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Voyage
Pierre Schroeder composer
Performers: Karolina Rojahn, Charles Clements, Robert Schultz, Jessica Lizak, Peter Sulski, Yhasmin Valenzuela, Leo Eguchi, John Page (conductor), Sarita Uranovsky, Zoia Bologovsky, Colleen Brannen, Ethan Wood, Julia Okrusko, Joanna Cyrus, Emily Rome, Dorothy Braker, Thea Lobo, David William Ross, Josh Addison, Jose Lezcano, John Ferraro, Peter Chew, Norika Herndon, Mark Berger
On his debut Navona Records release VOYAGE, composer Pierre Schroeder presents a captivating sonic journey that takes listeners on winding highways, through arid and spacious deserts, along the shores of crashing waves, into desolate and snow-covered lands, through episodes of adventures, mishaps, discoveries, and losses.
Using a variety of musical styles, including jazz, blues, and folk idioms, while still grounded in classical form, the 11-piece adventure begins with an intense and busy departure in Highway I, like rush hour traffic, driven by a relentless triplet melody. Fluid and nocturnal images are encountered in the jazzy Bleu Nuit, followed by lyrical images of the wandering strides of the nomadic Romani people in Gypsy. The expedition continues with the serene and longing duet of Shores, the fugue-like whirl of Vertigo, the delicate and moody guitar passages of Lowland, the sensuous dreaminess of Morning Veil, and more. The suite concludes with Snow, an austere and moving piece evoking the inevitability of individual snowflakes disappearing into the “grand harmony.” Almost every journey we commit to undertaking is an opportunity for discovery, and Schroeder’s VOYAGE is no exception, offering listeners a fresh, intimate, and exciting excursion through a world real and imagined.
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Artist Information
Pierre Schroeder
Pierre, a French native, came to music as a child, studying classical piano and transcribing themes from movie composers on the family’s piano. Emotions are in the center of his work, and reviewers have often noted cinematic elements in his music, while describing “an imaginative musical craftsman at work, capable of evoking real wonder, mystery, reverence, and celebration.”
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.
David William Ross
David William Ross is a New England–based guitarist with roots in both classical and jazz. His recordings and performances have been lauded for their sensitivity, virtuosity, and depth of all-around musicality. Ross frequently works with composers and is active in cultivating new repertoire for the guitar. He has premiered works by Frank Wallace, Georges Raillard, Ferdinando DeSena, Peter Dayton, Pierre Schroeder, among many others. Ross’ work as a session player has led to an extensive working knowledge of the recording studio. He has developed an approach to engineering and recording that not only serves as a means to capture and present music but also as an artistic tool in its own right.
