Reflections – new album from Paul Smith

Reflections is the new album of material composed by Paul Smith, and featuring performers Paul Smith, Clare Stewart, Neil Valentine, Apollo5, VOCES8 and the VOCES8 Foundation choir.

BBC Music Magazine has given the album a 4-star review: An immersive (and effective) endeavour, with plainsong, modern instrumental and vocal hues and early opera sitting together surprisingly comfortably. Definitely one for headphones and a darkened room.

The album launch concert is now available to watch on VOCES8’s Facebook page here.

Buy the album here.

Sheet music for one of the tracks, Nunc Dimittis, is available from Edition Peters here.

Paul’s own website is here.

VOCES8 announce Roxanna Panufnik as Composer-in-Residence

Roxanna Panufnik will be VOCES8’s Composer-in-Residence from September this year. She has written a wide range of pieces – opera, ballet, music theatre, choral works, orchestral and chamber compositions, and music for film and television – which are performed all over the world.

The position continues an already strong relationship. The album Love Abide on Signum Classics includes 2 tracks sung by VOCES8 – Love Endureth and Zen Love Song, which has a great animated video here by Mischa Ying. During the residency Roxanna will write music for the group as well as take part in workshop events. The group will perform a piece of Roxanna’s at almost every concert performance.

Jonathan Dove was the group’s previous Composer-in-Residence, and during that time he composed the work “Vertue” for them.

Read an interview from Roxanna here.