Fyodor Amirov (piano) is a musician engaged in a variety of activities-from classical piano music to free improvisation, rock concerts and multimedia performances.

Giovanni Mazzocchin was born in Bassano del Grappa (VI) in 1994. He was admitted at the 'Pedrollo' Conservatory in Vicenza in 2007, where he studied with Marco Tezza. He graduated in five years with the highest marks, praise and special mention, playing a program which included the J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations and the Beethoven' most difficult sonata, the "Hammerklavier". In the meantime he also attended masterclasses with Carlo Grante, Filippo Gamba, Massimiliano Ferrati, Alexander Madzar and Wolfram Schmitt-Leonardy, who particularly appreciated the his performance of Chopin and Liszt. Starting 2015 he recorded: Beethoven's Late Piano Sonatas, Opus 101 & 106 + Opus 109, 110, 111 (OnClassical OC145CSET), Diabelli Variations Op. 120 + Bagatelles Op. 126 (OnClassical OC17072c); J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (OnClassical OC17042b). Giovanni is currently attending the faculty of Computer Science at the University of Padova, where he completed his three-year degree.

On the occasion of the 85th birthday of Arvo Pärt (September 2020) and the 75th anniversary of the Bavarian Radio Chorus (May 2021). The Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, born in 1935, has succeeded in bringing sacred music back to a broader audience, and away from the confines of the church service, more than almost any other contemporary composer. The meditative character of his works, and his return to the simplest and most basic musical forms, convey moments of intense spirituality. Before his emigration from the Soviet Union, Pärt had already invented what he termed the tintinnabuli style of composition (from the Latin word for a bell). He produced an early and important example of this expressive style in 1977 with his “Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten”, scored for string orchestra and bell. It is also a key feature of the choral and instrumental works presented by BR-KLASSIK on this new CD: five works for choir as well as two for instrumental ensemble, covering all of the composer’s creative epochs between 1986 and 2019.

Akkapelimannit (Female Folk Musicians, akka meaning a mature, married woman) are musicians from Kaustinen, Finland: Minna Järvelä teaches violinists at the Lahti Conservatoire, Jaana Virkkala teaches music to teacher students at the University of Jyväskylä, Kaija Saarikettu is a professor of violin music at the Sibelius Academy, Maria Pulakka and Leenakaisa Sandberg are violinists of the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra and Kreeta-Maria Kentala is a freelancer baroque violinist.

Works that pay homage to spring have been brought together by Malwina Sosnowski (violin) and Benyamin Nuss (piano) on their new GENUIN CD: departure, a new beginning, an exuberance of emotions. On it, the perspective shifts between Japan and Europe. Beethoven’s euphoric "Spring Sonata" is juxtaposed with rarely performed French repertoire by Germaine Tailleferre and Lili Boulanger, as well as a world premiere recording by Masashi Hamauzu and an elegy dedicated to the victims of Fukushima by Benyamin Nuss himself. The interpretative verve and freshness of the two internationally successful musicians match the richness of color and nuance found in the selected music.

Acclaimed Japanese pianist Yu Kosuge unveils Wind, the third in her series of four Orchid Classics albums related to the four elements (Water, Fire, Wind, Earth). Kosuges inspiration for these releases stems from her relationship with the music of Beethoven, who was drawn to Greek legends. This led Kosuge to the Greek concept of the four elements as the basis of these albums. Beethoven is one of a varied selection of composers featured on Wind; Yu Kosuge performs his blustery Piano Sonata Op. 31, No. 2, known as The Tempest. There are evocative pieces from the French Baroque, by Couperin, Rameau and Daquin, and from the world of French Impressionism with three of Debussys fleet-footed Préludes. The release is completed with a piece by contemporary Japanese composer Akira Nishimura, and the atmospheric In the Mists by Janáek. Apart from technical perfection, which is not that unusual today, she possesses a stunning palette of expression and an exquisite and pearly touch.

Faniska is an opéra comique in three acts by Luigi Cherubini. The German libretto, by Joseph Sonnleithner, is based on the melodrama Les mines de Pologne (1803) by René-Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt.

Born on 12 July 1996. He is a student of Stefan Wojtas at Bydgoszcz Music Academy, having previously studied with Ewa Pobłocka and Paweł Wakarecy. He has won many prizes in international piano competitions, including first prize in the ‘La Palma d’Oro’ in Italy (2019) and first prize in the Rzeszów International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition (2014). In 2018 he won a competition at Indiana University for performances of works with orchestra. He has performed in concerts and festivals in Europe and the United States, at the Auer Hall of Indiana University in Bloomington, Ganz Hall of Roosevelt University in Chicago, NOSPR Hall in Katowice, and the philharmonic halls of Warsaw, Łódź and Pomerania.

The armonia ensemble, made from the ranks of the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the MDR Symphony Orchestra wind sections, dishes up a veritable explosion of sound on their new GENUIN CD. At the heart of their exploration of Harmoniemusik, music for an ensemble of woodwinds, horns, and double bass, is Mozart's "Gran Partita," the opus ultimum of the genre. In addition, the elite wind players allow us to discover three works by Salieri, whose material was crafted just for them: An opera overture, an " Armonia per un tempio della notte,” and a "Piccola Serenata." The armonia ensemble produces a dense, historically informed sound that beautifully showcases the splendor of these four extraordinary works.

Faniska is an opéra comique in three acts by Luigi Cherubini. The German libretto, by Joseph Sonnleithner, is based on the melodrama Les mines de Pologne (1803) by René-Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt.

Acclaimed Japanese pianist Yu Kosuge unveils Wind, the third in her series of four Orchid Classics albums related to the four elements (Water, Fire, Wind, Earth). Kosuges inspiration for these releases stems from her relationship with the music of Beethoven, who was drawn to Greek legends.

Born on 12 July 1996. He is a student of Stefan Wojtas at Bydgoszcz Music Academy, having previously studied with Ewa Pobłocka and Paweł Wakarecy. He has won many prizes in international piano competitions, including first prize in the ‘La Palma d’Oro’ in Italy (2019) and first prize in the Rzeszów International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition (2014).

On the occasion of the 85th birthday of Arvo Pärt (September 2020) and the 75th anniversary of the Bavarian Radio Chorus (May 2021). The Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, born in 1935, has succeeded in bringing sacred music back to a broader audience, and away from the confines of the church service, more than almost any other contemporary composer.

The laus perennis that the monks every day in their psalmody offer to the Lord, is adorned with hymns, antiphons and responsories; all chants drawn from the ancient gregorian repertory. With this daily practice and custom, the monks become almost the only custodians and specialists of this patrimony of the highest religious, cultural and artistic merit that is gregorian chant. The monks of Montecassino – always faithful cultivators of this venerable chant, proper to the lit- urgy of the Church – with the present CD want to make these melodies, which are an elevated form of prayer, resound also outside of the monastery walls. The recording was completed at the Tomb of St. Benedict and is intended as an affectionate hymn of sons towards their father and master: in fact, a good part of the liturgy of the Solemnity of St.Benedict of the traditional date of March 21 was performed.

Laula! is the third album by Mike Fentross and Maarten Ornstein; following our debut duo album, Oblivion Soave and having worked with Rima Khcheich on our second album Ombre de Mon Amant, we are once again collaborating with an extraordinary singer — the Estonian mezzo-soprano Kadri Tegelmann. She is not only a superb interpreter of the Baroque music, as featured here, but she also introduced us to the deep and rich tradition of Baltic vocal music with its many folksongs, hymns and chants.