive tracks of the neoclassical-modern classical-contemporary -and beyond!- music field.
Note: All Bio/about sections provided/written by the artists.
The Players
Diarmuid J Kennedy
(neoclassical, solo piano)
Always trust a kid’s instinct! In the case of Irish pianist & composer Diarmuid J Kennedy, he took the right decision to listen to his elder daughter about adding more drama in this alluring solo piano composition, to reflect his younger daughter Maud better… And then ‘Maud’s Melody’ is born and we are all smiling with our eyes filled in tears… Lovely!
“Diarmuid J Kennedy is an Irish Piano Composer. Diarmuid composes piano music described as neo-classical, contemporary classical and post-minimalist. It is the ideal choice for relaxation, meditation, mindfulness and chilling out.
An Arts Graduate of Maynooth University, Kildare, Diarmuid received a Masters Degree from Trinity College Dublin and post graduate diploma’s from University College Dublin and Dublin City University. Diarmuid attended the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. In 2018, he completed his piano studies at the London Trinity College of Music.
A classically trained pianist, Diarmuid released his debut single in January 2019 The Velvet Strand. In 2019, Diarmuid performed in festivals including Anam (in Dublin’s Helix Theatre), Southern Cross Day Festival, Dublin, Summer Solstice Piano Experience, World Music Day and Dublin Culture Night. On 23rd January 2020, Diarmuid performed a sold out gig in Arthurs Jazz and Blues Club in Dublin.
In 2021, Diarmuid produced a short documentary film and music score on lifelogging based on research of Europe’s largest Data Research Centre Insight. The music film was officially selected for the Montreal Independent Film Festival, The Cannes International Short Film Festival and the Kerry International Film Festival in 2021.
Diarmuid’s music features on national, local and international radio stations including: RTE Lyric FM, RTE2 FM, KCLR, Claremorris Community Radio, Radio Phoenix FM, RTE Radio na Gaeltachta, FlirtFM, Eagles Nest Radio, Lonely Oak Radio, Riverside Radio and Dublin City FM. Diarmuid’s music is available on all main music platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Google Play/YouTube, SoundCloud, Amazon and Pandora in the USA.” (Diarmuid J Kennedy)
Rebecca Jean Rossi
(neoclassical, cinematic)
A heartfelt melody that will fill you with comfort these crazy times, thanks to Rebecca Jean Rossi and her waking up one morning with this melody stuck in her head… Beauty!!
“Rebecca Jean Rossi (a.k.a Krystalmath) is a composer and producer who splits her time between New York and Milan.
While studying classical piano performance at the Eastman School of Music, she discovered her passion for electronic music and composition and started experimenting with creating her own pieces.
Between 2008-2012 she wrote and sang for an indie rock band that toured the US and Europe, and also produced a single in collaboration with Prodigy from Mobb Deep.
In 2015, she wrote, produced, and released her first pop-style album under the name Krystalmath- with her first single “Same Mistake” hitting Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist and then the Global Viral 50, peaking in 15th place and receiving over 200,000 plays within a couple of weeks.
Rossi’s recent shift (2018-present) into composing cinematic piano music was inspired by revisiting some of her favorite pieces by Yann Tiersen and concurrently discovering the music of Nils Frahm, Agnes Obel, Hania Rani, Ólafur Arnalds and Max Richter. All of these influences and more can be heard on her most recent EP, “Kismet”, released on 1631 Recordings in February of 2022.“ (Rebecca Jean Rossi)
Nicolai Kornerup
(neoclassical, solo piano, jazz, folk)
An elegant composition by Danish Nicolai Kornerup ideally mixing neoclassical, jazz and Nordic folk, and the result is in his own words “a hermetic and harmonious space, as an opposition to a cacophonous world”.
“With his band, Mames Babegenush, Kornerup has released five albums and played concerts worldwide, for instance in Carnegie Hall, New York City, at Roskilde Festival and at Bergen International Festival. For his latest release, he received a prestigious award, The Carl Award in the category “Composer of the Year – Roots”. For many years, he has composed music with the Danish-Zambian artist Kwamie Liv. Their interpretation of the iconic Danish singer Kim Larsen’s “Pianomand” is already a classic. Kornerup has also worked with and composed tracks for artists such as Soleima, Kwamie Liv, Andrea Pellegrini, Perfume Genius, DR Big Band, Thomas Dybdahl and The Danish String Quartet..” (Nicolai Kornerup)
Eydís Evensen
(post-classical, solo piano, minimalism)
Eydís Evensen’s ‘The Light I’ is an evocative, post-classical, minimalistic, solo piano composition with an impeccable piano performance, and some of the most remarkable pauses… Not for everybody, definitely for Last Day Deaf!
“Music has been a part of Eydís Evensen’s life from a very early age. A classically-trained pianist and post-classical composer, Eydís started taking piano lessons at the age of six in her hometown of Blönduós, Iceland and composed her very first piece of music on the instrument – about a storm that was raging outside – when she was seven.
After graduating from Reykjavik’s Hamrahlíð College – where she sang in the world-renowned choir run by Þorgerður Ingólfsdóttir, which counts Björk and members of Sigur Rós among former members – she planned to go to Vienna to continue her studies, but after becoming disillusioned with the classical world, she decided to take a different path. Spells were spent living in London and New York while traveling extensively.
Although Eydís cites her home country of Iceland as still being a huge influence on her music, she is also profoundly inspired by forces of nature as well as artists such as Philip Glass and Thom Yorke. But the real driving force behind her mournful, melancholic and incredibly beautiful arrangements is her own emotions, and having the full freedom to explore those feelings musically however she wants, while also attempting to break free from regular forms of music.” (Eydís Evensen)
Axel Flóvent
(neoclassical, folk)
Rising Icelandic singer-songwriter artist Axel Flóvent just releases a spellbinding collection of collaborative tracks with artists from around the world – Hayden Calnin (Australia), Plàsi (Sweden), and Ciaran Lavery (Ireland) and Tusks (England), and the title track is a compelling, neoclassical bijou with intimate melody and a soothing piano performance…
“Born and raised in the Northern fishing village of Húsavík, singer-songwriter Axel recorded his first EP Forest Fires, it was here where the songs were written under the influence of everything from Bon Iver to Bombay Bicycle Club . It yielded an international phenomenon in the form of the title track, generating over 40 million streams. At 19 years old, he moved into his first apartment in Amsterdam and “felt so isolated.” He admits, “I was supposed to be in a music mecca, but I never left the apartment.” So, he traded Amsterdam for the seaside town of Brighton in the UK where he recorded his latest EP Youthful Hearts. Living in Brighton gave Axel “the clarity to move to Iceland.” Axel returned to Iceland, and chose to plant roots in the capital Reykjavík. Tapping into the DIY spirit of his earliest recordings, but with a sense of refinement and newfound wisdom, Axel continues to release new material from a forthcoming debut album with his new label home Nettwerk Records.” (Axel Flóvent)
Regnør
(neoclassical, solo piano)
Regnør’s ‘In The End’ is a heartfelt solo piano composition, with abstract ambience, unleashing nostalgia, comfort, and familiarity, and we simply cannot resist…
“Regnør is the solo piano project of award-winning film composer and music producer Moritz Wanger.
His inspiration lies within the beauty of simplicity. Gently flowing melodies, that invite you to look inward, help you relax and enjoy a sense of calm. Regnør’s music paints memories of home, familiarity and comfort, inspiring you to recognize the essential and to find joy in the everyday.” (Regnør)
Sam Miller
(neoclassical, solo piano)
‘Of the Valley’ is the magnetic, 2-minute closing track of Sam Miller’s recently released album ‘Lillies’… Every single second is so dense, so melodic, that its 123 seconds are more than enough for this piece to engrave on your heart for quite a while!
“Sam Miller is a man of unique talents. An American multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter, composer and producer, he has released two full-length lyrical albums, You Need To Hear It (2014) and In One Place at a Time (2019), along with several instrumental albums including, Bach, Human Arpeggiatior (2020), Phonometrographer (2020), and Piano Works (2020).
A rare musical soul who thrives in our modern day of synthesizers and microchips, but who would be equally content playing Bach fugues in a cathedral filled with orangutans. His musical output is driven by curiosity and exploration, noticeably lacking the self-aggrandizing spirit of so much pop music.
From the mysterious deserts of New Mexico, Miller is at once a songwriter, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is a master storyteller, who walks a tightrope pitched between the beauty of life’s complexities and the abyss of the subconscious. His lyrics grow more dynamic and intriguing with each listen. An elegant love song is simultaneously a riddle that would tickle the ghost of Lewis Carroll.
One of the most impressive measures of Miller’s writing is how the melodic content of the songs carry the weight of his lyrics. His attention to detail in arrangement and production creates fully realized songs that arrive at a clear destination. There is a confidence and thoughtfulness that is applied to each composition. Clever melodic hooks manage to echo in your head for days, allowing the depth of the lyrics to slowly unfurl in your thoughts. Miller’s deep and resonant voice evokes Scott Walker, Nick Cave, and even Johnny Cash. At its climax In One Place at a Time is soaring chamber pop akin to Devotchka, at its most introspective it is indie pop held together by synths and drum machines. With a close listen, there are hints of Americana, traditional country, psychedelia, and even exotica.” (Sam Miller)
The Music
Christos Doukakis