photo: Royal Scottish National Orchestra | credit: Andrew Perry
We’re only a month into the new year, and 2025 is already showing signs that classical music will continue to grow and thrive. Dive in to see how the PARMA production team kicked off the new year.
Celebrating the New Year with Benda Quartet
Jumping back into recording at the turn of the new year has seemingly become a tradition with the PARMA production team, who for the third year in a row kicked off another trip around the sun with the Benda Quartet.
On January 2nd, PARMA and the Benda Quartet joined forces to record a new work by composer Ivar Lunde, Jr. His piece, Fragments for a Sunday Afternoon, was selected from PARMA’s recent Featured Recording Opportunity for string quartet.
credit: Andrew Perry
New Music with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Our far-reaching recording endeavors continued in the picturesque port city of Glasgow, Scotland with the renowned Royal Scottish National Orchestra, who were prepped to record new classical music by several contemporary composers.
The ensemble was joined in Royal Glasgow Hall by Anna Kislitsyna, an acclaimed pianist and PARMA artist praised for her “heroic interpretive intelligence, subtle technical virtuosity, and distinctive mastery of nuance and color” (Performing Arts Review).
“I believe this album will offer listeners something truly unique: each composition brings a distinct range of emotions, and together, they take you on a poetic journey — from peaceful meditation to an uplifting celebration of beauty and spirit,” Kislitsyna said.
“Recording with the RSNO was an unforgettable experience! From the very start, the project felt special — thanks to a fantastic team of producers, the profound sound of RSNO (one of Europe’s leading orchestras), a highly skilled and talented conductor, and the captivating music of nine contemporary composers, most of whom wrote pieces specifically for this album.”
– Anna Kislitsyna, pianist
Composers from around the world came together in Scotland to hear their works brought to life, including Nan Avant, who recorded movements IV and V of her suite, Sirens of the Salish Sea. “Anna’s playing was so beautiful and expressive and I am honored to have her performing on our Navona Records upcoming album,” Avant said.
“Listening to The Royal Scottish National Orchestra perform my music, the pianist playing with the utmost feeling and perfection, being present in a state of the art recording booth with our illustrious production team Brad and Jan, was indeed a memorable and remarkable experience. I am honored to have such talent performing my orchestral works.”
– Nan Avant, composer
Following sessions with Kislitsyna, the team regrouped with the ensemble at RSNO center to record several more works for orchestra from PARMA artists Deon Nielsen Price, Kim Diehnelt, and Carl Vollrath, who featured pianist Ook-Jin You in his music.
During Vollrath’s session, PARMA’s video production team captured multi-camera in-studio footage of You and the RSNO’s performance. The two pieces, Siciliano and Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, will be released as a digital single on all platforms along with the full video performance on Youtube.
photo: Kühn Choir of Prague
Featured Recording Opportunities with Kühn Choir
PARMA’s production team closed out a very eventful first month of 2025 with the Kühn Choir, a longtime collaborator and ensemble in the process of recording several works from a recent Featured Recording Opportunity.
This month’s sessions brought the choir back to Prague’s Studio Martínek to record HaShir HaShem Luchem by composer Jay Anthony Gach, to be released alongside several other choral works by contemporary composers on CELESTIAL VOICES 2, a Dolby Atmos immersive audio album from Navona Records.
Our Featured Recording Opportunity with the Kühn Choir of Prague is still open for submission. Submit your choral work today for consideration and a quote to record with a celebrated ensemble.
