The Black Oak Ensemble (violinist Desirée Ruhstrat, violist Aurélien Fort Pederzoli, and cellist David Cunliffe) continues to push the boundaries of the string trio repertoire with their third album on Cedille Records. The idea for the album was born out of a mistaken Google search. During the 2022 World Cup, with Switzerland, Germany, France, and England all in the running—all …

Following the release of her debut album Wings, composer Rami Levin returns with a second album of chamber music featuring some of the most celebrated Chicago-based musicians. Cavatina Duo performs the title track, where Levin draws on the Brazilian choro, characterized by fast tempi, syncopation, and counterpoint. The cross-cultural infusion continues with the Brazilian rhythms of Danças brasileiras performed by …

Third Coast Percussion’s 20th anniversary album celebrates ensemble’s legacy of musical collaboration and artistic growth since its founding in 2005. The program of world premiere recordings explores the passage of time, both through the eyes of percussionists charged with “keeping time” for an ensemble, and on the grander scale of time elapsed over decades. The album opens with Jlin’s Please …

The Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective was conceived in 2017 by husband-and-wife duo Tom Poster, piano, and Elena Urioste, violin. The Collective operates with a flexible roster featuring many of today’s most inspirational musicians, both instrumentalists and singers, and its creative programming is marked by an ardent commitment to celebrating diversity of all forms and a desire to unearth lesser-known gems of …

Led by Stilian Kirov, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra makes its debut on Cedille Records with the world premiere recordings of Michael Abels’s Frederick’s Fables and Augusta Read Thomas’s Gwendolyn Brooks Settings. These works were adapted from short stories by celebrated children’s author and illustrator Leo Lionni and the poetry of former U.S. Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks. Frederick’s Fables, which features …

Violinist Kristin Lee’s debut solo album offers a distinct and recognizable sound of American music and its rich history, encapsulating both Lee’s journey as an American, as well as the journeys of the composers in the United States. A native of Seoul, Korea, Lee was compelled to select repertoire that expresses her pride in the country she now calls her …

Black Moon Trio (violinist Khelsey Zarraga, hornist Parker Nelson, and pianist Jeremy Vigil) is an ensemble committed to collaboratively affecting positive change in communities through chamber music. Founded in 2022, the trio champions underrepresented voices in their programming and commissions and aims to prove classical music is for everyone by engaging diverse audiences, youth, and artists of every type. Black …

Music of the Baroque presents the sublime oratorio Jephtha, Handel’s final masterpiece, recorded live conducted by Dame Jane Glover. Tenor David Portillo, a Ryan Opera Center alum, leads the cast that includes sopranos Lauren Snouffer and Katelyn Lee, mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, and bass-baritone Neal Davies. The performance from September 2022 marked Jane Glover’s 20th season leading …

Tenor Ian Koziara and pianist Bradley Moore spotlight art songs by Franz Schreker, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Viktor Ullmann, and Alexander von Zemlinsky, whose musical achievements were overshadowed by the oppression of the Third Reich. This album marks the first tenor-voice recording for almost all of these rare songs. The musical language of these early 20th century works is more Late Romantic …

In her 24th release for Cedille Records, violinist Rachel Barton Pine performs Arcangelo Corelli’s 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 5, with early music specialists David Schrader, John Mark Rozendaal, and Brandon Acker. Known for her dynamic range and versatility, Pine revisits the Baroque period, highlighting Corelli’s influential yet seldom performed sonatas. The ensemble performs on a diverse collection of period instruments—Schrader …