Notes by Mark Small - Editor of Berklee Today.  In the fall of 2003, guitarist and composer Apostolos Paraskevas commissioned works for solo guitar from his fellow faculty members at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Twelve of his colleagues accepted the challenge Paraskevas gave for them to compose works of a melancholic nature, laments. Surprisingly, given the conceptual parameters of the project, the pieces vary greatly in style, tonality, and in their exploitation of the guitar’s expressive resources. Paraskevas premiered all 13 works in March 10, 2004 at Berklee’s David Friend Recital Hall. Since that time, the works have received performances in Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Thailand, and Brazil. Paraskevas recorded 12 of laments for this album in January 2006.