We’ve seen what the PARMA production team can do with the 28 days February provides. With 31 days in March, the possibilities are endless. From jubilant choral compositions to resounding brass writing and invigorating works for strings, here’s what our production team heard from behind the mixing board this month.

Festive Frequencies

While the holiday season is many months away, the production team got a head start on recording a number of festive works to be included in the fourth installment of Navona Records’ DASHING series, slated for release in November 2023. Following previous orchestral sessions for the album with composers James Shrader and Michael Roush, this month’s merry productions began at Prague’s Korunní Chapel, where composers Brian Latchem and L Peter Deutsch were gearing up to record new vocal works with the Kühn Choir of Prague, the featured ensemble in an upcoming Call for Scores.

Further choral sessions for DASHING took place shortly after in Roslindale MA at Futura Productions, where composer Phillip Rhodes completed two works for choir accompanied by a chamber instrumental ensemble.

Greater Boston Brass

The production team traveled north up the Massachusetts coastline and made their return to Rockport’s Shalin Liu Performance Center, this time to record a number of brass works in various orchestrations. Over the course of three days, the team captured:

  • Edward Messerschmidt’s Fantasia for Horn and Piano
  • Marilyn Bliss’ Evocations and Aria for solo tuba

  • David Wilborn’s Jett Stream Blue for tenor trombone and piano

Each work will be released on BRASS TACKS VOL. 2 from Navona Records. Dive into the first edition of BRASS TACKS here:

BRASS TACKS

Navona Records, 2022

Delve into the rich sound of brass soloists and ensembles in this compelling multi-composer album.

String Recordings at the Shalin Liu

This month’s productions at the Shalin Liu quickly pivoted to a different set up as composer Michael Lee stepped up to the plate to record his work for string trio, Dance Macabre. The piece was recorded by three members of the Juventas New Music Ensemble, orchestrated for violin, viola, and cello.

Video Productions with Carl Vollrath

As the team wrapped up sessions with Lee, the camera’s started rolling as a new video production with composer Carl Vollrath was underway. Pianist Ook-Jin You, who flew into the Boston area from Alabama, set up shop at the Shalin Liu to record three works by Vollrath. Ook-Jin was joined by flutist Yoon-Hee Jung, who traveled from South Korea, for the final piece, Korean Sketches, which will be released alongside the two solo piano works in high definition video performances.

Hear the world premiere performance of Vollrath’s Korean Sketches, recorded at Seoul, South Korea’s Youngsan Art Hall, here:

While March sessions have come to a close, there are already a number of exciting productions on the horizon, including:

  • The world premiere recording of the late, trailblazing artist Chick Corea’s Concerto for Trombone with the University of Las Vegas Wind Orchestra featuring trombonist Joseph Alessi
  • A full-scale video production of the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming Eckart Conducts Márquez concert program

  • The final recording session for works selected in the PARMA/Sphinx Call for Scores for an upcoming album featuring cellist Thomas Mesa and pianist Michelle Cann