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Soul Of The Machine
Sarah Wallin Huff composer
As in a Philip K. Dick or Isaac Asimov novel, composer Sarah Wallin Huff’s music on SOUL OF THE MACHINE, her debut solo release on Navona Records, explores the relationships between mechanical structures, organic beauty, and identity.
Wallin Huff’s string quartet Anima Mechanicae: Soul of the Machine is a reimagining of minimalist techniques, in the style of Philip Glass, and uses mathematical ratios to determine rhythmic and tonal patterns, setting a science fiction tale of a computer that is given the chance to experience human emotions. Another work that has an overarching tale, one of uncertainty and identity, is Courage Triptych, a cinematic suite of “images,” while Adoré transforms the hymn “My Tribute” by Andraé Crouch into an open and ethereal piece, remindful of Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question. The sonata for violin and piano, Gypsy Wanderer, is a study of patterns, colors, and formula, creating rhythmic and harmonic wanderings. The three movements of Counterpoint Invariable follow a strict arrangement of phrases, varying only the compositional material, illustrating that mechanical designs can produce emotive beauty.
Sarah Wallin Huff is currently the Professor of Composition and conductor of the Chamber Ensemble at the Master’s College in Santa Clarita CA. She is a violinist and violist who has toured throughout the United States and in 11 European countries and has performed with the Orange County Symphony, the Southern California Philharmonic, and several other ensembles and orchestras.
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Artist Information
Sarah Wallin Huff
Sarah Wallin Huff is a music lecturer at California Polytechnic University of Pomona, teaching “History of Technology in Music,” for which she published an original textbook with Great River Learning in 2019. She received her M.A. in Music Composition at Claremont Graduate University in 2008, and was the Professor of Composition and Advanced Theory — as well as conductor of the Chamber Ensemble — at The Master’s University in Santa Clarita from 2012-2016.
Vít Muzík
Czech violinist and producer Vít Muzík (b. 1972) is one of the most multifaceted musicians working on the contemporary classical music scene. His abilities both as a performer on the concert stage and in the recording booth have led to appearances on more than 60 recordings in the Navona and Ravello catalogs, making him one of PARMA Recordings' most frequent collaborators.
Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra
The Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the foremost and oldest symphony orchestras in the Czech Republic. It is based in the historical capital of Moravia, the city of Olomouc, and has been a leader of music activities in the region for the past 70 years. Its artistic development was directly influenced by distinguished figures from the Czech and international music scene.
Karolina Rojahn
Karolina Rojahn is a Los Angeles based pianist who has dedicated the last decade of her career to premiering and recording contemporary music repertoire. She has premiered over a hundred new works and collaborated with various classical music labels, most notably Naxos, having released over 43 recordings of chamber and solo piano music, including 5 piano concertos written specifically for her.
