Premiere Recordings of genre-defying chamber works by one of America’s most respected up-and-coming composers

 

New CD by GRAMMY-nominated ALIAS Chamber Ensemble

 

"I believe it takes extraordinary bravery to speak from the heart, to shed unnecessary complexity and avoid opportunistic adherence to current trend. Kenji Bunch is one of very few composers alive today who has this courage." — Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts

The First All-Bunch Recording

 

Kenji Bunch, one of today’s hottest composers, and the amazing musicians of the Alias chamber Ensemble present this uniquely engaging album: the first devoted entirely to Bunch’s music.

 

A MUSICAL OMNIVORE: CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR EVERYMAN

 

Much of Mr. Bunch’s music draws upon an exceptionally broad range of traditional American genres and styles. Whether it’s roots music like bluegrass, folk or the blues – or their more modern descendants like country, jazz and rock – he applies his classical training to these influences in such a way as to elevate them to higher levels of fresh, brain-teasing musical art that will grab – and captivate – the ears of a wide cross-section of new listeners who may be wary of classical music. At the same time, his creations offer levels of compositional sophistication and creative artistry that will keep classical fans fascinated, entertained and edified. The compositions here that reflect such influences are String Circle and Boiling Point.

 

ART REFLECTING HUMAN EXPERIENCE

 

The remaining pieces in this program are the pure products of Bunch’s musical imagination and creative impulse. These are inspired more by his personal (and universal) human experiences, perceptions and emotions: the surreal calm of natural phenomena like sleep and dreams (Drift); the multifaceted impressions and excitement of running the famous NYC marathon (26.2); or his elegiac response to the national tragedy of 9/11 (Luminaria). Kenji – himself an accomplished violist and seasoned bluegrass performer – has “… an uncanny feel for the dynamic of the concert hall” (again, according to composer Kevin Puts), giving him a sure knack for capturing and holding his audience’s interest in his compositions.