For the Record, Op. 95: Lara St. John - Avner Dorman's 'Nigunum'; John Pearce Jazz Quartet

September 19, 2019, 12:08 PM · Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!

Violinist Lara St. John.

New Jewish Music, Vol. 2
Lara St. John, violin
Sharon Azrieli, soprano
Couloir duo
Orchestre classique de Montréal, Boris Brott conducting

New Jewish Music, Vol. 2 features the world premiere recording of Avner Dorman’s Nigunim (violin concerto version), performed by violinist Lara St. John. Nigunum was premiered in New York in 2011 by Gil and Orli Shaham, for whom it was written as a violin sonata. In 2014, the composer orchestrated the piano part, and in 2017 heavily revised it into a violin concerto, which won the 2018 Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music. The album also features the world premiere recording of Kelly-Marie Murphy's "En el escuro es todo uno," (In the Darkness All is One), a double concerto for cello, harp and orchestra; and Seven Tableaux from the "Song of Songs," composed in 1992 by Srul Irving Glick. The Azrieli Music Prizes were established in 2014 to offer opportunities for the discovery, creation, performance and celebration of high quality new Jewish music. BELOW: Composer Avner Dorman, winner of the 2018 Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music, introduces us to his prize-winning violin concerto, "Nigunim."

Just Friends
John Pearce, violin
David Newton, piano
Will Harris, bass
Ian Matthews, drums

U.K. born and based, violinist John Pearce started playing classically from the age of eight, was awarded a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music to study with Gyorgy Pauk and went onto study extensively with Nic Fallowfield and Bela Katona. "In more recent years I have focused on playing jazz and have found greater inspiration from horn players like Paul Desmond, Charlie Parker and Wynton Marsalis," Pearce said, "distinguishing my playing from the more common gypsy jazz violin sound. This quartet album of jazz standards with includes long-term collaborators pianist David Newton, bassist Will Harris and drummer Ian Matthews (drums, known to rock fans for his work with Kasabian). BELOW: Violinist John Pearce plays 'Brazil' at Fringe Jazz with David Newton, Will Harris and Ian Matthews

If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our Thursday "For the Record" feature, please e-mail Editor Laurie Niles. Be sure to include the name of your album, a link to it and a short description of what it includes.

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