Instrumentaion: Choir

Choral Chameleon, under the direction of Vince Peterson, explores the concept of change as a fundamental aspect of our existence on CHANGING from Navona Records. The texts and poems in this release delve into change as something that is inevitable and cyclical, to be actively embraced and critically examined in how it transforms our experiences, identities, and worldviews. CHANGING encourages listeners to move forward together with joyful anticipation of what is to come — not only with willingness, but with courage and evergreen determination.

Navona Records is pleased to present David Holdhusen and the University of South Dakota Chamber Singers’ performance of the iconic America the Beautiful. Initially arranged by KJ Phillips to accompany a 2021 Veterans Day celebration, the patriotic work flourishes with modern compositional flair, and is accompanied by a visual presentation of the ensemble’s performance. Beginning with a solo line that builds in slow, unfurling intensity, Phillips’ America the Beautiful weaves through several dynamic planes before ascending to a bright, resonant, and cathartic summit, inspiring admiration and reverence for the land of the free.

Voices of Concinnity finds connection through universal experiences on AWAITING GOLDEN LIGHT. Based in Connecticut, the inclusive professional vocal ensemble melded each singer's unique vocal qualities into the richness of choral sound for this project. Seeking connection through the isolation of a global pandemic, their members took inspiration from gazing at the glowing moon, experiencing the renewal of a new golden sunrise, anticipating wonder at the perseverance of a bulb blooming in spring, and finding solace in shining stars after the loss of a beloved. With this Navona Records release, the ensemble invites listeners to draw their eyes up toward the heavens and out beyond the horizon to find meaning.

The University of South Dakota Chamber Singers under the direction of Dr. David Holdhusen proudly presents LUX AETERNA, a new album of choral works from Navona Records. As its title suggests, this collection employs the power of music to shed light into the lives of listeners. Beautifully performed by the elite group of vocalists carefully selected from the university’s student body, the album evokes a variety of musical genres, vocal colors, and historical styles, taking listeners on a spiritual journey through life’s tribulations to ultimate redemption. LUX AETERNA is a meditation on universal human themes that listeners will find richly meaningful.

The Jitro Czech Girls Choir and conductor Jiří Skopal return with GRATIAS on Navona Records. The commemorative album pays homage to Czech composer Ilja Hurník, whose playful compositions perfectly match the joyful imagination of youth without sacrificing a sliver of musical integrity. Also a prolific author, Hurnik infuses his compositions with narrative texts that give the music a storybook quality.

The Renaissance Men are back with their latest release on Navona Records: A VERY RENMEN CHRISTMAS: LIVE! The album, which features lush choral arrangements of traditional hymns and holiday classics, captures the festive spirit of the RenMen’s annual Christmas galas for listeners everywhere.

Navona Records presents SOUNDTRACK OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER, an album of contemporary works for wind band performed by The United States Army Field Band. Led by Colonel Jim R Keene, the Army Field Band is the U.S. Army’s premier touring musical organization. In SOUNDTRACK OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER, the Army Field Band presents music of classic American films and video games, and in doing so celebrates the stories they portray and the men and women who inspired them. Monitored and mixed in IMMERSIVE DOLBY ATMOS® (5.1.4), SURROUND (5.1), and STEREO, the album immerses the listener in a multi-dimensional soundscape that creates a deeply meaningful connection to the music and the stories it portrays.

Pan-Fare, the album's starting point, is a rare modern classical piece for steel pan and a motley, jazz-inflected ensemble. Fun, energetic, and brimming with rhythmic imagination, it is set against an original percussive backdrop provided by, among others, a vibraslap, a marimba, and a Chinese opera gong.

In 2008, PARMA Recordings acquired Capstone Records, the highly respected New York-based classical label founded by composer Richard Brooks in 1986, with the intent of shepherding the company and its music into the digital era. This album was originally released on Capstone and is being re-released by PARMA Recording's Navona Records.

THE ROAD OF PROMISE represents a concert adaptation of Kurt Weill’s 1937 opera-oratorio The Eternal Road. Performed by members of the New York City-based performing arts organization MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale), under the baton of Ted Sperling, this pseudo-allegorical work was conceived by European Jewish emigrants in the US as an attempt to inform the American public about Adolf Hitler’s persecution of German Jews.

TREASURES FROM THE ARCHIVES, composer Carol Barnett's debut solo release on Navona Records, presents shining choral arrangements and originals from the composer's diverse catalog as interpreted by several choral groups, which gives the pieces an added tonal quality and presence. Many of the featured works were arranged by Barnett for the Minnesota-based Dale Warland Singers during her nearly decade-long residency with the group.