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
Ink Sticks & Stones
(neoclassical, cinematic)
A powerful and reflective neoclassical composition with remarkable cinematic value, by Ai Rei Dooh-Tousignant’s creative force, Ink Sticks & Stones…
“Ink Sticks & Stones is the moniker for Toronto-based composer-musician, Ai Rei Dooh-Tousignant. Being of mixed descent, she is constantly searching for different ways to express her many cultures, and openly advocates for a more inclusive Canadian music scene. ” (Ink Sticks & Stones)
Daniel Schrage
(neoclassical, solo piano)
A gorgeous solo piano composition, with a divine melodic line, bringing shivers down the spine….
“It had been a while since I had a piano in the house. I wrote a ton of music in my teens and twenties, spent a fair amount of time in music licensing for film and television (with some highlights), but I put the music thing on hold for a while and ended up selling my last piano (also my first) for lack of use when I bought and moved back into my old family home, not anticipating that I’d start writing again. Sacrilege, I know, but for what it’s worth, I came to my senses. During 2020’s pandemic quarantine, and following the unexpected loss of my brother, I returned to the piano in earnest and embarked on a felt piano album in 2021 that would later be given the name “Being in Time” (July 2021). It all started with the writing of “Just” (a tribute to my soldier of a brother), but the other pieces on the album followed from a similar place, and serve as a kind of expression of my first experience with true loss, the grieving process, and ultimately trying to make sense out of this thing, which ironically feels so utterly unnatural. As is the case with all of my music, each track was recorded in our old family Victorian. Needless to say, it holds a piano once again. It’s placed in the exact location of the upright I had growing up, and gets just as much use.“ (Daniel Schrage)
GéNIA
(neoclassical, solo piano)
Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, UK-based GéNIA’s title track from recently released full-length, is a powerful, yet emotive solo piano composition, with a competent performance, inspired by the composer’s frequent journeys to France… Beauty!
“Described by The Times as “an outstanding musician”, an enigma of the music world, Russian-born concert pianist turned composer-yogi, GéNIA, enjoyed success with her compositions alongside several sold-out London shows, whilst her music enjoyed placements in the critically acclaimed BBC America TV Series ‘Killing Eve” (starring Sandra Oh) and well-known British ITV Series ’Cold Feet”.
GéNIA’s music compositions can be heard on Classic FM, Scala Radio, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC London Radio 94.9, BBC World Service. London News TV Channel, Talk Radio, BBC Wales Radio, to name just a few, as well as Caffé Nero branches worldwide (as GéNIA is Caffé Nero’s featured classical artist) and also in various TV series.
Described by Gramophone magazine as “a charismatic pianist”, GéNIA is known for her enthralling stage presence. She comes from a distinguished line of Russian pianists and was taught by her great-grandmother, the renowned pedagogue Regina Horowitz, the sister of pianist Vladimir Horowitz. GéNIA made her London debut a in the Park Lane Group Young Artist Series, which was followed by concert tours in the UK, Europe and USA. London venues include Wigmore Hall, Barbican, Southbank Centre, Olympia, Kings Place, St. John’s Smith Square and St. Martin in the Fields.
As a performing artist GéNIA made a controversial and pioneering move away from the classical concert platform for a number of years. As an innovative composer and performer who crossed over into the world of pop music, she has collaborated with an eclectic range of artists, producers and composers including Gabriel Prokofiev, Howard Skempton, the Brodsky Quartet, Andy Sheppard, Jason Yarde, multi-Grammy nominated record producer Chris Craker, the double BAFTA award winner and six-time Emmy nominee sound engineer Nigel Heath, as well as dance producers Germ, Vex’d and Kreepa.
Breaking classical music traditions, GéNIA’s concerts often take the form of a show, rather than a classical concert, as she loves to connect with her audience, making the experience very personal to them.
She is also a founder of Piano-Yoga®, a groundbreaking piano method which was described as ‘Th 21 century answer to playing the piano’ by Yoga & Health Magazine and featured in many publications.” (GéNIA)
Rose Riebl
(neoclassical, solo piano, crossover classical)
A flawless solo piano composition, which is “the first of 4 solo piano pieces by Australian pianist and composer Rose Riebl, recorded in the iconic Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík and produced by Björk producer Bergur Thorisson”… Nostalgia rarely sounded sweeter than this!
“Rose trained intensively as a classical pianist from the age of five, later studying and performing throughout Australia, Europe and Asia.
Her compositional work extends her intimate relationship with the piano into a realm of more fragile, soulful and transcendent works that guide the listener into vulnerable emotional spaces. She has performed her own compositions in concert halls through Asia, Europe and Australia and has collaborated with multi-disciplinary artists in performances that take her work into open air, or alternate environments that provoke expansive listening experiences for the audience.” (Rose Riebl)
Marco Apicella
(neoclassical, solo piano, cinematic)
‘Nightbloom’ is a compelling, solo piano composition that according to its creator: “Late night. A room with a window. The candle lights up the old table. A woman, writing on a piece of paper, gaze at the roofs of the old city. This is the image that inspired me to compose Nightbloom”…. Poetic!
“Los Angeles based pianist, composer, and producer Marco Apicella is an artist of liminal spaces, weaving together classical, jazz and pop in his music. His delicate cinematic sonic landscapes invite listeners on enchanting journeys that evoke sensitivity, playfulness and movement. A native of Rome, Italy and classically trained pianist, Apicella distinguished himself by gaining diverse experiences, performing as a Jazz artists and keyboard player all around Europe and America beginning in 2013. His technical musical skill set earned him international performance opportunities with the likes of Bernard Fowler of The Rolling Stones, the 2 time Grammy Award winner Marcus Miller and 3 times Grammy Award-Winning funk group Snarky Puppy. In the following years, he relocated to Los Angeles to complete a Doctorate of Musical Arts among the esteemed faculty of University of Southern California. Apicella continues to break the stereotypes around the classical genre, innovating through the yoking together of his Jazz background with minimalist ethereal sounds, giving nods to classical giants such as Debussy, while embracing Herbie Hancock’s unpredictability. His vulnerability matches his technical ability as he harkens to his many musical influences who each bear their mark of inspiration in his genre bending work. The ripple effects of Apicella’s musical waves are far reaching, and it seems that they have just begun.” (Marco Apicella)
Atli Örvarsson
(neoclassical, cinematic, solo piano)
The magic unleashed while this solo piano composition gradually unfolds, it’s just irrepassable… A “geysir” of emotions…
“From historical epics to courtroom drama to tales of the supernatural, Icelandic composer Atli Örvarsson has provided innovative scores to tell all of these stories. Atli’s talent, experience, versatility, and skill combined with his Icelandic roots has produced an individualized and compelling style that contributes to his success as a musician and composer. Atli’s credits include orchestrating and writing music for some of Hollywood’s biggest projects, including the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has contributed music to films from Angels and Demons to The Holiday. As a composer, Atli Örvarsson displays musical diversity throughout his action-film scores in The Eagle, Vantage Point, Babylon A.D., the Morgan Freeman caper Thick as Thieves, The Fourth Kind, the Nicolas Cage medieval fantasy Season of the Witch, the fantasy adaptation The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, the dark and edgy film Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, the drama/thriller A Single Shot starring Sam Rockwell and working with Hans Zimmer to contribute music to the Zack Snyder’s Superman installment Man of Steel. Atli’s most recent credits include The Hitman’s Bodyguard starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds, the coming-of-age film The Edge of Seventeen, the Icelandic drama about two stubborn brothers Rams as well as the hit NBC series Chicago Fire and Chicago PD.
Originally from the small town of Akureyri, Atli Örvarsson became established in the local music scene at a young age. He earned three platinum and two gold records as a member of the Icelandic band Salin hans Jons mins before studying film composing at Berklee College of Music and the North Carolina School of the Arts. He excelled in composing and was awarded the Pete Carpenter Fellowship, which brought him to Los Angeles. He began working alongside TV veteran Mike Post on NYPD Blue and three Law and Order brands. Soon after that, Atli met composer Hans Zimmer, who extended an invitation to join his team at Remote Control Studios. Atli’s accolades include winning the HARPA Nordic Film Composer Award for his acclaimed score to Rams, several ASCAP & BMI Film & TV Music Awards, a “Breakthrough of the Year” nomination with the IFMCA Awards in 2009, plus he was nominated for the prestigious World Soundtrack Academy’s “Discovery of the Year Award” for his score for Babylon A.D in 2009 and his score for Ploey: You Never Fly Alone was nominated for a “Public Choice Award” in 2018.” (Atli Örvarsson)
Jackson Quinn
(neoclassical, solo piano, jazz)
A warm neoclassical-jazz mixture, with alluring ambience destined for repeated listens…
“Jackson Quinn is an American artist, composer,, painter, image designer, and educator who has had a connection with music since touching his first guitar. His mixture of sounds are a combination of his connection to the natural world with intellectual thought. A world traveler, he is often musically inspired from past travels and living in different cultures, especially those in cold climates which are known for their reflective atmosphere. Eventually, this affected his music and art, later persuading his contemporaries to nickname him the Wintry One after a poetry and music session in snow covered Nova Scotia, Canada. Indeed his music is reflective in tone, but he incorporates it into his interpretation of Ambient electronic, Deep House, Chill out and Cinematic music.
He currently lives in the Appalachian Mountains of his home State of Virginia, USA.” (Jackson Quinn)
The Music
Christos Doukakis